WAVs

WAV, short for Waveform Audio File Format, is an audio file format standard developed by Microsoft and IBM in 1991. It is the container used by the RIFF specification to store audio data on Windows and other platforms. WAV files typically carry the .wav extension and the MIME type audio/wav. They are capable of storing uncompressed PCM audio as well as other formats within the same container.

Structure and encoding: A WAV file consists of a RIFF header followed by one or more chunks, the most important being the fmt chunk and the data chunk. The fmt chunk describes the audio format (for PCM, code 1), number of channels, sample rate, byte rate, block alignment, and bits per sample. The data chunk contains the raw samples. For non-PCM data, other codes and chunks may be used; a WAV extension form (WAVEX) can convey additional metadata and formats.

Common configurations and considerations: Typical configurations are 16-bit PCM at 44.1 kHz stereo, which matches CD-quality, or 48 kHz for video work. Because WAV is typically uncompressed, file sizes are large relative to compressed formats. Its simplicity and broad compatibility have made it a staple in professional audio production, mastering, archival, and game or film sound design. While ideal for fidelity, WAV is less suitable for streaming or mobile bandwidth-constrained scenarios without compression.

Metadata and extensions: WAV can carry metadata in INFO chunks or LIST chunks, and the WAVEX variant extends the container to carry more detailed codec and timing information. The format remains widely supported by media players, digital audio workstations, and operating systems across platforms.