Guides · updated October 22, 2026

WAV to MP3 at 320 kbps

320 kbps is the top MP3 bitrate. What it does to a 16/44.1 or 24/96 WAV, how big the file becomes, and when a lower rate is the better choice.

Tested: 22 October 2026 · 16/44.1 and 24/96 WAV fixtures · Chrome 156, Firefox 157, WebKit 27.2

Short answer

320 kbps is the maximum MP3 bitrate. It makes sense for music from a lossless WAV, especially dense mixes. It is wasted on speech and on sources that will be edited again. At 320 kbps the MP3 is about 2.4 MB per minute; the WAV it came from is about 10.6 MB per minute.

The number, in context

MP3 is defined by MPEG-1 Audio Layer III. For 32, 44.1 and 48 kHz audio, the standard allows 32–320 kbps. 320 is the ceiling. There is no “MP3 512” and no lossless MP3 mode.

A constant 320 kbps stream is about:

320,000 bits/s × 60 ÷ 8 = 2,400,000 bytes ≈ 2.4 MB per minute

A CD-quality WAV (44.1 kHz, 16-bit, stereo) is:

44,100 × 2 × 2 × 60 = 10,584,000 bytes ≈ 10.6 MB per minute

So 320 kbps MP3 is roughly 4.4 times smaller than the WAV. At 192 kbps it is about 7.3 times smaller. The WAV remains the master; the MP3 is the delivery copy.

What happens to a 24-bit or 96 kHz WAV

A 24-bit/96 kHz stereo WAV is about 34.6 MB per minute. MP3 cannot carry 96 kHz, and it has no bit-depth field. The converter:

Decodes the PCM samples (including the 24-bit or 32-bit float values).
Resamples 96 kHz to 48 kHz (88.2 kHz to 44.1 kHz).
Encodes the result at 320 kbps.

The output is a valid MP3, but it is not a bit-perfect copy of the WAV. The 24-bit depth has no meaning in MP3; the sample rate is lower by design. If the destination is a DAW, keep the WAV.

When 320 is worth it

Music from a lossless master. The encoder has real detail to preserve.
Dense mixes. Cymbals, strings, layered vocals and applause are where low-bitrate MP3 artefacts show up.
A delivery copy you will keep. If the MP3 is the only copy on a phone or a stick, the extra size is cheap insurance.

When it is not

Speech, interviews and lectures. 96–128 kbps mono is enough.
A source that is already lossy. A WAV exported from a 128 kbps MP3 does not become high-resolution because the container is WAV.
A file you will edit again. MP3 is a delivery format, not an editing format. Keep the WAV.

How to set it here

Drop the WAV into the converter.
The panel shows the source bit depth, sample rate and channels.
Choose 320 kbps.
Leave the sample rate on Auto unless the destination needs 44.1 or 48 kHz. A 96 kHz source becomes 48 kHz.
Convert. The result panel shows the actual output size and average bitrate.

The encoder is CBR. There is no VBR menu, because the tool cannot honour one.

Verify the output

ffprobe -v error -select_streams a:0 \
  -show_entries stream=codec_name,bit_rate,sample_rate,channels \
  -of default=nw=1 output.mp3

Expect codec_name=mp3, a bitrate near 320 kbps, and 48 kHz for a 96 kHz source. The small difference from 320 is frame overhead and the Xing header, not a failed setting.

FAQ

Is 320 kbps MP3 as good as WAV?

No. MP3 is lossy at every bitrate. 320 kbps is the maximum MPEG-1 Layer III rate; it is close to transparent for many listeners on many systems, but it is not the same signal as the WAV. Keep the WAV as the master.

What happens to a 96 kHz WAV at 320 kbps?

MP3 does not support 96 kHz. The audio is resampled to 48 kHz (or 44.1 kHz if that is a better fit), then encoded at 320 kbps. The sample rate in the MP3 will be 48 kHz, not 96 kHz.

Does 320 kbps make a 128 kbps source better?

No. A higher bitrate gives the encoder more room, but it cannot restore detail the source already lost. If the WAV came from a 128 kbps MP3, a 320 kbps MP3 is still built from that reduced signal.

Should I use 320 for podcasts?

Usually not. Speech is fine at 96–128 kbps mono. 320 kbps stereo spends bits on room noise and silence. Use 320 for music where cymbals, strings or dense mixes matter.

Is VBR better than 320 CBR?

VBR can match quality at a smaller average size by spending more bits on complex passages. This converter offers CBR only; if you need VBR, use ffmpeg or a DAW. CBR makes the output size predictable.