Audio Sample Size Calculator

Work out audio sample size instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Audio Sample Size Calculator

Uncompressed audio uses sample rate times bit depth over eight times channels bytes per second, and the Nyquist limit puts the highest reproducible frequency at half the sample rate. The Nyquist limit is why 44.1 kHz was chosen for CD: it covers the 20 kHz limit of human hearing with a little margin for filtering.

Formulas

Data rate

bytes per second = sample rate x bit depth / 8 x channels

Nyquist frequency

highest frequency = sample rate / 2

Worked example

With the default values below, Audio Sample Size Calculator returns File size of 82.397. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Sample rateminimum 1 Hz: 48,000 Hz
Bit depthaccepts 1–64 bits: 24 bits
Channelsminimum 1: 2
Durationminimum 0.01 min: 5 min

Results

File size: 82.397 MB
Uncompressed bitrate: 2,304.00 kbps
Bytes per second: 288,000
Highest reproducible frequency: 24,000.0 Hz

Step by step

1Values used
2Data rate
3Nyquist frequency
4File size= 82.397 MB
5Uncompressed bitrate= 2,304.00 kbps
6Bytes per second= 288,000
7Highest reproducible frequency= 24,000.0 Hz

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the Audio Sample Size figure worked out?

bytes per second = sample rate x bit depth / 8 x channels. Uncompressed audio uses sample rate times bit depth over eight times channels bytes per second, and the Nyquist limit puts the highest reproducible frequency at half the sample rate.

Why does this matter?

The Nyquist limit is why 44.1 kHz was chosen for CD: it covers the 20 kHz limit of human hearing with a little margin for filtering.

What do I need to enter?

Enter sample rate, bit depth, channels, duration. The defaults shown are a realistic worked example — swap in your own figures to get a result you can use.