For music you plan to release, record and export at 44.1 kHz. For anything that will sit next to video — YouTube, Reels, a film edit, a podcast with a video cut — use 48 kHz. That single rule covers roughly 95 percent of real projects, and the exception is when a client, broadcaster or platform hands you a spec sheet that names a different rate: their number wins.
Both rates are PCM sample rates, meaning how many times per second the analog signal is measured. 44.1 kHz takes 44,100 measurements per second; 48 kHz takes 48,000. Neither is audibly better than the other for normal listening, so the decision is about compatibility, not sound quality. If you need to move between them, Audio Converter exports at 44.1 or 48 kHz, plus 22.05 and 32 kHz, as MP3 or WAV, and does the work on your own machine.
When to use 44.1 kHz
44.1 kHz is the CD standard and the default for consumer music distribution. It has been the music rate since the early 1980s, and every streaming platform, store and mastering house accepts it without a second thought.
- Songs, EPs and albums. If the final product is a track people play on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp or a CD, 44.1 kHz is the path of least resistance.
- Sample packs and loops. The overwhelming majority of commercial sample libraries ship at 44.1 kHz. Staying there means no resampling when you drop a loop into a project.
- Beats and instrumentals made entirely inside a DAW with virtual instruments, where nothing will ever be synced to picture.
- Archiving a music-only session where you want the smallest sensible file that still counts as full quality.
- Legacy hardware. Older samplers, CD burners and some consumer players are happiest at 44.1 kHz.
The practical advantage is small but real: at the same bit depth, 44.1 kHz produces files about 8 percent smaller than 48 kHz, and it avoids one resampling step if your source material is already at 44.1.
When to use 48 kHz
48 kHz is the standard for anything tied to video, and it is the rate most audio interfaces default to when you plug them in.
- Video projects of any kind. YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Vimeo, broadcast and film workflows all expect 48 kHz. Matching the rate means no drift and no resample when the audio is muxed back into the video file.
- Podcasts with a video version. If the same episode goes out as audio and as video, 48 kHz keeps both cuts identical.
- Game audio and interactive media. Engines and middleware are built around 48 kHz assets.
- Recording voice or instruments through an interface that runs natively at 48 kHz, so you avoid converting on the way in.
- Anything destined for a broadcaster or client whose delivery spec names 48 kHz.
48 kHz also gives slightly more headroom above the audible range, which matters if you plan to pitch audio down or slow it without artifacts. That is a niche benefit, not a reason to switch a music project.
| 44.1 kHz | 48 kHz | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard for | Music, CDs, streaming | Video, film, broadcast |
| Typical file size | Smaller | About 8% larger |
| Interface default | Sometimes | Usually |
Why doing this in the browser beats upload-based sites
Most online audio converters work the same way: you send your file to a server, wait, and download the result. That means your unreleased track, your client's voiceover or your interview recording sits on someone else's disk, subject to their retention policy and their security.
Alvseike's tools run entirely in the browser. Your file is opened locally, the conversion happens on your device, and nothing is sent anywhere. There is no file-size cap, so a long WAV does not get rejected for being too big, and there is no watermark on the output.
The free plan covers 5 exports a day without an account, or 15 a day with a free account, and a single export counts as one run no matter how much audio is in it. If you need more, Pro is $12.99/month and unlocks unlimited daily use, offline operation and all 50 Alvseike tools across images, video, audio, PDF and marketing — not just this one. See pricing for the full breakdown.
If you only need to cut a section out rather than change its rate, Audio Trimmer does that on-device too, and Voice Recorder captures takes straight from your mic without a separate app.
Common mistakes
Resampling more than once. Every conversion between 44.1 and 48 kHz is a resample, and each one costs a little quality. Convert once, at the end, and keep your working project at one rate throughout.
Assuming 48 kHz sounds better. It does not, in any normal listening situation. Choosing 48 kHz for a music-only release buys you nothing and adds a conversion step at the mastering stage.
Mixing rates inside one project. Drop a 44.1 kHz loop into a 48 kHz session and the DAW resamples it live. That is usually fine, but doing it to dozens of files adds up. Pick one rate at the start.
Ignoring the delivery spec. If a client or platform says 48 kHz, deliver 48 kHz. Arguing that 44.1 is 'the music rate' does not help when the file gets rejected.
Converting lossy files back and forth. Re-encoding an MP3 repeatedly degrades it. If you must change the rate of an MP3, do it once and keep the highest bitrate you can.
Forgetting that rate and bitrate are different things. 44.1 vs 48 kHz is the sample rate; 128 vs 320 kbps is the bitrate. A 48 kHz file at 128 kbps still sounds worse than a 44.1 kHz file at 320 kbps.
Exporting at 96 kHz 'to be safe'. Higher rates mean bigger files and no audible gain for delivery. Keep high rates for the recording stage if you want them, then deliver at 44.1 or 48.