WAV to MP3
WAV stores audio uncompressed, so files are large — often 10MB+ per minute. Converting to MP3 trades a small amount of audio quality for a dramatically smaller file.
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What changes
WAV is uncompressed PCM audio — nothing is discarded, but files are large. MP3 is a lossy compressed format: converting removes audio detail a psychoacoustic model predicts is least audible, which is why the file shrinks so much (typically to under 10% of the WAV's size) with only a small, usually inaudible quality tradeoff at normal bitrates.
Quality
MP3 quality depends on bitrate. FileBench's default targets a bitrate that's transparent (indistinguishable from the source) for most listening — for archival masters or critical audio work, keep the original WAV rather than relying on the MP3 copy.
Compatibility
MP3 is the most universally supported audio format — every phone, browser, and media player handles it natively, which is the main reason to convert.
Does converting WAV to MP3 lose quality?
Yes — MP3 is a lossy format, so some audio detail is discarded during conversion. At normal bitrates this is generally not audible for typical listening, but a WAV converted to MP3 and back is never identical to the original WAV.