What is the Best Audio Codec for Online Video Streaming?
Table of Contents
Table of Contents:
- What is an Audio Codec?
- Common Audio Codecs
- The Best Audio Codec
- Recommended Audio Bitrate for Streaming
- Related Encoder Settings
- Conclusion
What is an Audio Codec?
Common Audio Codecs
1. MP3
The most well-known audio format is probably MP3, which is technically called MPEG-2 Audio Layer III. Originally introduced in the 1990s, MP3 revolutionized digital audio. Files were much smaller than the previous formats, allowing them to be streamed and downloaded over the internet. MP3 also helped push the era of portable digital music past the CD era by enabling iPods and other early “MP3 players.” It is still widely used today.2. AAC
Developed a few years after MP3, AAC built on the success of that format but increased compression efficiency. AAC generally provides better audio quality at the same bitrate as MP3 or comparable quality at lower bitrates. AAC has been upgraded several times. The latest version of the standard is HE-AAC. It is a closed source format but is probably the most widely used audio codec on the internet today. It is supported by most video streaming platforms.3. WAV (LPCM)
WAV, which is short for “Waveform Audio File Format,” was originally released more than 25 years ago. It is known to be primarily used on Windows computers to store uncompressed audio in the LPCM format.4. AIFF
AIFF is a Mac format that’s similar to WAV. It stores uncompressed audio using the PCM (Pulse-Code Modulation). Like WAV, AIFF files are very large—around 10 MB for one minute of a standard audio recording.5. WMA
Another codec on the market, albeit one that is becoming less common, is WMA—Windows Media Audio. This codec was developed as an alternative to MP3 but has become somewhat of a niche product.6. Opus
The final audio codec we’ll take a look at is Opus. Opus isn’t in wide use yet, but it’s considered a next-generation codec. It provides higher audio quality at all bitrates compared to every other codec listed here. Opus also has the added advantage of being royalty-free and open source. Both iOS and Android now natively support Opus playback. We’ll likely see Opus getting wider use in the future.The Best Audio Codec
Recommended Audio Bitrate for Streaming
Bitrate refers to the amount of data contained in a digital media file per second of that media. Typically measured in Kbps (Kilobits per second), the audio bitrate can often be a stand-in for quality. All else being equal, an AAC audio file that’s encoded at a bitrate of 192 Kbps will sound better than one encoded at 64 Kbps. Our recommended audio bitrates for video, when using AAC, our recommendation for the best audio codec, are as follows:- For 360p (low quality) video, use 64 Kbps audio bitrate
- With 480p and 720p video, use 128 Kbps audio bitrate
- For 1080p video, use 256 Kbps audio
Related Audio Encoding Settings
Aside from codecs, there are a number of other encoding settings that are important for the audio portion of any live stream or video on demand. We’re going to briefly cover channels, audio sample rates, and video codecs.Recommended Channels (Stereo vs. Mono)
You may also notice a setting for audio channels in your audio encoding settings. There will be two settings here: stereo, and mono. Mono refers to “one,” a setting that should be used only for low-quality video. Using mono reduces bitrate. Generally, you should use stereo audio for all video recordings and broadcasts at 480p and above. This will provide a superior listening experience.Recommended Audio Sample Rate
The sample rate is another setting related to audio quality. It simply refers to the number of audio measurements taken per second with a given recording. More samples per second will record a fuller, richer palette of tones, but will result in more data. Generally, we recommend that you use 44100 Khz as the audio sample rate for all live streaming and online video. This is the standard for most audio equipment and recordings and will function perfectly.Video Codecs

Conclusion
Although it is very important for live streaming, audio can be a confusing topic. We’re confident that once you begin to understand the principles, it will all come together. We hope that this post has given you a better understanding of how audio codecs, audio bitrate, and all of the other pieces of audio compression and transmission work together to provide a wonderful viewing experience. Dacast helps a wide range of businesses get started with live streaming. If you’d like to try out our services, you can check out how our live streaming platform could boost your business with our 30-day free trial (no credit card required). We’d love to help you meet your streaming goals today!Thanks for reading! We love to hear from our readers, so if you have any questions or experiences to share, let us know in the comments! For regular tips on live streaming, feel free to join our LinkedIn group.
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