WAV

WAV
Name	WAV
Extension	.wav
Owner	Microsoft
Released	1991
Genre	Audio file format
Container for	PCM audio, compressed audio
Standard	Microsoft RIFF

WAV is an audio file container format originally developed by Microsoft and IBM for storing waveform data on personal computers. It is primarily associated with the Resource Interchange File Format specified by Microsoft and IBM, and it became widespread for uncompressed pulse-code modulation used in professional audio, broadcasting, and multimedia production. WAV files are used across platforms including Windows, macOS, and Linux, and they interact with standards, hardware interfaces, and software suites from companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Apple, and Adobe.

History

WAV emerged from collaborative work between Microsoft and IBM in the late 1980s and early 1990s to provide a flexible container compatible with the RIFF specification and legacy waveform formats. It was influenced by earlier storage standards like AIFF from Apple and by the needs of multimedia systems exemplified in projects such as Windows 3.1, Windows 95, and Windows NT. The adoption of WAV accelerated with the rise of digital audio workstations used by studios associated with companies like Avid Technology and broadcasters such as the BBC. Industry interoperability concerns led to WAV being referenced alongside interoperable standards such as those from the International Electrotechnical Commission and the Moving Picture Experts Group in multimedia workflows.

File format and structure

The format uses the Resource Interchange File Format chunk-based architecture first defined by Microsoft and IBM. A typical WAV file begins with a RIFF header identifying the file as a "WAVE" container, followed by a "fmt " chunk describing the audio encoding parameters and a "data" chunk containing the sample frames. Optional chunks include "LIST" for metadata compatible with tools from Adobe Systems, Apple, and the European Broadcasting Union workflows. The chunk model allows interoperability with audio editors such as Steinberg Cubase, Avid Pro Tools, and Ableton Live, and with operating system utilities in Windows Media Player and macOS Finder.

Technical specifications

WAV commonly encapsulates Linear Pulse-Code Modulation defined by standards like those from the International Telecommunication Union and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Typical parameters include sample rates of 44,100 Hz and 48,000 Hz used in formats standardized by organizations such as the Audio Engineering Society and the European Broadcasting Union. Bit depths of 16-bit and 24-bit are standard in professional contexts related to studios operated by entities like Sony Music and Universal Music Group, while 8-bit variants were used historically on systems such as the Commodore 64 and early IBM PC sound cards. Multichannel layouts follow channel ordering conventions promoted by the International Organization for Standardization and are implemented in hardware from manufacturers like Focusrite and Yamaha Corporation.

Encoding, compression, and codecs

Although WAV is commonly used for uncompressed PCM audio, it can also contain compressed streams using codecs such as GSM 6.10 standardized by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, ADPCM variants used in telephony by companies like Nokia and Siemens, and lossless codecs like Microsoft ADPCM and FLAC implementations from the Xiph.Org Foundation. Industry codec interoperability often references codec specifications from the Moving Picture Experts Group and the Internet Engineering Task Force for container compatibility. Commercial codec implementations may be shipped with operating systems by Microsoft or licensed by audio middleware vendors such as Dolby Laboratories and Fraunhofer IIS.

Usage and applications

WAV is widely used in professional audio production environments at facilities operated by Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and independent mastering houses. It is the preferred archival format for many broadcasters including the British Broadcasting Corporation and is used in game audio production pipelines at studios like Electronic Arts and Ubisoft. In film and television post-production, sound editors working with tools from Avid Technology and mixing consoles by SSL (Solid State Logic) exchange WAV assets. Multimedia authoring suites from Adobe Systems and operating systems such as Microsoft Windows rely on WAV for system sounds, alerts, and uncompressed audio interchange.

Software and hardware support

Native support for WAV is found in Microsoft Windows, audio applications from Apple Inc. such as Logic Pro, and free software projects like Audacity. Hardware support includes digital audio interfaces from MOTU, converters by RME, and portable recorders from Zoom Corporation. Digital audio workstations and signal processing tools from Steinberg, Avid Technology, and Ableton provide import/export workflows, while media players including VLC media player and Winamp offer playback. Integration with streaming and distribution services such as those operated by Spotify and Apple Music typically converts archived WAV masters to delivery formats specified by those services.

Licensing and patents

The WAV container as defined by the RIFF specification is an open structure published by Microsoft and IBM, and basic PCM usage is not encumbered by patents. Certain compressed codecs that can be stored inside the WAV container—such as proprietary implementations from Dolby Laboratories or patented algorithms from Fraunhofer IIS—may require licensing for commercial distribution or embedding. Organizations managing intellectual property claims in audio compression include the MPEG LA patent pool and corporate licensors like Microsoft and Dolby Laboratories.

Category:Audio file formats