WAV Sample Files
WAV (pronounced "wave"), known as the Waveform Audio File, is a Microsoft-created file format for audio. There is no compression used in WAV files, which means they're often quite large in size. Download sample WAV files for free, with no royalties, DRM or licensing on any file.
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Download WAV Sample Files
| File | File type | File size | Track length | Mime type | Codec | Download example file |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAV Example File Download | WAV | 10 MB | 01:00 | audio/wav | Download example file | |
| WAV Example File Download | WAV | 30 MB | 03:00 | audio/wav | Download example file | |
| WAV Example File Download | WAV | 51 MB | 05:00 | audio/wav | Download example file | |
| WAV Sample - 5 Second Tone | WAV | 431 KB | 0:05 | audio/wav | PCM | Download example file |
What is a WAV file?
WAV (Waveform Audio File Format) stores uncompressed PCM audio. Nothing is discarded, so the sound is an exact copy of the source, but the files are large. WAV is the standard working format for audio editing and archival where quality matters more than file size.
How these sample WAV files were made
The samples are generated with FFmpeg as uncompressed PCM audio from a 440 Hz sine tone. Because there is no compression, even a short clip is noticeably larger than the equivalent MP3 or OGG file.
Technical details
WAV audio is lossless and uncompressed, which makes the files predictable and easy to process but heavy to store or transfer. It is best used as an editing or reference format rather than for delivery.
Common uses
Use these files to test imports into digital audio workstations, audio processing pipelines, or any tool where you need a known, unaltered reference signal.