What is an MP3 File?
MP3 is a file format commonly used to contain an elementary stream of MPEG-1 Audio or MPEG-2 Audio encoded data. In other words, it is used to contain compressed audio data losslessly. It was first developed in the early 1990s by Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) which quickly became popular and became the standard for audio files.
The compression rate of an MP3 file is usually 10 to 1 when compared to the same audio available on a CD. Common bit rates are 128, 160, 192, and 256 kbps for an MP3 file, where higher bit rates result in higher quality files that also require more disk space.
The MP3 format significantly reduces the size of the file as compared to other audio formats while maintaining the same quality as a Compact Disc (CD), which is why it is ideal to store music and other audio content. MP3 files are now common and usually supported natively by built-in applications and programs in different operating systems.
Download MP3 Sample Files
Below you’ll find some .MP3 sample files that you can download for testing purposes. These are available in different file sizes and audio lengths.
