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File size: 20 s, 44.1 KHz, 16-bit stereo

Short answer

Multiply sampling rate 44,100 by 16 bits by 2 channels by 20 seconds, divide by 8: 3,528,000 bytes (about 3.36 MB).

Calculate the file size in bytes for a 20 second recording at 44.1 KHz, 16 bits resolution stereo sound.

The size of an uncompressed (PCM) audio file is found from the sampling rate, the resolution, the number of channels and the duration.

File size (bytes) = sampling rate x bits per sample x channels x time / 8

Given

  • Sampling rate = 44.1 kHz = 44,100 samples per second
  • Resolution = 16 bits per sample = 2 bytes
  • Channels = 2 (stereo)
  • Time = 20 seconds

Calculation

  1. Samples per second for both channels = 44,100 x 2 = 88,200
  2. Bits per second = 88,200 x 16 = 1,411,200 bits/s
  3. Bytes per second = 1,411,200 / 8 = 176,400 bytes/s
  4. Total size = 176,400 x 20 = 3,528,000 bytes

In larger units

  • 3,528,000 / 1024 = 3,445.31 KB
  • 3,528,000 / (1024 x 1024) = 3.36 MB

Check in one line: 44,100 x 16 x 2 x 20 / 8 = 3,528,000 bytes.

The file size is 3,528,000 bytes (about 3.36 MB). A WAV file would also have a small header (about 44 bytes), which is ignored here.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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