WAV vs FLAC: uncompressed PCM or lossless compression?
Both are lossless. WAV stores raw PCM—simple but huge. FLAC compresses without losing a single sample, often halving storage versus WAV.
| WAV | FLAC | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | None (PCM) | Lossless FLAC |
| File size | Largest | Smaller than WAV |
| Quality | Bit-perfect | Bit-perfect |
| Compatibility | Universal in DAWs | Excellent on desktop, patchy on old players |
| Best for | Editing interchange | Archives and audiophile libraries |
Verdict
Use WAV when a tool demands raw PCM. Choose FLAC for archiving and listening when you want lossless quality with smaller files.