PCM DropPractical articles on PCM audio, audio formats, and digital audio tools.
What changed in libopus 1.6 (December 2025): neural bandwidth extension, a smaller DRED packet-loss model, experimental 96 kHz Opus HD and a 24-bit integer API, explained through the PCM concepts behind them and checked against the Opus release notes.
How to read and write headerless PCM with FFmpeg: the format names (s16le, u8, f32le, mulaw), the option order that trips people up, copy-ready commands, and what FFmpeg 8.0 and 8.1 added for audio, including the built-in Whisper speech-to-text filter.
Spotify added lossless audio (up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC) in 2025. Here is what lossless means for the PCM underneath, how much data each quality level represents, why Bluetooth is the weak link and what the hi-res debate looks like, with every claim sourced.
FLAC was published as RFC 9639 in December 2024. A plain-English tour of what the specification says: what FLAC can store, how it shrinks PCM without changing a sample, how to read the STREAMINFO header by hand, and what it expects from PCM samples.
A symptom-by-symptom guide to fixing raw PCM audio that plays too fast, too slow, as static or with harsh distortion — with the maths that tells you the correct settings.
WAV and raw PCM usually contain exactly the same audio samples. The difference is a 44-byte header. Here is what that header holds, why it matters, and how to add or remove it.
Three reliable ways to turn raw .pcm files into MP3: in the browser with no upload, with FFmpeg for batches and scripts, and with Audacity for editing. Includes bitrate advice for voice and music.
A developer's guide to capturing raw PCM with Android's AudioRecord: which settings are guaranteed to work, the byte-order bug that turns recordings into static, and how to check the output.
G.711 µ-law and A-law are 8-bit compressed telephone audio. They are often mistaken for raw PCM. Learn how they work, how to recognise them, and how to convert them.
PCM (Pulse-Code Modulation) is the standard format for raw, uncompressed digital audio. This guide explains how it works, where it's used, and why it matters.
A practical guide to the most common audio formats. Learn the trade-offs between MP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC, and WebM so you can pick the right format for every situation.
Confused by sample rates like 44100 Hz or bit depths like 16-bit vs 24-bit? This guide explains what these numbers mean, how they affect audio quality, and which settings to use for different situations.
Standard media players cannot open .pcm files. This guide explains why, how to determine the right audio settings, and the best methods to play or convert PCM files on any platform.
A tone generator is one of the most useful tools for checking audio equipment. Learn how to test frequency response, channel balance, distortion, and hearing range using free online tools.
Browser-based audio tools process your files locally without uploading them. Compared to desktop apps and cloud services, they offer privacy, security, and convenience advantages worth understanding.