MP3 vs M4A vs AAC vs WAV, explained

When you save audio from YouTube, YouTube Turbo Downloader offers MP3 (128 to 320 kbps), M4A, AAC and WAV. This is what the names mean and which one suits you.

MP3: the one that works everywhere

MP3 is the oldest and most widely supported audio format. It compresses sound and throws away detail you are unlikely to hear. At 320 kbps it is close to transparent for most people; 128 kbps is fine for speech and background listening and keeps files small.

M4A and AAC: efficient and modern

AAC is the codec that succeeded MP3. It sounds better than MP3 at the same size. M4A is the usual file container for AAC audio, so the two are closely related. Apple devices and many players handle them natively.

WAV: uncompressed, but not magic

WAV stores sound without compression, so files are several times larger than a good MP3. It is useful in audio editors. One thing to know: the audio that YouTube provides is already compressed, so saving it as WAV will not make it sound better than the source. It only avoids a second round of compression.

Bitrate in one sentence

Bitrate is how much data per second is used for the sound: more kilobits per second (kbps) means a bigger file and, up to a point, better quality. In this extension you can choose 128, 192, 256 or 320 kbps for MP3.

Quick picks

Music on a phone or car: MP3 at 320 kbps.
Podcasts and lectures: MP3 at 128 or 192 kbps.
Apple Music library or iPhone: M4A.
Editing or archiving: WAV.

Questions

Is 320 kbps worth it?

For music, yes: the extra size is small today and you keep the most detail. For speech, 128 kbps is plenty.

Is M4A better than MP3?

At the same file size M4A or AAC usually sounds a little better, but MP3 plays on more devices.

Does the file keep the title and cover art?

Yes. The title, channel, date and cover image are written into the file.

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