AnsweredDifference between CW's WAV and MS's .wav?

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jyoung60
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2016/03/15 22:21:46 (permalink)

Difference between CW's WAV and MS's .wav?

Okay, so I exported some midi based .cwp files to the default WAV format, but they won't play in the default Android player (I have to install a 3rd party app), nor do they open in FlexiMusic Audio Editor (a particular codec is needed).
 
But when I export a project to the Microsoft .wav format, everything's fine all around.  So what makes the two of them different from each other?  And is the MS format that much worse than the default WAV?

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SuperG
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Re: Difference between CW's WAV and MS's .wav? 2016/03/15 23:18:41 (permalink) ☼ Best Answerby jyoung60 2016/03/16 07:35:40
jyoung60
Okay, so I exported some midi based .cwp files to the default WAV format, but they won't play in the default Android player (I have to install a 3rd party app), nor do they open in FlexiMusic Audio Editor (a particular codec is needed).
 
But when I export a project to the Microsoft .wav format, everything's fine all around.  So what makes the two of them different from each other?  And is the MS format that much worse than the default WAV?




There is an unofficial, unspoken custom that audio within wave files are at 44100 Hz and uses 16 bits, the same as CD audio. Check on the audio export dialog that you are using these settings. If I recall correctly, Sonar defaults to 32 bits and this would definitely confuse many devices.
 
16 bit audio is not the law, it's just that many if not most consumer devices lack the sophistication to support different bit depths and/or sample rates.
 
Technically, there is no 'standard' type of wave (.wav) file, at least when it comes the the type of audio data contained within it. What is standard about wave file is the way the audio is placed inside the wave file. Wave files are really just a form of a RIFF file. So, a wav file can hold audio data of any sample rate and any bit depth.
 
 
post edited by SuperG - 2016/03/15 23:41:55

laudem Deo
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jyoung60
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Re: Difference between CW's WAV and MS's .wav? 2016/03/16 07:21:00 (permalink)
That's exactly what the problem was - I was exporting 32 bits instead of 16.  Thank you!

DAW: Cakewalk by Bandlab (latest version) - x64
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bandso
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Re: Difference between CW's WAV and MS's .wav? 2016/03/16 14:50:39 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby jyoung60 2016/03/16 15:12:22
If you original recording is at 24 bit or higher and you are going to export them at 16 bit then don't forget to add dithering.

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