Audio Comparison

For this audio comparison, I created 8 mono files from the 16-bit stereo benchmark file I recorded.    

I converted the stereo file to mono via the Tracks menu "Stereo Track to Mono" function and converted each of the 8 resulting mono files to different sample rates via the Project Rate (Hz) drop-down menu. In order to save files in 8-bit, I had to change the file type to "Other uncompressed files" when exporting and selected "Unsigned 8 bit PCM." Dropping the bit rate in half, dropped the audio quality in half. I also effected the file size as shown below.

The music was taken from Royalty Free Music and is called Mister Opulence (from Sin City Remix). I recorded the audio in Audacity directly from my computer's Sound Blaster audio card via the microphone input on the same card -- using a stereo cable. The light jazz audio clip consists of a bass, electric guitar, organ and saxophone -- and had to be cut to just 5 seconds as one could hear "royalty free music dot com" throughout. Derived from their website, there is also percussion in the audio, as I decreased the quality of the recording, there was a loss in dynamic range associated with the stereo file. The instruments would eventually not sound as realistic. SoundFonts have been created of these instruments, but even then, there is a loss due to sampling. The audio is not live.

Audio File Comparison Using 8-bit and 16-bit Mono
Bit Rate 44.1 kHz 22.050 kHz 11.025 kHz 8.0 kHz
8-Bit 8bit-Mono 44100 Hz
215.40 KB WAV		 8bit-Mono 22050 Hz
107.70 KB WAV		 8bit-Mono 11025 Hz
53.85 KB WAV		 8bit-Mono 8000 Hz
39.7 KB WAV
It would be better to use the 16-bit mono file at 22,050 Hz. It's file size is same and it has a higher bitrate. One begins to notice losses in quality. It would be better to use the 16-bit 11,025 Hz mono file. It's file size is same and it has a higher bitrate. A little better than the 8 kHz file, this audio file is is also of low quality. Even though it has a low file size, there is a significant dynamic loss. The audio associated with this file is of low quality. There are better alternatives. The audio attacks on the 16-bit files are better.
16-Bit 16bit-Mono 44100 Hz
430.80 KB WAV		 16bit-Mono 22050 Hz
215.40 KB WAV		 16bit-Mono 11025 Hz
107.70 KB WAV		 16bit-Mono 8000 Hz
78.15 KB WAV
This audio file is unsuitable due to its large file size. It is, however, more suitable than the stereo file it was taken from (861.61 KB WAV; 44,100 Hz). Mono file. This audio file is half the size of the 16-bit mono 44,100 Hz file, but twice as large as the 16-bit mono 11,025 Hz file. I would favor use of this audio file. It is of high enough quality and has a low file size. I would not use any file with a lower file size ... or quality. The bit rate for this audio file is OK, but it is of low quality. There are two better alternatives at 22,050 Hz and 11,025Hz.
Incorporating digital audio into a website is a balancing act between the quality of the recording and its respective file size. One cannot just choose any file, for it may take too long to load or be of insufficient quality. The differences between each of the 8 files is noticeable when one compares a file at one end of the spectrum (e.g. 16bit-Mino 44100 Hz) and one at the other end of the spectrum (e.g. 8 bit-Mino 8000 Hz). All the files are part of a continuum with different audio qualities and file sizes. It would be nice to use the stereo file, but it is 861 KB @ 44100 Hz. It would take the longest to load and just contains 2 stereo channels that are the same. Converting the file to mono cuts download time in half, without any loss in quality. Use of mono is often sufficient for website purposes. The eight mono files were all derived from the stereo file.