Convert WAV voice recordings to MP3

Field recorders and recording apps often save speech as WAV, which takes roughly 10 MB per minute in stereo. An hour-long interview is far too big to email.

WAV to MP3 uses a real LAME encoder running in your browser to write an MP3 at the bitrate you choose, keeping the original sample rate and mono or stereo.

Example: a 45-minute stereo WAV interview of around 450 MB is too big for email. Split it into parts in your recorder or editor if needed so each WAV is under 100 MB, convert each at 128 kbps, and the MP3s become a small fraction of the original size while speech stays clear. Name each file with the date and speaker so transcripts and notes can be matched later.

Speech doesn't need the highest bitrate. 128 kbps gives the smallest file and is usually clear for voice; 192 kbps is the default and a good all-round choice. Keep the original WAV if you'll edit the recording later, because each lossy encode discards some detail. Each WAV file can be up to 100 MB.