Sample Rate

How many times per second digital audio is measured, affecting fidelity.

Sample rate is the number of times per second that an analogue sound is measured, or 'sampled', when it is converted into digital audio, expressed in kilohertz (kHz). A higher sample rate captures higher frequencies and more detail. The standard for CDs and most music is 44.1 kHz, meaning the signal is measured 44,100 times every second, while 48 kHz is common for video, and higher rates like 96 kHz are used in some professional work. For beginners, 44.1 or 48 kHz is almost always the right choice, balancing excellent quality against file size and computer load. Sample rate and bit depth together define the technical resolution of a digital recording.

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