Understand the trade-offs
Bitrate controls file size, but higher bitrates preserve transient detail and stereo width. Start at 160 kbps for music and 112 kbps for voice, then adjust based on your delivery channel.
Sample rate defines the frequency ceiling. Stick with 44.1 kHz for podcasts and 48 kHz when your source content lives in video or broadcast chains.
Use loudness normalization wisely
Listeners notice sudden jumps in loudness more than small tonal differences. Target –14 LUFS integrated with a true peak ceiling of –1.5 dB to avoid inter-sample clipping across smart speaker ecosystems.
- For dialogue-heavy content, push toward –16 LUFS to preserve dynamic range.
- For upbeat music, consider –12 LUFS so the master retains energy when the MP3 is decoded.