Audio and File formats

Audio file formats can be with a header, without header and with header in each packet of audio data.

• Wav file is a classic audio format with a header. It is also called container format, because it may contain an audio data in a different format, which is specified in the header.
  
• Headerless(Raw audio format) audio files can contain only audio data. Therefore, we must know exactly the format of the audio data. These files usually have .raw, .sln, .pcm, .alaw, .ulaw, .gsm and other file extensions.
  
• MP3 format contains a header in each packet of audio data. Therefore, this format is suitable for broadcasting audio over the network.