Audio compression (data): Data compression, Streaming media, Audio file format, Algorithm, Computer software, Audio codec, Lossless data compression, Lossy ... (information theory), Coding theory

Audio compression is a form of data compression designed to reduce the transmission bandwidth requirement of digital audio streams and the storage size of audio files. Audio compression algorithms are implemented in computer software as audio codecs. Generic data compression algorithms perform poorly with audio data, seldom reducing data size much below 87% from the original, and are not designed for use in real time applications.Consequently, specifically optimized audio lossless and lossy algorithms have been created. Lossy algorithms provide greater compression rates and are used in mainstream consumer audio devices.In both lossy and lossless compression, ? information redundancy is reduced, using methods such as coding pattern recognition and linear prediction to reduce the amount of information used to represent the uncompressed data. The trade-off between slightly reduced audio quality and transmission or storage size is outweighed by the latter for most practical audio applications in which users may not perceive the loss in playback rendition quality.