About W64 Files
Sony Wave64
Wave64 (W64) is an extension of the WAV format developed by Sony that breaks the 4 GB file size limit of standard WAV by using 64-bit chunk sizes. It is used in professional audio production for very long or multi-channel recordings.
Family
Audio Files
Extension
.w64
MIME Type
audio/x-w64
Can Use As
HOW W64
CAME TO BE.
W64 — Sony Wave64 — was designed by Sonic Foundry (acquired by Sony in 2003) as a 64-bit extension of WAV. Classic WAV inherited WAV’s 4 GB file-size limit from its 32-bit chunk sizes. Professional multi-track recordings at high sample rates bumped that ceiling quickly — a 2-hour 24-bit/96 kHz 8-track session exceeds WAV’s limit. W64 swaps the 4-byte chunk-size headers for 8-byte variants, giving effectively unlimited file sizes.
W64 is the Sony Vegas / Sound Forge save format for long sessions, especially surround mixes and field recordings. It’s less universal than WAV but every pro audio workstation (Pro Tools, Logic, Reaper) reads W64 natively. When file-size matters more than compatibility — like recording 48-hour environmental soundscapes at 24-bit/96 kHz — W64 is the format that works.
CURIOSITIES &
TRIVIA.
Classic WAV files cap at 4 GB because chunk sizes use 32-bit integers — W64 uses 64-bit integers for effectively unlimited size.
Sonic Foundry created W64 for Vegas Video and Sound Forge before Sony acquired them in 2003.
Field recorders that capture days of audio (wildlife, environmental science) rely on W64 to avoid splitting captures.
Every major DAW (Pro Tools, Logic, Reaper, Cubase) reads and writes W64.
W64 is sometimes confused with RF64 — a similar 64-bit WAV extension from EBU for broadcast.
STRENGTHS &
LIMITATIONS.
Strengths
- Unlimited file size (64-bit chunks).
- Professional DAW compatibility.
- Bit-exact lossless.
Limitations
- Less universal than WAV.
- Niche — only matters for very large sessions.
- Competes with RF64.
Typical Sizes & Weights
1-hour 24-bit 48 kHz mono
~620 MB
48-hour field recording
~30 GB
Technical Specifications
- MIME type
- audio/x-w64
- Extension
- .w64
- Max size
- 2^64 bytes
- Relative
- RF64 (EBU 64-bit WAV)
CONVERT FROM
W64
Common Use Cases
Long-form recording, multi-channel professional audio, large WAV replacement
Related Formats
Popular comparisons
W64 vs MP3
Differences, file size, and when to choose each format.
W64 vs WAV
Differences, file size, and when to choose each format.
W64 vs FLAC
Differences, file size, and when to choose each format.
W64 vs AAC
Differences, file size, and when to choose each format.
W64 vs M4A
Differences, file size, and when to choose each format.
W64 vs OGG
Differences, file size, and when to choose each format.
Popular W64 conversions
The most-requested destinations when starting from W64.
Frequently Asked Questions about W64
Frequently Asked Questions
W64 (Sony Wave64) is an audio file format used to store sound recordings — music, voice, podcasts, sound effects. The format defines how the audio samples are compressed (or stored raw), what bitrates are supported, and how metadata such as title, artist, album, and cover art is embedded. It is part of the audio files family.
VLC, foobar2000, and the default media players on Windows and macOS handle W64 natively. On mobile, iOS Music and Android media apps vary in their support — popular formats work everywhere; niche ones may need a dedicated app. If playback fails on a device, converting to MP3 or AAC usually solves it.
Upload the W64 to KaijuConverter and pick MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, OGG, or any other target. Our FFmpeg pipeline decodes the audio and re-encodes to the target format at sensible default bitrates (VBR ~190 kbps for music, 96 kbps for speech). Metadata and cover art travel with the audio where both formats support them.
W64 can be lossy or lossless depending on the specific variant. Lossy variants (smaller files) discard some audio detail during compression in ways tuned to be inaudible; lossless variants preserve every sample exactly but produce larger files. For distribution, lossy at high bitrate is standard; for archival, lossless wins.