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Audio tools

Audio Inspector

Inspect a local audio file’s format, decoded stream properties, signal levels, and waveform.

Runs locally in your browser

Choose audio to inspect

All decoding and signal analysis stays in this tab.

Complete tool guide

Audio Inspector guide

Look inside an audio file before you edit, publish, or send it. The inspector shows the file name, type, and size, then decodes the audio to report duration, sample rate, channel count, peak level, and RMS level in dBFS, along with a waveform overview. Everything is analyzed locally in this tab.

Your input is processed in the current browser tab and is not sent to the application server.

Why use this tool?

  • Confirm the technical details a platform, client, or editor requires.
  • Spot clipped, very quiet, or silent recordings before you use them.
  • Compare levels of several files before merging them.
  • Open the file in the Audio Trimmer directly from the results.

Common use cases

  • Checking that a voice-over is 48 kHz or 44.1 kHz as a video editor expects.
  • Verifying whether a file is mono or stereo.
  • Finding recordings that were clipped because the input was too loud.
  • Checking a podcast episode’s duration and file size before upload.
  • Comparing the average level of tracks before joining them.

How to use it

  1. 1

    Choose an audio file that your browser can play.

  2. 2

    Read the file details: name, MIME type, and size.

  3. 3

    Review the decoded properties: duration, sample rate, and channels.

  4. 4

    Compare peak and RMS levels and look at the waveform for flat tops, silence, or sudden spikes.

Controls and results explained

Peak level

The largest absolute sample value, shown as a percentage of full scale and in dBFS. 0 dBFS is the maximum a digital file can store; −1 dBFS or lower leaves some safety headroom.

RMS level

Root mean square across all channels, which reflects average signal energy. Spoken word often sits roughly between −24 and −16 dBFS RMS, and mastered music is usually higher.

Sample rate and channels

The sample rate is the number of samples per second per channel, such as 44,100 Hz for music or 48,000 Hz for video. Channels are 1 for mono or 2 for stereo.

Waveform

An overview of amplitude across the whole file. Flat tops pressed against the edges suggest clipping; long flat lines in the middle are silence.

Worked examples

Inspect a generated sine test tone

Start with: sine-1000hz-10.0s.wav from the Tone Generator at 50% volume

  1. Generate a 1,000 Hz sine tone for 10 seconds at 50% volume and download it.
  2. Choose the WAV file here.
  3. Read the decoded properties and levels.
Duration: 10.0 s · Sample rate: 44,100 Hz · Channels: 1
Peak level: 50.00% (-6.0 dBFS)
RMS level: 35.36% (-9.0 dBFS)

For a sine wave, RMS is the peak divided by √2, which is 3 dB lower. Your browser may report a different sample rate if it resamples while decoding.

Diagnose a clipped recording

Start with: A voice recording made with the microphone gain set too high

  1. Choose the recording.
  2. Check the peak level and zoom your attention to the loudest sections of the waveform.
Peak level: 100.00% (0.0 dBFS)
Waveform: loud sections flattened against the top and bottom edges

Clipping cannot be undone by lowering the volume afterwards. Reduce the input gain and record again, aiming for peaks around −6 dBFS.

Decoded versus stored properties

Duration, sample rate, channels, and levels come from the audio as decoded by your browser. Some browsers resample to the device’s rate while decoding, so a 44.1 kHz file can be reported at 48 kHz.

RMS is not loudness

RMS measures signal energy but does not model human hearing. Streaming platforms use loudness in LUFS (EBU R 128 / ITU-R BS.1770), which weights frequencies and ignores silence. Use RMS for quick comparisons only.

Supported files

The inspector uses your browser’s built-in decoder, so MP3, WAV, M4A/AAC, OGG, and WebM work in most browsers, and FLAC in most. Files up to 128 MB and 30 minutes of decoded audio can be analyzed.

Practical tips for better results

  • A peak of 100% (0.0 dBFS) combined with flat-topped waveform peaks usually means the recording clipped; re-record with lower input gain.
  • A peak below 10% (−20 dBFS) means the recording is very quiet and will be noisy when amplified.
  • Compare RMS values to find which track in a set sounds noticeably quieter.
  • Inspect exported files as well as originals to confirm the output is what you expected.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check the sample rate of an audio file?

Choose the file and read the Sample rate value. Note that some browsers report the rate after resampling to your device’s output rate.

What is dBFS?

Decibels relative to full scale. 0 dBFS is the loudest level a digital file can represent, and all other levels are negative. Every −6 dB roughly halves the amplitude.

Why does the peak show 100% if the file does not sound distorted?

Mastered music is often limited to just below full scale, so short peaks can touch 0 dBFS without audible distortion. Look at the waveform: sustained flat tops are the warning sign.

Does the inspector show bitrate or ID3 tags?

No. It reports the file’s type and size and the properties of the decoded audio. Tag metadata such as artist and album is not read.

What to check before using the result

  • Only formats your browser can decode natively are supported.
  • Bitrate, codec profile, and tag metadata are not reported.
  • RMS is not a loudness (LUFS) measurement.

Keep working

Continue with another focused tool from the same collection.