SoundCloud Audio Specs at a Glance
| Spec | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Best Format | WAV (16-bit / 44.1 kHz) |
| Also Accepted | FLAC, AIFF, MP3, AAC, OGG, WMA |
| Max File Size | Varies by plan (see below) |
| Max Duration | Varies by plan |
| Channels | Stereo preferred |
| Loudness | -14 LUFS recommended |
| True Peak | -1 dBTP recommended |
The single most important takeaway: always upload WAV or FLAC to SoundCloud, even though they accept MP3.
Why Upload Lossless When SoundCloud Compresses Everything?
This is the question everyone asks. SoundCloud transcodes every upload to a compressed streaming format. So why bother uploading a 40 MB WAV when a 9 MB MP3 would be "the same"?
It's not the same. Here's why:
SoundCloud's transcoder works best with lossless source material. When you upload an MP3, SoundCloud decodes your MP3 and then re-encodes it to their streaming format. That's two generations of lossy compression — each one permanently removing audio data.
When you upload a WAV, SoundCloud encodes from pristine source audio. One generation of compression. The result sounds noticeably better, especially in the high frequencies and transients.
Think of it like photocopying a photocopy vs photocopying the original. The original always produces a better copy.
SoundCloud Streaming Quality
What listeners actually hear depends on their subscription:
| Tier | Codec | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Free listeners | Opus | ~64 kbps |
| SoundCloud Go | AAC | ~128 kbps |
| SoundCloud Go+ | AAC | ~256 kbps |
Free-tier listeners hear your music at approximately 64 kbps Opus. That's aggressive compression. Starting from a lossless upload gives the Opus encoder the best possible source material to work with.
Go+ subscribers hear AAC at 256 kbps — genuinely good quality, comparable to Spotify Premium. But only if you uploaded lossless in the first place.
File Size & Duration Limits
| Plan | Upload Limit | Max Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 3 hours total | No per-file limit |
| Next Pro | 6 hours total | No per-file limit |
| Next Pro Unlimited | Unlimited | No per-file limit |
Important: The "3 hours" on the free plan is total cumulative upload time, not per track. A 5-minute WAV at 44.1/16 is about 50 MB. At 3 hours of content, that's roughly 1.8 GB of WAV files.
If you're on the free plan and running out of space, consider whether some older tracks can be removed — or whether it's time to upgrade.
Accepted File Formats
SoundCloud accepts these formats for upload:
- WAV — Recommended. Uncompressed, best source quality
- FLAC — Recommended. Lossless compression, smaller than WAV
- AIFF — Good. Apple's uncompressed format, equivalent to WAV
- MP3 — Acceptable. Use 320 kbps if you must
- AAC / M4A — Acceptable. Slightly better than MP3 at same bitrate
- OGG Vorbis — Acceptable
- WMA — Acceptable (but why?)
What SoundCloud Does NOT Accept
- MIDI files
- Protected/DRM files
- Video files (audio must be extracted first)
- Files with corrupt headers
Optimal Upload Settings
For the best possible sound quality on SoundCloud:
Music
- Format: WAV or FLAC
- Sample rate: 44.1 kHz
- Bit depth: 16-bit (or 24-bit — SoundCloud accepts both)
- Channels: Stereo
- Loudness: -14 LUFS integrated
- True peak: -1 dBTP maximum
DJ Mixes
- Format: WAV or FLAC preferred, MP3 320 kbps if file size is an issue
- Sample rate: 44.1 kHz
- Channels: Stereo
- Note: Long mixes (1-2 hours) in WAV can be very large. FLAC is a good compromise — lossless quality at about 60% of WAV size
Beats & Instrumentals
- Format: WAV
- Sample rate: 44.1 kHz (or your session rate)
- Bit depth: 24-bit for maximum quality
- Channels: Stereo
- Tag your beats: Use SoundCloud's metadata fields for BPM, key, and genre
Podcasts & Spoken Word
- Format: MP3 is fine for speech
- Bitrate: 128 kbps mono or 192 kbps stereo
- Sample rate: 44.1 kHz
- Channels: Mono for solo, stereo for multi-host
Loudness and Mastering for SoundCloud
SoundCloud does not currently apply loudness normalization like Spotify does. This means:
- Your track plays at whatever level you uploaded it at
- Louder tracks will sound louder than quieter tracks in a playlist
- There's a temptation to master loud — resist it
Why -14 LUFS is still the right target:
- Most listeners also use Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube — which all normalize. Mastering to -14 LUFS means your track sounds consistent across all platforms
- Heavily limited masters (above -8 LUFS) sound fatiguing and lifeless. Dynamic masters stand out
- If SoundCloud adds normalization in the future (likely), you're already prepared
Common Upload Issues
"Upload failed" or "Processing stuck"
- Check file size against your plan limit
- Try a different format (WAV → FLAC or vice versa)
- Re-export from your DAW — corrupt headers cause failures
- Check your internet connection for large files
"Sounds worse than my original"
- Did you upload MP3? Try WAV or FLAC instead
- Check if your master is clipping (peaks above 0 dBFS)
- Extremely loud masters (-6 LUFS or above) often sound worse after transcoding
"My waveform looks wrong"
SoundCloud generates waveforms from the uploaded audio. If it looks different than expected:
- Very quiet tracks produce thin, barely visible waveforms
- Over-compressed tracks produce solid block waveforms (not visually appealing)
- A well-mastered track produces a dynamic, interesting waveform
Metadata Tips
Fill out all metadata fields when uploading to SoundCloud:
- Title: Include key info (Original Mix, Remix, feat. Artist)
- Genre: Choose accurately — it affects discoverability
- Tags: Use relevant, specific tags (3-5 is optimal)
- Description: Include credits, links, and context
- Artwork: 800x800px minimum, JPG or PNG
Good metadata helps SoundCloud's algorithm recommend your tracks to the right listeners.
Convert Your Audio for SoundCloud
Need to convert your files to the optimal format for SoundCloud? ShiftAudioFormat has a SoundCloud preset that ensures your audio is in the right format with proper loudness levels. Everything processes locally in your browser — your unreleased tracks stay private.