Vinyl to Digital Calculator
Estimate total recording time and file sizes for digitizing your vinyl record collection at different audio qualities.
Recording Time & File Size
Digitizing vinyl requires recording each side in real time, plus setup time for flipping/cleaning.
Typical record lengths:
- 7" single (45 RPM): 3–5 min per side
- 10" EP: 10–15 min per side
- 12" LP (33 RPM): 18–25 min per side
File sizes per minute of audio:
| Format | Quality | Size/Minute |
|---|---|---|
| WAV (lossless) | 16-bit/44.1kHz (CD quality) | ~10 MB |
| WAV (lossless) | 24-bit/96kHz (hi-res) | ~33 MB |
| FLAC (lossless compressed) | 16-bit/44.1kHz | ~6 MB |
| FLAC (lossless compressed) | 24-bit/96kHz | ~20 MB |
| MP3 320kbps | High quality lossy | ~2.4 MB |
| MP3 192kbps | Standard quality | ~1.4 MB |
Tips:
- Record at 24-bit/96kHz for the highest quality archive, then convert down
- Add ~2 minutes per record for setup (cleaning, flipping, trimming)
- Use a good USB phono preamp for best results
- FLAC is recommended for archiving — lossless but ~40% smaller than WAV