WavPack

File Format
Name	WavPack
Ontology	Electronic File Formats Audio and Music WavPack
Extension(s)	.wv, .wvc
Released	1998

WavPack is a compressed audio file format, and associated open source software.

Though the compression algorithm is fundamentally lossless, there a standard way to reduce the sample precision if desired, to make it a lossy format. The "lost" information does not have to be thrown away; in "hybrid" mode it is saved in a companion .wvc file.

The v4.0 format, while loosely based on previous versions, has undergone major redesign.

Specifications

• WavPack 4.0 File / Block Format

Software

• WavPack Windows binaries
• WavPack binaries for various *nix platforms
• Software supporting WavPack
• WavPack 4.60 Library Documentation

Links

• WavPack web site
• Wikipedia article
• WavPack section from David Salomon's book 'Data Compression: The Complete Reference' (PDF link)