Term: Bit rate  

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The number of bits processed per unit of time. For digital audio, bit rate describes the quality of an audio signal. The bit rate for a 16-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo file is 16 bits per sample x 2 channels x 44,100 samples per second = 1,411.2 kbps (kilobits per second). A high-quality mp3 encodes only 256 kbps, while a low-quality mp3 encodes as few as 56 kbps. Bit rate may be adjusted to suit a particular use, such as to provide a specific file size at the expense of reduced audio quality.