Low bandwidth16 kbps
Voice announcements and highly constrained connections.
Hear the difference before you choose
Broadcast High Quality Audio to any Device, Anywhere
Deliver audio content natively to most web-connected devices, including PCs, mobile devices, tablets, audio amplifiers, and cars.
Stream your audio content through SHOUTcast, the server streaming platform of choice used by RCAST for audio streaming.
- Same source recording
- 16-320 kbps comparison
- Works on any modern device
A practical starting point
128 kbpsBalanced quality for internet radio
Clear stereo sound with moderate bandwidth use. For premium music streams, compare 192 and 320 kbps below.
16-48 kbpsSpeech and low bandwidth
56-96 kbpsEfficient radio streaming
128 kbpsBalanced everyday quality
192-320 kbpsHigh-quality music
Interactive bitrate comparison
Listen to every quality level
Play one sample, then switch to another. The recording is identical; only the audio bitrate changes.
Low bandwidth24 kbps
Speech-first streams where data usage is critical.
Speech32 kbps
Talk radio, commentary and spoken-word programming.
Speech+40 kbps
Clearer voice with very modest bandwidth use.
Efficient48 kbps
Talk and light music on mobile-friendly streams.
Efficient56 kbps
A step up in detail while keeping transfer low.
Radio basic64 kbps
Useful baseline quality for mixed radio content.
Radio standard80 kbps
More musical detail without heavy bandwidth use.
Clear stereo96 kbps
Good general-purpose quality for online stations.
Balanced128 kbps
Strong everyday choice for music and mixed programming.
High quality192 kbps
Richer music playback for quality-focused stations.
Premium320 kbps
Maximum audio detail for premium music streaming.
Make the comparison meaningful
Use the same headphones or speakers, keep the volume unchanged and compare adjacent bitrates. Laptop and phone speakers can hide subtle differences.
Choosing your bitrate
Match sound quality to your audience
Higher bitrate preserves more detail but uses more listener data and requires a steadier source connection. The best part: every RCAST streaming plan includes unmetered bandwidth, so there is no fixed monthly transfer allowance for your station.
Talk and speech32-64 kbps can work well when voice clarity matters most.
General music radio96-128 kbps offers a practical balance for most stations.
Premium music192-320 kbps retains more detail for demanding listeners.
Approximate listener data use
What one hour of listening consumes
Unmetered bandwidth includedNo fixed transfer quota on RCAST Live or AutoDJ streaming plans, subject to reasonable use.
Listener data figures are approximate and exclude protocol overhead.Audio quality FAQ
Common bitrate questions
Is a higher bitrate always better?
It preserves more audio detail, but it also uses more bandwidth. Source quality, encoding settings and the listener's equipment all affect the result.
Which bitrate should a music station use?
128 kbps is a solid general-purpose starting point. Choose 192 or 320 kbps when maximum music quality is more important than data use.
What is suitable for talk radio?
Speech-focused stations can often use 32-64 kbps effectively. Listen to the samples above on your intended devices before deciding.
Does RCAST support SHOUTcast and Icecast?
Yes. RCAST streaming plans support both platforms, with secure HTTPS listening URLs and bitrates available according to the selected plan.
Ready to go on air?
Explore Live and AutoDJ streaming plans.
Broadcast live from your studio or automate your station from the cloud, with audio quality options for every type of programming.