Does anyone happen to know where I can find the best compressor for WAV files?

I'm using Audacity right now, but I can't seem to figure out how to Compress the file!

You can't really compress the file. All you can do is reduce quality.
For example 8kHz (really crappy, maybe try 11 or 22 kHz),
8Bit (might even be bigger than 16bit depending on the file, as sc automatically reduces bits. Just try it out),
Mono (sc doesn't work in stereo anyway).

Codec must stay PCM of course.

windows XP has a built in way of converting which i personally use because its fast and i can do side by side quality comparisions
(i use the classic styled startbar dunno if itll change how to get there)
Start->accessories->entertainment->sound recorder->File+open->yourfile.wav->File+properties->convert now->Example(11.025kHz, 8bit mono)->Okay->okay->File+save

Always save money for starcraft thatll like half it since SC uses mono only, then i heard it compresses 16bit but 8bit is smaller than certain files compressed, so you should try both and see which makes the map smaller.

Wow that helped a lot! Thanks!

When you add the wav into a map, the wav is compressed. The map is an mpq archive which stores wavs compressed.

Use 16-bit mono. The MPQ file will compress the WAV better.
There's also a way of collapsing the WAV header and removing unused appended data.
If you could post the WAV, I can show you an example.

Here it is... I compressed it already, but you may be able to make it smaller... Lemme know if you can!

Attachments:

Oh dude forgot to post a shortcut in opening the sound recorder in XP, you rightclick a wav then select record should be right under play.

Edit: if you wanted someone to try to compress it more you have a better chance if you post the original version

not gonna lie, that's some terrible quality.

I don't know if you wanted that gradual increase in sound, you can always put it back in. And hey, it's 5 kB smaller, since I took out the empty noise at the beginning! The only way to make it smaller is to decrease the sample quality more, or decrease the length. Right now it's 64 kbps. To make it smaller, THAT number has to change (also, 8 bit * 8000 Hz, do the math). I'm not going to attach a smaller version, but you can change it if you want, especially with a much better quality version.

Yeah... It's in my trailer already, and I'm kinda lazy to go back and resize it, so I think I'm jsut gonna leave it for now, but I will definitely change the next WAV file I use...

I you want to see the trailer Click Here. To me it sounds just fine in the trailer (although it could be my speakers, cause they are pretty bad). You'll have to look around for the file it's in there somewhere...

at least listen to the version I made man.

Yeah sorry I meant to, but I was at school in the middle of class, but now that I'm home I will!

EDIT: Sounds a little better! And what's awesome about it is that it's repeatable! Thanks!

Look at the packed size. The original size is meaningless.

A link to my version, which is re-cropped from the full length version.
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/733696/mad%20world2.wav

Notice the difference in quality, and a difference of only 54 KB from the original version. Although the original was 61.29 sec, and mine was 87.19 sec. I have ~26 more seconds of music, much better quality, and only a difference of 54KB. Where's the math in that?

you used 16bit which is compressed by starcraft and a higher frequency rate possible 11,025kHz im guessing?

edit: downloaded file and i was spot on SCORE!

edit2: Also may i ask where that image is from, it looks useful. Is it the scmdraft2 sound editor, i dont often use scmdraft i mainly use starforge for the better text triggers

winmpq

interesting. Mine is still smaller though . I swear I didn't hear much difference between 16 bit and 8 bit, but I only have a limited amount of experience with sounds.

unless youre listening through like 2$ earbuds, that includes apples' as they suck compared to actual good headphones, youll notice a quite a difference, also his would of been smaller that you if it was 8 kHz and not 11.025kHz+20seconds longer

Alright, I just did a completely different song to tell the difference. (btw church, my point wasn't that my file sounded like heinermann's, but that I can't hear the difference between 16 bit and 8 bit sounds. I'm not an audiophile).

8000 Hz: 8 bit vs 16 bit
8 bit has a slight low frequency hiss, 16 bit does not. I only noticed it when I put on my $.99 headphones.

11025 Hz: 8 bit vs 16 bit
8 bit has a higher frequency hiss, 16 bit does not. I noticed this through my speakers.

There's an obvious difference in quality going from 8000 Hz to 11025 Hz. I think when I did my tests a while ago, I was using a poor wav to begin with. I might have even gone from 8 bit to 16 bit, not vice versa. In any case, it seems 16 bit compresses over 50% more than 8 bit, so in this case, the 16 bit is better for file size.