The highest quality download you can create for this file type is 320 kbps, although they can be encoded as low as 96 kbps. Kbps stands for “kilobits per second.” When that number is higher, the playback sounds better on virtually all devices. Size matters when considering the audio bitrate for an MP3 file. Do 320 Kbps MP3 Files Really Sound Better? A 320 kbps download will have 320 kilobits available for every second of audio. Knowing the audio bitrate level lets you understand how much data gets stored in the sound file you want to hear. How do you know what the quality of the playback will be? When you want to listen to music, you’ll likely listen to an MP3 file for general purposes. As modern technology has developed over the past 30 years, it’s become easier than ever to create and share audio files. From the first moment humans figured out how to record sounds, we’ve wanted to share numerous ideas with others using this format.