How can I compress an audio file to under 16MB on Windows?

SoX is the Swiss Army knife of command-line audio processing, helping you compress audio files. It supports scripting to accommodate advanced workflows.

To use it, open a command prompt, navigate to your audio folder, and run the following command:

To compress a single file:

sox input.mp3 -C 96 output.mp3

To batch compress all WAV files:

for %f in (*.wav) do sox "%f" -C 96 "%~nf.mp3"

The software quickly and efficiently compress audio files via command-line commands, making it ideal for users familiar with the command line and batch automation. It is suitable for automated audio processing workflows and is well-suited for advanced users.

If you prefer command-line tools and need scriptable audio compression capabilities, you may want to give this method a try. Since this is a pure command-line tool, please consider this carefully before using it if you are not yet familiar with the command-line interface.