What your computer shows you
Use Get Info on macOS or Properties on Windows and you usually get the size, the creation date, sometimes the duration and bitrate, and a few basic tags. Missing are exactly the things DJs need:
- Bit depth, mono or stereo, and which tag format the file uses.
- Tags beyond the usual few: remixer, label, ISRC, long comments, ad links that download sites slip in.
- Private data other DJ software stores inside the file.
- How big the cover art is, in pixels and in megabytes.
- The spectrogram, the only thing that tells you whether the file is as good as its specs claim.
What each detail tells you
| Detail | What it is | What DJs should watch |
|---|---|---|
| Format, encoding | MP3, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, and how it's compressed | Lossless (WAV, FLAC, AIFF) keeps every detail |
| Bitrate | Data per second, in kbps | Club MP3s are usually 320 kbps; the file declares this number itself |
| Sample rate | Samples per second, like 44.1 kHz | 44.1 or 48 kHz is plenty for a sound system |
| Bit depth | 16 or 24 bit | 24 bit helps in production; for playing out, 16 bit is usually enough |
| Channels | Mono or stereo | A mono track in a stereo set sounds noticeably narrow |
| Duration | Track length | Radio edits are short; extended mixes are longer, with intros to mix |
| Frequency cutoff | How high the sound really goes | Unusually low is a sign of an upscaled file |
| Loudness (LUFS) | How loud the track is | Far off from your other tracks means adjusting gain |
| Tags | Title, artist, key, BPM, and dozens more | Wrong tags mean wrong names and failed searches in DJ software |
| Cover art | The image embedded in the file | Art weighing several MB bloats the file for nothing |
For more on formats, read MP3 320 vs FLAC vs WAV for DJs. For loudness, read what LUFS is.
Good specs don't guarantee a good file
Format and bitrate are what the file says about itself. A 128 kbps MP3 converted to WAV still declares 1,411 kbps and weighs about ten times as much, but the highs it lost never come back.
The spectrogram tells the truth. A flat cutoff around 16 kHz across the whole track is the fingerprint of a 128 kbps source, whatever the extension says. Read more in how to spot a fake FLAC and how to read a spectrogram.
The second thing specs don't tell you is the peaks. A track pushed too loud has its peaks cut flat and distorts at its loudest moments. See what clipping is.
FAQ
Does viewing the details change the file?
No. The Inspector only reads the file: no tag edits, no renaming, nothing added to your library.
Can I look at several files at once?
Yes. Drag a whole batch onto the Inspector tab; each file gets a row, and selecting a row shows its details. Double-click a row to listen.
Which formats work?
MP3, WAV, FLAC, and AIFF.
Does it cost anything?
No. File info, every tag, the waveform, the spectrogram, and the quality check are free on every plan. Only predicted labels need Premium.
Do it fast with Taxonomy DJ
Audio quality checks in Taxonomy DJ put everything in one view:
- Drag files onto the Inspector tab, or click Choose files.
- Select a file. At the top: cover art, filename, full path, and six key numbers: BPM, key, duration, loudness, frequency cutoff, and bitrate.
- Right below is the Quality check: upscaled, clipping, mono file… problems first, each line green, yellow, or red.
- The full-track spectrogram comes next. Click the zoom button on its title row to look closely: zoom both axes, switch the frequency scale, read the values under the cursor.
- Scroll down for the Audio card (format, encoding, bit depth, sample rate, channels), File on disk (size, created and modified dates, tag format, cover art), Tags in file, and the Other tags table, which lists data from other DJ software, custom fields, and lyrics.
To save the results in the app, right-click the file ▸ File details. For a track already in your library, right-click it in the Music Library tab ▸ Details to open the same view. Free on every plan: download Taxonomy DJ and inspect the file you trust least.