MP2 File

Audio files with the .MP2 extension have been written in the compressed, lossy MPEG Layer II audio coding format. MPEG Layer II Compressed Audio allows for the preservation of good quality sound while saving disk space, making it compliant with the ISO/IEC 11172-3 standard.

Where is the MP2 format used?

The .MP2 files, owing to their superior usage parameters - more faithful sound quality than mp3 while maintaining a smaller file size than the WAV PCM format, are used in many specialized cases. These include:

• radio broadcasting stations,
• audio format for VCD - Video CD, SVCD - Super Video CD,
• one of the possible audio formats for DVD.

Many music playback programs support audio recorded in the MP2 format. For example, files with the .MP2 extension can be opened in Winamp, KMPlayer, or QuickTime Player. However, the format is not as widely supported as mp3 files.

MP2 file format - Broad Capabilities

Although largely superseded by the newer MP3 format, .MP2 files still find specialized applications. They possess broader capabilities than their successor, including mono format, stereo, intensity encoded joint stereo, and uncorrelated dual channel. The MP2 format can handle bitrates from 32 up to 384 kbit/s and sampling from 16-48 kHz. It also provides support for multiple channels - up to 5 full-range plus support for LFE - Low Frequency Enhancement.