Higher bitrate = better quality = bigger files. But how high do you actually need to go? Probably not as high as you think.
The Bitrate Spectrum
64 kbps: Podcast-quality voice. Fine for spoken word, terrible for music. 128 kbps: FM radio quality. Acceptable for casual listening on phone speakers. 192 kbps: 'Good enough' for most people. Hard to distinguish from higher quality on consumer earbuds. 256 kbps: Apple Music default. Very good quality for streaming. 320 kbps: Maximum MP3 quality. Virtually indistinguishable from CD on most equipment.
Lossless (FLAC, ALAC)
CD-quality preservation. File sizes 2-5x larger than 320kbps MP3. Worth it if: you have high-end headphones ($200+) AND quiet listening environment AND you're listening to complex music (classical, jazz). Not worth it if: you're listening on AirPods while commuting.
Our Recommendation
Use our audio converter at 256-320 kbps MP3 for music and 128 kbps for podcasts/voice. That covers 95% of use cases perfectly.