Data acquisition at a rate of 320 kilobits per second refers to the process of retrieving digital information, typically audio files, encoded with a specific level of data compression. This rate indicates the amount of data used to represent one second of audio. For instance, obtaining a music track encoded at this rate means each second of the song is represented by 320 kilobits of data.
Employing this encoding rate during data retrieval offers a balance between file size and perceived audio quality. It is often considered a high-quality setting for lossy audio compression formats, providing a noticeable improvement over lower bitrates. This option became prevalent as storage capacity increased and network bandwidth improved, allowing users to prioritize audio fidelity.