The software temporarily decodes the audio into a raw format.
Used by producers and audiophiles to compare mixes, masters, or the effects of specific processing like EQ. Tutorial on how to use Audio Comparer
Most duplicate finders (like CCleaner or standard file managers) compare files by (ID3 tags, file name) or file size . They fail if you have the same song saved as Track01.mp3 and MyFavoriteSong.flac , or if the bitrates differ.
Broadcasters, streaming platforms, and game audio teams use comparers to ensure encoded files (e.g., MP3, AAC) are perceptually identical to the original lossless master. They can also detect unintended silence, clipping, or phase cancellation.