MKV and M4A explained
Matroska is a container designed to hold essentially anything: any codec, unlimited audio tracks, subtitle tracks, chapters and attachments in one file. It is the format of choice for archiving films with multiple languages.
M4A is an MP4 container holding only audio — usually AAC, sometimes Apple Lossless. The extension exists mainly so players know not to look for a video track.
- Where MKV files come from
- Media archives, anime and film collections, and high-quality recordings.
- Where M4A is used
- iTunes purchases, Apple Music downloads, voice memos and audiobooks.