The default PCM format s161e predates plan 9
(s161e, stereo, 44.1kHz) or signed 16-bit little-endian PCM, 2 channels, 44,100 Hz is the most commonplace PCM variant, while PCM is the default standard audio encoding format for most applications (games, codecs, etc.). It was created in 1979, by Sony, and formalized as the CD audio standard in 1980.