Need help deciding which PC audio hardware to purchase? Want to test some gear? Open source, freeware hardware analysis software and posted RMAA test results for common hardware.
Category Archives: Open Source
RareWares ~ Freeware Audio Archive
Providing hard-to-find pieces of software since 2001
Repository of open audio CODECs, compiled LAME binaries and freeware utilities.
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Convolver ~ A Convolution Plugin
Convolver is an open source, high performance Windows application for applying finite impulse response (FIR) filters to multi-channel digital audio in the form of
- a real time DSP audio plug-in (DMO) for Windows Media Player. The install package also contains
- two DirectX / DirectShow filter versions — ConvolverWrapper or the equivalent ConvolverFilter — for Adobe Audition and real time applications such as Zoom Player Pro, TheaterTek 2.2, Windows Media Player Classic, J.River Media Center (when used with the DirectX host plug-in), or Console. See the setup walkthrough for ZoomPlayer after reading this page for further details. In many cases the DMO will also work.
- a VST plug-in version (convolverVST). Finally, there are a number of
- command line applications for testing performance, and convolving files offline, for example. convolverPipe can filter SlimServer playback.
Convolver will take a set of FIR filter files (sound files) and convolve them with sound paths mixed from the input channels, mixing the results into a set of specified output channels.
convolver.sourceforge.net
Download
Documentation
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DRC ~ Digital Room Correction Filter Generator
DRC is a program used to generate correction filters for acoustic compensation of HiFi and audio systems in general, including listening room compensation. DRC generates just the FIR correction filters, which can be used with a real time or offline convolver to provide real time or offline correction. DRC doesn’t provide convolution features, and provides only some simplified, although really accurate, measuring tools.
drc-fir.sourceforge.net
sourceforge.net/projects/drc-fir/files/
Documentation
Wikipedia
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LAME ~ Free & Open mp3 Encoder
LAME is used to encode / compress audio data into the lossy MP3 file format. It’s a high quality MPEG Audio Layer III (MP3) encoder, licensed under the LGPL.
LAME Downloads ~ Rarewares
LAME Recommended Settings – HA Wiki
LAME Libraries – RareWares
LAME Source Code ~ Sourceforge
lame3995o ~ A fork of LAME (alternative version)
LameVST ~ LAME compression as a VST effect
Wikipedia ~ LAME info
WinLAME ~ Windows front-end (GUI)
wxlame ~ Windows front-end (GUI)
lame-ios ~ LAME For IOS
www.esm.rochester.edu/ears/docs/lame/switchs
svn.code.sf.net/p/lame/svn/trunk/lame/USAGE
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FLAC ~ Free Lossless Audio CODEC
FLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec, an audio format similar to MP3, but lossless, meaning that audio is compressed in FLAC without any loss in quality. This is similar to how Zip works, except with FLAC you will get much better compression because it is designed specifically for audio, and you can play back compressed FLAC files in your favorite player (or your car or home stereo) just like you would a MP3 file.
FLAC stands out as the fastest and most widely supported lossless audio codec, and the only one that at once is non-proprietary, is unencumbered by patents, has an open-source reference implementation, has a well documented format and API and has several other independent implementations.
xiph.org/flac
xiph.org/flac/comparison
xiph.org/flac/documentation
xiph.org/flac/download
xiph.org/flac/faq
sourceforge.net/projects/flac
github.com/xiph/flac
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLAC
sourceforge.net/projects/flacfrontend
FLAC Development Forum @ Hydrogen Audio
FLAC Test Bench:
wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=FLAC_decoder_testbench
Encoders:
FLACCL ~ cue.tools/wiki/FLACCL
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MilkDrop ~ Audio Visualization Plugin
MilkDrop is a music visualizer – a “plug-in” or extension to Winamp or Foobar2000 music players. As you listen your music in Winamp, MilkDrop takes you flying through the actual sound waves you’re hearing, and uses beat detection to trigger myriad psychedelic effects, creating a rich visual journey through sound. MilkDrop can also be driven by a live audio feed (microphone or line-in).
www.geisswerks.com/milkdrop
sourceforge.net/projects/milkdrop2
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MilkDrop
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MusicBrainz Picard ~ Tag Audio Files With MusicBrainz Metadata
MusicBrainz Picard is a cross-platform (Linux, macOS, Windows) audio tagging application. It is the official MusicBrainz tagger.
Picard supports the majority of audio file formats, is capable of using audio fingerprints (AcoustIDs), performing CD lookups and disc ID submissions, and it has excellent Unicode support. Additionally, there are several plugins available that extend Picard’s features.
Features:
- Multiple formats: Picard supports all popular music formats, including MP3, FLAC, OGG, M4A, WMA, WAV, and more.
- AcoustID: Picard uses AcoustID audio fingerprints, allowing files to be identified by the actual music, even if they have no metadata.
- Comprehensive database: Picard uses the open and community-maintained MusicBrainz database to provide accurate information about millions of music releases.
- CD lookups: Picard can lookup entire music CDs with a click.
- Plugin support: If you need a particular feature, you can choose from a selection of available plugins or write your own.
- Scripting: A flexible and powerful, yet easy to learn, scripting language allows you to exactly specify how your music files will be named and how the tags will look like.
- Cover Art: Picard can find and download the correct cover art for your albums.
- Open Source: Picard is licensed under the GNU General Public License 2.0 or later, and is hosted on GitHub where it is actively developed.
picard.musicbrainz.org
picard.musicbrainz.org/downloads
picard.musicbrainz.org/plugins
picard.musicbrainz.org/docs/faq
picard.musicbrainz.org/quick-start
github.com/metabrainz/picard
Youtube: What is MusicBrainz Picard?
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Max ~ Mac Audio CD Ripper
A Mac application for ripping high quality audio files from CDs. Integrated with MusicBrainz.
macOS 10.7 or greater.
Main site is 404, source code needs to be compiled. Any takers? Let me know.
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CUERipper ~ Open Source PC CD Ripper
CUERipper is an utility for extracting digital audio from CDs, and an open-source alternative to EAC. It has a lot fewer configuration options, so it’s somewhat easier to use, and is included in the CUETools package.
Supports AccurateRip, CTDB, freeDB and MusicBrainz
cuetools.net/wiki/CUERipper
cuetools.net/wiki/CUETools_Download
cuetools.net/wiki/Category:CUERipper_Guides
www.hydrogenaud.io/forums/index.php?showtopic=66233
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Audacity ~ Multi-track Editor & Recorder
Audacity is a popular freeware multi-track audio editor and recorder. (Recommended)
audacityteam.org
Download
FAQ
Documentation
Tutorials
Tips
Beginner’s Resource Guide
Wikipedia
www.darkaudacity.com/ (Themed)
Index of effects, generators and analyzers
github.com/Sneeds-Feed-and-Seed/sneedacity
ReplayGain Plugin
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XLD ~ Mac CD Player / Ripper
X Lossless Decoder (XLD) is a tool for Mac OS X that is able to decode / convert / play various ‘lossless’ audio files. The supported audio files can be split into some tracks with cue sheet when decoding. It works on Mac OS X 10.4 and later. XLD is Universal Binary, so it runs natively on both Intel Macs and PPC Macs.
tmkk.undo.jp/xld
sourceforge.net/projects/xld
wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=XLD
The Audio File 