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RtAudio VS OpenAL Soft

Compare RtAudio VS OpenAL Soft and see what are their differences

RtAudio logo RtAudio

RtAudio is a set of C++ classes that provide a common API for realtime audio input/output across...

OpenAL Soft logo OpenAL Soft

OpenAL Soft is an LGPL-licensed, cross-platform, software implementation of the OpenAL 3D audio API.
  • RtAudio Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-24
  • OpenAL Soft Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-18

RtAudio features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Support
    RtAudio provides a unified interface for audio input and output across multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, enabling seamless cross-platform audio application development.
  • Easy to Use
    The library offers a straightforward API that simplifies the process of handling audio streams, making it accessible for beginners and efficient for experienced developers.
  • Minimal Dependencies
    RtAudio is designed to have minimal external dependencies, which helps in reducing complexity and potential conflicts with other libraries or systems.
  • Real-Time Audio Processing
    RtAudio supports real-time audio processing, which is essential for applications that require low-latency audio interaction such as music production software and live audio applications.

Possible disadvantages of RtAudio

  • Limited Advanced Features
    While RtAudio is great for basic audio input and output, it lacks some advanced features found in other audio libraries like advanced mixing, sound effects, and 3D audio support.
  • Platform-Specific Limitations
    Although RtAudio is cross-platform, certain features and performance characteristics may vary depending on the underlying platform's capabilities and specific audio hardware.
  • Less Active Development
    RtAudio might not be as actively maintained or updated as some other audio libraries, which may affect its compatibility with newer platforms and technologies over time.
  • Basic Documentation
    The documentation available for RtAudio may not be as comprehensive or detailed as for some other audio libraries, which might pose a challenge for developers seeking in-depth guidance.

OpenAL Soft features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    OpenAL Soft is compatible with multiple operating systems, including Windows, MacOS, and Linux, allowing for a wide range of application deployments.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, OpenAL Soft allows developers to view and modify the source code, promoting community contributions and transparency.
  • Hardware-Accelerated
    The software can leverage hardware acceleration for sound processing, which can improve performance and reduce CPU load.
  • 3D Audio Support
    OpenAL Soft provides advanced 3D audio capabilities, allowing for immersive sound positioning and panning in applications and games.
  • Customizable
    Users can customize the audio settings and enhance functionalities according to the application’s needs, thanks to the configurability of OpenAL Soft.

Possible disadvantages of OpenAL Soft

  • Complex Setup
    The initial setup and configuration of OpenAL Soft can be complex and time-consuming, especially for users who are not familiar with audio libraries.
  • Limited Documentation
    While OpenAL Soft is widely used, the documentation can be sparse, making it difficult for newcomers to learn or troubleshoot issues.
  • Performance Overhead
    In some cases, using OpenAL Soft can lead to higher performance overhead compared to other, more lightweight audio libraries.
  • Sparse Community Support
    Compared to other popular audio libraries, community support and forums specifically for OpenAL Soft are less active.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some users report issues with compatibility on certain hardware configurations, which can lead to inconsistent audio experiences.

RtAudio videos

How to Install RtAudio on the Raspberry pi

OpenAL Soft videos

F.E.A.R. w/ EAX & 3D spatial sound 🎧 (OpenAL Soft HRTF)

More videos:

  • Review - F.E.A.R DirectSound3D: Creative Alchemy vs OpenAL Soft (Headphone only)
  • Review - Counter-Strike 1.0 WON w/ 3D spatial sound (OpenAL Soft HRTF audio) 20th Anniversary!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to RtAudio and OpenAL Soft)
Development Tools
42 42%
58% 58
Game Engine
33 33%
67% 67
Rapid Application Development
Game Development
31 31%
69% 69

User comments

Share your experience with using RtAudio and OpenAL Soft. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OpenAL Soft seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 11 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

RtAudio mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of RtAudio yet. Tracking of RtAudio recommendations started around Mar 2021.

OpenAL Soft mentions (11)

  • Audio Library
    OpenAL is probably the best middle ground. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Prey (2017) Director: Using That Name Was A Mistake
    OpenAL Soft - Greatly improves audio. (Enable EAX effects in SS2 settings after this OpenAL Soft is installed). System Shock 2 used hardware accelerated audio effects and those work only if you have sound card that supports them. OpenAL Soft implements all those effects in software so you get good audio. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Death lamp worth?
    .MHR cannot be opened without a file viewer (Binary data). Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Anyone know a good OpenAL alternative or wrapper which works on Apple platforms?
    Sounds like you want OpenAL Soft a cross platform LGPL software implementation of OpenAL. Source code and issue tracker are [on Github](0https://github.com/kcat/openal-soft). Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Latest versions of Creative ALchemy and OpenAL
    OpenAL. I found OpenAL v1.1 Windows Installer from OpenAL: Cross Platform 3D Audio but OpenAL Soft v1.21.0 from here https://openal-soft.org/. What is the difference and which should I download? Source: about 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing RtAudio and OpenAL Soft, you can also consider the following products

PortAudio - PortAudio is a cross platform, open-source, audio I/O library.

OpenAL - OpenAL is a cross-platform 3D audio API appropriate for use with gaming applications and many other...

JUCE - JUCE is a wide-ranging C++ class library for building rich cross-platform applications and plugins...

FMOD Ex - FMOD is a proprietary audio library that plays music files of diverse formats on many different...

Wwise - Game audio engine, designed to give artists more control and save programmers' time.

SoLoud - Easy to use, free, portable c/c++ audio engine for games.