OpenMeeter

A Voicemeeter-style audio mixer for Windows and Linux. Windows requires VB-Cable/VAC and Linux requires PipeWire/PulseAudio

Status

• Windows device enumeration, VB-Cable detection
• Windows mixing engine: capture → mix → render, gain/mute/mono/solo, routing, real meters, feedback-loop guard
• Recorder: arm inputs (pre-fader) or buses (post-fader), WAV 16/24/32f, mono/stereo, multitrack, auto-stop; play WAV/MP3/FLAC/OGG/M4A into buses with gain, loop and play-on-load
• Menu: restart / auto-restart engine, presets (load, save, load on startup), reset, system tray, run on startup, start hidden, always on top, lock UI, system settings (buffer size, strip names)
• Windows: per-output exclusive mode (bypasses the Windows mixer and effects, like Voicemeeter)
• Windows: outputs play in raw mode, bypassing device effects (Realtek "enhancements", virtual surround, loudness) without taking the device exclusively
• MIDI mapping, global shortcut keys, VBAN
• Linux backend: device enumeration, virtual inputs/buses created on demand, mixing engine, meters, recorder and player, feedback guard, unplug detection, real-time audio threads, tray icon
• EQ/comp/gate/pan DSP
• Per-app routing

Linux Quickstart

On Linux, virtual devices appear in every app's device list while OpenMeeter runs: play into OpenMeeter Input v1 (e.g. set it as your default output) and record from OpenMeeter Out B1 (e.g. as Discord's microphone). They are removed on exit.

Windows 10+ Quickstart

You will need some virtual audio drivers. If you're looking for a free version:

Cable 1 (VB Cable)

Cable 2 (VAC)

If you're wanting more than 2 audio channels, you can pay a small fee for either. Signing audio drivers on Windows is actually mad expensive, which is why it is not possible to create a free/FOSS version.

Install both cables. They should show as sound drivers like so:

Make one of them the default for Playback, and one default for Recording.

Don't forget to tinker with Properties > Advanced to make sure you have the right sample rate!

In OpenMeeter:

1.) First select your audio hardware. You can select your output devices in the top right in HARDWARE OUT, where each devices takes a channel (A1-A3). For your input devices, Select your driver for HARDWARE INPUT.

2.) For Virtual Inputs, Select CABLE Input. In the screenshot above, you'll see its selected for the first Virtual Input.

3.) For Master Section, select one of the last second columns (B1,B2) and select LINE 1.

4.) Make sure your devices are on the right channels. In the screenshot, I have the CABLE Input outputting to A1(speakers) and I have Focusrite USB Audio Mic outputting to B1, which is LINE 1

Running locally

cargo run                      # GUI with the platform backend
cargo run -- --mock            # GUI with a fake backend (any OS)
cargo run -- devices           # list audio devices
cargo run -- doctor            # check for problems (e.g. VB-Cable missing)
cargo run -- meters            # run the mixer headless and print meter levels
cargo run -- record --seconds 30 [--play song.mp3]   # headless recording

Ubuntu/Debian build deps:

sudo apt install libpulse-dev libgtk-3-dev libayatana-appindicator3-dev pkg-config

backend needs pactl (pulseaudio-utils), which comes with PipeWire, normally Audio threads ask for real-time scheduling (directly, or through RealtimeKit); meters shows what they got.

With the system tray on, the window runs through XWayland on Wayland desktops: Wayland doesn't let apps hide their windows, which closing to the tray needs.