Question

I’m considering RTAudio + RTMidi and PortAudio + PortMidi for a new project that requires realtime audio and midi procesing. Can anyone with experience using both libraries recommend one over the other? why?
I prefer a C++ API over a C API but this is not enough for me to make a decision.

Answer 1

I have been locking for the perfect match with that need for a quite long time.
For now I prefer

• port audio:

  • (+) on Windows, supports asio, DirectSound, MME, WASAPI (with header headaches)
  • (+) on Linux, supports ALSA, OSS, Pulse, JACK
  • (+) on Mac, supports Core Audio
  • (+) very active project,and some good gurus are developing it).
  • (+) used by many very successful apps + the C++ is not native but there is a binding that is integrated to the main branch (since last year i think)
  • (+) It’s really reliable with libsdnfile (which is great)
  • (-) It’s not native c++
  • (-) the projects, configure, integration is pretty annoying
  • (-) working well for multiple platforms (debian, osx, seven : my own experience)
  • (-) much of the documentation sucks and is mostly outdated and contradictory when googling for answers

• rt audio

  • (+) on Windows, supports asio, DirectSound, WASAPI (as of 10-04-2014)
  • (+) on Linux, supports ALSA, OSS, Pulse, JACK
  • (+) on Mac, supports Core Audio
  • (+) native c++,
  • (+) really easy to get into it
  • (-) not so much active
  • (-) much of the documentation sucks and is mostly outdated and contradictory
    when googling for answers

other solutions :

• Qt :

  • (-) heavy, not exactly what i’m looking for
  • (-) real time audio support is recent and not stable
  • (+) easy to use if you use QtCreator (and less if using QtAddon with visual, and less with xcode)
  • (+) midi integrated

• Juce:

  • java like design
  • heavy, not exactly what i’m looking for
  • simple, and working pretty well (used professional audio)
  • midi integrated, file reading of aiff and wave, and flac