irrKlang vs Meta XR Audio SDK

irrKlang is a cross-platform 2D and 3D sound engine and audio library for C++ and .NET development. It plays WAV, OGG, MP3, FLAC, MOD, IT, S3M, and XM files, with both buffered and streamed playback. Its sound capabilities include 3D emulation for low-end hardware, linear or logarithmic rolloff, and effects such as echo, reverb, chorus, and distortion. Developers can use it from C++, C#, VisualBasic.NET, and Delphi.NET. Plugins can extend playback format support, and users can supply their own file readers and decoders. It does not depend on Irrlicht, so it can be used in projects without that engine. irrKlang runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS. It is free for non-commercial products; commercial use requires a Pro license. Listed one-time Pro options start at €65 for individuals and products sold for less than €20, with higher plans for other commercial uses. Linux requires ALSA, and 64-bit systems require matching 64-bit versions. Downloads are available only to existing licensees.

Meta XR Audio SDK is a free development SDK for adding spatial audio to immersive VR and MR applications. It runs on Windows and Android, including Meta Quest development targets, and supports Unity, Unreal Engine, FMOD, and Wwise. HRTF-based object and ambisonic spatialization helps listeners locate sounds in three-dimensional space. The SDK also models room acoustics through reflections and reverberation for spatialized audio. Meta documents plugins for each supported engine or middleware. The Unreal plugin works with the Unreal Audio Engine independently of the Meta XR Plugin. Unity packages are distributed through the Meta Horizon Developer Center and Unity Asset Store. Version 85.0 is the final release, and development is feature-frozen. Compatibility with future engine and middleware versions is not guaranteed, and acknowledged bug reports may not receive fixes. The Wwise plugin is supported through Wwise Launcher and Audiokinetic, while Meta’s Wwise documentation will no longer be updated. The listed plan costs nothing.