irrKlang vs OpenAL Soft

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.

OpenAL Soft is a free, LGPL-licensed software implementation of the OpenAL 3D audio API for playing sound in virtual 3D environments. It handles distance attenuation, Doppler shift, and directional emitters. The EFX extension adds effects such as air absorption, occlusion, and environmental reverb. The library supports streaming audio, multichannel buffers, and audio capture, with output options including mono, stereo, 4-channel, 5.1, 7.1, HRTF, UHJ, and B-Format. Implemented audio backends include PipeWire, PulseAudio, ALSA, WASAPI, CoreAudio, JACK, SDL2, and SDL3. Developers can use loopback devices to connect playback with other audio systems and incorporate the library into projects. The latest release identified on the site is version 1.25.2, available as source and Win32 and Win64 binaries. Building requires CMake 3.13 or newer and a compiler supporting C++20; Autotools is not supported. Runtime platforms listed are Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. The project directs bug reports and feature requests to its GitHub issue tracker and points users to the #openal IRC channel for help.