PipeWire vs JACK Audio Connection Kit

Struggling to choose between PipeWire and JACK Audio Connection Kit? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

PipeWire is a Audio & Music solution with tags like audio, video, streaming, linux.

It boasts features such as Low latency audio, Unified audio and video streams, Replaces PulseAudio and JACK, Supports Bluetooth audio, Built-in echo cancellation, Screen sharing support, Can emulate PulseAudio and JACK APIs and pros including Simplifies audio setup on Linux, Improves audio quality and reduces glitches, Allows easy audio routing between applications, Enables advanced audio use cases like pro audio production, Unifies audio and video streaming.

On the other hand, JACK Audio Connection Kit is a Audio & Music product tagged with audio, music, production, editing, connection, server.

Its standout features include Real-time audio routing between applications, Low latency performance, Support for multiple audio interfaces, Audio effects plugin hosting, MIDI routing, Audio sample rate conversion, and it shines with pros like Low latency, Flexible routing, Wide compatibility, Active development community, Open source.

Feature	PipeWire	JACK Audio Connection Kit
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Audio & Music	Audio & Music

Product Overview

PipeWire

Description: PipeWire is a server for handling audio and video streams on Linux. It aims to improve upon and replace PulseAudio and JACK to provide a unified audio/video server.

JACK Audio Connection Kit

Description: JACK Audio Connection Kit is a cross-platform audio server designed to enable low latency audio connections between applications on Linux, macOS, and Windows systems. It allows audio apps to share audio data in real-time.

Key Features Comparison

PipeWire Features

• Low latency audio
• Unified audio and video streams
• Replaces PulseAudio and JACK
• Supports Bluetooth audio
• Built-in echo cancellation
• Screen sharing support
• Can emulate PulseAudio and JACK APIs

JACK Audio Connection Kit Features

• Real-time audio routing between applications
• Low latency performance
• Support for multiple audio interfaces
• Audio effects plugin hosting
• MIDI routing
• Audio sample rate conversion

Pros & Cons Analysis

PipeWire

Pros

• Simplifies audio setup on Linux
• Improves audio quality and reduces glitches
• Allows easy audio routing between applications
• Enables advanced audio use cases like pro audio production
• Unifies audio and video streaming

Cons

• Still relatively new software, may have bugs
• Breaking changes from PulseAudio and JACK
• May require adjustment for some existing applications
• Limited hardware support on some distributions

JACK Audio Connection Kit

Pros

• Low latency
• Flexible routing
• Wide compatibility
• Active development community
• Open source

Cons

• Complex configuration
• Steep learning curve
• Can cause audio glitches if not set up properly
• Limited Windows support

Pricing Comparison

PipeWire

• Open Source

JACK Audio Connection Kit

• Open Source