Opus 1.6 Released
4 days ago
- #Audio Codec
- #Speech Enhancement
- #Opus 1.6
- Opus 1.6 introduces a wideband-to-fullband speech enhancer based on a neural network, presented at WASPAA 2025.
- The Bandwidth Extension (BWE) model generates high-frequency speech (8-20 kHz) from wideband speech (0-8 kHz) without side information.
- BWE can be combined with Opus 1.5's wideband enhancement methods but does not replace hybrid mode highband content.
- BWE improves Deep Redundancy (DRED) decoding, enabling fullband quality for packet loss concealment (PLC).
- Combining NoLACE and BWE enhances speech quality, enabling good fullband quality at as low as 9 kb/s.
- DRED in Opus 1.6 features improved intelligibility and robustness, with a 3x smaller model size (600 kB vs. 1800 kB).
- Opus HD introduces support for 96-kHz audio, extended bandwidth, and higher bitrates (up to 2 Mb/s).
- Opus HD enhances resolution in the 0-20 kHz band, with quantizers reaching up to 20 bits of depth.
- A new 24-bit integer audio API is introduced for high-resolution audio pipelines, avoiding floating-point arithmetic.
- Fixed-point implementation accuracy has improved, closely matching the floating-point version.
- MIPS optimizations were updated, and x86 SIMD CPU detection now supports OpenBSD.