Sound

The DSP engine.

One small library of sound blocks: gate, EQ, limiter, cabinet and tuner.

The DSP engine's source

A bar chart of the processor cost per sample of each DSP block

What it does

The same code runs on a laptop, a Raspberry Pi and a microcontroller.

Who it’s for

Anyone building audio gear, in software or in hardware.

Why we built it

So we can measure sound blocks before they ship in plug-ins and hardware.

What we’re proud of

The native tuner, effects and cabinet are blocks in one library.

Try it

The live piece

The engine, on every machine

LiveCPU cost per block, by block sizeOpen full

Text version: squatch-dsp CPU cost per block, by block size

squatch-dsp CPU cost per block, by block size (ns per sample, Apple M1 Max, 48 kHz) (ns per sample)
block	block 16	block 32	block 64	block 128
limiter	52.45	52.72	51.9	51.39
gate	4.83	4.75	4.78	4.77
eq (3 bands)	6.36	8.32	10.7	11.98
gate + eq + limiter	70.14	65.58	68.11	70.22
tuner	134.78	134.24	134.68	134.28
cabinet (200 ms IR)	80.88	81.16	80.86	81.09

LiveOne DSP core, four hostsOpen full

Text version: One DSP core, four hosts

squatch-dsp: each block is written once and runs everywhere

Blocks · written once (group) leads to Raspberry Pi
Blocks · written once (group) leads to Microcontroller ESP32-S3 · Cortex-M7
Blocks · written once (group) leads to Browser WebAssembly
Blocks · written once (group) leads to Desktop plugins
C++17, real-time safe: no allocation, locks, I/O or throws in the audio path leads to Blocks · written once (group)

Our sound tools

Where each one runs.

These tools share our published sound work. Each is free, with its source on GitHub.

The Squatch plug-ins

Ten effects for your DAW, as Audio Unit, VST3 and CLAP.

MacOut nowSigned by us and notarized by Apple. Checked in REAPER 7.79 as CLAP, VST3 and Audio Unit.
WindowsComingx64 and ARM64 CLAP and VST3 builds pass automated checks; VST3 validation runs on both architectures, and CLAP validation on x64. In REAPER 7.82 on a Windows 11 ARM64 virtual machine, all plug-ins matched macOS offline within −90 dB RMS; most were bit-identical. Coming in v0.3.0, unsigned at first; not yet tried live or on real audio hardware. A code-signing certificate has been applied for.
LinuxPartlyThe core sound library, no plug-ins yet.

Squatch Tuner

A strobe tuner that reads a string to a tenth of a cent.

BrowserOut nowtuner.squatch.cc, on a computer or a phone.
MacOut nowA command-line tuner, notarized, for Apple silicon.
LinuxOut nowThe command-line tuner for x86 and ARM.
WindowsComingThe x64 and ARM64 command-line tuner builds and passes automated checks. Coming in v0.3.0.

Squatch Rig

A whole guitar rig on a web page: amps, pedals and a cabinet.

BrowserOut nowrig.squatch.cc, in a current browser on a computer or phone. Nothing to install.

The DSP engine

Native sound blocks for the plug-ins and pedal firmware, with related browser processing in the rig.

MacOut nowA static library for Apple silicon.
LinuxOut nowA static library for x86-64.
BrowserOut nowThe rig uses audio worklets for effects and WebAssembly for amp models.

Technologies used

What it’s built with.

More work

Keep looking.

A flow diagram from a circuit netlist to a plugin, compared against a simulator reference

A circuit model held to its reference.

Our sound models, compared against a circuit simulator.

The Squatch Tuner, a strobe display reading a guitar string

The tuner locks in 44 ms.

A guitar tuner for your browser and the pedal.

Measured

The number that didn't hold up.

Where the same model is off by 9.5 dB.

All the work

Get in touch

Want something like this? Say hello.

A person reads every message.

Email [email protected]

Text us

Text us: +1 888-344-3607. You text first; we reply only in that conversation, about your question. No marketing. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. SMS program

Our goods: store.squatch.ccThe studio: squatch.cc