Audio Format Comparison

Speex vs Opus — Old Voice Codec vs Modern Audio Codec

Speex was an open-source voice codec from 2002, designed for VoIP and low-bitrate voice. Opus replaced Speex in 2012 — same patent-free philosophy but dramatically better quality at all bitrates and across the full audio range (voice and music). Speex is officially deprecated; Opus is the modern standard.

SpeexvsOpus

Quick Verdict

Use Speex when…

Don't use Speex. It's deprecated since 2012 in favor of Opus.

Use Opus when…

Use Opus for any new voice or audio work. WebRTC, Discord, Zoom, and most modern voice apps use Opus. It's free, efficient, and produces excellent quality.

Speex vs Opus: Feature Comparison

Feature	Speex	Opus
Year	2002 (deprecated 2012)	2012
Voice quality	Acceptable	Excellent
Music quality	Poor (voice-only)	Excellent (full range)
Bitrate range	2.15–24.6 kbps	6–510 kbps
Latency	30–100ms	5–60ms (configurable)
Modern usage	Legacy only	WebRTC, Discord, Zoom, YouTube

When Speex wins

✓Year: 2002 (deprecated 2012)
✓Voice quality: Acceptable
✓Music quality: Poor (voice-only)

When Opus wins

✓Year: 2012
✓Voice quality: Excellent
✓Music quality: Excellent (full range)

Frequently asked questions

Should I migrate from Speex to Opus?

Yes — Opus is better at every bitrate, supports both voice and music, and has dramatically broader ecosystem support. The Speex project recommends migration to Opus.

How do I convert Speex (.spx) to Opus?

FFmpeg: `ffmpeg -i input.spx -c:a libopus -b:a 64k output.opus`. The bitrate target depends on content: voice = 32–64 kbps, music = 96–256 kbps.