What happened to the Linux version?

Hi Arnd, 

Thanks for the post and apologies for the lag in response time here! 

The Linux format of the VST plugin was available in Reference 4 as a Beta version. This subject was discussed internally before the SoundID Reference launch, and unfortunately, we have decided to discontinue it. The reason is that we don't have the resources to develop a proper and officially supported version of SoundID Reference on Linux. 

This subject might be revisited at some point in the future (especially if a lot of user interest is present) but at the moment there are no plans to develop a Linux version.

I was using Reference for Linux everyday for Work...  and bought yesterday SoundID couse i thought there is a Linux Version too... and i am realy disappointed that there is no Linux version...

and the Beta version is gone now too... is there a way to get the beta somewhere ?

Hi Ralf,

Thanks for your comment! 

At this time, full Linux support is not planned for Reference 4 or SoundID Reference, unfortunately.

We are working on restructuring our download center at the moment and the Linux download for Reference 4 should be available in the near future. Our apologies for it currently being unavailable for download from our site. Ralf, I have opened a support request with you, we will provide the Linux download manually to you.

In case anyone else is looking for the Reference 4 Linux VST plugin format, please check our download center first. If the download for it is still unavailable, please submit a support request and we will provide it manually.

"The reason is that we don't have the resources to develop a proper and officially supported version of SoundID Reference on Linux."

Since your team lacks resources, perhaps you could consider open-sourcing SoundID Reference on Linux?

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your comment, apologies for the delay in the reply!

I'm afraid we're not considering open-sourcing SoundID Reference due to our patented technology, but thanks for the suggestion! 

Hi, I'm just bumping this thread to let you know that I also do audio work on Linux (with Bitwig) and I own a license for SoundID Reference Headphones & Speakers plus an individually calibrated pair of DT770 headphones. It would be great to have a working Linux version - personally I wouldn't need system-wide but mainly the plugin to use in my DAW. I know that it costs development time and money but I just wanted to add my "voice" here to let you know that at least some demand is still there.

So please, ROCK ON LINUX with pipewire-jack support. Still the best!

Please make it happened.

Can we have SoundID for Linux please, I, for one, would be happy to fund it by paying maybe ¼ or 1.2 of the  price for the linux version to help the company, it's really needed

Hi, thanks for your feedback! 

Linux support for SoundID Reference is currently still not on the roadmap, but thanks for your input on this.

Hi all,

I'm moving from Mac to Linux as well (ArchLinux user here with RT Kernel for audio) and would love to see SW commits to port SoundID to this platform. I'm sure you can do it, a lot of software development for Linux is done from independent developers and you're a fully fledged company with R&D and cashflow, shouldn't be such a big trouble to do this and I'm saying this as an audio engineer who does project management and accounting for software dev. C'mon guys please strive yourselves to this goal, it is way much more relevant than say an nft of a guy in a room… so to speak… ;)

Really hope to see a Linux version sooner rather than later, please SonarWorks make it real in 2025!!! I'm sure linux music professionals will be very grateful for this.

Thank you!

Best, m.

Guys, you wouldn't have to make a dedicated Linux version of SoundID. All that's needed is that this can run with Wine.

We Linux users have plenty of Windows-only VSTs in use without problems. Your's shouldn't be problematic either. It's something with how it appears to integrate with some Windows service or driver that seems to cause issues. That, and the installer should let people choose to only install VSTs.

It's not that much of a change, really.

With Microsoft making Windows worse and worse with every release, it's high time to have alternatives. Linux is such an alternative.

anon For now we can oonly dream 😪

Yes, please. I don't use SoundID anymore from my switch to Linux.

The fact that there was a Linux version made it worthwhile for me to consider SoundID. Unfortunately I failed to confirm it still existed when I finally bought. Yes, I am using it on my Mac, but I'm in the process of migrating to Linux. Something else I'll have to replace, I guess.

Leigh Harrison 100%. So many people are moving to Linux more and more that eventually they will have to do something about it and switch but who knows how long that will take

Can you continue developing the patented part of the app as closed source and open source the rest? It might reduce the overhead to support Linux.

Would be nice to hear the current opinion of SonarWorks on this.

Please reconsider Linux support, the market share is growing and I'm sitting on a license I'm struggling to use now. Sonar works is the only piece of software I need to use Windows for 

I add my voice on the matter- linux support would be fantastic. I sent a request to obtain a manual .so file, but I didn't obtain it. I may just do some deeper looking to see if someone else has come up with something similar to SW on linux.

i hope that it will (or already is) happen eventually, because i think about in stalling Steam OS in far future.

With current issues with windows 11 and the mass migrations to Linux could you please make the old Linux version available, or resurect the support.

Thanks!

Sonarworks' lack of Linux compatibility is the only issue keeping me from switching over my audio workstation PC.  

Thinking people are abandoning ship from Windows—especially Win 11—and swimming to safety on Linux island.  
Linux is the “Wave of the Future," and Sonarworks would be wise to "surf the curl."
  
COWABUNGA, dudes!  Hang ten.    

I'm joining in with a wish for linux releases (even with limited support), I really like the results SoundID Reference provides compared to DIY/FOSS solutions and it's one of the very few reasons my desk PC still has Windows as dual boot. 

I'm currently provisioning a dedicated Linux music computer with the aim of moving off MacOS by the end of the year. I've resigned myself to losing SoundID Reference. I guess buying it was a short-sighted solution.

I’d also like to speak out in favor of resuming Linux development! Personally, I’ve switched from Mac to Linux, though that’s irrelevant from a statistical standpoint — and economically für Sonarworks. However, many programs, plugins, and audio interfaces now support Linux (at least on Ubuntu) and are developing in parallel or rewriting their code to run on all platforms — and this trend is on the rise. I now work with Bitwig, Reaper and native Linux plugins (.vst or .clap), so I’m gradually freeing myself from the clutches of proprietary platforms. It’s working out well for me.