sox
Python wrapper around SoX.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, with conditions. Install if you need SoX's audio processing power from Python and can meet the system dependency requirement (SoX 14.4.2+). The package is stable and permissively licensed, but maintenance is aging (last release 2024-03-20) and Python version support is unspecified—verify compatibility before relying on it in production. High install friction and lack of recent activity make it less suitable for new projects unless SoX integration is essential.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- SoX version 14.4.2 or higher must be installed on the system before importing sox; Python support version is unspecified.
- High install friction: requires SoX 14.4.2+ to be installed separately on the system (via Homebrew, apt-get, or source).
- Package maintenance is aging—last release was 2024-03-20, over 877 days ago, though the repository remains active and unarchivedwith recent commits.
License · maintenance · safety
BSD-3-Clause (permissive) — BSD-3-Clause permissive license allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; you must include a copy of the license and disclaimer in distributions.
last release 2024-03-20 (877 days) · last repo commit 2025-03-26 · 541 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 908,777 downloads/mo, #4,751 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
import sox
tfm = sox.Transformer()
tfm.trim(5, 10.5)
tfm.compand()
tfm.build_file('input.wav', 'output.aiff')
# or with in-memory arrays
import numpy as np
y = np.sin(2 * np.pi * 440.0 * np.arange(44100) / 44100)
tfm = sox.Transformer()
tfm.pitch(2)
y_out = tfm.build_array(input_array=y, sample_rate_in=44100)- Exact Python version compatibility (requires_python is unspecified in metadata)
- Whether high install friction reflects unresolved dependency issues or simply the need for a system library
- Current test coverage and whether aging maintenance affects reliability for modern audio formats
What it is and what it does
pysox is a Python wrapper around the SoX command-line audio processor, exposing its effects and transformations through a Transformer class for file-to-file and array-to-array audio processing, and a Combiner class for concatenating multiple audio files. It depends on numpy for array handling and requires SoX itself to be installed as a system dependency.
The package lets you apply audio effects (compression, fading, pitch shifting, trimming), convert formats and sample rates, and work with audio either as files or in-memory numpy arrays. It is typically used in audio analysis pipelines, music information retrieval workflows, and batch audio preprocessing tasks where SoX's command-line tools are needed from Python without spawning subprocesses directly.
Use it for
- Trim, compress, and fade audio files in batch preprocessing pipelines for machine learning datasets.
- Pitch-shift or resample in-memory audio arrays during real-time audio analysis or feature extraction.
- Concatenate multiple audio files with effects applied in a single operation.
- Convert audio between formats (WAV, AIFF, MP3, FLAC, OGG) and sample rates programmatically.
- Query audio file metadata (sample rate, duration, silence detection) without external subprocess calls.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, with conditions.
Install if you need SoX's audio processing power from Python and can meet the system dependency requirement (SoX 14.4.2+). The package is stable and permissively licensed, but maintenance is aging (last release 2024-03-20) and Python version support is unspecified—verify compatibility before relying on it in production. High install friction and lack of recent activity make it less suitable for new projects unless SoX integration is essential.
Install
sox on PyPI
Before you install
High install friction: requires SoX 14.4.2+ to be installed separately on the system (via Homebrew, apt-get, or source). Package maintenance is aging—last release was 2024-03-20, over 877 days ago, though the repository remains active and unarchivedwith recent commits.
SoX version 14.4.2 or higher must be installed on the system before importing sox; Python support version is unspecified.
License in practice
BSD-3-Clause permissive license allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; you must include a copy of the license and disclaimer in distributions.
Quickstart
import sox
tfm = sox.Transformer()
tfm.trim(5, 10.5)
tfm.compand()
tfm.build_file('input.wav', 'output.aiff')
# or with in-memory arrays
import numpy as np
y = np.sin(2 * np.pi * 440.0 * np.arange(44100) / 44100)
tfm = sox.Transformer()
tfm.pitch(2)
y_out = tfm.build_array(input_array=y, sample_rate_in=44100)Verify before relying
- Exact Python version compatibility (requires_python is unspecified in metadata)
- Whether high install friction reflects unresolved dependency issues or simply the need for a system library
- Current test coverage and whether aging maintenance affects reliability for modern audio formats
Package facts
| License | BSD-3-Clause permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | High. Source build required |
| Runtime dependencies | 2 packagesnumpytyping-extensions |
| Maintenance | Aging 877 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 908,777 / month, #4,751 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
Evidence: sox-1.5.0.tar.gz
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