HiFi-GAN (reference)
Don’t want to install HiFi-GAN? Drop the file here.
The first 20 minutes of any recording are transcribed free: a recording up to 20 minutes transcribes in full, a longer one is previewed, and a pack from $6 (500 minutes) transcribes the rest and opens every export, and credits never expire.
GAN-based neural vocoder reference — fast and high-quality.
Best for researchers building TTS pipelines that need a fast, high-quality vocoder back-end. Pricing: free (MIT).
What it is
HiFi-GAN (2020) is the GAN-based vocoder used in most modern open-source TTS pipelines. MIT-licensed. Often paired with FastSpeech 2 or Glow-TTS as the back-end. Consent posture: vocoder architecture only.
Watch out for: Vocoder only — needs to be paired with a Mel-spectrogram TTS front-end like FastSpeech 2 or Glow-TTS.
Install / use
git clone https://github.com/jik876/hifi-ganWhat people actually do with HiFi-GAN (reference)-style transcription
The tool is the means. These are the jobs — each one priced at published rates, each one wired up on its own page.
Features
| Speaker diarization | No |
| Word-level timestamps | No |
| Streaming / real-time | No |
| Languages supported | 1 |
| HIPAA eligible | No |
Links
HiFi-GAN (reference) vs Whipscribe
| Feature | HiFi-GAN (reference) | Whipscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Open source | Transcription APIs |
| Pricing | free (MIT) | $6–$24 one-time packs (credits never expire) · first 20 minutes free |
| Speaker identification | — | Named in the summary, key quotes and chapters |
| Word timestamps | — | Yes |
| Streaming | — | No |
| Languages | 1 | 99 |
| Platforms | Linux | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to HiFi-GAN (reference)
Frequently asked about HiFi-GAN (reference)
Is HiFi-GAN (reference) free?
Yes. HiFi-GAN (reference) is free and open source (free (MIT)).
Does HiFi-GAN (reference) work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
HiFi-GAN (reference) runs on Linux. It is not listed for other platforms; check the vendor for anything beyond Linux.
How do I install HiFi-GAN (reference)?
Clone and run it from source: `git clone https://github.com/jik876/hifi-gan`. Expect to install its dependencies yourself — the README has the exact steps per OS.
How many languages does HiFi-GAN (reference) support?
HiFi-GAN (reference) lists 1 languages.
Does HiFi-GAN (reference) identify different speakers?
No. HiFi-GAN (reference) does not label speakers; a conversation comes back as one continuous text. If you need speaker labels, that is a separate tool or a different service.
Does HiFi-GAN (reference) give word-level timestamps?
No — HiFi-GAN (reference) produces segment or sentence timing only, so subtitle cues can land mid-word.
Can HiFi-GAN (reference) transcribe live audio?
No — HiFi-GAN (reference) works on finished files, not a live stream.
Is HiFi-GAN (reference) HIPAA compliant?
HiFi-GAN (reference) does not claim HIPAA compliance. For PHI, run it on infrastructure you control or choose a service that will sign a BAA.
What are the limitations of HiFi-GAN (reference)?
Vocoder only — needs to be paired with a Mel-spectrogram TTS front-end like FastSpeech 2 or Glow-TTS.
Who is HiFi-GAN (reference) best for?
Researchers building TTS pipelines that need a fast, high-quality vocoder back-end.
Does HiFi-GAN (reference) run offline?
HiFi-GAN (reference) runs on your own machine — it is open source, so nothing leaves the computer unless you configure it to.
Can I use HiFi-GAN (reference) in the browser?
No — HiFi-GAN (reference) is a Linux application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
Where is the HiFi-GAN (reference) source code?
On GitHub at github.com/jik876/hifi-gan. It is maintained by Jungil Kong (research).
What kind of tool is HiFi-GAN (reference)?
In this directory HiFi-GAN (reference) is filed under tts as a open-source tool.
What are the alternatives to HiFi-GAN (reference)?
There is a side-by-side page at /tools/hifigan-reference-alternatives comparing HiFi-GAN (reference) with the closest tools in the same category on price, platform and features.
Whipscribe is a hosted transcription service. If you want transcripts without running infrastructure, paste a URL or drop a file in the form below — you'll have a transcript in seconds.
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