Audio-V can optionally ask two public music databases for identity information. These services help answer “What recording might this be?” They do not answer “Is this audio healthy?”, so their results appear beside the Oracle verdict rather than changing it.
Both integrations are off by default. Audio analysis still works without them.
| Service | What it adds | What setup is needed? |
|---|---|---|
| AcoustID | Tries to recognize a recording from a locally calculated acoustic fingerprint | Official client identity in a configured Audio-V build, or a free registered-application key for source builds and forks |
| MusicBrainz | Adds recording title, credited artists, ISRCs, first-release date, and release-group context | No key; enable its separate switch |
For the fullest identity result, enable both. AcoustID can suggest a MusicBrainz recording ID for files that do not already contain one, and MusicBrainz can then add readable catalog details.
Open Settings first. Audio-V reports whether the installed build contains the official registered client identity. Recognition remains off until you enable it or choose the batch action; bundling the identity does not silently contact the service.
A source build or fork needs an application API key, sometimes called a client key. A user can also type one as an override in an official build. Audio-V does not use the separate user API key intended for submitting fingerprints.
- Visit AcoustID and sign in.
- Open Register your application.
- Register Audio-V as the application you are using.
- Copy the application API key shown by AcoustID.
- Open Settings in Audio-V.
- Turn on AcoustID recognition.
- Paste the key into AcoustID API key · optional override.
- Choose Save identity settings. Audio-V trims accidental spaces, validates the key, and protects it with the operating system.
- Start an audit. Audio-V checks the stored key again before it begins scanning files.
You can revisit your registered AcoustID applications later. Do not copy the user submission key from the AcoustID user page; it serves a different purpose. Temporary keys shown in API examples also expire and should not be used.
- Open an audit or finish a new local audit.
- Open Identity.
- Choose Identify current audit.
Audio-V reuses the Chromaprint evidence already measured for each file. It shows progress, stores each completed result as it arrives, and asks MusicBrainz for readable details. No second audio decode is required. AcoustID calls are serialized below three requests per second, identical fingerprints share a cached result, and temporary HTTP 429/502/503/504 responses are retried at most three times with bounded backoff.
Note
AcoustID provides its public service for non-commercial use and asks clients not to exceed three requests per second. Review the current AcoustID web-service rules before distributing a modified build or using the service commercially.
MusicBrainz enrichment is independent from AcoustID and does not require an API key for Audio-V's read-only recording lookup.
- Open Settings in Audio-V.
- Turn on MusicBrainz enrichment.
- Start the next audit.
Audio-V first looks for a valid MusicBrainz recording ID already stored in the file. If none is present and AcoustID is also enabled, it can use the strongest AcoustID candidate. If neither source supplies a recording ID, MusicBrainz has nothing reliable to look up and the result stays inconclusive.
MusicBrainz asks public clients to average no more than one request per second. Audio-V serializes these lookups and caches repeated recording IDs during the session. A large library can therefore take longer when enrichment is enabled. See the official MusicBrainz API documentation and rate-limit policy.
External identity evidence is summarized in a separate result:
| Result | Plain-language meaning |
|---|---|
| Metadata corroborated | The usable external identity agrees with the comparable recording ID, title, and artist stored in the file. |
| Identity matched | An external recording match exists, but the file does not declare enough comparable metadata to confirm it. |
| Metadata conflict | At least one comparable recording ID, title, or artist value disagrees. The evidence report shows both values. |
| Inconclusive | No usable external identity was available. This is not a failure. |
These results can strengthen catalog confidence or reveal tags worth fixing. They never promote Review to Clear, demote Clear to Review, erase Failed, or prove ownership, mastering history, or audio fidelity. Oracle verdicts remain based on the decoded file and disclosed integrity and signal evidence.
| When enabled | Audio-V sends | Audio-V does not send |
|---|---|---|
| AcoustID | The locally calculated Chromaprint fingerprint, rounded duration, and application key | The audio file, local path, filename, or file hash |
| MusicBrainz | One MusicBrainz recording ID | The audio file, fingerprint, local path, filename, or file hash |
A personal key saved in Settings is encrypted through Electron's operating system credential protection (macOS Keychain or Windows DPAPI) and stored in the current user's Audio-V application-data directory. The AcoustID and MusicBrainz enable switches are restored on the next launch. Clear stored key deletes the encrypted credential and disables personal-key recognition. Audio-V never stores the key in history, reports, diagnostics, audit source records, source control, or release packages. An official client identity, when present, remains a packaged release resource. Returned identity details are saved with the audit evidence so the report remains understandable later.
For the complete data-handling contract, read Privacy and security.
- Confirm that you copied the registered application key, not the user submission key.
- Remove hidden spaces or line breaks by pasting the key again. Audio-V trims ordinary surrounding whitespace automatically.
- Do not use a key copied from an API example; example keys expire.
- Open your registered applications and confirm that the application still exists.
Audio-V checks the credential before scanning so one incorrect key does not produce thousands of failed requests.
This means the service did not return a usable candidate. The recording may be absent from the community database, substantially edited, too short, or difficult to identify. It does not mean the file is damaged or low quality.
The file did not contain a valid MusicBrainz recording ID, and AcoustID did not supply one. Enable AcoustID as well if you want Audio-V to attempt recognition first.
External databases can be unavailable or rate-limit requests. The file's local Oracle analysis remains valid, while external identity stays neutral. Retry a smaller audit later and consult the service-status information if the problem continues.
MusicBrainz lookup is deliberately limited to one request per second. Use the services when catalog identity matters; leave them off for the fastest fully local integrity and fidelity audit.