VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet
VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet is a speech-to-text model (0.3B quantized) from Microsoft, released under the MIT license. The reviewed source lists 7 languages (7 explicitly enumerated in our record), and the model is designed for batch transcription, with live use only through a runtime or chunking wrapper. Among the common setups we test, it ranks highest for CPU-only machines (#1 of 26 in the matcher).
CPU-focused compressed VibeVoice-ASR variant: 1.58 GB quantized runtime, 7 listed languages and vendor-reported real-time throughput on 3+ CPU threads. Real-time throughput is not the same as a native streaming architecture, so it is classified as runtime/wrapper streaming here.
Key facts
| Provider | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Model family | VibeVoice-ASR |
| Parameters | 0.3B quantized |
| License | MIT · Permissive — license text ↗ |
| Language coverage | 7 listed languages · 7 enumerated in our record |
| Streaming | Streaming via a runtime or chunking wrapper |
| Timestamps | Limited or runtime-dependent |
| Speaker diarization | No — needs a separate component |
| Speech translation | No |
| Documented runtimes | VibeASR.cpp — how to run it |
| Primary source | huggingface.co/microsoft/VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet ↗ |
| Last reviewed |
Hardware and workload fit
These are Speech Model Match's conservative 1–5 editorial ratings, relative to the other 19 reviewed models. They come from model size, official memory guidance and documented runtimes — not from a universal benchmark. How the ratings work.
| Dimension | Rating | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| CPU-only fit | 5/5 | |
| Apple Silicon fit | 4/5 | |
| NVIDIA GPU fit | 3/5 | |
| Speed | 5/5 | |
| Accuracy (relative) | 4/5 | |
| Low memory use | 5/5 | |
| Long recordings | 4/5 | |
| Live / low latency | 4/5 | |
| Subtitle work | 3/5 | |
| Edge / low-power devices | 5/5 |
Where it is strong
- CPU-only fit: rated 5/5
- Apple Silicon fit: rated 4/5
- Speed: rated 5/5
- Accuracy (relative): rated 4/5
- Low memory use: rated 5/5
- Long recordings: rated 4/5
- Live / low latency: rated 4/5
What to check first
- No native speaker diarization — pair it with a separate diarization pipeline if you need speaker labels
- Timestamp support is limited or runtime-dependent — test it if you need subtitles
How it ranks in common setups
Ranks come from the same deterministic matcher that runs on the homepage, applied to all 26 reviewed models. They are decision guidance, not accuracy claims.
| Setup | Rank | Fit score | Top match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long recordings on an 8–12 GB NVIDIA GPU, balanced | #16 of 26 | 68/100 · Possible fit | Whisper turbo |
| Live captions or voice input (native streaming + timestamps, speed first) | #17 of 26 | 70/100 · Possible fit | Nemotron 3.5 ASR Streaming 0.6B |
| Subtitles with timing, accuracy first | #21 of 26 | 62/100 · Possible fit | Whisper medium |
| Meetings with speaker labels (diarization + timestamps) | #21 of 26 | 63/100 · Possible fit | VibeVoice-ASR 7B |
| CPU-only machine, low memory use | #1 of 26 | 78/100 · Strong fit | This model |
| Apple Silicon with 8–16 GB unified memory, long recordings | #2 of 26 | 73/100 · Strong fit | Whisper small |
| Japanese live transcription (native streaming, speed first) | Not ranked (language not listed) | — | Nemotron 3.5 ASR Streaming 0.6B |
Supported languages
- English
en - French
fr - Italian
it - Korean
ko - Mandarin Chinese
zh - Portuguese
pt - Vietnamese
vi
Compare coverage across every reviewed model in the language support matrix.
Community activity on Hugging Face
- Downloads, last 30 days
- 99,595
- Likes
- 214
- Repository last updated
- 24 Jul 2026
- Published on the Hub
- 24 Jul 2026
Figures from the Hugging Face Hub API, 11 Nov 2026. Source: huggingface.co/microsoft/VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet ↗. Downloads count file downloads, not active users, and do not affect the matcher's scores. Compare all models.
How to run VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet locally
The BitNet build runs on CPUs through Microsoft's VibeASR.cpp, without a GPU. Runtimes below are the ones the official model card or repository documents for this model (checked November 2, 2026).
- VibeASR.cpp ↗Official package · ggml with custom SIMD kernels; x86 AVX2 and ARM NEON
Install command shown in the official github.com page ↗:
git clone --recursive https://github.com/microsoft/VibeASR.cpp.git
cd VibeASR.cpp
pip install -r requirements.txt
python setup_env.py
Official hardware guidance: 1.58 GB of model files in total and about 2 GB of disk; no GPU required, with a real-time factor below 1 on three or more CPU threads in Microsoft's benchmarks. On Windows, MSVC is not supported (use GCC or Clang). Source ↗
Whatever runtime you choose, measure speed and accuracy on your own audio with the benchmark tool; results differ a lot between runtimes, precision and hardware.
Before you deploy VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet
A printable checklist built from the facts on this page. Tick it off before putting the model into production.
- Language. Confirm your language is in the 7-language list on this page, and test any accents or code-switching you expect.
- License. MIT: Include the copyright notice and the permission notice in all copies or substantial portions. Provided as is, without warranty. License guide.
- Install. Start from the official command:
git clone --recursive https://github.com/microsoft/VibeASR.cpp.git …(full run notes). - Audio input. Convert a sample of your real recordings to the format the runtime expects before benchmarking.
- Hardware. 1.58 GB of model files in total and about 2 GB of disk; no GPU required, with a real-time factor below 1 on three or more CPU threads in Microsoft's benchmarks. On Windows, MSVC is not supported (use GCC or Clang).
- Features you rely on. For VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet, streaming only through a runtime or chunking wrapper; timestamps are limited or runtime-dependent; speaker labels need a separate diarization component. Test each one you need with real audio.
- Measure. Run 10–20 representative clips, score them with the WER calculator and record speed in the benchmark workspace before you commit.
Alternatives and related models
Same family: VibeVoice-ASR 7B, VibeVoice-ASR Streaming 1.5B, VibeVoice-ASR-Streaming-7B.
Similar fit profile: Whisper base (OpenAI, 74M), Whisper tiny (OpenAI, 39M), Moonshine Tiny Streaming (English) (Moonshine AI, 34M). Similarity is computed from the ten fit ratings plus streaming and diarization support.
| Fact | VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet | VibeVoice-ASR 7B | VibeVoice-ASR Streaming 1.5B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider · size | Microsoft · 0.3B quantized | Microsoft · 9B total | Microsoft · 3B total |
| License | MIT Permissive | MIT Permissive | MIT Permissive |
| Languages | 7 listed languages | 51 listed languages | 10 listed languages |
| Streaming | Via runtime | Batch-first | Native |
| Timestamps | Limited | Yes | Limited |
| Speaker diarization | Separate pipeline | Native | Native |
| CPU · Apple · NVIDIA fit | 5/5 · 4/5 · 3/5 | 1/5 · 2/5 · 4/5 | 1/5 · 2/5 · 4/5 |
| Live · long recordings | 4/5 · 4/5 | 1/5 · 5/5 | 5/5 · 4/5 |
| Main runtime | VibeASR.cpp | microsoft/VibeVoice | microsoft/VibeVoice |
Compare VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet side by side
Guides that cover VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet
- Best local speech-to-text for meetings and speaker attribution
- Best local speech-to-text models for CPU-only PCs
- Best local speech-to-text models in 2026
- Best local speech-to-text models for streaming
- Best local speech-to-text models for multilingual use
- Best local speech-to-text for subtitles and timestamps
Check VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet for your setup
Pick your language, hardware and workload to see this model's fit score, the reasons behind it and where it ranks against all reviewed models. Everything runs in your browser.
Common questions
Can I use VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet commercially?
Permissive license; commercial use is allowed under the listed terms. The listed license is MIT; read the current license text ↗ before shipping a product, because terms can change. The license guide compares the obligations of all 26 reviewed models.
Does VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet support real-time streaming?
Not natively. Live use relies on a runtime or chunking wrapper around a batch model, which adds latency and can split words at chunk borders. If live latency is critical, compare it with a native streaming model such as Nemotron 3.5 ASR Streaming 0.6B.
Which languages does VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet transcribe?
7 listed languages. The full list of 7 explicitly enumerated languages is shown above.
Can VibeVoice-ASR-BitNet tell speakers apart?
Not natively. Combine it with a dedicated diarization component and evaluate that component separately; the meetings guide covers this workflow.
Primary sources
Reviewed against primary sources on September 16, 2026. Model behavior, runtime support, language coverage and licenses can change; re-check the linked primary source before production use. See the full source directory.