AI DJ streams a live, adaptive radio broadcast to all listeners
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323 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free, no paid tier
Biggest pro
Fully open-source and self-hosted, giving full control over data and privacy
Biggest con
Requires technical setup to configure the LLM, voice engine, and music library
TL;DR - SUB/WAVE
- AI-powered internet radio station with a cloned-voice DJ that never sleeps.
- Open-source and self-hosted, using your own music library and choice of LLM and speech engine.
- Multi-platform player with no skip controls, shared broadcast, and customizable visual themes.
Pricing: Free forever
Best for: Individuals & startups
4.3/5 across review platforms
What is SUB/WAVE?
SUB/WAVE is an open-source internet radio station that replaces traditional DJs with an agentic AI system. It streams a single broadcast to all listeners simultaneously, with an LLM-powered DJ that selects tracks, speaks between songs, and adapts to the time of day. The system uses a cloned voice persona and can be configured with different language models and speech engines.
Listeners tune into a live broadcast with no skip controls, seeing the current track, a timeline of upcoming and past songs, and a live log of everything the DJ says. The player is available as native iOS and Android apps, desktop apps for macOS, Windows, and Linux, a PWA, and even traditional streaming formats like M3U and PLS for hardware radios. The interface is fully skinnable with multiple visual themes, but the broadcast remains the same for everyone.
The DJ is powered by a language model that reads the time, weather, calendar events, and listener requests to pick the next track from the user's own music library. It writes and speaks original content between songs, and can hand off to different personas for scheduled shows or guest co-hosts. The entire stack is modular: the language model and speech engine are swappable, supporting local options like Ollama and Piper, or cloud services like OpenAI and ElevenLabs.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fully open-source and self-hosted, giving full control over data and privacy
- Modular architecture allows swapping LLM and voice engines without redeployment
- Multi-platform support including traditional internet radio hardware
Cons
- Requires technical setup to configure the LLM, voice engine, and music library
- No skip or on-demand control for listeners, which may not suit all users
Ratings Across the Web
4.3(323 reviews)
SUB/WAVE holds an aggregate rating of 4.3 out of 5 from 323 reviews across G2, last checked July 28, 2026.
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
Agentic AI DJ with cloned-voice personas and scheduled showsSingle live broadcast stream for all listeners with no skip controlsNative iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux apps plus PWA and M3U/PLS streamingCustomizable visual themes (skins) for the player interfaceSwappable language model and speech engine (local or cloud)Live DJ booth log showing every spoken word between songsTimeline view of upcoming and recently played tracksDaily token budget for hosted models to control costs
Pricing
Free
SUB/WAVE is completely free to use with no hidden costs.
Reviews
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4.3/5
Across 323 verified user reviews on G2
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SUB/WAVE FAQ
How does SUB/WAVE replace a traditional radio DJ with AI?
SUB/WAVE uses an LLM-powered DJ that selects tracks from your own music library, speaks original content between songs, and adapts to the time of day. The system reads the time, weather, calendar events, and listener requests to choose the next track, and it can hand off to different personas for scheduled shows or guest co-hosts.
Which teams or users benefit most from SUB/WAVE?
Teams or individuals who want full control over their internet radio station, such as community radio operators, hobbyists, or developers who value data privacy and customization, benefit most from SUB/WAVE. Its open-source, self-hosted nature makes it ideal for users comfortable with technical setup and who want to avoid third-party cloud dependencies.
How does SUB/WAVE compare to StreamElements for live streaming?
Unlike StreamElements, which focuses on streamer tools for platforms like Twitch, SUB/WAVE is a self-hosted, open-source internet radio station that replaces human DJs with an agentic AI system. SUB/WAVE streams a single broadcast to all listeners simultaneously with no skip controls, while StreamElements offers interactive features like overlays and alerts for live video streams.
What are the main limitations or trade-offs of using SUB/WAVE?
SUB/WAVE requires technical setup to configure the LLM, voice engine, and music library, which may be a barrier for non-technical users. Additionally, listeners have no skip or on-demand control, as the broadcast is the same for everyone, which may not suit audiences expecting personalized playback.
How is SUB/WAVE priced?
SUB/WAVE is free to use with no paid plan required, as it is fully open-source and self-hosted. Users only need to cover their own infrastructure costs for running the system, such as hosting the server and any cloud services they choose to integrate.
Can SUB/WAVE integrate with different language models and speech engines?
Yes, SUB/WAVE has a modular architecture that allows swapping the language model and speech engine without redeployment. It supports local options like Ollama and Piper, as well as cloud services such as OpenAI and ElevenLabs, giving users flexibility in choosing their AI components.
Which platforms and devices can listeners use to tune into a SUB/WAVE broadcast?
Listeners can tune in via native iOS and Android apps, desktop apps for macOS, Windows, and Linux, a progressive web app (PWA), and traditional streaming formats like M3U and PLS for hardware radios. The interface is fully skinnable with multiple visual themes, but the broadcast remains the same for all listeners.
Does SUB/WAVE support listener interaction or requests?
Yes, the AI DJ reads listener requests to help select the next track from the user's music library. However, because it is a live broadcast with no skip controls, all listeners hear the same stream, and requests are incorporated into the DJ's decision-making process rather than providing on-demand playback.
Source: getsubwave.com