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OpenAI’s Whisper API handles completed audio files in two ways: submit audio to /v1/audio/transcriptions to transcribe it in its original language, or to /v1/audio/translations to translate it into English. For ordinary recorded speech in its original language, OpenAI’s current guide recommends starting with gpt-transcribe; whisper-1 remains useful for English translation, word timestamps, and subtitle formats.
Choose the right audio workflow and model
The key decision is what you need from the audio: text in the language spoken, English translation, or transcription of audio that is still arriving live. OpenAI’s speech-to-text guide recommends gpt-transcribe for ordinary recorded speech in its original language. Choose whisper-1 when you need English translation, word or segment timestamps, or subtitle output.
| Need | Endpoint or workflow | Model or result |
|---|---|---|
| Transcribe a completed recording in its original language | /v1/audio/transcriptions |
Start with gpt-transcribe; use whisper-1 if you need its timestamp or subtitle options. |
| Translate a completed recording into English | /v1/audio/translations |
whisper-1; this endpoint translates into English only. |
| Transcribe audio as it arrives from a microphone, call, or stream | Realtime transcription workflow | Use the Realtime transcription guidance, not a completed-file request. |
The file endpoint can return partial text while it processes a completed recording; that does not make it a Realtime session. The current documentation does not establish a fresh, side-by-side accuracy benchmark for these models, so choose by workflow and output requirements rather than assuming one is universally more accurate.
Submit a completed audio file
Send the audio file and selected model to the transcription endpoint. The following Python example uses the OpenAI SDK and returns text for an original-language transcription:
#1 Best Overall
- Omnidirectional Microphone - It is not a Speaker or Speakerphone, it is a condenser microphone. The microphone has an omnidirectional pickup pattern with a pickup distance of 11.5 ft, making it easy to capture the most subtle sounds from 360° directions and transmit the sound more loud and clear. Participants can hear each other without raising their voices.
- Made for Conferences - This microphone is perfect for small or medium meetings over an internet network by using Skype/GoToMeeting/WebEx/Hangouts/Fuze/VoIP/Zoom and other softwares. You can also use it for court reports, seminars, remote training, business negotiations, video chats, etc.
- Plug & Play, No Drivers Required - The microphone is compatible with all operating systems - both Windows and macOS. You just need to plug the microphone to start recording. If there is no response after inserting the mic, please go to the microphone setting of your computer and select the mic as the INPUT device.
- Convenient Mute Button - Quickly mute/unmute your microphone. The built-in blue indicator light for checking whether the USB microphone is working.
- Well Designed Cable - The microphone is constructed of sturdy and metal material and the base is fitted with an anti-slip mat which keeps it stable on desktop during use. It is small, convenient and does not require much space when in use. Connected with a 1.8m nylon shielded wire, it effectively eliminates signal interferences to achieve the best recording results.
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI()
with open("meeting.mp3", "rb") as audio_file:
transcript = client.audio.transcriptions.create(
model="gpt-transcribe",
file=audio_file,
)
print(transcript.text)To use Whisper instead, set model="whisper-1". To translate a supported completed recording into English, use the translation method with whisper-1:
with open("interview.mp3", "rb") as audio_file:
translation = client.audio.translations.create(
model="whisper-1",
file=audio_file,
)
print(translation.text)These examples use the SDK’s file-upload interface; consult the Audio API reference for request fields and response formats. The transcription endpoint preserves the spoken language, while translation produces English text; it is not an arbitrary-target-language translation endpoint.
Rank #2
- 【Crystal Clear Audio Quality】Our Omnidirectional pattern condenser microphone accurately captures your voice, making it perfect for dictation, online classrooms, and more.
- 【Active Noise-Cancelling】Come in CMTECK CCS2.0 SMART CHIP with Omnidirectional Polar Pattern, which can effectively block the background noise. The pop filter prevents plosives from overloading the microphone, ensuring only your voice is heard.7
- 【Convenient Mute Button with LED Indicator】You can quickly mute/un-mute the microphone with the Mute Button and the built-in LED light lets you know the working status(Greenlight: Connected; Red light: Mute mode).
- 【Easy to use】 No drivers needed, just plug and record without external power supply, directly connect the microphone to a USB compatible device, well compatible with Windows(7, 8 and 10), Mac OS and PS4 (NOT compatible with Raspberry Pi/Linux/Android）
- 【Mini size with Adjustable Gooseneck】Adopted flexible and adjustable gooseneck metal pipe, easily adjust position 360 degrees to suit user comfort. The compact and stable base maximizes your desktop space.
Meet the file and format limits
OpenAI’s current speech-to-text guide lists a maximum upload size of 25 MB and supports mp3, mp4, mpeg, mpga, m4a, wav, and webm. The API reference lists additional formats, including flac and ogg, for the translation request field; the guide’s narrower list is the safer unified list to use when planning uploads.
The Tool Desk
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Rank #3
- 360 Degree Position Adjustable Gooseneck Design --Plug and play USB microphone Pick up the sound from 360-degree with high sensitivity, in the best possible location for sound to your PC gaming, dragon voice dictation, and talk to Cortana
- Mute Button & LED Indicator --One-click to mute/unmute your microphone for pc, Build-in LED indicator tells you the working status at any time
- Intelligent Noise-Canceling Tech --Premium omnidirectional condenser microphone with noise-canceling technology can pick up your clear voice and reduce background noise and echo
- USB Plug&Play(1.8/6ft USB Cable) -- No driver required. Just need to plug & play for the microphone to start recording, well compatible with Windows(7, 8, 10 and 11) and macOS. (NOT compatible with Xbox/Raspberry Pi/Android)
- Solid Construction--Adopting premium metal pipe and heavy-duty ABS stand to make sure that you will be satisfied with our computer mic quality
Request timestamps or subtitle files
Whisper supports timestamped output and subtitle formats. According to the Audio API reference, request verbose_json to use timestamp_granularities[]; the supported granularities are word and segment. Word-level timestamps add latency, so request them only when your application needs that precision.
For subtitle output, set response_format to srt or vtt. The API reference also lists JSON, text, and verbose JSON response formats for translation. Select the format that matches the next step in your pipeline: plain text for a transcript, timestamps for synchronized editing, or SRT/VTT for subtitle workflows.
Rank #4
- Clear Sound and Noise Reduction: Update Computer Conference Microphone is equipped with high-density sound-absorbing cotton, which provides high-fidelity crystal sound and clear pickup. The built-in smart chip can effectively block background noise, eliminate echoes, and make the sound clearer and smoother, such as face-to-face conversations
- 360° Omnidirectional Microphone, Small but Powerful: This USB omnidirectional microphone can easily capture 360 degree omnidirectional weak signals, reproduce your voice vividly, ideal for 4-6 people on conference calls. (with 1.8 m / 6 ft USB cable) Please be aware that this conference microphone can only be used as a microphone, it has no speaker function
- USB Free Driver, Easy to Use: True plug and play, no need to download anything. Connect one end to the computer (laptop or desktop) and the other end (Type-C) to the microphone. This USB microphone with mute button, press the mute button to quickly mute/unmute, perfect for online group meetings and distance education
- Wide Use and Compatibility: This USB conference microphone has multi-purpose uses, such as online meeting/teaching, and business/home video calling, ideal for small group meetings and virtual learning. This laptop microphone works with Mac OS X Windows 7/8/10 systems. Please be aware that it is not compatible with Raspberry Pi/Linux/Android/Xbox
- Portable Design: You can easily carry this handy microphone in your pocket or business bag and take it anywhere. Note: This model not with speaker
Guide recognition with a prompt
A prompt can supply names, acronyms, or specialized vocabulary likely to appear in a recording. Whisper’s prompt limit is 224 tokens, and OpenAI describes its prompting as offering less control than the recommended transcription model. Treat a prompt as context for recognition, not as a way to provide extensive instructions or guarantee a particular transcript.
Compare current per-minute prices
OpenAI’s pages list these usage prices as accessed in 2026. They can change, so verify the Whisper model page and pricing page before estimating a current bill.
Best Value
- [Convenient Setup] Plug and play recording USB microphone for PC, with 5.9-Foot USB cable included for computer PC laptop, is connected directly to USB-A port for recording music, computer singing or podcast. The office condenser microphone for computer is easy to use and install. (NOT compatible with Xbox and Phones)
- [Durable Metal Design] Solid sturdy metal construction design, the computer microphone for Zoom meetings with stable tripod stand is convenient when you are doing voice overs or livestreams on YouTube. Durable material extends the service life of the voice-over microphone.
- [Mic Volume Knob] Gaming condenser USB mic compatible for PS4 with additional volume knob itself has a louder or quieter adjustment and is more sensitive. Your voice would be heard well enough through the zoom microphone USB when gaming, skyping or voice recording. Also, you can adjust your volume to zero and protect your privacy.
- [Widely Use] USB-powered design, the condenser microphone for recording no need the 48v Phantom power supply, works well with Cortana, Discord, voice chat and voice recognition. The podcast microphone for Mac, with USB-B to USB-A/C cable, is compatible with desktop, laptop or PS4/PS5, which meets most of your daily recording needs.
- [Clear Output Voice] Cardioid condenser microphone for PC captures your voice properly, producing clear smooth and crisp sound. Great computer recording mic for gamers/streamers/youtubers focus on the main source and reduces background noise. The streaming microphone does the job well for broadcast ,OBS and teamspeak.
| Model | Listed price per audio minute | Relevant fit |
|---|---|---|
whisper-1 |
$0.006 — OpenAI model page, accessed 2026 | English translation, timestamps, and subtitle formats. |
gpt-transcribe |
$0.0045 — OpenAI pricing page, accessed 2026 | Recommended starting point for recorded speech in its original language. |
gpt-4o-transcribe |
$0.006 — OpenAI pricing page, accessed 2026 | An alternative transcription model; the cited price does not establish a quality ranking. |
gpt-4o-mini-transcribe |
$0.003 — OpenAI pricing page, accessed 2026 | A lower listed per-minute price; the cited price does not establish a quality ranking. |
These are listed per-minute usage prices, not a comparison of transcript quality. Choose based on the needed language behavior, live versus completed audio, timestamp or subtitle requirements, and file-handling constraints.
Set expectations for language coverage
OpenAI says Whisper supports 98 languages, while cautioning that accuracy varies by language. That coverage figure does not mean performance is equal across languages or recording conditions; the current official material does not provide a language-by-language production accuracy statistic.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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