Acoustic channel modes
Measured performance parameters for each acoustic channel mode.
| Tier | Type | Throughput | Effective range | Audible? | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voice-call resilient | Audible | Under 1 byte per second | Up to 8 m | Yes | Transmission through an active phone call or extreme acoustic interference |
| Voice-call standard | Audible | Approximately 2 bytes per second | Up to 8 m | Yes | Transmission through a phone call with moderate quality |
| Audible rugged | Audible | Under 1 byte per second | Up to 8 m | Yes | Extremely difficult acoustic environments where reliability matters more than speed |
| Audible long-range | Audible | Approximately 1 byte per second | Up to 8 m | Yes | Larger rooms where maximum range is needed |
| Audible balanced | Audible | Approximately 5 bytes per second | Up to 6 m | Yes | Standard indoor transfers |
| Audible quick | Audible | Approximately 15 bytes per second | Up to 4 m | Yes | Quiet environments where higher throughput is needed |
| Ultrasonic long-range | Ultrasonic | Approximately 1 byte per second | Up to 4 m | No | Silent environments requiring maximum range |
| Ultrasonic balanced | Ultrasonic | Approximately 5 bytes per second | Up to 3 m | No | Standard silent transfers: offices, libraries, secure meetings |
Values measured using standard mobile device speakers and microphones at one metre under indoor conditions. Real-world performance ranges from 50 to 100 per cent of these values depending on the acoustic environment.
Choose a channel that works with your messaging platform.
If you need to send through a messaging app, this table shows what each platform does to the attached file. Pick the row, column and mode accordingly.
OKTransmitted without modification. Use Silent mode.
LossyUse Robust mode. Capacity will be reduced.
NoSelect a different channel for this platform.
| Platform | Photo (default) | File / document | Voice note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal | OK | OK | Lossy |
| Telegram | Lossy | OK | Lossy |
| Lossy | OK | No | |
| Instagram DM | Lossy | n/a | No |
| iMessage | OK | OK | Lossy |
| OK | OK | OK |
Most messaging platforms re-encode voice notes, so the acoustic channel rarely survives transmission in voice note form. For those scenarios, send the audio as a file attachment or use the steganographic channel instead.
Two devices. One shared password. No intermediary.
Install Taftan on both devices, agree on the password through a separate channel beforehand, and run a quick test transfer using whichever channel fits your situation.