This case study highlights how Soundwhale, a platform for real-time remote audio and video collaboration, partnered with Red5 Pro to scale from a peer-to-peer solution to a fully server-backed multi-user environment.
Ameen Abdulla, Founder and CEO at Soundwhale, at NAB Show 2025
Soundwhale is a remote audio collaboration platform built for real-time streaming, recording, and synchronized review of audio and video between studios, clients, and talent. The software is designed for recording studios, production companies, voice talent, musicians, and music producers – basically anyone who wants to feel like they’re working side by side on an audio collaboration project, no matter where they are.
Soundwhale’s primary markets are in the US, Japan, and Europe, but they serve clients across the globe. Its main app will be available on macOS, designed specifically for admins and audio engineers. Other users can easily join sessions via a web browser.
Soundwhale’s key features include:
Voiceover Direction & Recording
Post-Production Mix Reviews
Live Mixes with Video Sync
Spotting Sessions
Mastering Sessions
High-quality lossless audio
Challenge
Originally built as a peer-to-peer solution, Soundwhale needed to evolve to support multi-user sessions for real-time creative collaboration. Key requirements included:
Streaming High-Quality Lossless Audio: Getting this to work over WebRTC required a new approach that meant using a novel methodology that’s not based on the standard WebRTC media track.
Low Latency and Consistent, Smooth Packet Transmission: Ensuring real-time audio and video with smooth, reliable transmission was non-negotiable for high-quality sessions.
Global Data Sync: The platform had to support efficient data flow between users worldwide, regardless of location.
Lightweight Server-Side Architecture: With most synchronization handled client-side, the backend needed to be cost-effective and minimal in resource use.
Trusted Partnership: As a startup, Soundwhale sought a technically capable team they could trust with critical implementation decisions.
Red5 Pro stood out not just for meeting the technical needs, but for clear communication provided by Chris Allen and the team, shared vision, and startup-friendly collaboration.
Solution
Soundwhale didn’t need a full replacement – just a better way to deliver real-time streams to users around the globe. Red5 Pro enabled them to rebuild their network communication layer from scratch, giving the flexibility to choose the architecture that best suited their needs. Red5 implemented a brand new data transmission system that replicates the audio data across multiple regions leveraging Oracle Cloud Infrastructure‘s backbone. Soundwhale also wrote their own custom WebRTC client that efficiently streams high-quality audio with minimal delay allowing for a seamless experience for their customers.
One of the biggest early challenges was testing and debugging across global regions. To support this, Red5 Pro built a custom lightweight test application that emulated Soundwhale’s own setup. This tool allowed the Soundwhale team to tackle issues like data flow speed, latency, and communication across the correct channels with confidence.
With the communication layer in place and a streamlined workflow established, integration progressed smoothly – empowering Soundwhale to scale their platform for real-time, multi-user collaboration globally.
Benefits and Results
Red5 Pro powers high-quality lossless audio streaming in real time on Soundwhale
For Soundwhale, delivering a seamless creative experience depends on ultra-low latency across multiple global regions. With Red5 Pro, Soundwhale achieved sub-250ms latency delivery of high-quality audio even in long-distance sessions between locations like Tokyo, Mumbai, and California. The result? Users couldn’t tell whether a collaborator was across the globe or in the same city.
By optimizing packet transmission and eliminating unnecessary processing layers, Red5 Pro helped Soundwhale create a highly responsive environment for multi-user audio and video collaboration. The customized architecture made regional latency virtually invisible ensuring artists, engineers, and producers can work together in real time, no matter where they are.
Client Testimonial
Implementing a server-side solution to efficiently route audio and video streams was essential as we introduced multi-user capabilities in Soundwhale. We needed a system that could support multiple participants during live mix or recording sessions, while scaling seamlessly with user demands. Our collaboration with Red5 Pro has enabled us to push the boundaries of what’s possible with remote studio workflows.
This approach gives users greater control over their sessions while maintaining a cost-effective, waste-free solution. Built with a focus on quality and simplicity, our system reflects the core values shared with the team at Red5 Pro. Their expertise helped us implement a lightweight, low-latency server-side communication layer—crucial for meeting the demands of an industry that prioritizes flexibility, performance, and affordability.”
– Ameen Abdulla, Founder and CEO at Soundwhale
Conclusion
Soundwhale’s shift from a peer-to-peer framework to a scalable server-side solution with Red5 Pro successfully addressed its most critical challenges: enabling ultra-low latency, high-quality lossless audio delivery, multi-user sessions, optimizing real-time data flow between global regions at scale, and maintaining a lightweight, cost-effective architecture. With Red5 Pro’s support and technical expertise, Soundwhale was able to empower artists, producers, and engineers to collaborate across continents – feeling as if they were in the same studio.
