Lutefish is a hardware-based system that enables musicians to play together in real time over the internet. Designed for ultra-low latency and high-quality audio, Lutefish lets you collaborate, rehearse, or teach as if you’re in the same room—even when you're miles apart.

And a fish named Lou.

We built Lutefish as a dedicated hardware unit to eliminate as many sources of latency and variability as possible, while providing an easy plug-and-play platform. Computers introduce a wide range of delays—from background processes and audio drivers to CPU throttling and operating system overhead.

With a dedicated device:

• Your connection is wired directly to your router—no Wi-Fi delays.
• The operating system is optimized solely for real-time audio processing.
• Audio paths are tightly managed to prevent unpredictable slowdowns.
• Set up is simpler without the need to calibrate third-party products and software (i.e., interfaces, DAWs, PC networking cards, etc.)

This focus on reliability and consistency is what sets Lutefish apart and enables true real-time collaboration.

In general, 30–35 milliseconds (ms) of round-trip latency is the upper limit for real-time collaboration to feel natural. Below that threshold:

• <30 ms: Ideal for tight rhythmic playing, like funk, jazz, or rock.
• 30-40 ms: Still great for rehearsing, teaching, or playing slower or more spacious styles.
• >40 ms: May still work for teaching or loosely timed collaboration, but real-time jamming becomes harder.

With a cable or fiber internet connection, Lutefish can provide latency times under 30 milliseconds up to 500 miles* away

Wired Ethernet (no Wi-Fi)

• Fiber
• Cable
• No 5g, DSL, Satellite

Download speed: 50 Mbps or higher

Upload speed: 10 Mbps or higher

Nope! Our platform is browser-based. Just connect the Lutefish Stream device to your router and use your laptop or tablet to control your sessions through a simple web interface. No drivers or apps to install.

Absolutely. Lutefish is perfect for remote music education, whether you’re teaching private lessons, conducting sectionals, or giving feedback on technique and tone. The real-time 48K audio lets students hear your phrasing and nuance with no distortion or delay.

Yes! The web interface includes optional video chat, so you can see your collaborators while you play. It uses a separate path from the audio to preserve audio quality and minimize latency, though note it the video does lag slightly behind the audio.

Lutefish is optimized for up to 5 musicians in a single session. Everyone needs their own Lutefish device and a cable or fiber internet connection with the Stream device connected directly to the router via Ethernet cable (no mesh satellites or Wi-Fi extenders).

Yes. You can record audio from your sessions directly from the web interface.

Lutefish works well with all instruments, including (but not limited to!):

• Acoustic & Electric guitars and basses
• Keyboards and synths
• Mic’d woodwinds, brass, strings, and vocals
• Drum kits using electronic drums or mic’d acoustic drums

The Lutefish device connects to your instrument or mic via standard 1/4" or XLR cables. You only need the mics and cables required to connect your instrument to a ¼” or XLR audio input. You’ll also need headphones or studio monitors to hear the session clearly. No external audio interface is required—everything is built in, including a talkback microphone.

Yes. The web interface lets you adjust levels and set your mix as well as add effects.

Lutefish is currently available in the United States and Canada, with plans to expand to other markets soon.

We offer free returns and a 60-day trial; we even pay for return shipping. If Lutefish doesn’t work for you, just send it back—no questions asked.