The short answer
Matari Audio makes BUFFR. This comparison was reviewed on August 15, 2026 against first-party manuals, product pages, and vendor-owned source repositories. It names the documented workflow and its actual boundary instead of filling gaps with ambiguous unknowns.
BUFFR is the only compared recorder that keeps DAW audio, a separate System Audio lane, and DAW or direct-device MIDI in one loaded plug-in. Rewind is the closest broad alternative, but its built-in System mode is explicitly standalone-only. Rolling Sampler and Fine Classics Capture retain audio; MIDI Cap and Mucap retain MIDI; AudioRoute and System Audio Bridge route live system audio rather than keeping a retrospective history.
Capability-by-capability proof
Read each row as a workflow question: what must run, what reaches it, whether sources remain separate, how long history survives, and what the exported file preserves.
| Capability | BUFFRMatari Audio | RewindMonkeyC Audio | Rolling SamplerBird's Things | MIDI CapBird's Things | MucapOpen-source project | Fine Classics CaptureFine Classics Plugins | System Audio BridgeBird's Things | AudioRouteAudioRoute |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sources captured togetherWhat one running instance can keep at the same time. | Available. DAW audio + System + MIDISeparate audio groups plus DAW or direct-device MIDI | Limited. DAW audio + MIDIBuilt-in System mode is standalone-only, not a source in the normal plug-in | Limited. Audio onlyThe signal reaching the plug-in | Limited. MIDI only | Limited. MIDI only | Limited. Audio onlyWaveform retrospective recorder | Unavailable. No historyLive System Audio input for normal DAW recording | Unavailable. No historyLive route or deliberate WAV recording |
| DAW audioAudio history kept by one plug-in instance. | Available. Up to 16 DAW slotsStereo Main plus seven host-routed stereo Aux pairs | Available. Insertion-point mixStandalone inputs are merged into one export track; the plug-in records its routed channel/master | Available. One audio streamAudio reaching the plug-in | Unavailable. NoneCLAP audio passes through but is not retrospectively recorded | Unavailable. None | Available. One audio streamWaveform selection exports to WAV | Unavailable. System stream onlyNot a DAW-history recorder | Unavailable. System stream onlyNot a DAW-history recorder |
| MIDI captureNotes and controller data captured after you play. | Available. 16 channels + MPE/UMPDAW or direct device; rich events retained in the buffer | Limited. MIDI + CC/MPEVendor warns Ableton drag-in can lose MPE and Bitwig can truncate CC | Unavailable. NoneAudio-only recorder | Limited. MIDI + CCMultichannel; vendor says MPE support is unfinished | Limited. Basic MIDIAll channels; MPE is theoretical and untested | Unavailable. NoneThe product and manual describe audio-to-WAV capture | Unavailable. None | Unavailable. None |
| Direct MIDI inputCan it open a MIDI device without arming its DAW track? | Available. Built inSystem device opens linked OS inputs; matching DAW/device duplicates collapse automatically | Limited. Direct device or DAW inputThe manual makes them mutually exclusive; Windows sharing can require its SharedMIDI extension and a cloned DAW port | Unavailable. NoneNo MIDI capture | Unavailable. No direct-device modeVendor’s typical setup is a record-armed, always-monitored MIDI track | Unavailable. No direct-device plug-in modePlug-in needs a MIDI-receiving track; standalone needs JACK routing | Unavailable. NoneNo MIDI capture | Unavailable. None | Unavailable. None |
| System Audio captureCan it capture desktop output, and where? | Available. Built inSeparate stereo lane; no third-party cable or bridge. macOS 13+ grants permission to the bundled helper | Limited. Standalone onlyExternal/System switch clears current memory; macOS reroutes output, Windows selects an app | Limited. Not in stable plug-inStable uses loopback/System Audio Bridge; 1.4 beta adds experimental Windows standalone capture | Unavailable. NoneMIDI only | Unavailable. NoneMIDI only | Unavailable. NoneRecords the audio reaching its DAW track | Available. Live Windows inputWASAPI-loopback CLAP/VST3; no retrospective buffer | Available. Live routed inputBackground daemon feeds a DAW plug-in, direct recorder, or macOS virtual input |
| Separate sourcesCan captured sources be recovered separately? | Available. Main, Aux, System stay separateIndependent groups, lanes, monitoring, and export | Unavailable. One audio trackStandalone can select many interface inputs but merges them; External/System is a destructive mode switch | Unavailable. One audio stream | Limited. MIDI channels in one file | Limited. All MIDI channels in one track | Unavailable. One waveform | Unavailable. One live stereo input | Unavailable. One live routed stream |
| Setup requiredWhat must be loaded or routed before capture. | One DAW plug-inSystem Audio is built in. Current Windows 11 shares supported MIDI devices; Linux offers Virtual Raw MIDI only after confirmed RawMIDI exclusivity | Plug-in and/or standaloneDAW capture uses an instance; System Audio needs standalone plus installed routing; always-on use needs startup/template setup | Plug-in or standaloneStable System Audio needs loopback/virtual cable; 1.4 Bridge needs plug-in + standalone + matching sample rates | Armed/monitored MIDI trackNo helper or service | MIDI track or JACK routeStandalone needs a JACK-compatible graph connection | One routed DAW plug-inCaptures the signal reaching its track | One Windows DAW plug-inPrefer ASIO and avoid feedback | Installer + background daemonEnable Output to DAW; some hosts must record track output |
| History lengthLongest duration stated by the vendor. | Available. 120 minutesSelectable 1–120; dense audio remains RAM-resident, with separate recovery checkpoints | Available. Up to 90 minutesProduct, Welcome, and settings agree; other manual sentences conflict at 30/60 | Available. Stable: 10 minutesDefault 45 seconds; 1.4 beta says increased but gives no number | Available. 60 minutesDefault 60 seconds; adjustable to one hour | Limited. No published limitCurrent source appears memory-bound; this is not a vendor guarantee | Limited. Maximum not statedHistory length is adjustable | Unavailable. NoneLive input, not retrospective | Unavailable. NoneLive routing or deliberate recording |
| MIDI / MPE exportWhat MIDI data survives export. | Available. MPE/UMP buffer + SMFMPE, note expression, UMP, and raw events stay in the buffer; SMF export down-converts richer data and writes a .buffr-midi companion | Limited. MPE + CC with destination warningsVendor reports lost MPE in Ableton and truncated CC in Bitwig drag-in | Unavailable. No MIDI | Limited. CC + multichannelMPE explicitly unfinished/not guaranteed | Limited. Basic MIDIMPE theoretical and untested | Unavailable. No MIDI | Unavailable. No MIDI | Unavailable. No MIDI |
| Spectral GrabCan you select by time and frequency before export? | Available. Spectral GrabAlt-drag, audition, then export with FFT, minimum-phase, or linear-phase reconstruction | Unavailable. No spectral workflowTime/waveform selection | Unavailable. No spectral workflowTime/waveform selection | Unavailable. Not applicable | Unavailable. Not applicable | Unavailable. No spectral workflowTime/waveform selection | Unavailable. NoneLive routing only | Unavailable. NoneLive routing/recording only |
| Crash recoveryCan unsaved history return after the host crashes? | Available. Five-second checkpointsSaved instance identity restores audio, MIDI, and markers; an abrupt tail may be lost | Unavailable. RAM cache with loss warningsClosing standalone or changing source/length can clear memory; no checkpoint-restore workflow in its manual | Unavailable. RAM loop onlyFiles are created on drag; no restore workflow in stable manual | Unavailable. No restore workflowManual describes the live plug-in buffer and drag-out | Unavailable. No restore workflowCurrent source keeps instance-memory event vectors | Unavailable. No restore workflowManual describes waveform selection and WAV export | Unavailable. Not applicableNo history buffer | Unavailable. Not applicableNormal DAW/direct recording owns the file |
| Platforms and formatsCurrent operating systems and plug-in formats. | Available. macOS · Windows · LinuxCLAP, VST3, and standalone everywhere; AUv2 on macOS | Limited. macOS · WindowsVST3, AU, AAX, standalone | Available. macOS · Windows · LinuxCLAP, VST3, AU, standalone; format varies by OS | Limited. macOS · WindowsCLAP, VST3, AU; format varies by OS | Limited. LinuxCLAP, VST3, standalone | Limited. macOS · WindowsVST3, AU, AAX; format varies by OS | Limited. WindowsCLAP, VST3 | Limited. macOS · WindowsVST3/AU path varies; Windows virtual input still pending |
| ExportHow captured material leaves the tool. | Available. Audio + MIDI file dragDAW, another BUFFR, accepting app, or file manager; open protocol | Available. Audio + MIDI drag/saveSmart Drag placement guidance in the plug-in | Limited. Audio drag/saveVendor warns some Linux/DAW drag combinations fail | Available. MIDI-file drag | Limited. Generate + clipboard/pasteNot a documented drag gesture | Available. WAV dragTo DAW or browser | Available. Record normally in DAWNo retrospective selection | Available. DAW recording or direct WAVNo retrospective selection |
| Linux drag-outWhether file drag works on Linux desktops. | Available. Wayland/XWayland dragMatari-tested on Hyprland, niri, KDE Plasma, GNOME, and Xfce; Void and NixOS also tested | Unavailable. No Linux build | Limited. Vendor warns drag can failSome Linux distribution/DAW combinations | Unavailable. No Linux build | Unavailable. Clipboard/pasteNo documented drag source | Unavailable. No Linux build | Unavailable. Windows only | Unavailable. No Linux build |
Linux drag-and-drop on Wayland compositors
BUFFR is the only recorder in this comparison with apublished open-source Linux drag backendthat explicitly handles XDND/XWayland and adds a Hyprland-specific native-Wayland handoff. BUFFR has worked on every Linux desktop Matari has tested:Hyprland, niri,KDE Plasma/KWin, GNOME/Mutter, andXfce.
Void Linux and NixOS are also tested, but they are distributions rather than compositors. BUFFR’s Linux file dialogs normally use the desktop portal/native picker; on Xfce it prefers Zenity and falls back to the native picker. Sway, River, Wayfire, labwc, and COSMIC are additional compositor families covered by the same standard Linux protocol paths, although Matari has not yet listed those combinations as tested.
This distinction matters because Rolling Sampler also publishes Linux drag-out support, while its vendor warns that some Linux distribution and DAW combinations may fail. BUFFR’s unique documented advantage is the open, Wayland/XWayland-aware implementation, not a blanket claim that every other recorder fails on Wayland.
BUFFR vs MonkeyC Rewind
Rewind’s normal plug-in records the audio and MIDI delivered at its DAW insertion point. Its manual labels the External/System control“standalone only.” Switching between External and System mode clears its current memory; on macOS, standalone temporarily routes system output through Rewind, while Windows asks which application to monitor.Read the Rewind 2.2.2 manual.
Rewind also has more setup surfaces: always-on use keeps its standalone app running at login or a plug-in in a DAW template; Windows controller sharing can require its SharedMIDI extension and switching the DAW to a cloned port. Rewind remains the better fit when AAX support is required or its source-switching standalone workflow is preferred; BUFFR includes standalone packages and AUv2 on macOS.
Rolling Sampler alternative
Searching for a Rolling Sampler alternative usually means you want retrospective audio without being limited to a 10-minute audio-only loop. Rolling Sampler keeps 15 seconds to 10 minutes of the audio that reaches the plug-in, at $19, and stays the shorter tool when that is the whole job.
BUFFR is the alternative when you also need MIDI and MPE, a separate System Audio lane, up to two hours of history, and macOS, Windows, and Linux in one plug-in. It is $49. It is not a drop-in clone: Rolling Sampler does not keep MIDI, and BUFFR is not trying to be a $19 audio-only loop.
BUFFR vs Rolling Sampler and MIDI Cap
Stable Rolling Sampler keeps 15 seconds to 10 minutes of the audio reaching its plug-in. Stable System Audio needs loopback/virtual routing or Bird’s separate System Audio Bridge. Its optional 1.4 beta adds experimental Windows System Audio to the standalone app and a Bridge plug-in that streams a DAW master to standalone; that bridge requires both ends and matching sample rates.Read the stable product/FAQ andthe 1.4 beta workflow.
MIDI Cap is a separate MIDI-only plug-in with up to one hour of history. Its typical setup is a record-armed, always-monitored MIDI track, and its manual says MPE support is unfinished. BUFFR covers both audio and MIDI in one instance and can listen to a selected controller from the master or a bus. If you are comparing Rolling Sampler alternatives, BUFFR is the fit when linked MIDI/MPE or a separate System Audio history matters; Rolling Sampler remains a focused choice for audio-only retrospective capture.
BUFFR vs System Audio Bridge and AudioRoute
Bird’s System Audio Bridge is a Windows CLAP/VST3 WASAPI-loopback input. It has no retrospective buffer: record the result normally in the DAW. AudioRoute installs a background capture daemon and exposes live system audio through VST3, AU, and AAX plug-ins, direct WAV recording, and a virtual input on macOS and Windows. It does not publish Linux support, MIDI capture, or a retrospective history. Choose either tool when live routing is the whole job. Choose BUFFR when System Audio must already be waiting in a separate look-back lane beside DAW audio and MIDI. See theSystem Audio guide,System Audio Bridge, andAudioRoute’s architecture.
BUFFR vs a conventional audio recorder VST
Utilities such as Voxengo Recorderand MRecorder write the audio reaching a track or bus to a file after you start recording. That is the shorter tool when you already know the take and input you want to record. BUFFR instead keeps a rolling history, so you can choose audio and MIDI after the performance has happened.
BUFFR vs built-in DAW capture
Built-in capture is the shortest path when it already covers the source you need.Logic Pro Flashback Capturecaptures up to one minute of recent track-input audio during playback plus recent MIDI.FL Studio 2026keeps up to 10 minutes of master audio and 30 minutes of MIDI for the current session.Ableton Live Capture MIDIand Cubase Retrospective Recordingrecover MIDI inside their respective hosts.
Choose BUFFR when you want the same recorder across DAWs. In Bitwig, it complements transport-independent Master Recording; see theBitwig retrospective recording guide.
Primary sources
The product links and detailed sources below were checked on August 15, 2026. The table links each product directly. The detailed setup claims also come fromRewind’s manual,Rolling Sampler’s product and FAQ,MIDI Cap’s product/manual,Mucap’s source repository,System Audio Bridge, and AudioRoute’s published architecture. BUFFR claims were checked against the current product and manual; see thecomplete BUFFR manual.