Play SKE1 Audio Files!
Open and listen to SKE1 audio right on your Windows computer. Preview the encoded audio before you export.
FINALLY! FOR EVERY ALARM TECHNICIAN
Voice Evacuation
Messages
For Fire Alarm and Mass Notification
Professionally Created by YOU!
Prepare voice messages, signal tones, and audio files for SKE compatible equipment, such as compatible Honeywell Fire-Lite and Silent Knight voice evacuation systems. Save WAV and MP3 files for many other types of equipment. Convert, create, listen, refine, and export—all in one Windows application.
Windows 10+ · x64
Donationware. No payment required to download or use.
FROM FIRST WORD TO FINAL FILE
Open or Generate Process & Preview WAV / MP3 / SKE1
A FOCUSED TOOLKIT
The tools your
message needs.
Make Audio Ready
Use Auto Trim or manual trims, add silence, adjust gain, and preview your assembled audio. Click Apply to commit your changes.
Set the Right Sequence
Add leading and trailing tones, use your own samples, and create custom timing patterns from steps or Morse code.
Voice Message Options
Open an existing audio file, record your own voice, or generate speech with Piper or ElevenLabs. Use it as the middle message, with optional signal tones before and after.
Export in Three Formats
Save WAV, MP3, or SKE1 files with applied processing and tones. Use Play SKE1 to hear the conversion before exporting.
Look Beneath the Audio
Inspect encoded WAV, MP3, and SKE1 audio in the read-only Hex Viewer, including format details and SKE1 checksum status.
Listen to the Samples
Choose a recording to listen here. High Quality previews preserve the tones and pauses in your recordings.
| Name | Preview High Quality | Preview SKE1 | Download SKE1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Alarm Message | Not added | ||
| Battle Droid & Trailer Guy | Not added | Not added | |
| Blinded Message | Not added | Not added | |
| Carbon Monoxide Message | Not added | Not added | |
| Death Star Evacuation | Not added | Not added | |
| Road Runner Voice Message | Not added | Not added | |
| Wilhelm Fire Alarm | Not added | Not added |
About SKE1 previews: Each preview is converted from an SKE1 file back to WAV for web playback. You hear what the decoded SKE1 audio sounds like, but the browser plays the WAV copy, not the actual SKE1 file. Choose Download SKE1 to save the actual SKE1 file.
SEE THE SEQUENCE. HEAR THE RESULT.
A little more control.
A clearer picture.
Build a tone pattern one step at a time, or turn Morse code into a sequence. The visual timeline shows sound and silence together, with a moving marker during preview.
Standard Patterns
Temp 3Temp 4Continuous
Custom Patterns
Morse CodeAnything You Want!
Standard Tones
520 Hz Low FrequencyElectro-MechanicalChime
Custom Tones
Anything You Want!
Make it your own with supported WAV or MP3 samples and custom sound-and-silence steps. Sample length and pattern limits apply.
- Adjust sound and silence in milliseconds
- Preview repeats before applying tones
- Save patterns for leading and trailing audio
READY FOR YOUR WORKBENCH
Get SKE Audio Studio.
Install the application, audio codec, Piper engine, and default local voice in one setup.
Download not available at this time.
NEXT RELEASE
What’s in this build
System requirements
- Windows 10 or later with x64 application support.
- Microsoft Visual C++ v14 Redistributable (x64), version 14.34 or newer. Setup downloads it if missing; internet access and administrator approval may be needed.
- The default LibriTTS-R Piper voice is included. Additional voice downloads and ElevenLabs generation require internet access.
Get Started in Three Steps
From download to your first message.
- 01
Run the Installer
Download SKE Audio Studio and open the setup file.
- 02
Choose Your Setup
Select This User Only or All Users, then follow the prompts.
- 03
Try Your First Voice
Open the studio and generate a message with the included Piper voice.
GETTING STARTED
From an idea
to an audio file.
- 01
Open, Record or Generate
Open an SKE1, MP3, or supported PCM WAV file, record with your microphone, or generate speech. You can also start with signal tones alone.
- 02
Shape your Message
Trim or pad the source, adjust gain, and add leading or trailing tones. Click Apply to commit your changes.
- 03
Listen and Check
Use Play to review the working audio, then Play SKE1 to hear the encoded version.
- 04
Export and Test
Export WAV, MP3, or SKE1. Keep an original or WAV master and test every exported SKE1, WAV, or MP3 file on the intended equipment before operational use.
Piper. On your computer.
Generate speech on your computer with installed local models. The included LibriTTS-R voice works offline after prerequisites are installed, with no online generation credits.
Download or import additional models through the local voice library. Choose a voice, adjust its speed, and insert pauses to shape your message.
ElevenLabs Online AI Speech
Use your own ElevenLabs account and API key for online speech generation. New speech sends your wording to ElevenLabs and uses your account credits.
ElevenLabs History can automatically save successful generations with their wording and voice settings. Preview or load saved speech again without using generation credits, or save a WAV copy for reuse.
A FEW USEFUL ANSWERS
Good to know.
What is the SKE1 audio file format?
SKE1 is a specialized audio file format used by compatible Honeywell voice evacuation equipment, including certain Fire-Lite and Silent Knight systems. It contains the recorded audio used for voice messages and signals. SKE Audio Studio lets you open, preview, and export SKE1 files on Windows, as well as work with WAV and MP3 audio. SKE1 conversion changes how the audio sounds, so preview the result and test the exported file on the intended equipment. The SKE1 previews on this website are decoded WAV copies for browser playback.
Why does the SKE1 audio file not sound as good?
SKE1 uses a lower sample rate and lossy compression: 8 kHz mono audio with G.726 ADPCM at 32 kbps. Conversion removes higher-frequency detail and can add audible distortion, so voices and tones may sound less natural than the original recording. Converting an SKE1 file back to WAV lets a browser play it, but does not restore the detail lost during encoding. Keep a high-quality original, preview the SKE1 version, and test it on the intended equipment.
What do I need to install?
Run the Windows installer and choose "This User Only" or "All Users". All Users requires administrator approval. Setup includes the codec, Piper engine, and default LibriTTS-R voice. If the required Visual C++ runtime is missing, Setup downloads it from Microsoft.
Can I generate speech without an internet connection?
Yes. Piper generates speech locally with installed voice models. The included voice works offline once prerequisites are installed. Open More Piper Voices to download or import additional models. Review each model’s license for your intended use.
How do I connect my ElevenLabs account?
In ElevenLabs Setup, supply your own API key with Text to Speech access and read access to Voices and Models. Choose Test Connection and Load Available Voices, review the results, then save. The key is stored in Windows Credential Manager. Never send an API key to support or enter it on this website.
Does ElevenLabs generation use my credits?
Yes. New speech generation sends your wording to ElevenLabs and uses your account credits. Testing the connection does not generate speech. Loading, previewing, or saving a copy of existing ElevenLabs History does not use generation credits. Check the provider’s current terms for your intended use.
Which export should I use?
WAV preserves working PCM audio; MP3 provides compressed audio. Use SKE1 when required by your target equipment. Applied processing and tones are included in exports; unapplied changes and playback volume are not. SKE1 audio will sound different, so preview it. Match WAV and MP3 settings to your equipment’s requirements, and test every exported format on the intended equipment before operational use.
Where is my data, and what happens if I uninstall?
Settings, voices, samples, and history are stored separately from program files in your Windows account’s local application data. File Defaults can configure library locations. Uninstall preserves personal application data and saved credentials. Remove API Key in ElevenLabs Setup removes the stored key without deleting local history. Back up important audio and imported models separately.
BUILT WITH A PRACTICAL PURPOSE
Less friction.
More time for the work.
Drew Whitehead, P.E., developed SKE Audio Studio in Elburn, Illinois. A licensed engineer, software developer, and NICET Level IV fire alarm technician, Drew brings together electrical engineering knowledge and years of field experience with fire alarm and low-voltage systems.
The project began with a familiar frustration in his own work: preparing SKE1 audio for Honeywell voice systems took more effort than it should. He built SKE Audio Studio to make creating, editing, and converting voice messages and signal tones more straightforward, with the tools together in one Windows application.
What started as a personal solution is now available to other programmers and technicians. The aim is simple: less time wrestling with audio files, and more time getting the message right.
SKE Audio Studio is an independent application. It is not affiliated with equipment manufacturers or speech-service providers.
DONATIONWARE · YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS
Good tools deserve a little support.
SKE Audio Studio is donationware. Use it at no charge. If it makes your work easier (which it WILL), a voluntary donation helps support its continued development.
A suggested thank-you
- Hobbyists
- $10–$50
- Technicians
- $50–$100
- Large Commercial Businesses
- $100–$1,000
- Millionaires 🙂
- $1,000+
- Billionaires 🙂
- $100,000+
These are voluntary suggestions, not prices or license tiers. Choose an amount that feels right for you.
Built for technicians.
Supported by people like you.
Will donating remove the software reminder?
After donating, look for our thank-you email. Open its Activate My Computer link on the Windows computer where you use SKE Audio Studio, then confirm in the program. This requires the latest installer. Donations remain voluntary.
Payments are handled by Ko-fi. Payment authorization may open a provider window.
LET’S MAKE IT MORE USEFUL
A question, an idea,
or something to fix?
Get in touch with a question, suggestion, or problem you’ve run into. For a bug report, include the application version and the steps that led to it.
Please don’t include API keys, passwords, or confidential site information.