Rexicon
English and Chinese, transcribed live on your own computer.
Rexicon writes down English and Mandarin as they're spoken, so you can glance back at a number, a name or a term. Everything runs on your computer: no cloud, no account, no per-minute meter. Need a rough sense of meaning? Switch on gist translation (beta) at any time.
Rexicon processes audio on your computer rather than sending it to a transcription service. It saves transcripts locally and does not save microphone audio.
Download the required models before your session. Once they are installed, transcription and translation do not need an internet connection.
Everything runs locally, so there are no API credits or per-minute charges. Run as many sessions as you like.
English and Mandarin appear as text while the speaker talks. Rough previews show during long phrases, then each phrase settles into final text. If the speaker changes language, click English or 中文 at any time during the session. Chinese is shown in simplified characters. Want a rough sense of meaning too? Turn on gist translation (beta) and it appears beside the text.
Open a wav, mp3, m4a, flac, or ogg recording. Results appear as it is processed. At the end, Rexicon also writes a text transcript beside the recording when that folder is writable.
Type, paste, or import a glossary for recognition hints and terminology checks. Export transcripts as text or JSON. Your transcript saves automatically as you go, on your own computer.
Choose any microphone or audio input. For the cleanest transcript, give Rexicon the speaker's own feed, so it hears them rather than your interpreting.
From speech to paired text.
Listen
Choose your audio input and the speaker's language, then press Start. If the speaker switches language, click English or 中文 at any time. Rexicon listens for speech and keeps up while the speaker continues.
Preview and finalize
Live previews appear during longer phrases. Pauses usually close a phrase; continuous speech is split when it reaches the window limit.
Glance, then review
Each phrase settles into final text. Warnings flag some uncertain results and glossary terms to check. With gist translation (beta) switched on, a rough translation appears beside each phrase.
A lot of the work behind Rexicon went into keeping up with a live speaker. It only processes real speech, so silence never slows it down. Transcription and translation run side by side, and on Apple Silicon Macs, speech recognition runs on the built-in graphics chip for extra speed. During long sentences, a live preview appears before the speaker even pauses.
About the beta. Live transcription is the core of Rexicon. Gist translation is in beta: it's off by default, and you can switch it on or off at any time, even mid-session. It gives a rough sense of meaning, can miss tone and nuance, and can add or drop words. Use it as a hint, never for wording.
Local processing, local transcripts.
Rexicon downloads its speech and translation models once, during setup. After that, everything runs on your own computer, with no cloud service, no account, and no internet connection needed. Your audio stays on your computer and is never saved.
Transcripts save automatically as you work, so clearing the screen doesn't erase them. They're ordinary files on your computer, and you decide what to keep or delete.
A second pair of ears.
Rexicon keeps a live transcript of what was said, so you can glance back to check a number, a name, or a phrase. It is an assistant for checking what you heard, not a replacement for an interpreter. It works with English and Mandarin speech and shows Chinese in simplified characters. Gist translation (beta) is optional and off by default: switch it on, and a rough translation appears beside the text.
Like any speech tool, it will miss some words. Fast speech, strong accents, crosstalk, and specialized terms are the usual reasons. It's there to support your judgment.
Worth knowing before you buy:
- You choose the language. Click English or 中文 when the speaker switches. That works at any time during a session.
- English and Mandarin. Chinese is shown in simplified characters.
- One stream of text. The transcript doesn't mark who said what.
- Check anything that matters. Glance back at what was said. It isn't a verbatim or certified record.
- Gist translation is optional. It's in beta and off until you switch it on. Use it for a rough sense of meaning, not as wording to read aloud.
- A Mac and a Windows PC are different setups. Apple Silicon runs a larger model on the graphics chip. Windows uses a smaller model on the processor, so text can arrive later and miss more.
- You pick the audio input. A microphone, or another feed of the speaker. It listens to that, rather than to sound playing on the computer itself.
Beta price $39. It goes up to $49 when Rexicon leaves beta. One purchase, no subscription and no usage limits: run as many sessions, for as long as you like.
- One-time purchase, no subscription
- No minute limits, no credits, no account
- Works offline after a one-time download (about 3 GB, mostly the speech model)
- Live transcription in English and Mandarin
- Gist translation (beta), off by default, switch on any time
Mac. Apple Silicon (M1 or later). Speech recognition runs on the graphics chip, using Whisper large-v3-turbo. That model is about 1.6 GB of the download.
Windows. Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit, Intel or AMD. Speech recognition runs on the processor, using the smaller Whisper medium model. That model is about 1.5 GB of the download.
Both. About 3 GB of free disk space. Internet only for the first download. A microphone, or another audio input that carries the speaker.
Frequently asked.
Does it work without internet?
Yes. Download Rexicon and its models once while you're online (about 3 GB of disk space). After that, transcription and translation run with no connection.
Is my audio recorded or uploaded?
No. Audio is processed on your computer and is never saved or sent anywhere. Your transcript saves automatically as you go, on your own computer. Only text is kept, as ordinary files on your computer that you can delete whenever you like.
Can it replace an interpreter?
No. Rexicon is an assistant. It gives you a running transcript so you can check a number, a name or a term. The interpreting, and the judgment, stay with you.
How accurate is it?
We haven't published measured accuracy yet, so we don't quote a number. Results depend heavily on the audio: a clear, direct feed of the speaker helps, while crosstalk, strong accents, fast speech and specialist terms cause more errors. The best test is your own material.
Which languages does it support?
English and Mandarin. Chinese is shown in simplified characters.
Does it detect the language automatically?
No. You choose English or 中文, and when the speaker switches, you click the other one. That works at any time during a session, mid-speech too.
Why is translation in beta, and why is it off by default?
Transcription is the part of Rexicon we're confident is ready. Translation is a gist: it gives a rough sense of meaning, can miss tone and nuance, and can add or drop words. So it's off by default, and labeled beta. Switch it on or off at any time, even mid-session. The transcript marks when you did.
Does it filter or soften what people say?
No. Rexicon writes down what it hears, with no content filters.
Can it transcribe recordings?
Yes. Open a wav, mp3, m4a, flac, ogg or aac file.
What does the beta price include, and what happens when Rexicon leaves beta?
During the beta, Rexicon costs $39, once. When it leaves beta, the price goes up to $49 for new buyers. If you buy during the beta, you don't pay again: the copy you bought is yours to keep, and you get version 1.0 at no extra charge.
Is it a subscription? Are there usage limits?
No and no. You pay once. There's no subscription, no account, no credits and no minute limits.
Why does my computer warn me when I open it?
The beta isn't signed with Apple or Microsoft yet. On a Mac, when macOS says it can't verify the developer, click Done, then open System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway. On Windows, click More info → Run anyway. After an update, your Mac may ask for microphone permission again.
Who makes it, and how do I get help?
Rexicon is made by Trevor Wrobleski. For help, email SUPPORT_EMAIL.
Other tools worth knowing.
Rexicon focuses on paired English–Chinese text during interpreting.