CartesiaMicrosoftAudio matchupSpeech output
Sonic 3.6vs.MAI-Voice-2.1-Flash
Which model is better?
Sonic 3.6 and MAI-Voice-2.1-Flash each lead in different tests.
Pick Sonic 3.6 for
Pick MAI-Voice-2.1-Flash for
Shared tests
Independent evaluators and leaderboards only, the newest shared snapshot per evaluator. With 95 % ranges a lead counts when they do not overlap; for hit rates, when it holds in a 95 % test. Without any uncertainty figure at most “slightly ahead”.
Cekura
depends on the subtestSonic 3.6 is clearly ahead in 0 of 4 subtests and slightly in 2, MAI-Voice-2.1-Flash in 0 clearly and slightly in 2.
Cekura TTS hard-part accuracy: read from context
as of October 19, 2026
Cekura TTS hard-part accuracy: codes and addresses
as of October 19, 2026
Cekura TTS hard-part accuracy: numbers and shorthand
as of October 19, 2026
Show all 4 subtests
| Subtest | Sonic 3.6 | MAI-Voice-2.1-Flash | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cekura TTS hard-part accuracy: read from context | 58.0 % | 75.0 % | MAI-Voice-2.1-Flash slightly ahead |
| Cekura TTS hard-part accuracy: codes and addresses | 75.0 % | 67.0 % | Sonic 3.6 slightly ahead |
| Cekura TTS hard-part accuracy: numbers and shorthand | 71.0 % | 79.0 % | MAI-Voice-2.1-Flash slightly ahead |
| Cekura TTS hard-part accuracy: medical terms | 100.0 % | 92.0 % | Sonic 3.6 slightly ahead |
Source · latest October 19, 2026
All data side by side
Prices are verbatim from the provider, because audio models bill per minute, character or token.
| Sonic 3.6 | MAI-Voice-2.1-Flash | |
|---|---|---|
| Task | Speech output | Speech output |
| Developer | Cartesia | Microsoft |
| Status | Active | Preview |
| Released | n/a | October 1, 2026 |
| Weights | proprietary | proprietary |
| Runs locally | no | no |
| Price | n/a | $15 per 1M characters |
| Popularity (out of 100) | 39 | 0 |