Cartesia Ink 2 vs Smallest Pulse
Accuracy and speed
Left gets fewer words wrong. Lower has the final text ready sooner.
- Ink 22.39% · 123ms
- Pulse3.66% · 201ms
Cartesia Ink 2 is ahead on both datasets together, the Pipecat Dataset and final-text delay, and Smallest Pulse on time to first text. The Ocular Dataset is too close to call.
Last updated Methodology by Dileep Chagam
Who is better at what
- Overall WER2.63%3.59%
- Pipecat Dataset WER2.39%3.66%
- Ocular Dataset WER3.09%3.46%
- Time to first text1.51s1.06s
- Final-text delay123ms201ms
Lower is better on every measure. Too close to call means the likely ranges overlap. For its voices, see our notes on Cartesia text to speech.
Ink 2 vs Pulse FAQ
Which is more accurate, Cartesia Ink 2 or Smallest Pulse?
Cartesia Ink 2 is more accurate on both datasets. On the 1,000 public Pipecat clips, Cartesia Ink 2 scores 2.63% and Smallest Pulse 3.59%, so Cartesia Ink 2 makes fewer errors by 0.96 points. On the eight licensed Ocular recordings, Cartesia Ink 2 scores 2.39% and Smallest Pulse 3.66%, so Cartesia Ink 2 makes fewer errors by 1.27 points. Word error rate counts incorrect, missing, and extra words, so lower is better.
Cartesia Ink 2 is more accurate on both datasets. On the 1,000 public Pipecat clips, Cartesia Ink 2 scores 2.63% and Smallest Pulse 3.59%, so Cartesia Ink 2 makes fewer errors by 0.96 points. On the eight licensed Ocular recordings, Cartesia Ink 2 scores 2.39% and Smallest Pulse 3.66%, so Cartesia Ink 2 makes fewer errors by 1.27 points. Word error rate counts incorrect, missing, and extra words, so lower is better.
No. Smallest Pulse finishes the transcript 454ms sooner. Cartesia Ink 2 has the final transcript 1.51s after the speaker stops and Smallest Pulse 1.06s, at the median. Both are measured on the same 206 streamed turns.
It is a trade-off. Cartesia Ink 2 makes fewer errors on real conversations, while Smallest Pulse finishes the transcript 454ms sooner. A voice agent cannot reply until the final transcript arrives, and the Ocular recordings are real conversations.
Yes, both return partial text before the speaker stops. Cartesia Ink 2 shows first text after 3.09% and Smallest Pulse after 3.46%, at the median.
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