When working with sound in Python, the sounddevice library provides lower level stream classes that can be used to play and record audio. In this article, we will explore different ways to solve the problem of using sounddevice lower level stream classes to play and record audio.

Solution 1: Using the sd.OutputStream class

The sd.OutputStream class from the sounddevice library can be used to play audio. Here is a sample code that demonstrates how to use this class:

import sounddevice as sd

def play_audio(data, sample_rate):
    stream = sd.OutputStream(samplerate=sample_rate)
    stream.start()
    stream.write(data)
    stream.stop()
    stream.close()

# Example usage
data = [0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5]
sample_rate = 44100
play_audio(data, sample_rate)

This solution creates an instance of the sd.OutputStream class, starts the stream, writes the audio data to the stream, stops the stream, and finally closes the stream. This allows us to play audio using the lower level stream classes provided by sounddevice.

Solution 2: Using the sd.InputStream class

The sd.InputStream class from the sounddevice library can be used to record audio. Here is a sample code that demonstrates how to use this class:

import sounddevice as sd

def record_audio(duration, sample_rate):
    stream = sd.InputStream(samplerate=sample_rate)
    stream.start()
    data = stream.read(int(duration * sample_rate))
    stream.stop()
    stream.close()
    return data

# Example usage
duration = 5  # seconds
sample_rate = 44100
recorded_data = record_audio(duration, sample_rate)
print(recorded_data)

This solution creates an instance of the sd.InputStream class, starts the stream, reads the audio data from the stream for a specified duration, stops the stream, closes the stream, and returns the recorded data. This allows us to record audio using the lower level stream classes provided by sounddevice.

Solution 3: Using the sd.Stream class

The sd.Stream class from the sounddevice library can be used to both play and record audio. Here is a sample code that demonstrates how to use this class:

import sounddevice as sd

def play_and_record_audio(data, sample_rate, duration):
    stream = sd.Stream(samplerate=sample_rate)
    stream.start()
    stream.write(data)
    recorded_data = stream.read(int(duration * sample_rate))
    stream.stop()
    stream.close()
    return recorded_data

# Example usage
data = [0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5]
sample_rate = 44100
duration = 5  # seconds
recorded_data = play_and_record_audio(data, sample_rate, duration)
print(recorded_data)

This solution creates an instance of the sd.Stream class, starts the stream, writes the audio data to the stream, reads the audio data from the stream for a specified duration, stops the stream, closes the stream, and returns the recorded data. This allows us to both play and record audio using the lower level stream classes provided by sounddevice.

After exploring these three solutions, it is clear that Solution 3, which uses the sd.Stream class, is the better option. It provides the flexibility to both play and record audio using the same stream, making it more versatile and efficient.