docs

# Conflicts:
#	backend/main.py
#	docs/content/docs/plans/ADDING_TTS_ENGINES.md
#	docs/content/docs/plans/CUDA_BACKEND_SWAP.md
#	docs/content/docs/plans/CUDA_BACKEND_SWAP_FINAL.md
#	docs/content/docs/plans/EXTERNAL_PROVIDERS.md
#	docs/content/docs/plans/MLX_AUDIO.md
#	docs/content/docs/plans/PROJECT_STATUS.md

.bumpversion.cfg

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [bumpversion]
-current_version = 0.1.11
+current_version = 0.2.3
 commit = True
 tag = True
 tag_name = v{new_version}

.dockerignore

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# Version control
+.git
+.github
+.gitignore
+
+# Desktop-only (not needed in web container)
+tauri/
+landing/
+docs/
+mlx-test/
+scripts/
+
+# Dependencies & build artifacts (rebuilt in Docker)
+node_modules/
+__pycache__/
+*.pyc
+*.pyo
+*.egg-info/
+dist/
+build/
+*.spec
+
+# Data (will be bind-mounted)
+data/
+backend/data/
+
+# IDE & OS
+.vscode/
+.idea/
+*.swp
+*.swo
+.DS_Store
+Thumbs.db
+
+# Config files not needed in container
+biome.json
+.biomeignore
+.bumpversion.cfg
+.npmrc
+Makefile
+CHANGELOG.md
+CONTRIBUTING.md
+SECURITY.md
+LICENSE
+README.md
+backend/README.md

.github/workflows/build-windows.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+name: Build Windows
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  build-windows:
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Setup Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.12"
+          cache: "pip"
+
+      - name: Install Python dependencies
+        run: |
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+          pip install pyinstaller
+          pip install -r backend/requirements.txt
+
+      - name: Build Python server
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          cd backend
+          python build_binary.py
+
+          PLATFORM=$(rustc --print host-tuple)
+          mkdir -p ../tauri/src-tauri/binaries
+          cp dist/voicebox-server.exe ../tauri/src-tauri/binaries/voicebox-server-${PLATFORM}.exe
+          echo "Built voicebox-server-${PLATFORM}.exe"
+
+      - name: Setup Bun
+        uses: oven-sh/setup-bun@v2
+
+      - name: Install Rust stable
+        uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
+
+      - name: Rust cache
+        uses: swatinem/rust-cache@v2
+        with:
+          workspaces: "./tauri/src-tauri -> target"
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: bun install
+
+      - uses: tauri-apps/tauri-action@v0
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        with:
+          projectPath: tauri
+          tagName: v__VERSION__
+          releaseName: "voicebox v__VERSION__ (test build)"
+          releaseBody: "Test build for audio export fix"
+          releaseDraft: true
+          prerelease: true
+          args: ""
+          includeUpdaterJson: false

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
   push:
     tags:
-      - 'v*'
+      - "v*"
 
 jobs:
   release:
@@ -14,22 +14,18 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         include:
-          - platform: 'macos-latest'
-            args: '--target aarch64-apple-darwin'
-            python-version: '3.12'
-            backend: 'mlx'
-          - platform: 'macos-15-intel'
-            args: '--target x86_64-apple-darwin'
-            python-version: '3.12'
-            backend: 'pytorch'
-          # - platform: 'ubuntu-22.04'
-          #   args: ''
-          #   python-version: '3.12'
-          #   backend: 'pytorch'
-          - platform: 'windows-latest'
-            args: ''
-            python-version: '3.12'
-            backend: 'pytorch'
+          - platform: "macos-latest"
+            args: "--target aarch64-apple-darwin"
+            python-version: "3.12"
+            backend: "mlx"
+          - platform: "macos-15-intel"
+            args: "--target x86_64-apple-darwin"
+            python-version: "3.12"
+            backend: "pytorch"
+          - platform: "windows-latest"
+            args: ""
+            python-version: "3.12"
+            backend: "pytorch"
 
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.platform }}
 
@@ -37,10 +33,10 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Install dependencies (ubuntu only)
-        if: matrix.platform == 'ubuntu-22.04'
+        if: contains(matrix.platform, 'ubuntu') || contains(matrix.platform, 'namespace')
         run: |
           sudo apt-get update
-          sudo apt-get install -y libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev libappindicator3-dev librsvg2-dev patchelf llvm-dev
+          sudo apt-get install -y libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev libappindicator3-dev librsvg2-dev patchelf llvm-dev libasound2-dev
 
       - name: Install LLVM (macOS)
         if: matrix.platform == 'macos-latest' || matrix.platform == 'macos-15-intel'
@@ -53,13 +49,19 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-          cache: 'pip'
+          cache: "pip"
+
+      - name: Install CPU-only PyTorch (Linux)
+        if: contains(matrix.platform, 'ubuntu') || contains(matrix.platform, 'namespace')
+        run: |
+          pip install torch torchaudio --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cpu
 
       - name: Install Python dependencies
         run: |
           python -m pip install --upgrade pip
           pip install pyinstaller
           pip install -r backend/requirements.txt
+          pip install --no-deps chatterbox-tts
 
       - name: Install MLX dependencies (Apple Silicon only)
         if: matrix.backend == 'mlx'
@@ -100,7 +102,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Rust cache
         uses: swatinem/rust-cache@v2
         with:
-          workspaces: './tauri/src-tauri -> target'
+          workspaces: "./tauri/src-tauri -> target"
 
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: bun install
@@ -121,7 +123,7 @@ jobs:
           p12-file-base64: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERTIFICATE }}
           p12-password: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD }}
 
-      - uses: tauri-apps/tauri-action@v0
+      - uses: tauri-apps/tauri-action@v0.6
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY }}
@@ -136,7 +138,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           projectPath: tauri
           tagName: v__VERSION__
-          releaseName: 'voicebox v__VERSION__'
+          releaseName: "voicebox v__VERSION__"
           releaseBody: |
             ## What's Changed
             See the assets below to download and install this version.
@@ -145,10 +147,71 @@ jobs:
             - **macOS (Apple Silicon)**: Download the `aarch64.dmg` file - uses MLX for fast native inference
             - **macOS (Intel)**: Download the `x64.dmg` file - uses PyTorch
             - **Windows**: Download the `.msi` installer
-            - **Linux**: Download the `.AppImage` or `.deb` package
+            - **Linux**: Compile from source (see README)
 
             The app includes automatic updates - future updates will be installed automatically.
           releaseDraft: true
           prerelease: false
           args: ${{ matrix.args }}
           includeUpdaterJson: true
+
+  build-cuda-windows:
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Setup Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.12"
+          cache: "pip"
+
+      - name: Install Python dependencies
+        run: |
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+          pip install pyinstaller
+          pip install -r backend/requirements.txt
+          pip install --no-deps chatterbox-tts
+
+      - name: Install PyTorch with CUDA 12.1
+        run: |
+          pip install torch --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu121 --force-reinstall --no-deps
+          pip install torchaudio --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu121
+
+      - name: Verify CUDA support in torch
+        run: |
+          python -c "import torch; print(f'CUDA available in build: {torch.cuda.is_available()}'); print(f'CUDA version: {torch.version.cuda}')"
+
+      - name: Build CUDA server binary
+        shell: bash
+        working-directory: backend
+        run: python build_binary.py --cuda
+
+      - name: Split binary for GitHub Releases
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          python scripts/split_binary.py \
+            backend/dist/voicebox-server-cuda.exe \
+            --output release-assets/
+
+      - name: Upload split parts to GitHub Release
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v1
+        with:
+          files: |
+            release-assets/voicebox-server-cuda.part*.exe
+            release-assets/voicebox-server-cuda.sha256
+            release-assets/voicebox-server-cuda.manifest
+          draft: true
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Upload binary as workflow artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: voicebox-server-cuda-windows
+          path: backend/dist/voicebox-server-cuda.exe
+          retention-days: 7

.gitignore

@@ -35,10 +35,7 @@ target/
 Thumbs.db
 
 # Data (user-generated)
-data/profiles/*
-data/generations/*
-data/projects/*
-data/voicebox.db
+data/
 !data/.gitkeep
 
 # Logs
@@ -52,6 +49,7 @@ logs/
 # Generated files
 app/openapi.json
 tauri/src-tauri/binaries/*
+tauri/src-tauri/gen/Assets.car
 
 # Temporary
 tmp/

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@ All notable changes to Voicebox will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Fixed
+- **Profile Name Validation** - Added proper validation to prevent duplicate profile names ([#134](https://github.com/jamiepine/voicebox/issues/134))
+  - Users now receive clear error messages when attempting to create or update profiles with duplicate names
+  - Improved error handling in create and update profile API endpoints
+  - Added comprehensive test suite for duplicate name validation
+
 ## [0.1.0] - 2026-01-25
 
 ### Added
@@ -53,15 +61,21 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+- Audio export failing when Tauri save dialog returns object instead of string path
+- OpenAPI client generator script now documents the local backend port and avoids an unused loop variable warning
+
 ### Added
-- **Makefile** - Comprehensive development workflow automation with commands for setup, development, building, testing, and code quality checks
-  - Includes Python version detection and compatibility warnings
-  - Self-documenting help system with `make help`
-  - Colored output for better readability
-  - Supports parallel development server execution
+- **justfile** - Comprehensive development workflow automation with commands for setup, development, building, testing, and code quality checks
+  - Cross-platform support (macOS, Linux, Windows)
+  - Python version detection and compatibility warnings
+  - Self-documenting help system with `just --list`
 
 ### Changed
-- **README** - Added Makefile reference and updated Quick Start with Makefile-based setup instructions alongside manual setup
+- **README** - Updated Quick Start with justfile-based setup instructions
+
+### Removed
+- **Makefile** - Replaced by justfile (cross-platform, simpler syntax)
 
 ---
 

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -27,87 +27,47 @@ Thank you for your interest in contributing to Voicebox! This document provides
   ```bash
   rustc --version  # Check if installed
   ```
+- **[Tauri Prerequisites](https://v2.tauri.app/start/prerequisites)** - Tauri-specific system dependencies (varies by OS).
 
 - **Git** - Version control
 
 ### Development Setup
 
-**Using the Makefile (recommended for macOS/Linux):** Run `make setup` to install all dependencies, then `make dev` to start development servers. See `make help` for all available commands.
+Install [just](https://github.com/casey/just) (`brew install just`, `cargo install just`, or `winget install Casey.Just`), then:
 
-**Manual setup (required for Windows):**
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/voicebox.git
+cd voicebox
 
-1. **Fork and clone the repository**
-   ```bash
-   git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/voicebox.git
-   cd voicebox
-   ```
+just setup   # creates venv, installs Python + JS deps
+just dev     # starts backend + desktop app
+```
 
-2. **Install JavaScript dependencies**
-   ```bash
-   bun install
-   ```
-   This installs dependencies for:
-   - `app/` - Shared React frontend
-   - `tauri/` - Tauri desktop wrapper
-   - `web/` - Web deployment wrapper
+`just setup` handles everything automatically, including:
+- Creating a Python virtual environment
+- Installing Python dependencies (with CUDA PyTorch on Windows if an NVIDIA GPU is detected)
+- Installing MLX dependencies on Apple Silicon
+- Installing JavaScript dependencies
 
-3. **Set up Python backend**
-   ```bash
-   cd backend
-   
-   # Create virtual environment
-   python -m venv venv
-   
-   # Activate virtual environment
-   source venv/bin/activate  # On macOS/Linux
-   # or
-   venv\Scripts\activate  # On Windows
-   
-   # Install Python dependencies
-   pip install -r requirements.txt
-   
-   # Install MLX dependencies (Apple Silicon only - for faster inference)
-   # On Apple Silicon, this enables native Metal acceleration
-   if [[ $(uname -m) == "arm64" ]]; then
-     pip install -r requirements-mlx.txt
-   fi
-   
-   # Install Qwen3-TTS (required for voice synthesis)
-   pip install git+https://github.com/QwenLM/Qwen3-TTS.git
-   ```
+`just dev` starts the backend and desktop app together. If a backend is already running (e.g. from `just dev-backend` in another terminal), it detects it and only starts the frontend.
 
-4. **Start development servers**
+Other useful commands:
 
-   Development requires two terminals: one for the Python backend, one for the Tauri app.
+```bash
+just dev-web       # backend + web app (no Tauri/Rust build)
+just dev-backend   # backend only
+just dev-frontend  # Tauri app only (backend must be running)
+just kill          # stop all dev processes
+just clean-all     # nuke everything and start fresh
+just --list        # see all available commands
+```
 
-   **Terminal 1: Backend server** (start this first)
-   ```bash
-   cd backend
-   source venv/bin/activate  # Activate venv if not already active
-   bun run dev:server
-   # Or manually: uvicorn main:app --reload --port 17493
-   ```
-   Backend will be available at `http://localhost:17493`
+> **Note:** In dev mode, the app connects to a manually-started Python server.
+> The bundled server binary is only used in production builds.
 
-   **Terminal 2: Desktop app**
-   ```bash
-   bun run dev
-   ```
-   This will:
-   - Create a placeholder sidecar binary (for Tauri compilation)
-   - Start Vite dev server on port 5173
-   - Launch Tauri window pointing to localhost:5173
-   - Connect to the Python server you started in Terminal 1
-   - Enable hot reload
+#### Windows Notes
 
-   > **Note:** In dev mode, the app connects to your manually-started Python server.
-   > The bundled server binary is only used in production builds.
-
-   **Optional: Web app**
-   ```bash
-   bun run dev:web
-   ```
-   Web app will be available at `http://localhost:5174`
+The justfile works natively on Windows via PowerShell. No WSL or Git Bash required. On Windows with an NVIDIA GPU, `just setup` automatically installs CUDA-enabled PyTorch for GPU acceleration.
 
 ### Model Downloads
 
@@ -119,25 +79,30 @@ First-time usage will be slower due to model downloads, but subsequent runs will
 
 ### Building
 
-**Build everything (recommended):**
+**Build production app:**
+
 ```bash
-bun run build
+just build        # Build CPU server binary + Tauri installer
 ```
-This automatically:
-1. Builds the Python server binary (`./scripts/build-server.sh`)
-2. Builds the Tauri desktop app (`cd tauri && bun run tauri build`)
+
+On Windows, to build with CUDA support for local testing:
+
+```bash
+just build-local  # Build CPU + CUDA server binaries + Tauri installer
+```
+
+This builds the CPU sidecar (bundled with the app), the CUDA binary (placed in `%APPDATA%/com.voicebox.app/backends/` for runtime GPU switching), and the installable Tauri app.
 
 Creates platform-specific installers (`.dmg`, `.msi`, `.AppImage`) in `tauri/src-tauri/target/release/bundle/`.
 
-**Note:** The build process detects your platform and includes the appropriate backend (MLX for Apple Silicon, PyTorch for others).
+**Individual build targets:**
 
-**Build server binary only:**
 ```bash
-bun run build:server
-# or
-./scripts/build-server.sh
+just build-server       # CPU server binary only
+just build-server-cuda  # CUDA server binary only (Windows)
+just build-tauri        # Tauri desktop app only
+just build-web          # Web app only
 ```
-Creates platform-specific binary in `tauri/src-tauri/binaries/`
 
 **Building with local Qwen3-TTS development version:**
 
@@ -145,17 +110,10 @@ If you're actively developing or modifying the Qwen3-TTS library, set the `QWEN_
 
 ```bash
 export QWEN_TTS_PATH=~/path/to/your/Qwen3-TTS
-bun run build:server
+just build-server
 ```
 
-This makes PyInstaller use your local qwen-tts version instead of the pip-installed package. Useful when testing changes to the TTS library before they're published to PyPI or when using an editable install (`pip install -e`).
-
-**Build web app:**
-```bash
-cd web
-bun run build
-```
-Output in `web/dist/`
+This makes PyInstaller use your local qwen-tts version instead of the pip-installed package.
 
 ### Generate OpenAPI Client
 
@@ -407,7 +365,7 @@ See [docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md](docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md) for common issues and sol
 
 - **Backend won't start:** Check Python version (3.11+), ensure venv is activated, install dependencies
 - **Tauri build fails:** Ensure Rust is installed, clean build with `cd tauri/src-tauri && cargo clean`
-- **OpenAPI client generation fails:** Ensure backend is running, check `curl http://localhost:8000/openapi.json`
+- **OpenAPI client generation fails:** Ensure backend is running, check `curl http://localhost:17493/openapi.json`
 
 ## Questions?
 

Dockerfile

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+# ============================================================
+# Voicebox — Local TTS Server with Web UI (CPU)
+# 3-stage build: Frontend → Python deps → Runtime
+# ============================================================
+
+# === Stage 1: Build frontend ===
+FROM oven/bun:1 AS frontend
+
+WORKDIR /build
+
+# Copy workspace config and frontend source
+COPY package.json bun.lock ./
+COPY app/ ./app/
+COPY web/ ./web/
+
+# Strip workspaces not needed for web build, and fix trailing comma
+RUN sed -i '/"tauri"/d; /"landing"/d' package.json && \
+    sed -i -z 's/,\n  ]/\n  ]/' package.json
+RUN bun install --no-save
+# Build frontend (skip tsc — upstream has pre-existing type errors)
+RUN cd web && bunx --bun vite build
+
+
+# === Stage 2: Build Python dependencies ===
+FROM python:3.11-slim AS backend-builder
+
+WORKDIR /build
+
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+    git \
+    build-essential \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+COPY backend/requirements.txt .
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --prefix=/install -r requirements.txt
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --prefix=/install \
+    git+https://github.com/QwenLM/Qwen3-TTS.git
+
+
+# === Stage 3: Runtime ===
+FROM python:3.11-slim
+
+# Create non-root user for security
+RUN groupadd -r voicebox && \
+    useradd -r -g voicebox -m -s /bin/bash voicebox
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# Install only runtime system dependencies
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+    ffmpeg \
+    curl \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# Copy installed Python packages from builder stage
+COPY --from=backend-builder /install /usr/local
+
+# Copy backend application code
+COPY --chown=voicebox:voicebox backend/ /app/backend/
+
+# Copy built frontend from frontend stage
+COPY --from=frontend --chown=voicebox:voicebox /build/web/dist /app/frontend/
+
+# Create data directories owned by non-root user
+RUN mkdir -p /app/data/generations /app/data/profiles /app/data/cache \
+    && chown -R voicebox:voicebox /app/data
+
+# Switch to non-root user
+USER voicebox
+
+# Expose the API port
+EXPOSE 17493
+
+# Health check — auto-restart if the server hangs
+HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=10s --retries=3 --start-period=60s \
+    CMD curl -f http://localhost:17493/health || exit 1
+
+# Start the FastAPI server
+CMD ["uvicorn", "backend.main:app", "--host", "0.0.0.0", "--port", "17493"]

Makefile

@@ -1,245 +0,0 @@
-# Voicebox Makefile
-# Unix-only (macOS/Linux). Windows users should use WSL.
-
-SHELL := /bin/bash
-.DEFAULT_GOAL := help
-
-# Directories
-BACKEND_DIR := backend
-TAURI_DIR := tauri
-WEB_DIR := web
-APP_DIR := app
-
-# Python (prefer 3.12, fallback to 3.13, then python3)
-PYTHON := $(shell command -v python3.12 2>/dev/null || command -v python3.13 2>/dev/null || echo python3)
-VENV := $(CURDIR)/$(BACKEND_DIR)/venv
-VENV_BIN := $(VENV)/bin
-PIP := $(VENV_BIN)/pip
-PYTHON_VENV := $(VENV_BIN)/python
-
-# Colors for output
-BLUE := \033[0;34m
-GREEN := \033[0;32m
-YELLOW := \033[0;33m
-NC := \033[0m # No Color
-
-.PHONY: help
-help: ## Show this help message
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Voicebox$(NC) - Development Commands"
-	@echo ""
-	@grep -E '^[a-zA-Z_-]+:.*?## .*$$' $(MAKEFILE_LIST) | sort | \
-		awk 'BEGIN {FS = ":.*?## "}; {printf "  $(GREEN)%-20s$(NC) %s\n", $$1, $$2}'
-
-# =============================================================================
-# SETUP
-# =============================================================================
-
-.PHONY: setup setup-js setup-python setup-rust
-
-setup: setup-js setup-python ## Full project setup (all dependencies)
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ Setup complete!$(NC)"
-	@echo -e "  Run $(YELLOW)make dev$(NC) to start development servers"
-
-setup-js: ## Install JavaScript dependencies (bun)
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Installing JavaScript dependencies...$(NC)"
-	bun install
-
-setup-python: $(VENV)/bin/activate ## Set up Python virtual environment and dependencies
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Installing Python dependencies...$(NC)"
-	$(PIP) install --upgrade pip
-	$(PIP) install -r $(BACKEND_DIR)/requirements.txt
-	@if [ "$$(uname -m)" = "arm64" ] && [ "$$(uname)" = "Darwin" ]; then \
-		echo -e "$(BLUE)Detected Apple Silicon - installing MLX dependencies...$(NC)"; \
-		$(PIP) install -r $(BACKEND_DIR)/requirements-mlx.txt; \
-		echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ MLX backend enabled (native Metal acceleration)$(NC)"; \
-	fi
-	$(PIP) install git+https://github.com/QwenLM/Qwen3-TTS.git
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ Python environment ready$(NC)"
-
-$(VENV)/bin/activate:
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Creating Python virtual environment...$(NC)"
-	@PY_MINOR=$$($(PYTHON) -c "import sys; print(sys.version_info[1])"); \
-	if [ "$$PY_MINOR" -gt 13 ]; then \
-		echo -e "$(YELLOW)Warning: Python 3.$$PY_MINOR detected. ML packages may not be compatible.$(NC)"; \
-		echo -e "$(YELLOW)Recommended: Use Python 3.12 or 3.13 (brew install [email protected])$(NC)"; \
-	fi
-	$(PYTHON) -m venv $(VENV)
-
-setup-rust: ## Install Rust toolchain (if not present)
-	@command -v rustc >/dev/null 2>&1 || curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
-
-# =============================================================================
-# DEVELOPMENT
-# =============================================================================
-
-.PHONY: dev dev-backend dev-frontend dev-web kill-dev
-
-dev: ## Start backend + desktop app (parallel)
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Starting development servers...$(NC)"
-	@echo -e "$(YELLOW)Note: If Tauri fails, run 'make build-server' first or use separate terminals$(NC)"
-	@trap 'kill 0' EXIT; \
-		$(MAKE) dev-backend & \
-		sleep 2 && $(MAKE) dev-frontend & \
-		wait
-
-dev-backend: ## Start FastAPI backend server
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Starting backend server on http://localhost:17493$(NC)"
-	$(VENV_BIN)/uvicorn backend.main:app --reload --port 17493
-
-dev-frontend: ## Start Tauri desktop app
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Starting Tauri desktop app...$(NC)"
-	bun run dev
-
-dev-web: ## Start backend + web app (parallel)
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Starting web development servers...$(NC)"
-	@trap 'kill 0' EXIT; \
-		$(MAKE) dev-backend & \
-		sleep 2 && cd $(WEB_DIR) && bun run dev & \
-		wait
-
-kill-dev: ## Kill all development processes
-	@echo -e "$(YELLOW)Killing development processes...$(NC)"
-	-pkill -f "uvicorn main:app" 2>/dev/null || true
-	-pkill -f "vite" 2>/dev/null || true
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ Processes killed$(NC)"
-
-# =============================================================================
-# BUILD
-# =============================================================================
-
-.PHONY: build build-server build-tauri build-web
-
-build: build-server build-tauri ## Build everything (server binary + desktop app)
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ Build complete!$(NC)"
-
-build-server: ## Build Python server binary
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Building server binary...$(NC)"
-	PATH="$(VENV_BIN):$$PATH" ./scripts/build-server.sh
-
-build-tauri: ## Build Tauri desktop app
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Building Tauri desktop app...$(NC)"
-	cd $(TAURI_DIR) && bun run tauri build
-
-build-web: ## Build web app
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Building web app...$(NC)"
-	cd $(WEB_DIR) && bun run build
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ Web build output in $(WEB_DIR)/dist/$(NC)"
-
-# =============================================================================
-# DATABASE & API
-# =============================================================================
-
-.PHONY: db-init db-reset generate-api
-
-db-init: $(VENV)/bin/activate ## Initialize SQLite database
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Initializing database...$(NC)"
-	cd $(BACKEND_DIR) && $(PYTHON_VENV) -c "from database import init_db; init_db()"
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ Database created at $(BACKEND_DIR)/data/voicebox.db$(NC)"
-
-db-reset: ## Reset database (delete and reinitialize)
-	@echo -e "$(YELLOW)Resetting database...$(NC)"
-	rm -f $(BACKEND_DIR)/data/voicebox.db
-	$(MAKE) db-init
-
-generate-api: ## Generate TypeScript API client from OpenAPI schema
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Generating API client...$(NC)"
-	@echo -e "$(YELLOW)Note: Backend must be running (make dev-backend)$(NC)"
-	./scripts/generate-api.sh
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ API client generated in $(APP_DIR)/src/lib/api/$(NC)"
-
-# =============================================================================
-# CODE QUALITY
-# =============================================================================
-
-.PHONY: lint format typecheck check
-
-lint: ## Run linter (Biome)
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Linting...$(NC)"
-	bun run lint
-
-format: ## Format code (Biome)
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Formatting...$(NC)"
-	bun run format
-
-typecheck: ## Run TypeScript type checking
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Type checking...$(NC)"
-	bun run tsc --noEmit
-
-check: ## Run all checks (Biome lint + format + type check)
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Running all checks...$(NC)"
-	bun run check
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ All checks passed$(NC)"
-
-# =============================================================================
-# TESTING
-# =============================================================================
-
-.PHONY: test test-backend test-frontend
-
-test: test-backend test-frontend ## Run all tests
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ All tests passed$(NC)"
-
-test-backend: ## Run Python backend tests (requires pytest)
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Running backend tests...$(NC)"
-	@if [ -f "$(VENV_BIN)/pytest" ]; then \
-		cd $(BACKEND_DIR) && $(VENV_BIN)/pytest -v; \
-	else \
-		echo -e "$(YELLOW)pytest not installed. Run: $(PIP) install pytest$(NC)"; \
-		exit 1; \
-	fi
-
-test-frontend: ## Run frontend tests (requires test script in package.json)
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Running frontend tests...$(NC)"
-	@if bun run test --help >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
-		bun run test; \
-	else \
-		echo -e "$(YELLOW)No test script configured$(NC)"; \
-		exit 1; \
-	fi
-
-# =============================================================================
-# LOGS & DEBUGGING
-# =============================================================================
-
-.PHONY: logs docs
-
-logs: ## Tail backend logs
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Tailing logs (Ctrl+C to stop)...$(NC)"
-	tail -f $(BACKEND_DIR)/logs/*.log 2>/dev/null || echo "No log files found"
-
-docs: ## Open API documentation (backend must be running)
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Opening API docs...$(NC)"
-	open http://localhost:17493/docs 2>/dev/null || xdg-open http://localhost:17493/docs
-
-# =============================================================================
-# CLEAN
-# =============================================================================
-
-.PHONY: clean clean-python clean-build clean-all
-
-clean: ## Clean build artifacts
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Cleaning build artifacts...$(NC)"
-	rm -rf $(TAURI_DIR)/src-tauri/target/release
-	rm -rf $(WEB_DIR)/dist
-	rm -rf $(APP_DIR)/dist
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ Build artifacts cleaned$(NC)"
-
-clean-python: ## Clean Python cache and virtual environment
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Cleaning Python files...$(NC)"
-	rm -rf $(VENV)
-	find $(BACKEND_DIR) -type d -name "__pycache__" -exec rm -rf {} + 2>/dev/null || true
-	find $(BACKEND_DIR) -type f -name "*.pyc" -delete 2>/dev/null || true
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ Python environment cleaned$(NC)"
-
-clean-build: ## Clean Rust/Tauri build cache
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Cleaning Rust build cache...$(NC)"
-	cd $(TAURI_DIR)/src-tauri && cargo clean
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ Rust cache cleaned$(NC)"
-
-clean-all: clean clean-python clean-build ## Nuclear clean (everything)
-	@echo -e "$(BLUE)Cleaning node_modules...$(NC)"
-	rm -rf node_modules
-	rm -rf $(APP_DIR)/node_modules
-	rm -rf $(TAURI_DIR)/node_modules
-	rm -rf $(WEB_DIR)/node_modules
-	@echo -e "$(GREEN)✓ Full clean complete$(NC)"

PATCH_NOTES.md

@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+# Voicebox Offline Mode Fix
+
+## Problem
+Voicebox crashes when generating speech if HuggingFace is unreachable, even when models are fully cached locally.
+
+**Root Cause:**
+- Voicebox downloads `mlx-community/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base-bf16` (MLX optimized version)
+- But `mlx_audio.tts.load()` tries to fetch `config.json` from original repo `Qwen/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base`
+- This network request fails → server crashes with `RemoteDisconnected`
+
+**Related Issues:**
+- Issue #150: "Internet connection required, even though models are downloaded?"
+- Issue #151: "API Stability Issues: Model Loading Hangs and Server Crashes"
+
+## Solution
+Two-part fix:
+
+### 1. Monkey-patch huggingface_hub (`backend/utils/hf_offline_patch.py`)
+- Intercepts cache lookup functions
+- Forces offline mode early (before mlx_audio imports)
+- Adds debug logging for cache hits/misses
+
+### 2. Symlink original repo to MLX version (`ensure_original_qwen_config_cached()`)
+- When original `Qwen/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base` cache doesn't exist
+- But MLX `mlx-community/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base-bf16` does exist
+- Creates a symlink so cache lookups succeed
+
+## Files Changed
+- `backend/backends/mlx_backend.py` - Added patch imports at top
+- `backend/utils/hf_offline_patch.py` - New patch module
+
+## Testing
+To test this fix:
+1. Build Voicebox from source: `just build`
+2. Disconnect from internet
+3. Try generating speech
+4. Should work without network requests
+
+## Build Instructions
+
+```bash
+# Install dependencies
+just setup
+
+# Build the app
+just build
+
+# Or build just the server
+just build-server
+```
+
+## Notes
+- The patch is applied automatically when `mlx_backend.py` is imported
+- Set `VOICEBOX_OFFLINE_PATCH=0` to disable the patch
+- The symlink approach works because the config.json is compatible between versions
+
+---
+*Patch contributed by community*

README.md

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 <p align="center">
   <strong>The open-source voice synthesis studio.</strong><br/>
-  Clone voices. Generate speech. Build voice-powered apps.<br/>
+  Clone voices. Generate speech. Apply effects. Build voice-powered apps.<br/>
   All running locally on your machine.
 </p>
 
@@ -59,118 +59,166 @@
 
 ## What is Voicebox?
 
-Voicebox is a **local-first voice cloning studio** with DAW-like features for professional voice synthesis. Think of it as the **Ollama for voice** — download models, clone voices, and generate speech entirely on your machine.
-
-Unlike cloud services that lock your voice data behind subscriptions, Voicebox gives you:
+Voicebox is a **local-first voice cloning studio** — a free and open-source alternative to ElevenLabs. Clone voices from a few seconds of audio, generate speech in 23 languages across 4 TTS engines, apply post-processing effects, and compose multi-voice projects with a timeline editor.
 
 - **Complete privacy** — models and voice data stay on your machine
-- **Professional tools** — multi-track timeline editor, audio trimming, conversation mixing
-- **Model flexibility** — currently powered by Qwen3-TTS, with support for XTTS, Bark, and other models coming soon
-- **API-first** — use the desktop app or integrate voice synthesis into your own projects
+- **4 TTS engines** — Qwen3-TTS, LuxTTS, Chatterbox Multilingual, and Chatterbox Turbo
+- **23 languages** — from English to Arabic, Japanese, Hindi, Swahili, and more
+- **Post-processing effects** — pitch shift, reverb, delay, chorus, compression, and filters
+- **Expressive speech** — paralinguistic tags like `[laugh]`, `[sigh]`, `[gasp]` via Chatterbox Turbo
+- **Unlimited length** — auto-chunking with crossfade for scripts, articles, and chapters
+- **Stories editor** — multi-track timeline for conversations, podcasts, and narratives
+- **API-first** — REST API for integrating voice synthesis into your own projects
 - **Native performance** — built with Tauri (Rust), not Electron
-- **Super fast on Mac** — MLX backend with native Metal acceleration for 4-5x faster inference on Apple Silicon
-
-Download a voice model, clone any voice from a few seconds of audio, and compose multi-voice projects with studio-grade editing tools. No Python install required, no cloud dependency, no limits.
+- **Runs everywhere** — macOS (MLX/Metal), Windows (CUDA), Linux, AMD ROCm, Intel Arc, Docker
 
 ---
 
 ## Download
 
-Voicebox is available now for macOS and Windows.
-
 | Platform | Download |
 |----------|----------|
-| macOS (Apple Silicon) | [voicebox_aarch64.app.tar.gz](https://github.com/jamiepine/voicebox/releases/download/v0.1.0/voicebox_aarch64.app.tar.gz) |
-| macOS (Intel) | [voicebox_x64.app.tar.gz](https://github.com/jamiepine/voicebox/releases/download/v0.1.0/voicebox_x64.app.tar.gz) |
-| Windows (MSI) | [voicebox_0.1.0_x64_en-US.msi](https://github.com/jamiepine/voicebox/releases/download/v0.1.0/voicebox_0.1.0_x64_en-US.msi) |
-| Windows (Setup) | [voicebox_0.1.0_x64-setup.exe](https://github.com/jamiepine/voicebox/releases/download/v0.1.0/voicebox_0.1.0_x64-setup.exe) |
+| macOS (Apple Silicon) | [Download DMG](https://voicebox.sh/download/mac-arm) |
+| macOS (Intel) | [Download DMG](https://voicebox.sh/download/mac-intel) |
+| Windows | [Download MSI](https://voicebox.sh/download/windows) |
+| Docker | `docker compose up` |
 
-> **Linux builds coming soon** — Currently blocked by GitHub runner disk space limitations.
+> **[View all binaries →](https://github.com/jamiepine/voicebox/releases/latest)**
+
+> **Linux** — Pre-built binaries are not yet available. See [voicebox.sh/linux-install](https://voicebox.sh/linux-install) for build-from-source instructions.
 
 ---
 
 ## Features
 
-### Voice Cloning with Qwen3-TTS
+### Multi-Engine Voice Cloning
 
-Powered by Alibaba's **Qwen3-TTS** — a breakthrough model that achieves near-perfect voice cloning from just a few seconds of audio.
+Four TTS engines with different strengths, switchable per-generation:
 
-- **Instant cloning** — Upload a sample, get a voice profile
-- **High fidelity** — Natural prosody, emotion, and cadence
-- **Multi-language** — English, Chinese, and more coming
-- **Lightning fast on Mac** — MLX backend leverages Apple Silicon's Neural Engine for super fast generation
+| Engine | Languages | Strengths |
+|--------|-----------|-----------|
+| **Qwen3-TTS** (0.6B / 1.7B) | 10 | High-quality multilingual cloning, delivery instructions ("speak slowly", "whisper") |
+| **LuxTTS** | English | Lightweight (~1GB VRAM), 48kHz output, 150x realtime on CPU |
+| **Chatterbox Multilingual** | 23 | Broadest language coverage — Arabic, Danish, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Swahili, Swedish, Turkish and more |
+| **Chatterbox Turbo** | English | Fast 350M model with paralinguistic emotion/sound tags |
+
+### Emotions & Paralinguistic Tags
+
+Type `/` in the text input to insert expressive tags that the model synthesizes inline with speech (Chatterbox Turbo):
+
+`[laugh]` `[chuckle]` `[gasp]` `[cough]` `[sigh]` `[groan]` `[sniff]` `[shush]` `[clear throat]`
+
+### Post-Processing Effects
+
+8 audio effects powered by Spotify's `pedalboard` library. Apply after generation, preview in real time, build reusable presets.
+
+| Effect | Description |
+|--------|-------------|
+| Pitch Shift | Up or down by up to 12 semitones |
+| Reverb | Configurable room size, damping, wet/dry mix |
+| Delay | Echo with adjustable time, feedback, and mix |
+| Chorus / Flanger | Modulated delay for metallic or lush textures |
+| Compressor | Dynamic range compression |
+| Gain | Volume adjustment (-40 to +40 dB) |
+| High-Pass Filter | Remove low frequencies |
+| Low-Pass Filter | Remove high frequencies |
+
+Ships with 4 built-in presets (Robotic, Radio, Echo Chamber, Deep Voice) and supports custom presets. Effects can be assigned per-profile as defaults.
+
+### Unlimited Generation Length
+
+Text is automatically split at sentence boundaries and each chunk is generated independently, then crossfaded together. Works with all engines.
+
+- Configurable auto-chunking limit (100–5,000 chars)
+- Crossfade slider (0–200ms) for smooth transitions
+- Max text length: 50,000 characters
+- Smart splitting respects abbreviations, CJK punctuation, and `[tags]`
+
+### Generation Versions
+
+Every generation supports multiple versions with provenance tracking:
+
+- **Original** — clean TTS output, always preserved
+- **Effects versions** — apply different effects chains from any source version
+- **Takes** — regenerate with a new seed for variation
+- **Source tracking** — each version records its lineage
+- **Favorites** — star generations for quick access
+
+### Async Generation Queue
+
+Generation is non-blocking. Submit and immediately start typing the next one.
+
+- Serial execution queue prevents GPU contention
+- Real-time SSE status streaming
+- Failed generations can be retried
+- Stale generations from crashes auto-recover on startup
 
 ### Voice Profile Management
 
-- **Create profiles** from audio files or record directly in-app
-- **Import/Export** profiles to share or backup
-- **Multi-sample support** — combine multiple samples for higher quality cloning
-- **Organize** with descriptions and language tags
-
-### Speech Generation
-
-- **Text-to-speech** with any cloned voice
-- **Batch generation** for long-form content
-- **Smart caching** — regenerate instantly with voice prompt caching
+- Create profiles from audio files or record directly in-app
+- Import/export profiles to share or back up
+- Multi-sample support for higher quality cloning
+- Per-profile default effects chains
+- Organize with descriptions and language tags
 
 ### Stories Editor
 
-Create multi-voice narratives, podcasts, and conversations with a timeline-based editor.
+Multi-voice timeline editor for conversations, podcasts, and narratives.
 
-- **Multi-track composition** — arrange multiple voice tracks in a single project
-- **Inline audio editing** — trim and split clips directly in the timeline
-- **Auto-playback** — preview stories with synchronized playhead
-- **Voice mixing** — build conversations with multiple participants
+- Multi-track composition with drag-and-drop
+- Inline audio trimming and splitting
+- Auto-playback with synchronized playhead
+- Version pinning per track clip
 
 ### Recording & Transcription
 
-- **In-app recording** with waveform visualization
-- **System audio capture** — record desktop audio on macOS and Windows
-- **Automatic transcription** powered by Whisper
-- **Export recordings** in multiple formats
+- In-app recording with waveform visualization
+- System audio capture (macOS and Windows)
+- Automatic transcription powered by Whisper (including Whisper Turbo)
+- Export recordings in multiple formats
 
-### Generation History
+### Model Management
 
-- **Full history** of all generated audio
-- **Search & filter** by voice, text, or date
-- **Re-generate** any past generation with one click
+- Per-model unload to free GPU memory without deleting downloads
+- Custom models directory via `VOICEBOX_MODELS_DIR`
+- Model folder migration with progress tracking
+- Download cancel/clear UI
 
-### Flexible Deployment
+### GPU Support
 
-- **Local mode** — Everything runs on your machine
-- **Remote mode** — Connect to a GPU server on your network
-- **One-click server** — Turn any machine into a Voicebox server
+| Platform | Backend | Notes |
+|----------|---------|-------|
+| macOS (Apple Silicon) | MLX (Metal) | 4-5x faster via Neural Engine |
+| Windows / Linux (NVIDIA) | PyTorch (CUDA) | Auto-downloads CUDA binary from within the app |
+| Linux (AMD) | PyTorch (ROCm) | Auto-configures HSA_OVERRIDE_GFX_VERSION |
+| Windows (any GPU) | DirectML | Universal Windows GPU support |
+| Intel Arc | IPEX/XPU | Intel discrete GPU acceleration |
+| Any | CPU | Works everywhere, just slower |
 
 ---
 
 ## API
 
-Voicebox exposes a full REST API, so you can integrate voice synthesis into your own apps.
+Voicebox exposes a full REST API for integrating voice synthesis into your own apps.
 
 ```bash
 # Generate speech
-curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/generate \
+curl -X POST http://localhost:17493/generate \
   -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
   -d '{"text": "Hello world", "profile_id": "abc123", "language": "en"}'
 
 # List voice profiles
-curl http://localhost:8000/profiles
+curl http://localhost:17493/profiles
 
 # Create a profile
-curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/profiles \
+curl -X POST http://localhost:17493/profiles \
   -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
   -d '{"name": "My Voice", "language": "en"}'
 ```
 
-**Use cases:**
+**Use cases:** game dialogue, podcast production, accessibility tools, voice assistants, content automation.
 
-- Game dialogue systems
-- Podcast/video production pipelines
-- Accessibility tools
-- Voice assistants
-- Content creation automation
-
-Full API documentation available at `http://localhost:8000/docs` when running.
+Full API documentation available at `http://localhost:17493/docs`.
 
 ---
 
@@ -182,42 +230,24 @@ Full API documentation available at `http://localhost:8000/docs` when running.
 | Frontend | React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS |
 | State | Zustand, React Query |
 | Backend | FastAPI (Python) |
-| Voice Model | Qwen3-TTS (PyTorch or MLX) |
-| Transcription | Whisper (PyTorch or MLX) |
-| Inference Engine | MLX (Apple Silicon) / PyTorch (Windows/Linux/Intel) |
+| TTS Engines | Qwen3-TTS, LuxTTS, Chatterbox, Chatterbox Turbo |
+| Effects | Pedalboard (Spotify) |
+| Transcription | Whisper / Whisper Turbo (PyTorch or MLX) |
+| Inference | MLX (Apple Silicon) / PyTorch (CUDA/ROCm/XPU/CPU) |
 | Database | SQLite |
 | Audio | WaveSurfer.js, librosa |
 
-**Why this stack?**
-
-- **Tauri over Electron** — 10x smaller bundle, native performance, lower memory
-- **FastAPI** — Async Python with automatic OpenAPI schema generation
-- **Type-safe end-to-end** — Generated TypeScript client from OpenAPI spec
-
 ---
 
 ## Roadmap
 
-Voicebox is the beginning of something bigger. Here's what's coming:
-
-### Coming Soon
-
 | Feature | Description |
 |---------|-------------|
-| **Real-time Synthesis** | Stream audio as it generates, word by word |
-| **Conversation Mode** | Multi-speaker dialogues with automatic turn-taking |
-| **Voice Effects** | Pitch shift, reverb, M3GAN-style effects |
-| **Timeline Editor** | Audio studio with word-level precision editing |
+| **Real-time Streaming** | Stream audio as it generates, word by word |
+| **Voice Design** | Create new voices from text descriptions |
 | **More Models** | XTTS, Bark, and other open-source voice models |
-
-### Future Vision
-
-- **Voice Design** — Create new voices from text descriptions
-- **Project System** — Save and load complex multi-voice sessions
-- **Plugin Architecture** — Extend with custom models and effects
-- **Mobile Companion** — Control Voicebox from your phone
-
-Voicebox aims to be the **one-stop shop for everything voice** — cloning, synthesis, editing, effects, and beyond.
+| **Plugin Architecture** | Extend with custom models and effects |
+| **Mobile Companion** | Control Voicebox from your phone |
 
 ---
 
@@ -225,47 +255,27 @@ Voicebox aims to be the **one-stop shop for everything voice** — cloning, synt
 
 See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for detailed setup and contribution guidelines.
 
-**Using the Makefile (recommended):** Run `make help` to see all available commands for setup, development, building, and testing.
-
 ### Quick Start
 
-**With Makefile (Unix/macOS/Linux):**
-
 ```bash
-# Clone the repo
-git clone https://github.com/voicebox-sh/voicebox.git
+git clone https://github.com/jamiepine/voicebox.git
 cd voicebox
 
-# Setup everything
-make setup
-
-# Start development
-make dev
+just setup   # creates Python venv, installs all deps
+just dev     # starts backend + desktop app
 ```
 
-**Manual setup (all platforms):**
+Install [just](https://github.com/casey/just): `brew install just` or `cargo install just`. Run `just --list` to see all commands.
+
+**Prerequisites:** [Bun](https://bun.sh), [Rust](https://rustup.rs), [Python 3.11+](https://python.org), [Tauri Prerequisites](https://v2.tauri.app/start/prerequisites/), and [Xcode](https://developer.apple.com/xcode/) on macOS.
+
+### Building Locally
 
 ```bash
-# Clone the repo
-git clone https://github.com/voicebox-sh/voicebox.git
-cd voicebox
-
-# Install dependencies
-bun install
-
-# Install Python dependencies
-cd backend && pip install -r requirements.txt && cd ..
-
-# Start development
-bun run dev
+just build          # Build CPU server binary + Tauri app
+just build-local    # (Windows) Build CPU + CUDA server binaries + Tauri app
 ```
 
-**Prerequisites:** [Bun](https://bun.sh), [Rust](https://rustup.rs), [Python 3.11+](https://python.org). 
-
-**Performance:** 
-- **Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3)**: Uses MLX backend with native Metal acceleration for 4-5x faster inference
-- **Windows/Linux/Intel Mac**: Uses PyTorch backend (CUDA GPU recommended, CPU supported but slower)
-
 ### Project Structure
 
 ```

app/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@voicebox/app",
-  "version": "0.1.11",
+  "version": "0.2.3",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {

app/src/App.tsx

@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
-import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { RouterProvider } from '@tanstack/react-router';
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import voiceboxLogo from '@/assets/voicebox-logo.png';
 import ShinyText from '@/components/ShinyText';
 import { TitleBarDragRegion } from '@/components/TitleBarDragRegion';
+import { useAutoUpdater } from '@/hooks/useAutoUpdater';
 import { TOP_SAFE_AREA_PADDING } from '@/lib/constants/ui';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
+import { usePlatform } from '@/platform/PlatformContext';
 import { router } from '@/router';
 import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
-import { usePlatform } from '@/platform/PlatformContext';
 
 const LOADING_MESSAGES = [
   'Warming up tensors...',
@@ -38,6 +39,9 @@ function App() {
   const [loadingMessageIndex, setLoadingMessageIndex] = useState(0);
   const serverStartingRef = useRef(false);
 
+  // Automatically check for app updates on startup and show toast notifications
+  useAutoUpdater({ checkOnMount: true, showToast: true });
+
   // Sync stored setting to Rust on startup
   useEffect(() => {
     if (platform.metadata.isTauri) {
@@ -46,14 +50,18 @@ function App() {
         console.error('Failed to sync initial setting to Rust:', error);
       });
     }
-  }, [platform]);
+    // Empty dependency array - platform is stable from context, only run once
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.metadata.isTauri, platform.lifecycle]);
 
   // Setup lifecycle callbacks
   useEffect(() => {
     platform.lifecycle.onServerReady = () => {
       setServerReady(true);
     };
-  }, [platform]);
+    // Empty dependency array - platform is stable from context, only run once
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.lifecycle]);
 
   // Setup window close handler and auto-start server when running in Tauri (production only)
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -85,10 +93,12 @@ function App() {
     }
 
     serverStartingRef.current = true;
-    console.log('Production mode: Starting bundled server...');
+    const isRemote = useServerStore.getState().mode === 'remote';
+    const customModelsDir = useServerStore.getState().customModelsDir;
+    console.log(`Production mode: Starting bundled server... (remote: ${isRemote})`);
 
     platform.lifecycle
-      .startServer(false)
+      .startServer(isRemote, customModelsDir)
       .then((serverUrl) => {
         console.log('Server is ready at:', serverUrl);
         // Update the server URL in the store with the dynamically assigned port
@@ -111,7 +121,9 @@ function App() {
       // Window close event handles server shutdown based on setting
       serverStartingRef.current = false;
     };
-  }, [platform]);
+    // Empty dependency array - platform is stable from context, only run once
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.metadata.isTauri, platform.lifecycle]);
 
   // Cycle through loading messages every 3 seconds
   useEffect(() => {

app/src/components/AudioPlayer/AudioPlayer.tsx

@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
 import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import { Pause, Play, Repeat, Volume2, VolumeX, X } from 'lucide-react';
-import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { useEffect, useId, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import WaveSurfer from 'wavesurfer.js';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { Slider } from '@/components/ui/slider';
 import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
 import { formatAudioDuration } from '@/lib/utils/audio';
 import { debug } from '@/lib/utils/debug';
-import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
 import { usePlatform } from '@/platform/PlatformContext';
+import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
 
 export function AudioPlayer() {
   const platform = usePlatform();
+  const volumeLabelId = useId();
   const {
     audioUrl,
     audioId,
@@ -138,7 +139,11 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
           barRadius: 2,
           height: 80,
           normalize: true,
-          backend: 'WebAudio',
+          // Use MediaElement backend (default). Unlike the WebAudio backend,
+          // MediaElement uses a standard <audio> element for playback which
+          // benefits from the browser/webview's built-in audio session recovery.
+          // This prevents audio loss when another app steals audio output or
+          // the system audio session is interrupted.
           interact: true, // Enable interaction (click to seek)
           mediaControls: false, // Don't show native controls
         });
@@ -156,8 +161,21 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
       const wavesurfer = wavesurferRef.current;
       if (!wavesurfer) return;
 
-      // Update store when time changes
+      // Update store when time changes, stop if past duration
       wavesurfer.on('timeupdate', (time) => {
+        const dur = usePlayerStore.getState().duration;
+        if (dur > 0 && time >= dur) {
+          setCurrentTime(dur);
+          const loop = usePlayerStore.getState().isLooping;
+          if (loop) {
+            wavesurfer.seekTo(0);
+            wavesurfer.play();
+          } else {
+            wavesurfer.pause();
+            setIsPlaying(false);
+          }
+          return;
+        }
         setCurrentTime(time);
       });
 
@@ -175,15 +193,6 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
         const currentVolume = usePlayerStore.getState().volume;
         wavesurfer.setVolume(currentVolume);
 
-        // Get the underlying audio element and ensure it's not muted
-        // (unless we're using native playback, which will be set later)
-        const mediaElement = wavesurfer.getMediaElement();
-        if (mediaElement && !isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current) {
-          mediaElement.volume = currentVolume;
-          mediaElement.muted = false;
-          debug.log('Audio element volume:', mediaElement.volume, 'muted:', mediaElement.muted);
-        }
-
         // Auto-play when ready - check if we should use native playback
         // Get current values from the store and queries at runtime (not captured closure values)
         const currentAudioUrl = usePlayerStore.getState().audioUrl;
@@ -250,21 +259,8 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
             debug.log('Should use native playback:', shouldUseNative);
 
             if (!shouldUseNative) {
-              debug.log('No custom devices assigned, falling back to WaveSurfer');
-              // Reset native playback flag and unmute WaveSurfer
+              debug.log('No custom devices assigned, using standard playback');
               isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current = false;
-              const mediaElement = wavesurfer.getMediaElement();
-              if (mediaElement) {
-                const currentVolume = usePlayerStore.getState().volume;
-                mediaElement.volume = currentVolume;
-                mediaElement.muted = false;
-                debug.log(
-                  'WaveSurfer unmuted for normal playback - volume:',
-                  mediaElement.volume,
-                  'muted:',
-                  mediaElement.muted,
-                );
-              }
             } else {
               const deviceIds = assignedChannels.flatMap((ch: any) => ch.device_ids);
               debug.log('Device IDs to play to:', deviceIds);
@@ -285,19 +281,10 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
                   // Mark that we're using native playback
                   isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current = true;
 
-                  // Mute WaveSurfer's audio element to prevent UI audio output
-                  // Keep WaveSurfer running for visualization
-                  const mediaElement = wavesurfer.getMediaElement();
-                  if (mediaElement) {
-                    mediaElement.volume = 0;
-                    mediaElement.muted = true;
-                    debug.log(
-                      'WaveSurfer muted for native playback - volume:',
-                      mediaElement.volume,
-                      'muted:',
-                      mediaElement.muted,
-                    );
-                  }
+                  // Mute WaveSurfer's audio output — native handles the actual sound
+                  // Keep WaveSurfer running for waveform visualization
+                  wavesurfer.setVolume(0);
+                  wavesurfer.setMuted(true);
 
                   // Start WaveSurfer playback for visualization (muted)
                   wavesurfer.play().catch((error) => {
@@ -320,38 +307,15 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
               'Native playback failed during auto-play, falling back to WaveSurfer:',
               error,
             );
-            // Reset native playback flag and unmute WaveSurfer
             isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current = false;
-            const mediaElement = wavesurfer.getMediaElement();
-            if (mediaElement) {
-              const currentVolume = usePlayerStore.getState().volume;
-              mediaElement.volume = currentVolume;
-              mediaElement.muted = false;
-              debug.log(
-                'WaveSurfer unmuted after native playback failure - volume:',
-                mediaElement.volume,
-                'muted:',
-                mediaElement.muted,
-              );
-            }
             // Fall through to WaveSurfer playback
           }
-        } else {
-          debug.log('Not using native playback, using WaveSurfer');
-          // Reset native playback flag and unmute WaveSurfer
-          isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current = false;
-          const mediaElement = wavesurfer.getMediaElement();
-          if (mediaElement) {
-            const currentVolume = usePlayerStore.getState().volume;
-            mediaElement.volume = currentVolume;
-            mediaElement.muted = false;
-            debug.log(
-              'WaveSurfer unmuted for normal playback - volume:',
-              mediaElement.volume,
-              'muted:',
-              mediaElement.muted,
-            );
-          }
+        }
+
+        // Standard playback path — ensure WaveSurfer is unmuted
+        if (!isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current) {
+          wavesurfer.setMuted(false);
+          wavesurfer.setVolume(usePlayerStore.getState().volume);
         }
 
         // Only auto-play if shouldAutoPlay flag is set (user explicitly clicked to play)
@@ -359,7 +323,7 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
         if (shouldAutoPlayNow) {
           // Clear the flag first
           usePlayerStore.getState().clearAutoPlayFlag();
-          
+
           // Use a small delay to ensure audio element is fully ready
           setTimeout(() => {
             wavesurfer.play().catch((error) => {
@@ -375,28 +339,6 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
       // Handle play/pause
       wavesurfer.on('play', () => {
         setIsPlaying(true);
-        // Ensure audio element volume is set correctly
-        const mediaElement = wavesurfer.getMediaElement();
-        if (mediaElement) {
-          // Double-check: if using native playback, keep WaveSurfer muted
-          // Otherwise, ensure it's unmuted
-          if (isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current) {
-            mediaElement.volume = 0;
-            mediaElement.muted = true;
-            debug.log('Playing (native mode) - WaveSurfer muted for visualization only');
-          } else {
-            // Ensure WaveSurfer is unmuted for normal playback
-            const currentVolume = usePlayerStore.getState().volume;
-            mediaElement.volume = currentVolume;
-            mediaElement.muted = false;
-            debug.log(
-              'Playing (normal mode) - volume:',
-              mediaElement.volume,
-              'muted:',
-              mediaElement.muted,
-            );
-          }
-        }
       });
       wavesurfer.on('pause', () => setIsPlaying(false));
       wavesurfer.on('finish', () => {
@@ -478,11 +420,6 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
       if (wavesurferRef.current) {
         debug.log('Destroying WaveSurfer instance');
         try {
-          const mediaElement = wavesurferRef.current.getMediaElement();
-          if (mediaElement) {
-            mediaElement.pause();
-            mediaElement.src = '';
-          }
           wavesurferRef.current.destroy();
         } catch (error) {
           debug.error('Error destroying WaveSurfer:', error);
@@ -523,13 +460,10 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
     }
 
     // Reset native playback flag when loading new audio
-    // Also unmute WaveSurfer if it was muted
+    // Unmute WaveSurfer if it was muted for native playback
     if (isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current) {
-      const mediaElement = wavesurfer.getMediaElement();
-      if (mediaElement) {
-        mediaElement.muted = false;
-        mediaElement.volume = usePlayerStore.getState().volume;
-      }
+      wavesurfer.setMuted(false);
+      wavesurfer.setVolume(usePlayerStore.getState().volume);
     }
     isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current = false;
 
@@ -545,16 +479,7 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
         wavesurfer.pause();
       }
 
-      // Stop the media element explicitly
-      const mediaElement = wavesurfer.getMediaElement();
-      if (mediaElement) {
-        debug.log('Stopping media element');
-        mediaElement.pause();
-        mediaElement.currentTime = 0;
-        mediaElement.src = '';
-      }
-
-      // Use empty() to completely destroy the waveform and media element
+      // Use empty() to completely destroy the waveform and reset media
       debug.log('Calling wavesurfer.empty() to destroy audio');
       wavesurfer.empty();
     } catch (error) {
@@ -609,20 +534,13 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
   // Sync volume
   useEffect(() => {
     if (wavesurferRef.current) {
-      wavesurferRef.current.setVolume(volume);
-      // Also ensure the underlying audio element volume is set
-      const mediaElement = wavesurferRef.current.getMediaElement();
-      if (mediaElement) {
-        // If using native playback, keep WaveSurfer muted regardless of volume setting
-        if (isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current) {
-          mediaElement.volume = 0;
-          mediaElement.muted = true;
-          debug.log('Volume sync: Using native playback, keeping WaveSurfer muted');
-        } else {
-          mediaElement.volume = volume;
-          mediaElement.muted = volume === 0;
-          debug.log('Volume synced:', volume, 'muted:', mediaElement.muted);
-        }
+      // If using native playback, keep WaveSurfer muted regardless of volume setting
+      if (isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current) {
+        wavesurferRef.current.setVolume(0);
+        debug.log('Volume sync: Using native playback, keeping WaveSurfer muted');
+      } else {
+        wavesurferRef.current.setVolume(volume);
+        debug.log('Volume synced:', volume);
       }
     }
   }, [volume]);
@@ -664,7 +582,7 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
   // Handle shouldAutoPlay flag - for story mode auto-advance
   const shouldAutoPlay = usePlayerStore((state) => state.shouldAutoPlay);
   const clearAutoPlayFlag = usePlayerStore((state) => state.clearAutoPlayFlag);
-  
+
   useEffect(() => {
     const wavesurfer = wavesurferRef.current;
     if (!wavesurfer || !shouldAutoPlay || duration === 0) {
@@ -743,11 +661,8 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
           isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current = true;
 
           // Mute WaveSurfer and start it for visualization
-          const mediaElement = wavesurferRef.current.getMediaElement();
-          if (mediaElement) {
-            mediaElement.volume = 0;
-            mediaElement.muted = true;
-          }
+          wavesurferRef.current.setVolume(0);
+          wavesurferRef.current.setMuted(true);
 
           // Start WaveSurfer for visualization (muted)
           wavesurferRef.current.play().catch((error) => {
@@ -771,11 +686,8 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
     } else {
       // Ensure WaveSurfer is not muted if not using native playback
       if (!isUsingNativePlaybackRef.current) {
-        const mediaElement = wavesurferRef.current.getMediaElement();
-        if (mediaElement) {
-          mediaElement.muted = false;
-          mediaElement.volume = volume;
-        }
+        wavesurferRef.current.setMuted(false);
+        wavesurferRef.current.setVolume(volume);
       }
 
       wavesurferRef.current.play().catch((error) => {
@@ -831,6 +743,9 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
             disabled={isLoading || duration === 0}
             className="shrink-0"
             title={duration === 0 && !isLoading ? 'Audio not loaded' : ''}
+            aria-label={
+              duration === 0 && !isLoading ? 'Audio not loaded' : isPlaying ? 'Pause' : 'Play'
+            }
           >
             {isPlaying ? <Pause className="h-5 w-5" /> : <Play className="h-5 w-5" />}
           </Button>
@@ -845,6 +760,8 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
                 max={100}
                 step={0.1}
                 className="w-full"
+                aria-label="Playback position"
+                aria-valuetext={`${formatAudioDuration(currentTime)} of ${formatAudioDuration(duration)}`}
               />
             )}
             {isLoading && (
@@ -862,7 +779,9 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
 
           {/* Title */}
           {title && (
-            <div className="text-sm font-medium truncate max-w-[200px] shrink-0">{title}</div>
+            <div className="text-sm font-medium truncate max-w-[200px] shrink-0 hidden lg:block">
+              {title}
+            </div>
           )}
 
           {/* Loop Button */}
@@ -872,26 +791,37 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
             onClick={toggleLoop}
             className={isLooping ? 'text-primary' : ''}
             title="Toggle loop"
+            aria-label={isLooping ? 'Stop looping' : 'Loop'}
           >
             <Repeat className="h-4 w-4" />
           </Button>
 
           {/* Volume Control */}
-          <div className="flex items-center gap-2 shrink-0 w-[120px]">
+          <div
+            className="flex items-center gap-2 shrink-0 w-[120px]"
+            role="group"
+            aria-label="Volume"
+          >
             <Button
               variant="ghost"
               size="icon"
               onClick={() => setVolume(volume > 0 ? 0 : 1)}
               className="h-8 w-8"
+              aria-label={volume > 0 ? 'Mute' : 'Unmute'}
             >
               {volume > 0 ? <Volume2 className="h-4 w-4" /> : <VolumeX className="h-4 w-4" />}
             </Button>
+            <span id={volumeLabelId} className="sr-only">
+              Volume level, {Math.round(volume * 100)}%
+            </span>
             <Slider
               value={[volume * 100]}
               onValueChange={handleVolumeChange}
               max={100}
               step={1}
               className="flex-1"
+              aria-labelledby={volumeLabelId}
+              aria-valuetext={`${Math.round(volume * 100)}%`}
             />
           </div>
 
@@ -902,6 +832,7 @@ export function AudioPlayer() {
             onClick={handleClose}
             className="shrink-0"
             title="Close player"
+            aria-label="Close player"
           >
             <X className="h-5 w-5" />
           </Button>

app/src/components/AudioTab/AudioTab.tsx

@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ import {
 import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
 import { BOTTOM_SAFE_AREA_PADDING } from '@/lib/constants/ui';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
-import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
 import { usePlatform } from '@/platform/PlatformContext';
+import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
 
 interface AudioDevice {
   id: string;
@@ -124,6 +124,13 @@ export function AudioTab() {
     );
   }
 
+  const handleChannelDelete = async (e, channelId) => {
+    e.stopPropagation();
+    if (await confirm('Delete this channel?')) {
+      deleteChannel.mutate(channelId);
+    }
+  };
+
   const allChannels = channels || [];
   const allDevices = devices || [];
   const selectedChannel = selectedChannelId
@@ -161,7 +168,7 @@ export function AudioTab() {
               </Button>
             </div>
           ) : (
-            <div className="space-y-3 p-2">
+            <div className="space-y-3">
               {allChannels.map((channel) => {
                 const isSelected = selectedChannelId === channel.id;
                 return (
@@ -241,12 +248,7 @@ export function AudioTab() {
                             variant="ghost"
                             size="sm"
                             className="h-8 w-8 p-0"
-                            onClick={(e) => {
-                              e.stopPropagation();
-                              if (confirm('Delete this channel?')) {
-                                deleteChannel.mutate(channel.id);
-                              }
-                            }}
+                            onClick={(e) => handleChannelDelete(e, channel.id)}
                           >
                             <Trash2 className="h-4 w-4" />
                           </Button>
@@ -341,7 +343,9 @@ export function AudioTab() {
             <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center py-12 border-2 border-dashed border-muted rounded-md">
               <CheckCircle2 className="h-12 w-12 text-muted-foreground mb-4" />
               <p className="text-muted-foreground text-center">
-                {platform.metadata.isTauri ? 'No audio devices found' : 'Audio device selection requires Tauri'}
+                {platform.metadata.isTauri
+                  ? 'No audio devices found'
+                  : 'Audio device selection requires Tauri'}
               </p>
             </div>
           )}

app/src/components/Effects/EffectsChainEditor.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,377 @@
+import {
+  closestCenter,
+  DndContext,
+  type DragEndEvent,
+  KeyboardSensor,
+  PointerSensor,
+  useSensor,
+  useSensors,
+} from '@dnd-kit/core';
+import {
+  arrayMove,
+  SortableContext,
+  sortableKeyboardCoordinates,
+  useSortable,
+  verticalListSortingStrategy,
+} from '@dnd-kit/sortable';
+import { CSS } from '@dnd-kit/utilities';
+import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query';
+import { ChevronDown, ChevronRight, GripVertical, Plus, Power, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useCallback, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
+import { Label } from '@/components/ui/label';
+import {
+  Select,
+  SelectContent,
+  SelectItem,
+  SelectTrigger,
+  SelectValue,
+} from '@/components/ui/select';
+import { Slider } from '@/components/ui/slider';
+import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
+import type { AvailableEffect, EffectConfig, EffectPresetResponse } from '@/lib/api/types';
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
+
+// Each effect in the chain gets a stable ID for dnd-kit
+interface EffectWithId extends EffectConfig {
+  _id: string;
+}
+
+let nextId = 0;
+function makeId() {
+  return `fx-${++nextId}`;
+}
+
+interface EffectsChainEditorProps {
+  value: EffectConfig[];
+  onChange: (chain: EffectConfig[]) => void;
+  compact?: boolean;
+  showPresets?: boolean;
+}
+
+export function EffectsChainEditor({
+  value,
+  onChange,
+  compact = false,
+  showPresets = true,
+}: EffectsChainEditorProps) {
+  const [expandedId, setExpandedId] = useState<string | null>(null);
+
+  // Maintain stable IDs for each effect across renders.
+  // We use a ref to map value items to IDs, rebuilding when length changes.
+  const idsRef = useRef<string[]>([]);
+  const items: EffectWithId[] = useMemo(() => {
+    // Grow ID array if effects were added
+    while (idsRef.current.length < value.length) {
+      idsRef.current.push(makeId());
+    }
+    // Shrink if effects were removed
+    if (idsRef.current.length > value.length) {
+      idsRef.current = idsRef.current.slice(0, value.length);
+    }
+    return value.map((e, i) => ({ ...e, _id: idsRef.current[i] }));
+  }, [value]);
+
+  const sensors = useSensors(
+    useSensor(PointerSensor, { activationConstraint: { distance: 5 } }),
+    useSensor(KeyboardSensor, { coordinateGetter: sortableKeyboardCoordinates }),
+  );
+
+  const { data: availableEffects } = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ['available-effects'],
+    queryFn: () => apiClient.getAvailableEffects(),
+    staleTime: Infinity,
+  });
+
+  const { data: presets } = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ['effect-presets'],
+    queryFn: () => apiClient.listEffectPresets(),
+    staleTime: 30_000,
+  });
+
+  const effectsMap = useMemo(() => {
+    const m = new Map<string, AvailableEffect>();
+    if (availableEffects) {
+      for (const e of availableEffects.effects) {
+        m.set(e.type, e);
+      }
+    }
+    return m;
+  }, [availableEffects]);
+
+  function addEffect(type: string) {
+    const def = effectsMap.get(type);
+    if (!def) return;
+    const params: Record<string, number> = {};
+    for (const [key, p] of Object.entries(def.params)) {
+      params[key] = p.default;
+    }
+    const newEffect: EffectConfig = { type, enabled: true, params };
+    const newId = makeId();
+    idsRef.current = [...idsRef.current, newId];
+    onChange([...value, newEffect]);
+    setExpandedId(newId);
+  }
+
+  const removeEffect = useCallback(
+    (index: number) => {
+      const removedId = idsRef.current[index];
+      idsRef.current = idsRef.current.filter((_, i) => i !== index);
+      onChange(value.filter((_, i) => i !== index));
+      if (expandedId === removedId) setExpandedId(null);
+    },
+    [value, onChange, expandedId],
+  );
+
+  const toggleEnabled = useCallback(
+    (index: number) => {
+      onChange(value.map((e, i) => (i === index ? { ...e, enabled: !e.enabled } : e)));
+    },
+    [value, onChange],
+  );
+
+  const updateParam = useCallback(
+    (index: number, paramName: string, paramValue: number) => {
+      onChange(
+        value.map((e, i) =>
+          i === index ? { ...e, params: { ...e.params, [paramName]: paramValue } } : e,
+        ),
+      );
+    },
+    [value, onChange],
+  );
+
+  function loadPreset(preset: EffectPresetResponse) {
+    idsRef.current = preset.effects_chain.map(() => makeId());
+    onChange(preset.effects_chain);
+    setExpandedId(null);
+  }
+
+  function clearAll() {
+    idsRef.current = [];
+    onChange([]);
+    setExpandedId(null);
+  }
+
+  function handleDragEnd(event: DragEndEvent) {
+    const { active, over } = event;
+    if (!over || active.id === over.id) return;
+
+    const oldIndex = idsRef.current.indexOf(active.id as string);
+    const newIndex = idsRef.current.indexOf(over.id as string);
+    if (oldIndex === -1 || newIndex === -1) return;
+
+    idsRef.current = arrayMove(idsRef.current, oldIndex, newIndex);
+    onChange(arrayMove([...value], oldIndex, newIndex));
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className={cn('space-y-2', compact && 'text-sm')}>
+      {/* Preset selector row */}
+      {showPresets && (
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+          <Select
+            onValueChange={(id) => {
+              const preset = presets?.find((p) => p.id === id);
+              if (preset) loadPreset(preset);
+            }}
+          >
+            <SelectTrigger className="h-8 flex-1 text-xs focus:ring-0 focus:ring-offset-0">
+              <SelectValue placeholder="Load preset..." />
+            </SelectTrigger>
+            <SelectContent>
+              {presets?.map((p) => (
+                <SelectItem key={p.id} value={p.id}>
+                  {p.name}
+                  {p.description && (
+                    <span className="ml-1 text-muted-foreground">- {p.description}</span>
+                  )}
+                </SelectItem>
+              ))}
+            </SelectContent>
+          </Select>
+
+          {value.length > 0 && (
+            <Button
+              variant="ghost"
+              size="sm"
+              className="h-8 px-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground"
+              onClick={clearAll}
+            >
+              Clear
+            </Button>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      )}
+
+      {/* Sortable effects chain */}
+      <DndContext sensors={sensors} collisionDetection={closestCenter} onDragEnd={handleDragEnd}>
+        <SortableContext items={items.map((i) => i._id)} strategy={verticalListSortingStrategy}>
+          {items.map((effect, index) => (
+            <SortableEffectItem
+              key={effect._id}
+              id={effect._id}
+              effect={effect}
+              index={index}
+              effectDef={effectsMap.get(effect.type)}
+              isExpanded={expandedId === effect._id}
+              onToggleExpand={() => setExpandedId(expandedId === effect._id ? null : effect._id)}
+              onRemove={() => removeEffect(index)}
+              onToggleEnabled={() => toggleEnabled(index)}
+              onUpdateParam={(paramName, paramValue) => updateParam(index, paramName, paramValue)}
+            />
+          ))}
+        </SortableContext>
+      </DndContext>
+
+      {/* Add effect */}
+      {availableEffects && (
+        <Select onValueChange={addEffect}>
+          <SelectTrigger className="h-8 border-dashed text-xs text-muted-foreground focus:ring-0 focus:ring-offset-0">
+            <Plus className="mr-1 h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+            <SelectValue placeholder="Add effect..." />
+          </SelectTrigger>
+          <SelectContent>
+            {availableEffects.effects.map((e) => (
+              <SelectItem key={e.type} value={e.type}>
+                {e.label}
+              </SelectItem>
+            ))}
+          </SelectContent>
+        </Select>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Sortable effect item
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+interface SortableEffectItemProps {
+  id: string;
+  effect: EffectConfig;
+  index: number;
+  effectDef?: AvailableEffect;
+  isExpanded: boolean;
+  onToggleExpand: () => void;
+  onRemove: () => void;
+  onToggleEnabled: () => void;
+  onUpdateParam: (paramName: string, paramValue: number) => void;
+}
+
+function SortableEffectItem({
+  id,
+  effect,
+  effectDef,
+  isExpanded,
+  onToggleExpand,
+  onRemove,
+  onToggleEnabled,
+  onUpdateParam,
+}: SortableEffectItemProps) {
+  const { attributes, listeners, setNodeRef, transform, transition, isDragging } = useSortable({
+    id,
+  });
+
+  const style = {
+    transform: CSS.Transform.toString(transform),
+    transition,
+    zIndex: isDragging ? 10 : undefined,
+  };
+
+  const label = effectDef?.label ?? effect.type;
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      ref={setNodeRef}
+      style={style}
+      className={cn(
+        'rounded-md border',
+        effect.enabled ? 'border-border bg-card' : 'border-border/50 bg-muted/30',
+        isDragging && 'opacity-80 shadow-lg',
+      )}
+    >
+      {/* Header */}
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-1 px-2 py-1.5">
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className="p-0.5 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+          onClick={onToggleExpand}
+        >
+          {isExpanded ? (
+            <ChevronDown className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+          ) : (
+            <ChevronRight className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+          )}
+        </button>
+
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className="p-0.5 text-muted-foreground/50 hover:text-muted-foreground cursor-grab active:cursor-grabbing touch-none"
+          {...attributes}
+          {...listeners}
+        >
+          <GripVertical className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+        </button>
+
+        <span
+          className={cn('flex-1 text-xs font-medium', !effect.enabled && 'text-muted-foreground')}
+        >
+          {label}
+        </span>
+
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className={cn(
+            'p-0.5 transition-colors',
+            effect.enabled ? 'text-primary' : 'text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground',
+          )}
+          onClick={onToggleEnabled}
+          title={effect.enabled ? 'Disable' : 'Enable'}
+        >
+          <Power className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+        </button>
+
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className="p-0.5 text-muted-foreground hover:text-destructive"
+          onClick={onRemove}
+          title="Remove"
+        >
+          <Trash2 className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Params */}
+      {isExpanded && effectDef && (
+        <div className="space-y-3 border-t px-3 py-2.5">
+          {Object.entries(effectDef.params).map(([paramName, paramDef]) => {
+            const currentValue = effect.params[paramName] ?? paramDef.default;
+            return (
+              <div key={paramName} className="space-y-1">
+                <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
+                  <Label className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
+                    {paramDef.description}
+                  </Label>
+                  <span className="text-[11px] font-mono tabular-nums text-foreground">
+                    {currentValue.toFixed(
+                      paramDef.step < 1 ? Math.max(1, -Math.floor(Math.log10(paramDef.step))) : 0,
+                    )}
+                  </span>
+                </div>
+                <Slider
+                  min={paramDef.min}
+                  max={paramDef.max}
+                  step={paramDef.step}
+                  value={[currentValue]}
+                  onValueChange={([v]) => onUpdateParam(paramName, v)}
+                />
+              </div>
+            );
+          })}
+        </div>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}

app/src/components/Effects/GenerationPicker.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+import { ChevronDown, Search } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useMemo, useState } from 'react';
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
+import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input';
+import { Popover, PopoverContent, PopoverTrigger } from '@/components/ui/popover';
+import type { HistoryResponse } from '@/lib/api/types';
+import { useHistory } from '@/lib/hooks/useHistory';
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
+
+interface GenerationPickerProps {
+  selectedId: string | null;
+  onSelect: (generation: HistoryResponse) => void;
+  className?: string;
+}
+
+export function GenerationPicker({ selectedId, onSelect, className }: GenerationPickerProps) {
+  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [searchQuery, setSearchQuery] = useState('');
+
+  const { data: historyData } = useHistory({ limit: 50 });
+
+  const completedGenerations = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!historyData?.items) return [];
+    return historyData.items.filter((gen) => gen.status === 'completed');
+  }, [historyData]);
+
+  const filtered = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!searchQuery) return completedGenerations;
+    const q = searchQuery.toLowerCase();
+    return completedGenerations.filter(
+      (gen) => gen.text.toLowerCase().includes(q) || gen.profile_name.toLowerCase().includes(q),
+    );
+  }, [completedGenerations, searchQuery]);
+
+  const selectedGeneration = completedGenerations.find((g) => g.id === selectedId);
+
+  return (
+    <Popover open={open} onOpenChange={setOpen}>
+      <PopoverTrigger asChild>
+        <Button
+          variant="outline"
+          size="sm"
+          className={cn('h-8 justify-between gap-2 text-xs font-normal', className)}
+        >
+          {selectedGeneration ? (
+            <span className="truncate">
+              <span className="font-medium">{selectedGeneration.profile_name}</span>
+              <span className="text-muted-foreground ml-1.5">
+                {selectedGeneration.text.length > 30
+                  ? `${selectedGeneration.text.substring(0, 30)}...`
+                  : selectedGeneration.text}
+              </span>
+            </span>
+          ) : (
+            <span className="text-muted-foreground">Select a generation...</span>
+          )}
+          <ChevronDown className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 opacity-50" />
+        </Button>
+      </PopoverTrigger>
+      <PopoverContent className="w-80 p-0" align="start">
+        <div className="p-2 border-b">
+          <div className="relative">
+            <Search className="absolute left-2 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 h-3.5 w-3.5 text-muted-foreground" />
+            <Input
+              placeholder="Search by voice or text..."
+              value={searchQuery}
+              onChange={(e) => setSearchQuery(e.target.value)}
+              className="h-8 pl-7 text-xs"
+            />
+          </div>
+        </div>
+        <div className="max-h-60 overflow-y-auto">
+          {filtered.length === 0 ? (
+            <div className="p-4 text-center text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+              No generations found
+            </div>
+          ) : (
+            filtered.map((gen) => (
+              <button
+                key={gen.id}
+                type="button"
+                className={cn(
+                  'w-full text-left px-3 py-2 hover:bg-muted/50 transition-colors border-b border-border/30 last:border-0',
+                  gen.id === selectedId && 'bg-accent/10',
+                )}
+                onClick={() => {
+                  onSelect(gen);
+                  setOpen(false);
+                  setSearchQuery('');
+                }}
+              >
+                <div className="font-medium text-sm">{gen.profile_name}</div>
+                <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground truncate">
+                  {gen.text.length > 60 ? `${gen.text.substring(0, 60)}...` : gen.text}
+                </div>
+              </button>
+            ))
+          )}
+        </div>
+      </PopoverContent>
+    </Popover>
+  );
+}

app/src/components/EffectsTab/EffectsDetail.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,422 @@
+import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
+import { Loader2, Play, Save, Trash2, Wand2 } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+
+import { EffectsChainEditor } from '@/components/Effects/EffectsChainEditor';
+import { GenerationPicker } from '@/components/Effects/GenerationPicker';
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
+import {
+  Dialog,
+  DialogContent,
+  DialogDescription,
+  DialogFooter,
+  DialogHeader,
+  DialogTitle,
+} from '@/components/ui/dialog';
+import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input';
+import { Label } from '@/components/ui/label';
+import { Separator } from '@/components/ui/separator';
+import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea';
+import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
+import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
+import type { HistoryResponse } from '@/lib/api/types';
+import { useHistory } from '@/lib/hooks/useHistory';
+import { useEffectsStore } from '@/stores/effectsStore';
+import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
+
+export function EffectsDetail() {
+  const selectedPresetId = useEffectsStore((s) => s.selectedPresetId);
+  const isCreatingNew = useEffectsStore((s) => s.isCreatingNew);
+  const workingChain = useEffectsStore((s) => s.workingChain);
+  const setWorkingChain = useEffectsStore((s) => s.setWorkingChain);
+  const setSelectedPresetId = useEffectsStore((s) => s.setSelectedPresetId);
+  const setIsCreatingNew = useEffectsStore((s) => s.setIsCreatingNew);
+
+  const [name, setName] = useState('');
+  const [description, setDescription] = useState('');
+  const [saving, setSaving] = useState(false);
+  const [deleting, setDeleting] = useState(false);
+
+  // "Save as Custom" dialog state
+  const [saveAsDialogOpen, setSaveAsDialogOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [saveAsName, setSaveAsName] = useState('');
+  const [saveAsDescription, setSaveAsDescription] = useState('');
+
+  // Preview state
+  const [previewGenId, setPreviewGenId] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [previewLoading, setPreviewLoading] = useState(false);
+  const blobUrlRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
+  const setAudioWithAutoPlay = usePlayerStore((s) => s.setAudioWithAutoPlay);
+
+  const { toast } = useToast();
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
+
+  // Auto-select the most recent generation as preview source
+  const { data: historyData } = useHistory({ limit: 1 });
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!previewGenId && historyData?.items?.length) {
+      const first = historyData.items.find((g) => g.status === 'completed');
+      if (first) setPreviewGenId(first.id);
+    }
+  }, [historyData, previewGenId]);
+
+  const { data: preset } = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ['effect-preset', selectedPresetId],
+    queryFn: () =>
+      selectedPresetId
+        ? apiClient
+            .listEffectPresets()
+            .then((all) => all.find((p) => p.id === selectedPresetId) ?? null)
+        : null,
+    enabled: !!selectedPresetId,
+    staleTime: 30_000,
+  });
+
+  // Sync name/description when selecting a preset
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (preset) {
+      setName(preset.name);
+      setDescription(preset.description ?? '');
+    } else if (isCreatingNew) {
+      setName('');
+      setDescription('');
+    }
+  }, [preset, isCreatingNew]);
+
+  // Cleanup blob URL on unmount
+  useEffect(() => {
+    return () => {
+      if (blobUrlRef.current) {
+        URL.revokeObjectURL(blobUrlRef.current);
+        blobUrlRef.current = null;
+      }
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  const isEditing = !!selectedPresetId || isCreatingNew;
+  const isBuiltIn = preset?.is_builtin ?? false;
+
+  async function handlePreview() {
+    if (!previewGenId || workingChain.length === 0) return;
+
+    setPreviewLoading(true);
+    try {
+      const blob = await apiClient.previewEffects(previewGenId, workingChain);
+
+      // Revoke old blob URL
+      if (blobUrlRef.current) {
+        URL.revokeObjectURL(blobUrlRef.current);
+      }
+
+      const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
+      blobUrlRef.current = url;
+
+      // Play through the main audio player
+      setAudioWithAutoPlay(url, `preview-${Date.now()}`, null, 'Effects Preview');
+    } catch (error) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Preview failed',
+        description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+    } finally {
+      setPreviewLoading(false);
+    }
+  }
+
+  function handleSelectGeneration(gen: HistoryResponse) {
+    setPreviewGenId(gen.id);
+  }
+
+  async function handleSaveNew() {
+    if (!name.trim()) {
+      toast({ title: 'Name required', variant: 'destructive' });
+      return;
+    }
+    setSaving(true);
+    try {
+      const created = await apiClient.createEffectPreset({
+        name: name.trim(),
+        description: description.trim() || undefined,
+        effects_chain: workingChain,
+      });
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['effect-presets'] });
+      setIsCreatingNew(false);
+      setSelectedPresetId(created.id);
+      toast({ title: 'Preset saved', description: `"${created.name}" has been created.` });
+    } catch (error) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Failed to save',
+        description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+    } finally {
+      setSaving(false);
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function handleSaveExisting() {
+    if (!selectedPresetId || !name.trim()) return;
+    setSaving(true);
+    try {
+      await apiClient.updateEffectPreset(selectedPresetId, {
+        name: name.trim(),
+        description: description.trim() || undefined,
+        effects_chain: workingChain,
+      });
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['effect-presets'] });
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['effect-preset', selectedPresetId] });
+      toast({ title: 'Preset updated' });
+    } catch (error) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Failed to save',
+        description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+    } finally {
+      setSaving(false);
+    }
+  }
+
+  function handleSaveAsNew() {
+    // Open the dialog with a suggested name based on the current preset
+    setSaveAsName(`${name} (Copy)`);
+    setSaveAsDescription(description);
+    setSaveAsDialogOpen(true);
+  }
+
+  async function handleSaveAsConfirm() {
+    if (!saveAsName.trim()) {
+      toast({ title: 'Name required', variant: 'destructive' });
+      return;
+    }
+    setSaving(true);
+    try {
+      const created = await apiClient.createEffectPreset({
+        name: saveAsName.trim(),
+        description: saveAsDescription.trim() || undefined,
+        effects_chain: workingChain,
+      });
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['effect-presets'] });
+      setSaveAsDialogOpen(false);
+      setSelectedPresetId(created.id);
+      toast({ title: 'Preset saved', description: `"${created.name}" has been created.` });
+    } catch (error) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Failed to save',
+        description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+    } finally {
+      setSaving(false);
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function handleDelete() {
+    if (!selectedPresetId) return;
+    setDeleting(true);
+    try {
+      await apiClient.deleteEffectPreset(selectedPresetId);
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['effect-presets'] });
+      setSelectedPresetId(null);
+      setWorkingChain([]);
+      toast({ title: 'Preset deleted' });
+    } catch (error) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Failed to delete',
+        description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+    } finally {
+      setDeleting(false);
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (!isEditing) {
+    return (
+      <div className="flex-1 flex items-center justify-center text-muted-foreground">
+        <div className="text-center space-y-2">
+          <Wand2 className="h-10 w-10 mx-auto opacity-30" />
+          <p className="text-sm">Select a preset or create a new one</p>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex flex-col h-full min-h-0">
+      {/* Header */}
+      <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-4">
+        <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold">
+          {isCreatingNew ? 'New Preset' : isBuiltIn ? preset?.name : 'Edit Preset'}
+        </h2>
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+          {!isBuiltIn && !isCreatingNew && (
+            <>
+              <Button
+                variant="ghost"
+                size="sm"
+                className="h-8 text-destructive hover:text-destructive gap-1.5"
+                onClick={handleDelete}
+                disabled={deleting}
+              >
+                <Trash2 className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+                {deleting ? 'Deleting...' : 'Delete'}
+              </Button>
+              <Button
+                size="sm"
+                className="h-8 gap-1.5"
+                onClick={handleSaveExisting}
+                disabled={saving || workingChain.length === 0}
+              >
+                <Save className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+                {saving ? 'Saving...' : 'Save'}
+              </Button>
+            </>
+          )}
+          {isCreatingNew && (
+            <Button
+              size="sm"
+              className="h-8 gap-1.5"
+              onClick={handleSaveNew}
+              disabled={saving || workingChain.length === 0}
+            >
+              <Save className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+              {saving ? 'Saving...' : 'Save Preset'}
+            </Button>
+          )}
+          {isBuiltIn && (
+            <Button
+              size="sm"
+              variant="outline"
+              className="h-8 gap-1.5"
+              onClick={handleSaveAsNew}
+              disabled={saving}
+            >
+              <Save className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+              {saving ? 'Saving...' : 'Save as Custom'}
+            </Button>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Scrollable content */}
+      <div className="flex-1 min-h-0 overflow-y-auto space-y-5 pr-1">
+        {/* Name & description */}
+        {(isCreatingNew || !isBuiltIn) && (
+          <div className="space-y-3">
+            <div className="space-y-1.5">
+              <Label className="text-xs">Name</Label>
+              <Input
+                value={name}
+                onChange={(e) => setName(e.target.value)}
+                placeholder="My preset..."
+                className="h-9"
+              />
+            </div>
+            <div className="space-y-1.5">
+              <Label className="text-xs">Description</Label>
+              <Textarea
+                value={description}
+                onChange={(e) => setDescription(e.target.value)}
+                placeholder="Describe what this preset does..."
+                className="min-h-[60px] resize-none"
+              />
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        )}
+
+        {/* Built-in description (read-only) */}
+        {isBuiltIn && preset?.description && (
+          <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">{preset.description}</p>
+        )}
+
+        {/* Effects chain editor */}
+        <EffectsChainEditor value={workingChain} onChange={setWorkingChain} showPresets={false} />
+
+        <Separator />
+
+        {/* Preview section */}
+        <div className="space-y-3">
+          <Label className="text-xs">Preview</Label>
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+            <GenerationPicker
+              selectedId={previewGenId}
+              onSelect={handleSelectGeneration}
+              className="flex-1"
+            />
+            <Button
+              variant="outline"
+              size="sm"
+              className="h-8 gap-1.5 shrink-0"
+              onClick={handlePreview}
+              disabled={!previewGenId || workingChain.length === 0 || previewLoading}
+            >
+              {previewLoading ? (
+                <>
+                  <Loader2 className="h-3.5 w-3.5 animate-spin" />
+                  Processing...
+                </>
+              ) : (
+                <>
+                  <Play className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+                  Preview
+                </>
+              )}
+            </Button>
+          </div>
+          <p className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
+            Preview applies effects to the clean version without saving.
+          </p>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Save as Custom dialog */}
+      <Dialog open={saveAsDialogOpen} onOpenChange={setSaveAsDialogOpen}>
+        <DialogContent className="sm:max-w-md">
+          <DialogHeader>
+            <DialogTitle>Save as Custom Preset</DialogTitle>
+            <DialogDescription>
+              Create a new custom preset based on the current effects chain.
+            </DialogDescription>
+          </DialogHeader>
+          <div className="space-y-3 py-2">
+            <div className="space-y-1.5">
+              <Label className="text-xs">Name</Label>
+              <Input
+                value={saveAsName}
+                onChange={(e) => setSaveAsName(e.target.value)}
+                placeholder="My preset..."
+                className="h-9"
+                autoFocus
+                onKeyDown={(e) => {
+                  if (e.key === 'Enter' && saveAsName.trim()) {
+                    handleSaveAsConfirm();
+                  }
+                }}
+              />
+            </div>
+            <div className="space-y-1.5">
+              <Label className="text-xs">Description</Label>
+              <Textarea
+                value={saveAsDescription}
+                onChange={(e) => setSaveAsDescription(e.target.value)}
+                placeholder="Describe what this preset does..."
+                className="min-h-[60px] resize-none"
+              />
+            </div>
+          </div>
+          <DialogFooter>
+            <Button variant="outline" onClick={() => setSaveAsDialogOpen(false)} disabled={saving}>
+              Cancel
+            </Button>
+            <Button onClick={handleSaveAsConfirm} disabled={saving || !saveAsName.trim()}>
+              <Save className="h-3.5 w-3.5 mr-1.5" />
+              {saving ? 'Saving...' : 'Save'}
+            </Button>
+          </DialogFooter>
+        </DialogContent>
+      </Dialog>
+    </div>
+  );
+}

app/src/components/EffectsTab/EffectsList.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query';
+import { Loader2, Plus, Sparkles, Wand2 } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
+import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
+import type { EffectPresetResponse } from '@/lib/api/types';
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
+import { useEffectsStore } from '@/stores/effectsStore';
+
+export function EffectsList() {
+  const selectedPresetId = useEffectsStore((s) => s.selectedPresetId);
+  const setSelectedPresetId = useEffectsStore((s) => s.setSelectedPresetId);
+  const setWorkingChain = useEffectsStore((s) => s.setWorkingChain);
+  const setIsCreatingNew = useEffectsStore((s) => s.setIsCreatingNew);
+  const isCreatingNew = useEffectsStore((s) => s.isCreatingNew);
+
+  const { data: presets, isLoading } = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ['effect-presets'],
+    queryFn: () => apiClient.listEffectPresets(),
+    staleTime: 30_000,
+  });
+
+  const builtIn = presets?.filter((p) => p.is_builtin) ?? [];
+  const userPresets = presets?.filter((p) => !p.is_builtin) ?? [];
+
+  function handleSelect(preset: EffectPresetResponse) {
+    setSelectedPresetId(preset.id);
+    setWorkingChain(preset.effects_chain);
+  }
+
+  function handleCreateNew() {
+    setIsCreatingNew(true);
+    setWorkingChain([]);
+  }
+
+  if (isLoading) {
+    return (
+      <div className="flex items-center justify-center h-full">
+        <Loader2 className="h-6 w-6 animate-spin text-muted-foreground" />
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex flex-col h-full min-h-0">
+      {/* Header */}
+      <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-4">
+        <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold">Effects</h2>
+        <Button variant="outline" size="sm" className="h-8 gap-1.5" onClick={handleCreateNew}>
+          <Plus className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+          New Preset
+        </Button>
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Scrollable list */}
+      <div className="flex-1 min-h-0 overflow-y-auto space-y-4">
+        {/* Built-in presets */}
+        {builtIn.length > 0 && (
+          <div>
+            <div className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground font-medium uppercase tracking-wider mb-2 px-1">
+              Built-in
+            </div>
+            <div className="space-y-1.5">
+              {builtIn.map((preset) => (
+                <PresetCard
+                  key={preset.id}
+                  preset={preset}
+                  isSelected={selectedPresetId === preset.id && !isCreatingNew}
+                  onSelect={() => handleSelect(preset)}
+                />
+              ))}
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        )}
+
+        {/* User presets */}
+        {userPresets.length > 0 && (
+          <div>
+            <div className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground font-medium uppercase tracking-wider mb-2 px-1">
+              Custom
+            </div>
+            <div className="space-y-1.5">
+              {userPresets.map((preset) => (
+                <PresetCard
+                  key={preset.id}
+                  preset={preset}
+                  isSelected={selectedPresetId === preset.id && !isCreatingNew}
+                  onSelect={() => handleSelect(preset)}
+                />
+              ))}
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        )}
+
+        {/* New preset placeholder */}
+        {isCreatingNew && (
+          <div>
+            <div className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground font-medium uppercase tracking-wider mb-2 px-1">
+              New
+            </div>
+            <div className="rounded-xl border-2 border-accent/40 bg-accent/5 p-3">
+              <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+                <Sparkles className="h-4 w-4 text-accent" />
+                <span className="text-sm font-medium">Unsaved Preset</span>
+              </div>
+              <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-1">
+                Configure effects in the panel on the right.
+              </p>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        )}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+function PresetCard({
+  preset,
+  isSelected,
+  onSelect,
+}: {
+  preset: EffectPresetResponse;
+  isSelected: boolean;
+  onSelect: () => void;
+}) {
+  const effectCount = preset.effects_chain.length;
+
+  return (
+    <button
+      type="button"
+      className={cn(
+        'w-full text-left rounded-xl border p-3 h-[88px] transition-all duration-150',
+        isSelected
+          ? 'border-accent/50 bg-accent/10'
+          : 'border-border bg-card hover:bg-muted/50 hover:border-border',
+      )}
+      onClick={onSelect}
+    >
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+        <Wand2
+          className={cn('h-4 w-4 shrink-0', isSelected ? 'text-accent' : 'text-muted-foreground')}
+        />
+        <span className="text-sm font-medium truncate">{preset.name}</span>
+        {preset.is_builtin && (
+          <span className="text-[10px] bg-muted text-muted-foreground px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded-full shrink-0">
+            built-in
+          </span>
+        )}
+      </div>
+      <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-1 line-clamp-1 pl-6">
+        {preset.description || 'No description'}
+      </p>
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-2 mt-1.5 pl-6">
+        <span className="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground">
+          {effectCount} effect{effectCount !== 1 ? 's' : ''}
+        </span>
+        <span className="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground/50">
+          {preset.effects_chain
+            .filter((e) => e.enabled)
+            .map((e) => e.type)
+            .join(' → ')}
+        </span>
+      </div>
+    </button>
+  );
+}

app/src/components/EffectsTab/EffectsTab.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import {EffectsDetail} from "./EffectsDetail";
+import {EffectsList} from "./EffectsList";
+
+export function EffectsTab() {
+	return (
+		<div className="flex flex-col h-full min-h-0 overflow-hidden">
+			<div className="flex-1 min-h-0 flex gap-6 overflow-hidden">
+				{/* Left - Presets list */}
+				<div className="w-full max-w-[360px] shrink-0 flex flex-col min-h-0">
+					<EffectsList />
+				</div>
+
+				{/* Right - Detail / editor */}
+				<div className="flex-1 min-h-0 flex flex-col">
+					<EffectsDetail />
+				</div>
+			</div>
+		</div>
+	);
+}

app/src/components/Generation/EngineModelSelector.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+import type { UseFormReturn } from 'react-hook-form';
+import { FormControl } from '@/components/ui/form';
+import {
+  Select,
+  SelectContent,
+  SelectItem,
+  SelectTrigger,
+  SelectValue,
+} from '@/components/ui/select';
+import { getLanguageOptionsForEngine } from '@/lib/constants/languages';
+import type { GenerationFormValues } from '@/lib/hooks/useGenerationForm';
+
+/**
+ * Engine/model options and their display metadata.
+ * Adding a new engine means adding one entry here.
+ */
+const ENGINE_OPTIONS = [
+  { value: 'qwen:1.7B', label: 'Qwen3-TTS 1.7B' },
+  { value: 'qwen:0.6B', label: 'Qwen3-TTS 0.6B' },
+  { value: 'luxtts', label: 'LuxTTS' },
+  { value: 'chatterbox', label: 'Chatterbox' },
+  { value: 'chatterbox_turbo', label: 'Chatterbox Turbo' },
+] as const;
+
+const ENGINE_DESCRIPTIONS: Record<string, string> = {
+  qwen: 'Multi-language, two sizes',
+  luxtts: 'Fast, English-focused',
+  chatterbox: '23 languages, incl. Hebrew',
+  chatterbox_turbo: 'English, [laugh] [cough] tags',
+};
+
+/** Engines that only support English and should force language to 'en' on select. */
+const ENGLISH_ONLY_ENGINES = new Set(['luxtts', 'chatterbox_turbo']);
+
+function getSelectValue(engine: string, modelSize?: string): string {
+  if (engine === 'qwen') return `qwen:${modelSize || '1.7B'}`;
+  return engine;
+}
+
+function handleEngineChange(form: UseFormReturn<GenerationFormValues>, value: string) {
+  if (value.startsWith('qwen:')) {
+    const [, modelSize] = value.split(':');
+    form.setValue('engine', 'qwen');
+    form.setValue('modelSize', modelSize as '1.7B' | '0.6B');
+    // Validate language is supported by Qwen
+    const currentLang = form.getValues('language');
+    const available = getLanguageOptionsForEngine('qwen');
+    if (!available.some((l) => l.value === currentLang)) {
+      form.setValue('language', available[0]?.value ?? 'en');
+    }
+  } else {
+    form.setValue('engine', value as GenerationFormValues['engine']);
+    form.setValue('modelSize', undefined as unknown as '1.7B' | '0.6B');
+    if (ENGLISH_ONLY_ENGINES.has(value)) {
+      form.setValue('language', 'en');
+    } else {
+      // If current language isn't supported by the new engine, reset to first available
+      const currentLang = form.getValues('language');
+      const available = getLanguageOptionsForEngine(value);
+      if (!available.some((l) => l.value === currentLang)) {
+        form.setValue('language', available[0]?.value ?? 'en');
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+interface EngineModelSelectorProps {
+  form: UseFormReturn<GenerationFormValues>;
+  compact?: boolean;
+}
+
+export function EngineModelSelector({ form, compact }: EngineModelSelectorProps) {
+  const engine = form.watch('engine') || 'qwen';
+  const modelSize = form.watch('modelSize');
+  const selectValue = getSelectValue(engine, modelSize);
+
+  const itemClass = compact ? 'text-xs text-muted-foreground' : undefined;
+  const triggerClass = compact
+    ? 'h-8 text-xs bg-card border-border rounded-full hover:bg-background/50 transition-all'
+    : undefined;
+
+  return (
+    <Select value={selectValue} onValueChange={(v) => handleEngineChange(form, v)}>
+      <FormControl>
+        <SelectTrigger className={triggerClass}>
+          <SelectValue />
+        </SelectTrigger>
+      </FormControl>
+      <SelectContent>
+        {ENGINE_OPTIONS.map((opt) => (
+          <SelectItem key={opt.value} value={opt.value} className={itemClass}>
+            {opt.label}
+          </SelectItem>
+        ))}
+      </SelectContent>
+    </Select>
+  );
+}
+
+/** Returns a human-readable description for the currently selected engine. */
+export function getEngineDescription(engine: string): string {
+  return ENGINE_DESCRIPTIONS[engine] ?? '';
+}

app/src/components/Generation/FloatingGenerateBox.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
+import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import { useMatchRoute } from '@tanstack/react-router';
 import { AnimatePresence, motion } from 'framer-motion';
-import { Loader2, MessageSquare, Sparkles } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Loader2, Sparkles } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { Form, FormControl, FormField, FormItem, FormMessage } from '@/components/ui/form';
@@ -12,14 +13,17 @@ import {
   SelectValue,
 } from '@/components/ui/select';
 import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea';
-import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
-import { LANGUAGE_OPTIONS } from '@/lib/constants/languages';
+import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
+import { getLanguageOptionsForEngine, type LanguageCode } from '@/lib/constants/languages';
 import { useGenerationForm } from '@/lib/hooks/useGenerationForm';
 import { useProfile, useProfiles } from '@/lib/hooks/useProfiles';
-import { useAddStoryItem, useStory } from '@/lib/hooks/useStories';
+import { useStory } from '@/lib/hooks/useStories';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
+import { useGenerationStore } from '@/stores/generationStore';
 import { useStoryStore } from '@/stores/storyStore';
 import { useUIStore } from '@/stores/uiStore';
+import { EngineModelSelector } from './EngineModelSelector';
+import { ParalinguisticInput } from './ParalinguisticInput';
 
 interface FloatingGenerateBoxProps {
   isPlayerOpen?: boolean;
@@ -35,7 +39,7 @@ export function FloatingGenerateBox({
   const { data: selectedProfile } = useProfile(selectedProfileId || '');
   const { data: profiles } = useProfiles();
   const [isExpanded, setIsExpanded] = useState(false);
-  const [isInstructMode, setIsInstructMode] = useState(false);
+  const [selectedPresetId, setSelectedPresetId] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const containerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const textareaRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement | null>(null);
   const matchRoute = useMatchRoute();
@@ -43,8 +47,13 @@ export function FloatingGenerateBox({
   const selectedStoryId = useStoryStore((state) => state.selectedStoryId);
   const trackEditorHeight = useStoryStore((state) => state.trackEditorHeight);
   const { data: currentStory } = useStory(selectedStoryId);
-  const addStoryItem = useAddStoryItem();
-  const { toast } = useToast();
+  const addPendingStoryAdd = useGenerationStore((s) => s.addPendingStoryAdd);
+
+  // Fetch effect presets for the dropdown
+  const { data: effectPresets } = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ['effectPresets'],
+    queryFn: () => apiClient.listEffectPresets(),
+  });
 
   // Calculate if track editor is visible (on stories route with items)
   const hasTrackEditor = isStoriesRoute && currentStory && currentStory.items.length > 0;
@@ -52,27 +61,16 @@ export function FloatingGenerateBox({
   const { form, handleSubmit, isPending } = useGenerationForm({
     onSuccess: async (generationId) => {
       setIsExpanded(false);
-      // If on stories route and a story is selected, add generation to story
+      // Defer the story add until TTS completes -- useGenerationProgress handles it
       if (isStoriesRoute && selectedStoryId && generationId) {
-        try {
-          await addStoryItem.mutateAsync({
-            storyId: selectedStoryId,
-            data: { generation_id: generationId },
-          });
-          toast({
-            title: 'Added to story',
-            description: `Generation added to "${currentStory?.name || 'story'}"`,
-          });
-        } catch (error) {
-          toast({
-            title: 'Failed to add to story',
-            description:
-              error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Could not add generation to story',
-            variant: 'destructive',
-          });
-        }
+        addPendingStoryAdd(generationId, selectedStoryId);
       }
     },
+    getEffectsChain: () => {
+      if (!selectedPresetId || !effectPresets) return undefined;
+      const preset = effectPresets.find((p) => p.id === selectedPresetId);
+      return preset?.effects_chain;
+    },
   });
 
   // Click away handler to collapse the box
@@ -112,6 +110,13 @@ export function FloatingGenerateBox({
     }
   }, [selectedProfileId, profiles, setSelectedProfileId]);
 
+  // Sync generation form language with selected profile's language
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (selectedProfile?.language) {
+      form.setValue('language', selectedProfile.language as LanguageCode);
+    }
+  }, [selectedProfile, form]);
+
   // Auto-resize textarea based on content (only when expanded)
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!isExpanded) {
@@ -174,7 +179,7 @@ export function FloatingGenerateBox({
         isStoriesRoute
           ? // Position aligned with story list: after sidebar + padding, width 360px
             'left-[calc(5rem+2rem)] w-[360px]'
-          : 'left-[calc(5rem+2rem)] w-[calc((100%-5rem-4rem)/2-1rem)]',
+          : 'left-[calc(5rem+2rem)] right-8 lg:right-auto lg:w-[calc((100%-5rem-4rem)/2-1rem)]',
       )}
       style={{
         // On stories route: offset by track editor height when visible
@@ -187,39 +192,52 @@ export function FloatingGenerateBox({
       }}
     >
       <motion.div
-        className="bg-background/30 backdrop-blur-2xl border border-accent/20 rounded-[2rem] shadow-2xl hover:bg-background/40 hover:border-accent/20 transition-all duration-300 overflow-hidden p-3"
+        className="bg-background/30 backdrop-blur-2xl border border-accent/20 rounded-[2rem] shadow-2xl hover:bg-background/40 hover:border-accent/20 transition-all duration-300 p-3"
         transition={{ duration: 0.6, ease: 'easeInOut' }}
       >
         <Form {...form}>
           <form onSubmit={form.handleSubmit(onSubmit)}>
             <div className="flex gap-2">
-              <motion.div
-                className={cn('flex-1', isExpanded && 'mr-12')}
-                transition={{ duration: 0.3, ease: 'easeOut' }}
-              >
-                {/* Text field - hidden when in instruct mode */}
-                <div style={{ display: isInstructMode ? 'none' : 'block' }}>
-                  <FormField
-                    control={form.control}
-                    name="text"
-                    render={({ field }) => (
-                      <FormItem>
-                        <FormControl>
-                          <motion.div
-                            animate={{
-                              height: isExpanded ? 'auto' : '32px',
-                            }}
-                            transition={{ duration: 0.15, ease: 'easeOut' }}
-                            style={{ overflow: 'hidden' }}
-                          >
+              <motion.div className="flex-1" transition={{ duration: 0.3, ease: 'easeOut' }}>
+                <FormField
+                  control={form.control}
+                  name="text"
+                  render={({ field }) => (
+                    <FormItem>
+                      <FormControl>
+                        <motion.div
+                          animate={{
+                            height: isExpanded ? 'auto' : '32px',
+                          }}
+                          transition={{ duration: 0.15, ease: 'easeOut' }}
+                          style={{ overflow: 'hidden' }}
+                        >
+                          {form.watch('engine') === 'chatterbox_turbo' ? (
+                            <ParalinguisticInput
+                              value={field.value}
+                              onChange={field.onChange}
+                              placeholder={
+                                isStoriesRoute && currentStory
+                                  ? `Generate speech for "${currentStory.name}"... (type / for effects)`
+                                  : selectedProfile
+                                    ? `Type / for effects like [laugh], [sigh]...`
+                                    : 'Select a voice profile above...'
+                              }
+                              className="px-3 py-2 resize-none bg-transparent border-none focus-visible:ring-0 focus-visible:ring-offset-0 focus:outline-none focus:ring-0 outline-none ring-0 rounded-2xl text-sm w-full"
+                              style={{
+                                minHeight: isExpanded ? '100px' : '32px',
+                                maxHeight: '300px',
+                                overflowY: 'auto',
+                              }}
+                              disabled={!selectedProfileId}
+                              onClick={() => setIsExpanded(true)}
+                              onFocus={() => setIsExpanded(true)}
+                            />
+                          ) : (
                             <Textarea
                               {...field}
                               ref={(node: HTMLTextAreaElement | null) => {
-                                // Store ref for auto-resize (only for active field)
-                                if (!isInstructMode) {
-                                  textareaRef.current = node;
-                                }
-                                // Forward ref to react-hook-form
+                                textareaRef.current = node;
                                 if (typeof field.ref === 'function') {
                                   field.ref(node);
                                 }
@@ -240,98 +258,44 @@ export function FloatingGenerateBox({
                               onClick={() => setIsExpanded(true)}
                               onFocus={() => setIsExpanded(true)}
                             />
-                          </motion.div>
-                        </FormControl>
-                        <FormMessage className="text-xs" />
-                      </FormItem>
-                    )}
-                  />
-                </div>
-                {/* Instruct field - hidden when in text mode */}
-                <div style={{ display: isInstructMode ? 'block' : 'none' }}>
-                  <FormField
-                    control={form.control}
-                    name="instruct"
-                    render={({ field }) => (
-                      <FormItem>
-                        <FormControl>
-                          <motion.div
-                            animate={{
-                              height: isExpanded ? 'auto' : '32px',
-                            }}
-                            transition={{ duration: 0.15, ease: 'easeOut' }}
-                            style={{ overflow: 'hidden' }}
-                          >
-                            <Textarea
-                              {...field}
-                              ref={(node: HTMLTextAreaElement | null) => {
-                                // Store ref for auto-resize (only for active field)
-                                if (isInstructMode) {
-                                  textareaRef.current = node;
-                                }
-                                // Forward ref to react-hook-form
-                                if (typeof field.ref === 'function') {
-                                  field.ref(node);
-                                }
-                              }}
-                              placeholder="Add delivery instructions..."
-                              className="resize-none bg-transparent border-none focus-visible:ring-0 focus-visible:ring-offset-0 focus:outline-none focus:ring-0 outline-none ring-0 rounded-2xl text-sm placeholder:text-muted-foreground/60 w-full"
-                              style={{
-                                minHeight: isExpanded ? '100px' : '32px',
-                                maxHeight: '300px',
-                              }}
-                              disabled={!selectedProfileId}
-                              onClick={() => setIsExpanded(true)}
-                              onFocus={() => setIsExpanded(true)}
-                            />
-                          </motion.div>
-                        </FormControl>
-                        <FormMessage className="text-xs" />
-                      </FormItem>
-                    )}
-                  />
-                </div>
+                          )}
+                        </motion.div>
+                      </FormControl>
+                      <FormMessage className="text-xs" />
+                    </FormItem>
+                  )}
+                />
               </motion.div>
 
               <div className="relative shrink-0">
-                <Button
-                  type="submit"
-                  disabled={isPending || !selectedProfileId}
-                  className="h-10 w-10 rounded-full bg-accent hover:bg-accent/90 hover:scale-105 text-accent-foreground shadow-lg hover:shadow-accent/50 transition-all duration-200"
-                  size="icon"
-                >
-                  {isPending ? (
-                    <Loader2 className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
-                  ) : (
-                    <Sparkles className="h-4 w-4" />
-                  )}
-                </Button>
-                <AnimatePresence>
-                  {isExpanded && (
-                    <motion.div
-                      initial={{ opacity: 0, scale: 0.8 }}
-                      animate={{ opacity: 1, scale: 1 }}
-                      exit={{ opacity: 0, scale: 0.8 }}
-                      transition={{ duration: 0.2 }}
-                      className="absolute top-0 right-[calc(100%+0.5rem)]"
-                    >
-                      <Button
-                        type="button"
-                        variant="ghost"
-                        size="icon"
-                        onClick={() => setIsInstructMode(!isInstructMode)}
-                        className={cn(
-                          'h-10 w-10 rounded-full transition-all duration-200',
-                          isInstructMode
-                            ? 'bg-accent text-accent-foreground border border-accent hover:bg-accent/90'
-                            : 'bg-card border border-border hover:bg-background/50',
-                        )}
-                      >
-                        <MessageSquare className="h-4 w-4" />
-                      </Button>
-                    </motion.div>
-                  )}
-                </AnimatePresence>
+                <div className="group relative">
+                  <Button
+                    type="submit"
+                    disabled={isPending || !selectedProfileId}
+                    className="h-10 w-10 rounded-full bg-accent hover:bg-accent/90 hover:scale-105 text-accent-foreground shadow-lg hover:shadow-accent/50 transition-all duration-200"
+                    size="icon"
+                    aria-label={
+                      isPending
+                        ? 'Generating...'
+                        : !selectedProfileId
+                          ? 'Select a voice profile first'
+                          : 'Generate speech'
+                    }
+                  >
+                    {isPending ? (
+                      <Loader2 className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
+                    ) : (
+                      <Sparkles className="h-4 w-4" />
+                    )}
+                  </Button>
+                  <span className="pointer-events-none absolute bottom-full left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 mb-2 whitespace-nowrap rounded-md bg-popover px-3 py-1.5 text-xs text-popover-foreground border border-border opacity-0 transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-100 z-[9999]">
+                    {isPending
+                      ? 'Generating...'
+                      : !selectedProfileId
+                        ? 'Select a voice profile first'
+                        : 'Generate speech'}
+                  </span>
+                </div>
               </div>
             </div>
 
@@ -367,51 +331,58 @@ export function FloatingGenerateBox({
                   <FormField
                     control={form.control}
                     name="language"
-                    render={({ field }) => (
-                      <FormItem className="flex-1 space-y-0">
-                        <Select onValueChange={field.onChange} defaultValue={field.value}>
-                          <FormControl>
-                            <SelectTrigger className="h-8 text-xs bg-card border-border rounded-full hover:bg-background/50 transition-all">
-                              <SelectValue />
-                            </SelectTrigger>
-                          </FormControl>
-                          <SelectContent>
-                            {LANGUAGE_OPTIONS.map((lang) => (
-                              <SelectItem key={lang.value} value={lang.value} className="text-xs">
-                                {lang.label}
-                              </SelectItem>
-                            ))}
-                          </SelectContent>
-                        </Select>
-                        <FormMessage className="text-xs" />
-                      </FormItem>
-                    )}
+                    render={({ field }) => {
+                      const engineLangs = getLanguageOptionsForEngine(
+                        form.watch('engine') || 'qwen',
+                      );
+                      return (
+                        <FormItem className="flex-1 space-y-0">
+                          <Select onValueChange={field.onChange} value={field.value}>
+                            <FormControl>
+                              <SelectTrigger className="h-8 text-xs bg-card border-border rounded-full hover:bg-background/50 transition-all">
+                                <SelectValue />
+                              </SelectTrigger>
+                            </FormControl>
+                            <SelectContent>
+                              {engineLangs.map((lang) => (
+                                <SelectItem key={lang.value} value={lang.value} className="text-xs">
+                                  {lang.label}
+                                </SelectItem>
+                              ))}
+                            </SelectContent>
+                          </Select>
+                          <FormMessage className="text-xs" />
+                        </FormItem>
+                      );
+                    }}
                   />
 
-                  <FormField
-                    control={form.control}
-                    name="modelSize"
-                    render={({ field }) => (
-                      <FormItem className="flex-1 space-y-0">
-                        <Select onValueChange={field.onChange} defaultValue={field.value}>
-                          <FormControl>
-                            <SelectTrigger className="h-8 text-xs bg-card border-border rounded-full hover:bg-background/50 transition-all">
-                              <SelectValue />
-                            </SelectTrigger>
-                          </FormControl>
-                          <SelectContent>
-                            <SelectItem value="1.7B" className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                              Qwen3-TTS 1.7B
-                            </SelectItem>
-                            <SelectItem value="0.6B" className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                              Qwen3-TTS 0.6B
-                            </SelectItem>
-                          </SelectContent>
-                        </Select>
-                        <FormMessage className="text-xs" />
-                      </FormItem>
-                    )}
-                  />
+                  <FormItem className="flex-1 space-y-0">
+                    <EngineModelSelector form={form} compact />
+                  </FormItem>
+
+                  <FormItem className="flex-1 space-y-0">
+                    <Select
+                      value={selectedPresetId || 'none'}
+                      onValueChange={(value) =>
+                        setSelectedPresetId(value === 'none' ? null : value)
+                      }
+                    >
+                      <SelectTrigger className="h-8 text-xs bg-card border-border rounded-full hover:bg-background/50 transition-all">
+                        <SelectValue placeholder="No effects" />
+                      </SelectTrigger>
+                      <SelectContent>
+                        <SelectItem value="none" className="text-xs">
+                          No effects
+                        </SelectItem>
+                        {effectPresets?.map((preset) => (
+                          <SelectItem key={preset.id} value={preset.id} className="text-xs">
+                            {preset.name}
+                          </SelectItem>
+                        ))}
+                      </SelectContent>
+                    </Select>
+                  </FormItem>
                 </div>
               </motion.div>
             </AnimatePresence>

app/src/components/Generation/GenerationForm.tsx

@@ -19,10 +19,12 @@ import {
   SelectValue,
 } from '@/components/ui/select';
 import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea';
-import { LANGUAGE_OPTIONS } from '@/lib/constants/languages';
+import { getLanguageOptionsForEngine } from '@/lib/constants/languages';
 import { useGenerationForm } from '@/lib/hooks/useGenerationForm';
 import { useProfile } from '@/lib/hooks/useProfiles';
 import { useUIStore } from '@/stores/uiStore';
+import { EngineModelSelector, getEngineDescription } from './EngineModelSelector';
+import { ParalinguisticInput } from './ParalinguisticInput';
 
 export function GenerationForm() {
   const selectedProfileId = useUIStore((state) => state.selectedProfileId);
@@ -64,87 +66,90 @@ export function GenerationForm() {
                 <FormItem>
                   <FormLabel>Text to Speak</FormLabel>
                   <FormControl>
-                    <Textarea
-                      placeholder="Enter the text you want to generate..."
-                      className="min-h-[150px]"
-                      {...field}
-                    />
-                  </FormControl>
-                  <FormDescription>Max 5000 characters</FormDescription>
-                  <FormMessage />
-                </FormItem>
-              )}
-            />
-
-            <FormField
-              control={form.control}
-              name="instruct"
-              render={({ field }) => (
-                <FormItem>
-                  <FormLabel>Delivery Instructions (optional)</FormLabel>
-                  <FormControl>
-                    <Textarea
-                      placeholder="e.g. Speak slowly with emphasis, Warm and friendly tone, Professional and authoritative..."
-                      className="min-h-[80px]"
-                      {...field}
-                    />
+                    {form.watch('engine') === 'chatterbox_turbo' ? (
+                      <ParalinguisticInput
+                        value={field.value}
+                        onChange={field.onChange}
+                        placeholder="Enter text... type / for effects like [laugh], [sigh]"
+                        className="min-h-[150px] rounded-md border border-input bg-background px-3 py-2"
+                      />
+                    ) : (
+                      <Textarea
+                        placeholder="Enter the text you want to generate..."
+                        className="min-h-[150px]"
+                        {...field}
+                      />
+                    )}
                   </FormControl>
                   <FormDescription>
-                    Natural language instructions to control speech delivery (tone, emotion, pace).
-                    Max 500 characters
+                    {form.watch('engine') === 'chatterbox_turbo'
+                      ? 'Max 5000 characters. Type / to insert sound effects.'
+                      : 'Max 5000 characters'}
                   </FormDescription>
                   <FormMessage />
                 </FormItem>
               )}
             />
 
-            <div className="grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-3">
+            {form.watch('engine') === 'qwen' && (
               <FormField
                 control={form.control}
-                name="language"
+                name="instruct"
                 render={({ field }) => (
                   <FormItem>
-                    <FormLabel>Language</FormLabel>
-                    <Select onValueChange={field.onChange} defaultValue={field.value}>
-                      <FormControl>
-                        <SelectTrigger>
-                          <SelectValue />
-                        </SelectTrigger>
-                      </FormControl>
-                      <SelectContent>
-                        {LANGUAGE_OPTIONS.map((lang) => (
-                          <SelectItem key={lang.value} value={lang.value}>
-                            {lang.label}
-                          </SelectItem>
-                        ))}
-                      </SelectContent>
-                    </Select>
+                    <FormLabel>Delivery Instructions (optional)</FormLabel>
+                    <FormControl>
+                      <Textarea
+                        placeholder="e.g. Speak slowly with emphasis, Warm and friendly tone, Professional and authoritative..."
+                        className="min-h-[80px]"
+                        {...field}
+                      />
+                    </FormControl>
+                    <FormDescription>
+                      Natural language instructions to control speech delivery (tone, emotion,
+                      pace). Max 500 characters
+                    </FormDescription>
                     <FormMessage />
                   </FormItem>
                 )}
               />
+            )}
+
+            <div className="grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-3">
+              <FormItem>
+                <FormLabel>Model</FormLabel>
+                <EngineModelSelector form={form} />
+                <FormDescription>
+                  {getEngineDescription(form.watch('engine') || 'qwen')}
+                </FormDescription>
+              </FormItem>
 
               <FormField
                 control={form.control}
-                name="modelSize"
-                render={({ field }) => (
-                  <FormItem>
-                    <FormLabel>Model Size</FormLabel>
-                    <Select onValueChange={field.onChange} defaultValue={field.value}>
-                      <FormControl>
-                        <SelectTrigger>
-                          <SelectValue />
-                        </SelectTrigger>
-                      </FormControl>
-                      <SelectContent>
-                        <SelectItem value="1.7B">Qwen TTS 1.7B (Higher Quality)</SelectItem>
-                        <SelectItem value="0.6B">Qwen TTS 0.6B (Faster)</SelectItem>
-                      </SelectContent>
-                    </Select>
-                    <FormDescription>Larger models produce better quality</FormDescription>
-                    <FormMessage />
-                  </FormItem>
-                )}
+                name="language"
+                render={({ field }) => {
+                  const engineLangs = getLanguageOptionsForEngine(form.watch('engine') || 'qwen');
+                  return (
+                    <FormItem>
+                      <FormLabel>Language</FormLabel>
+                      <Select onValueChange={field.onChange} value={field.value}>
+                        <FormControl>
+                          <SelectTrigger>
+                            <SelectValue />
+                          </SelectTrigger>
+                        </FormControl>
+                        <SelectContent>
+                          {engineLangs.map((lang) => (
+                            <SelectItem key={lang.value} value={lang.value}>
+                              {lang.label}
+                            </SelectItem>
+                          ))}
+                        </SelectContent>
+                      </Select>
+                      <FormMessage />
+                    </FormItem>
+                  );
+                }}
               />
 
               <FormField
@@ -170,11 +175,7 @@ export function GenerationForm() {
               />
             </div>
 
-            <Button
-              type="submit"
-              className="w-full"
-              disabled={isPending || !selectedProfileId}
-            >
+            <Button type="submit" className="w-full" disabled={isPending || !selectedProfileId}>
               {isPending ? (
                 <>
                   <Loader2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />

app/src/components/Generation/ParalinguisticInput.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,422 @@
+/**
+ * ParalinguisticInput — a contentEditable rich text input that renders
+ * Chatterbox Turbo paralinguistic tags (e.g. [laugh]) as inline badges.
+ *
+ * Trigger: typing "/" opens an autocomplete dropdown.
+ * Paste:   pasting text with [tag] patterns auto-converts to badges.
+ * Output:  serializes badges back to plain [tag] text for the API.
+ */
+
+import { AnimatePresence, motion } from 'framer-motion';
+import { forwardRef, useCallback, useEffect, useImperativeHandle, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { createPortal } from 'react-dom';
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
+
+// ── Tag definitions ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+const PARALINGUISTIC_TAGS = [
+  { tag: '[laugh]', label: 'laugh', emoji: '\u{1F602}' },
+  { tag: '[chuckle]', label: 'chuckle', emoji: '\u{1F60F}' },
+  { tag: '[gasp]', label: 'gasp', emoji: '\u{1F62E}' },
+  { tag: '[cough]', label: 'cough', emoji: '\u{1F637}' },
+  { tag: '[sigh]', label: 'sigh', emoji: '\u{1F614}' },
+  { tag: '[groan]', label: 'groan', emoji: '\u{1F629}' },
+  { tag: '[sniff]', label: 'sniff', emoji: '\u{1F443}' },
+  { tag: '[shush]', label: 'shush', emoji: '\u{1F92B}' },
+  { tag: '[clear throat]', label: 'clear throat', emoji: '\u{1F64A}' },
+] as const;
+
+const TAG_REGEX = /\[(laugh|chuckle|gasp|cough|sigh|groan|sniff|shush|clear throat)\]/gi;
+
+// Data attribute used to identify badge spans in the DOM
+const BADGE_ATTR = 'data-ptag';
+
+// ── Helpers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/** Build an inline badge <span> for a tag. */
+function makeBadgeHTML(tag: string): string {
+  const entry = PARALINGUISTIC_TAGS.find((t) => t.tag.toLowerCase() === tag.toLowerCase());
+  const label = entry?.label ?? tag.replace(/[[\]]/g, '');
+  const emoji = entry?.emoji ?? '';
+  // Non-editable inline badge. Zero-width spaces around it let the
+  // caret sit on either side so the user can type before/after.
+  return `\u200B<span ${BADGE_ATTR}="${tag}" contenteditable="false" class="ptag-badge">${emoji ? `${emoji}\u00A0` : ''}${label}</span>\u200B`;
+}
+
+/** Convert plain text with [tag] patterns into HTML with badge spans. */
+function textToHTML(text: string): string {
+  // Escape HTML entities first
+  const escaped = text.replace(/&/g, '&amp;').replace(/</g, '&lt;').replace(/>/g, '&gt;');
+  // Replace tag patterns with badge HTML
+  return escaped.replace(TAG_REGEX, (match) => makeBadgeHTML(match));
+}
+
+/** Serialize the contentEditable innerHTML back to plain text with [tag] syntax. */
+function htmlToText(container: HTMLElement): string {
+  let result = '';
+  for (const node of container.childNodes) {
+    if (node.nodeType === Node.TEXT_NODE) {
+      // Strip zero-width spaces we added around badges
+      result += (node.textContent ?? '').replace(/\u200B/g, '');
+    } else if (node.nodeType === Node.ELEMENT_NODE) {
+      const el = node as HTMLElement;
+      if (el.hasAttribute(BADGE_ATTR)) {
+        result += el.getAttribute(BADGE_ATTR) ?? '';
+      } else if (el.tagName === 'BR') {
+        result += '\n';
+      } else {
+        // Recurse for nested elements (e.g. spans from paste)
+        result += htmlToText(el);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
+/** Get the text content from the current caret position back to the last
+ *  whitespace or start of container, to detect the "/" trigger. */
+function getWordBeforeCaret(_container: HTMLElement): { word: string; range: Range | null } {
+  const sel = window.getSelection();
+  if (!sel || sel.rangeCount === 0) return { word: '', range: null };
+  const range = sel.getRangeAt(0).cloneRange();
+  range.collapse(true);
+
+  // Walk backwards from caret through the text node
+  const textNode = range.startContainer;
+  if (textNode.nodeType !== Node.TEXT_NODE) return { word: '', range: null };
+  const text = textNode.textContent ?? '';
+  const offset = range.startOffset;
+
+  let start = offset;
+  while (
+    start > 0 &&
+    text[start - 1] !== ' ' &&
+    text[start - 1] !== '\n' &&
+    text[start - 1] !== '\u00A0'
+  ) {
+    start--;
+  }
+
+  const word = text.slice(start, offset);
+  const wordRange = document.createRange();
+  wordRange.setStart(textNode, start);
+  wordRange.setEnd(textNode, offset);
+
+  return { word, range: wordRange };
+}
+
+// ── Component ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+export interface ParalinguisticInputProps {
+  value?: string;
+  onChange?: (value: string) => void;
+  placeholder?: string;
+  disabled?: boolean;
+  className?: string;
+  style?: React.CSSProperties;
+  onClick?: () => void;
+  onFocus?: () => void;
+}
+
+export interface ParalinguisticInputRef {
+  focus: () => void;
+  element: HTMLDivElement | null;
+}
+
+export const ParalinguisticInput = forwardRef<ParalinguisticInputRef, ParalinguisticInputProps>(
+  function ParalinguisticInput(
+    { value, onChange, placeholder, disabled, className, style, onClick, onFocus },
+    ref,
+  ) {
+    const editorRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+    const [showMenu, setShowMenu] = useState(false);
+    const [menuFilter, setMenuFilter] = useState('');
+    const [menuIndex, setMenuIndex] = useState(0);
+    const [menuPosition, setMenuPosition] = useState<{ bottom: number; left: number }>({
+      bottom: 0,
+      left: 0,
+    });
+    const triggerRangeRef = useRef<Range | null>(null);
+    const lastSerializedRef = useRef<string>('');
+    const isComposingRef = useRef(false);
+
+    useImperativeHandle(ref, () => ({
+      focus: () => editorRef.current?.focus(),
+      element: editorRef.current,
+    }));
+
+    // Filtered tag list for the autocomplete menu
+    const filteredTags = PARALINGUISTIC_TAGS.filter((t) =>
+      t.label.toLowerCase().includes(menuFilter.toLowerCase()),
+    );
+
+    // ── Sync external value → editor ──────────────────────────────
+    useEffect(() => {
+      const el = editorRef.current;
+      if (!el) return;
+      // Only update DOM if the external value differs from what we last emitted
+      if (value !== undefined && value !== lastSerializedRef.current) {
+        lastSerializedRef.current = value;
+        el.innerHTML = value ? textToHTML(value) : '';
+      }
+    }, [value]);
+
+    // ── Emit plain-text value on input ────────────────────────────
+    const emitChange = useCallback(() => {
+      const el = editorRef.current;
+      if (!el || !onChange) return;
+      const text = htmlToText(el);
+      lastSerializedRef.current = text;
+      onChange(text);
+    }, [onChange]);
+
+    // ── Insert a tag badge at the caret ───────────────────────────
+    const insertTag = useCallback(
+      (tag: string) => {
+        const el = editorRef.current;
+        if (!el) return;
+
+        // Delete the /filter text
+        const wordRange = triggerRangeRef.current;
+        if (wordRange) {
+          wordRange.deleteContents();
+        }
+
+        // Insert badge HTML
+        const temp = document.createElement('span');
+        temp.innerHTML = makeBadgeHTML(tag);
+        const frag = document.createDocumentFragment();
+        let lastNode: Node | null = null;
+        while (temp.firstChild) {
+          lastNode = frag.appendChild(temp.firstChild);
+        }
+
+        const sel = window.getSelection();
+        if (sel && sel.rangeCount > 0) {
+          const range = sel.getRangeAt(0);
+          range.deleteContents();
+          range.insertNode(frag);
+
+          // Move caret after the badge
+          if (lastNode) {
+            const newRange = document.createRange();
+            newRange.setStartAfter(lastNode);
+            newRange.collapse(true);
+            sel.removeAllRanges();
+            sel.addRange(newRange);
+          }
+        }
+
+        setShowMenu(false);
+        setMenuFilter('');
+        emitChange();
+        el.focus();
+      },
+      [emitChange],
+    );
+
+    // ── Handle keydown for autocomplete navigation ────────────────
+    const handleKeyDown = useCallback(
+      (e: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
+        if (showMenu) {
+          if (filteredTags.length === 0) {
+            if (e.key === 'Escape') {
+              e.preventDefault();
+              setShowMenu(false);
+            }
+            return;
+          }
+          if (e.key === 'ArrowDown') {
+            e.preventDefault();
+            setMenuIndex((i) => (i + 1) % filteredTags.length);
+          } else if (e.key === 'ArrowUp') {
+            e.preventDefault();
+            setMenuIndex((i) => (i - 1 + filteredTags.length) % filteredTags.length);
+          } else if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === 'Tab') {
+            e.preventDefault();
+            if (filteredTags[menuIndex]) {
+              insertTag(filteredTags[menuIndex].tag);
+            }
+          } else if (e.key === 'Escape') {
+            e.preventDefault();
+            setShowMenu(false);
+          }
+        } else {
+          // Prevent Enter from creating <div> blocks in contentEditable
+          if (e.key === 'Enter' && !e.shiftKey) {
+            // Let the form handle submit
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      [showMenu, filteredTags, menuIndex, insertTag],
+    );
+
+    // ── Handle input (check for / trigger) ────────────────────────
+    const handleInput = useCallback(() => {
+      if (isComposingRef.current) return;
+      const el = editorRef.current;
+      if (!el) return;
+
+      const { word, range } = getWordBeforeCaret(el);
+
+      if (word.startsWith('/')) {
+        const filter = word.slice(1); // strip the /
+        setMenuFilter(filter);
+        setMenuIndex(0);
+        triggerRangeRef.current = range;
+
+        // Position the menu above the caret using viewport coords (portalled)
+        const sel = window.getSelection();
+        if (sel && sel.rangeCount > 0) {
+          const rect = sel.getRangeAt(0).getBoundingClientRect();
+          setMenuPosition({
+            bottom: window.innerHeight - rect.top + 4,
+            left: rect.left,
+          });
+        }
+
+        setShowMenu(true);
+      } else {
+        setShowMenu(false);
+      }
+
+      emitChange();
+    }, [emitChange]);
+
+    // ── Handle paste — convert [tag] patterns to badges ───────────
+    const handlePaste = useCallback(
+      (e: React.ClipboardEvent) => {
+        e.preventDefault();
+        const text = e.clipboardData.getData('text/plain');
+        if (!text) return;
+
+        const el = editorRef.current;
+        if (!el) return;
+
+        const html = textToHTML(text);
+
+        // Insert at caret
+        const sel = window.getSelection();
+        if (sel && sel.rangeCount > 0) {
+          const range = sel.getRangeAt(0);
+          range.deleteContents();
+          const temp = document.createElement('div');
+          temp.innerHTML = html;
+          const frag = document.createDocumentFragment();
+          let lastNode: Node | null = null;
+          while (temp.firstChild) {
+            lastNode = frag.appendChild(temp.firstChild);
+          }
+          range.insertNode(frag);
+          if (lastNode) {
+            const newRange = document.createRange();
+            newRange.setStartAfter(lastNode);
+            newRange.collapse(true);
+            sel.removeAllRanges();
+            sel.addRange(newRange);
+          }
+        }
+
+        emitChange();
+      },
+      [emitChange],
+    );
+
+    // ── Show placeholder ──────────────────────────────────────────
+    const isEmpty = !value || value.trim() === '';
+
+    return (
+      <div className="relative">
+        {/* Placeholder */}
+        {isEmpty && placeholder && (
+          <div
+            className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-0 text-sm text-muted-foreground/60 px-3 py-2 select-none"
+            aria-hidden
+          >
+            {placeholder}
+          </div>
+        )}
+
+        {/* Editable area */}
+        <div
+          ref={editorRef}
+          contentEditable={!disabled}
+          suppressContentEditableWarning
+          role={disabled ? undefined : 'textbox'}
+          aria-multiline={disabled ? undefined : true}
+          aria-placeholder={placeholder}
+          aria-disabled={disabled}
+          tabIndex={disabled ? -1 : 0}
+          className={cn(
+            'min-h-[32px] text-sm whitespace-pre-wrap break-words outline-none',
+            '[&_.ptag-badge]:inline-flex [&_.ptag-badge]:items-center [&_.ptag-badge]:rounded-full',
+            '[&_.ptag-badge]:bg-accent/20 [&_.ptag-badge]:text-accent [&_.ptag-badge]:border [&_.ptag-badge]:border-accent/30',
+            '[&_.ptag-badge]:px-2 [&_.ptag-badge]:py-0 [&_.ptag-badge]:text-xs [&_.ptag-badge]:font-medium',
+            '[&_.ptag-badge]:mx-0.5 [&_.ptag-badge]:select-none [&_.ptag-badge]:cursor-default',
+            '[&_.ptag-badge]:align-baseline',
+            disabled && 'opacity-50 cursor-not-allowed',
+            className,
+          )}
+          style={style}
+          onInput={!disabled ? handleInput : undefined}
+          onKeyDown={!disabled ? handleKeyDown : undefined}
+          onPaste={!disabled ? handlePaste : undefined}
+          onClick={!disabled ? onClick : undefined}
+          onFocus={!disabled ? onFocus : undefined}
+          onBlur={() => {
+            setShowMenu(false);
+            triggerRangeRef.current = null;
+          }}
+          onCompositionStart={() => {
+            isComposingRef.current = true;
+          }}
+          onCompositionEnd={() => {
+            isComposingRef.current = false;
+            handleInput();
+          }}
+        />
+
+        {/* Autocomplete dropdown — portalled to body, positioned above the caret */}
+        {showMenu &&
+          filteredTags.length > 0 &&
+          createPortal(
+            <AnimatePresence>
+              <motion.div
+                initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 4 }}
+                animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
+                exit={{ opacity: 0, y: 4 }}
+                transition={{ duration: 0.12 }}
+                className="fixed z-[9999] min-w-[200px] max-h-[280px] overflow-y-auto rounded-lg border border-border bg-popover shadow-lg"
+                style={{
+                  bottom: menuPosition.bottom,
+                  left: menuPosition.left,
+                }}
+              >
+                {filteredTags.map((t, i) => (
+                  <button
+                    key={t.tag}
+                    type="button"
+                    className={cn(
+                      'flex items-center gap-2 w-full px-3 py-1.5 text-sm text-left transition-colors',
+                      i === menuIndex
+                        ? 'bg-accent/20 text-accent-foreground'
+                        : 'text-popover-foreground hover:bg-muted/50',
+                    )}
+                    onMouseDown={(e) => {
+                      e.preventDefault(); // Keep focus in editor
+                      insertTag(t.tag);
+                    }}
+                    onMouseEnter={() => setMenuIndex(i)}
+                  >
+                    <span className="text-base leading-none">{t.emoji}</span>
+                    <span>{t.label}</span>
+                    <span className="ml-auto text-xs text-muted-foreground font-mono">{t.tag}</span>
+                  </button>
+                ))}
+              </motion.div>
+            </AnimatePresence>,
+            document.body,
+          )}
+      </div>
+    );
+  },
+);

app/src/components/History/HistoryTable.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,22 @@
-import { AudioWaveform, Download, FileArchive, Loader2, MoreHorizontal, Play, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
+import { AnimatePresence, motion } from 'framer-motion';
+import {
+  AlignCenter,
+  AudioLines,
+  AudioWaveform,
+  Download,
+  FileArchive,
+  Loader2,
+  MoreHorizontal,
+  Play,
+  RotateCcw,
+  Star,
+  Trash2,
+  Wand2,
+} from 'lucide-react';
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
-import type { HistoryResponse } from '@/lib/api/types';
+import Loader from 'react-loaders';
+import { EffectsChainEditor } from '@/components/Effects/EffectsChainEditor';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import {
   Dialog,
@@ -16,9 +32,17 @@ import {
   DropdownMenuItem,
   DropdownMenuTrigger,
 } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu';
+import {
+  Select,
+  SelectContent,
+  SelectItem,
+  SelectTrigger,
+  SelectValue,
+} from '@/components/ui/select';
 import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea';
 import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
 import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
+import type { EffectConfig, GenerationVersionResponse, HistoryResponse } from '@/lib/api/types';
 import { BOTTOM_SAFE_AREA_PADDING } from '@/lib/constants/ui';
 import {
   useDeleteGeneration,
@@ -28,7 +52,8 @@ import {
   useImportGeneration,
 } from '@/lib/hooks/useHistory';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
-import { formatDate, formatDuration } from '@/lib/utils/format';
+import { formatDate, formatDuration, formatEngineName } from '@/lib/utils/format';
+import { useGenerationStore } from '@/stores/generationStore';
 import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
 
 // OLD TABLE-BASED COMPONENT - REMOVED (can be found in git history)
@@ -46,11 +71,27 @@ export function HistoryTable() {
   const [importDialogOpen, setImportDialogOpen] = useState(false);
   const [selectedFile, setSelectedFile] = useState<File | null>(null);
   const [deleteDialogOpen, setDeleteDialogOpen] = useState(false);
-  const [generationToDelete, setGenerationToDelete] = useState<{ id: string; name: string } | null>(null);
+  const [generationToDelete, setGenerationToDelete] = useState<{ id: string; name: string } | null>(
+    null,
+  );
+  const [effectsDialogOpen, setEffectsDialogOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [effectsTargetId, setEffectsTargetId] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [effectsTargetVersions, setEffectsTargetVersions] = useState<GenerationVersionResponse[]>(
+    [],
+  );
+  const [effectsSourceVersionId, setEffectsSourceVersionId] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [effectsChain, setEffectsChain] = useState<EffectConfig[]>([]);
+  const [applyingEffects, setApplyingEffects] = useState(false);
+  const [expandedVersionsId, setExpandedVersionsId] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const limit = 20;
   const { toast } = useToast();
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
 
-  const { data: historyData, isLoading, isFetching } = useHistory({
+  const {
+    data: historyData,
+    isLoading,
+    isFetching,
+  } = useHistory({
     limit,
     offset: page * limit,
   });
@@ -59,6 +100,7 @@ export function HistoryTable() {
   const exportGeneration = useExportGeneration();
   const exportGenerationAudio = useExportGenerationAudio();
   const importGeneration = useImportGeneration();
+  const addPendingGeneration = useGenerationStore((state) => state.addPendingGeneration);
   const setAudioWithAutoPlay = usePlayerStore((state) => state.setAudioWithAutoPlay);
   const restartCurrentAudio = usePlayerStore((state) => state.restartCurrentAudio);
   const currentAudioId = usePlayerStore((state) => state.audioId);
@@ -182,6 +224,120 @@ export function HistoryTable() {
     }
   };
 
+  const handleRetry = async (generationId: string) => {
+    try {
+      const result = await apiClient.retryGeneration(generationId);
+      addPendingGeneration(result.id);
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['history'] });
+    } catch (error) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Retry failed',
+        description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Could not retry generation',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleRegenerate = async (generationId: string) => {
+    try {
+      await apiClient.regenerateGeneration(generationId);
+      addPendingGeneration(generationId);
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['history'] });
+    } catch (error) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Regenerate failed',
+        description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Could not regenerate',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleToggleFavorite = async (generationId: string) => {
+    try {
+      await apiClient.toggleFavorite(generationId);
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['history'] });
+    } catch (error) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Failed to update favorite',
+        description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleApplyEffects = (generationId: string) => {
+    const gen = allHistory.find((g) => g.id === generationId);
+    const versions = gen?.versions ?? [];
+    setEffectsTargetId(generationId);
+    setEffectsTargetVersions(versions);
+    // Default to clean/original version (no effects chain)
+    const cleanVersion = versions.find((v) => !v.effects_chain || v.effects_chain.length === 0);
+    setEffectsSourceVersionId(cleanVersion?.id ?? null);
+    setEffectsChain([]);
+    setEffectsDialogOpen(true);
+  };
+
+  const handleApplyEffectsConfirm = async () => {
+    if (!effectsTargetId || effectsChain.length === 0) return;
+    setApplyingEffects(true);
+    try {
+      const newVersion = await apiClient.applyEffectsToGeneration(effectsTargetId, {
+        effects_chain: effectsChain,
+        source_version_id: effectsSourceVersionId ?? undefined,
+        set_as_default: true,
+      });
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['history'] });
+
+      // If the player is currently on this generation, reload with the new version audio
+      if (currentAudioId === effectsTargetId) {
+        const gen = allHistory.find((g) => g.id === effectsTargetId);
+        if (gen) {
+          const versionUrl = apiClient.getVersionAudioUrl(newVersion.id);
+          setAudioWithAutoPlay(
+            versionUrl,
+            effectsTargetId,
+            gen.profile_id,
+            gen.text.substring(0, 50),
+          );
+        }
+      }
+
+      setEffectsDialogOpen(false);
+      toast({ title: 'Effects applied', description: 'A new version has been created.' });
+    } catch (error) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Failed to apply effects',
+        description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+    } finally {
+      setApplyingEffects(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleSwitchVersion = async (generationId: string, versionId: string) => {
+    try {
+      await apiClient.setDefaultVersion(generationId, versionId);
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['history'] });
+    } catch (error) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Failed to switch version',
+        description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handlePlayVersion = (
+    generationId: string,
+    versionId: string,
+    text: string,
+    profileId: string,
+  ) => {
+    const audioUrl = apiClient.getVersionAudioUrl(versionId);
+    setAudioWithAutoPlay(audioUrl, generationId, profileId, text.substring(0, 50));
+  };
+
   const handleImportConfirm = () => {
     if (selectedFile) {
       importGeneration.mutate(selectedFile, {
@@ -238,100 +394,269 @@ export function HistoryTable() {
           >
             {history.map((gen) => {
               const isCurrentlyPlaying = currentAudioId === gen.id && isPlaying;
+              const isInProgress = gen.status === 'loading_model' || gen.status === 'generating';
+              const isGenerating = isInProgress;
+              const isFailed = gen.status === 'failed';
+              const isPlayable = !isGenerating && !isFailed;
+              const hasVersions = gen.versions && gen.versions.length > 1;
+              const isVersionsExpanded = expandedVersionsId === gen.id;
               return (
                 <div
                   key={gen.id}
                   className={cn(
-                    'flex items-stretch gap-4 h-26 border rounded-md p-3 bg-card hover:bg-muted/70 transition-colors text-left w-full',
+                    'border rounded-md bg-card transition-colors text-left w-full',
                     isCurrentlyPlaying && 'bg-muted/70',
                   )}
-                  onMouseDown={(e) => {
-                    // Don't trigger play if clicking on textarea or if text is selected
-                    const target = e.target as HTMLElement;
-                    if (target.closest('textarea') || window.getSelection()?.toString()) {
-                      return;
-                    }
-                    handlePlay(gen.id, gen.text, gen.profile_id);
-                  }}
                 >
-                  {/* Waveform icon */}
-                  <div className="flex items-center shrink-0">
-                    <AudioWaveform className="h-5 w-5 text-muted-foreground" />
-                  </div>
-
-                  {/* Left side - Meta information */}
-                  <div className="flex flex-col gap-1.5 w-48 shrink-0 justify-center">
-                    <div className="font-medium text-sm truncate" title={gen.profile_name}>
-                      {gen.profile_name}
-                    </div>
-                    <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-                      <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{gen.language}</span>
-                      <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                        {formatDuration(gen.duration)}
-                      </span>
-                    </div>
-                    <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                      {formatDate(gen.created_at)}
-                    </div>
-                  </div>
-
-                  {/* Right side - Transcript textarea */}
-                  <div className="flex-1 min-w-0 flex">
-                    <Textarea
-                      value={gen.text}
-                      className="flex-1 resize-none text-sm text-muted-foreground select-text"
-                    />
-                  </div>
-
-                  {/* Far right - Ellipsis actions */}
+                  {/* Main row */}
                   <div
-                    className="w-10 shrink-0 flex justify-end"
-                    onMouseDown={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
-                    onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+                    role={isPlayable ? 'button' : undefined}
+                    tabIndex={isPlayable ? 0 : undefined}
+                    className={cn(
+                      'flex items-stretch gap-4 h-26 p-3',
+                      isPlayable && 'hover:bg-muted/70 cursor-pointer rounded-md',
+                      isVersionsExpanded && 'rounded-b-none',
+                    )}
+                    aria-label={
+                      isGenerating
+                        ? `Generating speech for ${gen.profile_name}...`
+                        : isFailed
+                          ? `Generation failed for ${gen.profile_name}`
+                          : isCurrentlyPlaying
+                            ? `Sample from ${gen.profile_name}, ${formatDuration(gen.duration ?? 0)}, ${formatDate(gen.created_at)}. Playing. Press Enter to restart.`
+                            : `Sample from ${gen.profile_name}, ${formatDuration(gen.duration ?? 0)}, ${formatDate(gen.created_at)}. Press Enter to play.`
+                    }
+                    onMouseDown={(e) => {
+                      if (!isPlayable) return;
+                      const target = e.target as HTMLElement;
+                      if (target.closest('textarea') || window.getSelection()?.toString()) {
+                        return;
+                      }
+                      handlePlay(gen.id, gen.text, gen.profile_id);
+                    }}
+                    onKeyDown={(e) => {
+                      if (!isPlayable) return;
+                      const target = e.target as HTMLElement;
+                      if (target.closest('textarea') || target.closest('button')) return;
+                      if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') {
+                        e.preventDefault();
+                        handlePlay(gen.id, gen.text, gen.profile_id);
+                      }
+                    }}
                   >
-                    <DropdownMenu>
-                      <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
+                    {/* Status icon */}
+                    <div className="flex items-center shrink-0 w-10 justify-center overflow-hidden">
+                      <div className="scale-50">
+                        <Loader
+                          type={isGenerating ? 'line-scale' : 'line-scale-pulse-out-rapid'}
+                          active={isGenerating || isCurrentlyPlaying}
+                        />
+                      </div>
+                    </div>
+
+                    {/* Left side - Meta information */}
+                    <div className="flex flex-col gap-1.5 w-48 shrink-0 justify-center">
+                      <div className="font-medium text-sm truncate" title={gen.profile_name}>
+                        {gen.profile_name}
+                      </div>
+                      <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+                        <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{gen.language}</span>
+                        <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                          {formatEngineName(gen.engine, gen.model_size)}
+                        </span>
+                        {isFailed ? (
+                          <span className="text-xs text-destructive">Failed</span>
+                        ) : !isGenerating ? (
+                          <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                            {formatDuration(gen.duration ?? 0)}
+                          </span>
+                        ) : null}
+                      </div>
+                      <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                        {isInProgress ? (
+                          <span className="text-accent">
+                            {gen.status === 'loading_model' ? 'Loading model...' : 'Generating...'}
+                          </span>
+                        ) : (
+                          formatDate(gen.created_at)
+                        )}
+                      </div>
+                    </div>
+
+                    {/* Right side - Transcript textarea */}
+                    <div className="flex-1 min-w-0 flex">
+                      <Textarea
+                        value={gen.text}
+                        className="flex-1 resize-none text-sm text-muted-foreground select-text"
+                        readOnly
+                        aria-label={`Transcript for sample from ${gen.profile_name}, ${formatDuration(gen.duration ?? 0)}`}
+                      />
+                    </div>
+
+                    {/* Far right - Actions */}
+                    <div
+                      className="shrink-0 flex flex-col justify-center items-center gap-0.5"
+                      onMouseDown={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+                      onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+                    >
+                      <Button
+                        variant="ghost"
+                        size="icon"
+                        className={cn(
+                          'h-6 w-6 text-muted-foreground/50 hover:bg-muted-foreground/20 hover:text-muted-foreground',
+                          gen.is_favorited && 'text-accent hover:text-accent',
+                        )}
+                        aria-label={gen.is_favorited ? 'Unfavorite' : 'Favorite'}
+                        onClick={() => handleToggleFavorite(gen.id)}
+                      >
+                        <Star
+                          className="h-2 w-2"
+                          fill={gen.is_favorited ? 'currentColor' : 'none'}
+                        />
+                      </Button>
+                      {hasVersions && (
                         <Button
                           variant="ghost"
                           size="icon"
-                          className="h-8 w-8"
-                          aria-label="Actions"
+                          className={cn(
+                            'h-6 w-6 text-muted-foreground/50 hover:bg-muted-foreground/20 hover:text-muted-foreground',
+                            isVersionsExpanded && 'text-accent hover:text-accent',
+                          )}
+                          aria-label="Toggle versions"
+                          onClick={() => setExpandedVersionsId(isVersionsExpanded ? null : gen.id)}
                         >
-                          <MoreHorizontal className="h-4 w-4" />
+                          <AudioLines className="h-2 w-2" />
                         </Button>
-                      </DropdownMenuTrigger>
-                      <DropdownMenuContent align="end">
-                        <DropdownMenuItem
-                          onClick={() => handlePlay(gen.id, gen.text, gen.profile_id)}
+                      )}
+
+                      {isFailed ? (
+                        <Button
+                          variant="ghost"
+                          size="icon"
+                          className="h-6 w-6 text-muted-foreground/50 hover:bg-muted-foreground/20 hover:text-muted-foreground"
+                          aria-label="Retry generation"
+                          onClick={() => handleRetry(gen.id)}
                         >
-                          <Play className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-                          Play
-                        </DropdownMenuItem>
-                        <DropdownMenuItem
-                          onClick={() => handleDownloadAudio(gen.id, gen.text)}
-                          disabled={exportGenerationAudio.isPending}
-                        >
-                          <Download className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-                          Export Audio
-                        </DropdownMenuItem>
-                        <DropdownMenuItem
-                          onClick={() => handleExportPackage(gen.id, gen.text)}
-                          disabled={exportGeneration.isPending}
-                        >
-                          <FileArchive className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-                          Export Package
-                        </DropdownMenuItem>
-                        <DropdownMenuItem
-                          onClick={() => handleDeleteClick(gen.id, gen.profile_name)}
-                          disabled={deleteGeneration.isPending}
-                          className="text-destructive focus:text-destructive"
-                        >
-                          <Trash2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-                          Delete
-                        </DropdownMenuItem>
-                      </DropdownMenuContent>
-                    </DropdownMenu>
+                          <RotateCcw className="h-2 w-2" />
+                        </Button>
+                      ) : (
+                        <>
+                          <DropdownMenu>
+                            <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
+                              <Button
+                                variant="ghost"
+                                size="icon"
+                                className="h-6 w-6 text-muted-foreground/50 hover:bg-muted-foreground/20 hover:text-muted-foreground"
+                                aria-label="Actions"
+                                disabled={isGenerating}
+                              >
+                                <MoreHorizontal className="h-2 w-2" />
+                              </Button>
+                            </DropdownMenuTrigger>
+                            <DropdownMenuContent align="end">
+                              <DropdownMenuItem
+                                onClick={() => handlePlay(gen.id, gen.text, gen.profile_id)}
+                              >
+                                <Play className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+                                Play
+                              </DropdownMenuItem>
+                              <DropdownMenuItem
+                                onClick={() => handleDownloadAudio(gen.id, gen.text)}
+                                disabled={exportGenerationAudio.isPending}
+                              >
+                                <Download className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+                                Export Audio
+                              </DropdownMenuItem>
+                              <DropdownMenuItem
+                                onClick={() => handleExportPackage(gen.id, gen.text)}
+                                disabled={exportGeneration.isPending}
+                              >
+                                <FileArchive className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+                                Export Package
+                              </DropdownMenuItem>
+                              <DropdownMenuItem onClick={() => handleApplyEffects(gen.id)}>
+                                <Wand2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+                                Apply Effects
+                              </DropdownMenuItem>
+                              <DropdownMenuItem onClick={() => handleRegenerate(gen.id)}>
+                                <RotateCcw className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+                                Regenerate
+                              </DropdownMenuItem>
+                              <DropdownMenuItem
+                                onClick={() => handleDeleteClick(gen.id, gen.profile_name)}
+                                disabled={deleteGeneration.isPending}
+                                // className="text-destructive focus:text-destructive"
+                              >
+                                <Trash2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+                                Delete
+                              </DropdownMenuItem>
+                            </DropdownMenuContent>
+                          </DropdownMenu>
+                        </>
+                      )}
+                    </div>
                   </div>
+
+                  {/* Expandable versions panel */}
+                  <AnimatePresence>
+                    {isVersionsExpanded && gen.versions && (
+                      <motion.div
+                        initial={{ height: 0, opacity: 0 }}
+                        animate={{ height: 'auto', opacity: 1 }}
+                        exit={{ height: 0, opacity: 0 }}
+                        transition={{ duration: 0.2, ease: 'easeOut' }}
+                        className="overflow-hidden"
+                      >
+                        <div className="border-t border-border/50">
+                          <div className="divide-y divide-border/40">
+                            {gen.versions.map((v) => {
+                              // Show source provenance when effects were applied to a non-clean version
+                              const sourceVersion = v.source_version_id
+                                ? gen.versions?.find((sv) => sv.id === v.source_version_id)
+                                : null;
+                              const showSource =
+                                sourceVersion &&
+                                sourceVersion.effects_chain &&
+                                sourceVersion.effects_chain.length > 0;
+
+                              return (
+                                <button
+                                  key={v.id}
+                                  type="button"
+                                  className="flex items-center gap-2 w-full h-9 px-3 text-left hover:bg-muted/50 transition-colors"
+                                  onClick={() => {
+                                    handlePlayVersion(gen.id, v.id, gen.text, gen.profile_id);
+                                    if (!v.is_default) {
+                                      handleSwitchVersion(gen.id, v.id);
+                                    }
+                                  }}
+                                >
+                                  <AudioLines className="h-3 w-3 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
+                                  <span className="truncate text-xs font-medium">{v.label}</span>
+                                  {v.effects_chain && v.effects_chain.length > 0 && (
+                                    <span className="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground truncate">
+                                      {v.effects_chain.map((e) => e.type).join(' → ')}
+                                    </span>
+                                  )}
+                                  {showSource && (
+                                    <span className="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground/60 truncate">
+                                      from {sourceVersion.label}
+                                    </span>
+                                  )}
+                                  <span className="flex-1" />
+                                  {v.is_default && (
+                                    <span className="text-[10px] bg-accent/15 text-accent px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded-full">
+                                      active
+                                    </span>
+                                  )}
+                                </button>
+                              );
+                            })}
+                          </div>
+                        </div>
+                      </motion.div>
+                    )}
+                  </AnimatePresence>
                 </div>
               );
             })}
@@ -358,7 +683,8 @@ export function HistoryTable() {
           <DialogHeader>
             <DialogTitle>Delete Generation</DialogTitle>
             <DialogDescription>
-              Are you sure you want to delete this generation from "{generationToDelete?.name}"? This action cannot be undone.
+              Are you sure you want to delete this generation from "{generationToDelete?.name}"?
+              This action cannot be undone.
             </DialogDescription>
           </DialogHeader>
           <DialogFooter>
@@ -412,6 +738,57 @@ export function HistoryTable() {
           </DialogFooter>
         </DialogContent>
       </Dialog>
+
+      <Dialog open={effectsDialogOpen} onOpenChange={setEffectsDialogOpen}>
+        <DialogContent className="max-w-md">
+          <DialogHeader>
+            <DialogTitle>Apply Effects</DialogTitle>
+            <DialogDescription>
+              Configure post-processing effects to apply to this generation. A new version will be
+              created.
+            </DialogDescription>
+          </DialogHeader>
+          {effectsTargetVersions.length > 1 && (
+            <div className="space-y-1.5">
+              <label className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">Source</label>
+              <Select
+                value={effectsSourceVersionId ?? ''}
+                onValueChange={(val) => setEffectsSourceVersionId(val || null)}
+              >
+                <SelectTrigger className="h-8 text-xs">
+                  <SelectValue placeholder="Select source version" />
+                </SelectTrigger>
+                <SelectContent>
+                  {effectsTargetVersions.map((v) => (
+                    <SelectItem key={v.id} value={v.id} className="text-xs">
+                      {v.label}
+                      {v.effects_chain && v.effects_chain.length > 0 && (
+                        <span className="text-muted-foreground ml-1.5">
+                          ({v.effects_chain.map((e) => e.type).join(' + ')})
+                        </span>
+                      )}
+                    </SelectItem>
+                  ))}
+                </SelectContent>
+              </Select>
+            </div>
+          )}
+          <div className="py-2 max-h-80 overflow-y-auto">
+            <EffectsChainEditor value={effectsChain} onChange={setEffectsChain} />
+          </div>
+          <DialogFooter>
+            <Button variant="outline" onClick={() => setEffectsDialogOpen(false)}>
+              Cancel
+            </Button>
+            <Button
+              onClick={handleApplyEffectsConfirm}
+              disabled={applyingEffects || effectsChain.length === 0}
+            >
+              {applyingEffects ? 'Applying...' : 'Apply'}
+            </Button>
+          </DialogFooter>
+        </DialogContent>
+      </Dialog>
     </div>
   );
 }

app/src/components/MainEditor/MainEditor.tsx

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
 } from '@/components/ui/dialog';
 import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
 import { ProfileList } from '@/components/VoiceProfiles/ProfileList';
-import { BOTTOM_SAFE_AREA_PADDING } from '@/lib/constants/ui';
+
 import { useImportProfile } from '@/lib/hooks/useProfiles';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
 import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
@@ -77,9 +77,9 @@ export function MainEditor() {
 
   return (
     // Main view: Profiles top left, Generator bottom left, History right
-    <div className="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-2 gap-6 h-full min-h-0 overflow-hidden relative">
+    <div className="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-2 lg:gap-6 h-full min-h-0 overflow-hidden relative">
       {/* Left Column */}
-      <div className="flex flex-col min-h-0 overflow-hidden relative">
+      <div className="flex flex-col min-h-0 overflow-hidden relative lg:overflow-hidden">
         {/* Scroll Mask - Always visible, behind content */}
         <div className="absolute top-0 left-0 right-0 h-16 bg-gradient-to-b from-background to-transparent z-0 pointer-events-none" />
 
@@ -110,10 +110,7 @@ export function MainEditor() {
         {/* Scrollable Content */}
         <div
           ref={scrollRef}
-          className={cn(
-            'flex-1 min-h-0 overflow-y-auto pt-14',
-            isPlayerVisible ? BOTTOM_SAFE_AREA_PADDING : 'pb-4',
-          )}
+          className={cn('flex-1 min-h-0 overflow-y-auto pt-14 pb-4', isPlayerVisible && 'lg:pb-32')}
         >
           <div className="flex flex-col gap-6">
             <div className="shrink-0 flex flex-col">
@@ -123,6 +120,9 @@ export function MainEditor() {
         </div>
       </div>
 
+      {/* Divider - single column only */}
+      {/* <div className="border-t border-border -my-3 lg:hidden" /> */}
+
       {/* Right Column - History */}
       <div className="flex flex-col min-h-0 overflow-hidden">
         <HistoryTable />

app/src/components/ModelsTab/ModelsTab.tsx

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { ModelManagement } from '@/components/ServerSettings/ModelManagement';
 
 export function ModelsTab() {
   return (
-    <div className="space-y-4 overflow-y-auto flex flex-col">
+    <div className="h-full flex flex-col">
       <ModelManagement />
     </div>
   );

app/src/components/ServerSettings/ConnectionForm.tsx

@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 import { zodResolver } from '@hookform/resolvers/zod';
+import { Loader2, XCircle } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useEffect } from 'react';
 import { useForm } from 'react-hook-form';
 import * as z from 'zod';
+import { Badge } from '@/components/ui/badge';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from '@/components/ui/card';
+import { Checkbox } from '@/components/ui/checkbox';
 import {
   Form,
   FormControl,
@@ -14,10 +17,10 @@ import {
   FormMessage,
 } from '@/components/ui/form';
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input';
-import { Checkbox } from '@/components/ui/checkbox';
 import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
-import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
+import { useServerHealth } from '@/lib/hooks/useServer';
 import { usePlatform } from '@/platform/PlatformContext';
+import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
 
 const connectionSchema = z.object({
   serverUrl: z.string().url('Please enter a valid URL'),
@@ -31,7 +34,10 @@ export function ConnectionForm() {
   const setServerUrl = useServerStore((state) => state.setServerUrl);
   const keepServerRunningOnClose = useServerStore((state) => state.keepServerRunningOnClose);
   const setKeepServerRunningOnClose = useServerStore((state) => state.setKeepServerRunningOnClose);
+  const mode = useServerStore((state) => state.mode);
+  const setMode = useServerStore((state) => state.setMode);
   const { toast } = useToast();
+  const { data: health, isLoading, error: healthError } = useServerHealth();
 
   const form = useForm<ConnectionFormValues>({
     resolver: zodResolver(connectionSchema),
@@ -49,7 +55,7 @@ export function ConnectionForm() {
 
   function onSubmit(data: ConnectionFormValues) {
     setServerUrl(data.serverUrl);
-    form.reset(data); // Reset form state after successful submission
+    form.reset(data);
     toast({
       title: 'Server URL updated',
       description: `Connected to ${data.serverUrl}`,
@@ -57,7 +63,7 @@ export function ConnectionForm() {
   }
 
   return (
-    <Card>
+    <Card role="region" aria-label="Server Connection" tabIndex={0}>
       <CardHeader>
         <CardTitle>Server Connection</CardTitle>
       </CardHeader>
@@ -83,10 +89,42 @@ export function ConnectionForm() {
           </form>
         </Form>
 
+        {/* Connection status */}
+        <div className="mt-4">
+          {isLoading ? (
+            <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+              <Loader2 className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
+              <span className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Checking connection...</span>
+            </div>
+          ) : healthError ? (
+            <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+              <XCircle className="h-4 w-4 text-destructive" />
+              <span className="text-sm text-destructive">
+                Connection failed: {healthError.message}
+              </span>
+            </div>
+          ) : health ? (
+            <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-2">
+              <Badge
+                variant={health.model_loaded || health.model_downloaded ? 'default' : 'secondary'}
+              >
+                {health.model_loaded || health.model_downloaded ? 'Model Ready' : 'No Model'}
+              </Badge>
+              <Badge variant={health.gpu_available ? 'default' : 'secondary'}>
+                GPU: {health.gpu_available ? 'Available' : 'Not Available'}
+              </Badge>
+              {health.vram_used_mb != null && health.vram_used_mb > 0 && (
+                <Badge variant="outline">VRAM: {health.vram_used_mb.toFixed(0)} MB</Badge>
+              )}
+            </div>
+          ) : null}
+        </div>
+
         <div className="mt-6 pt-6 border-t">
           <div className="flex items-start space-x-3">
             <Checkbox
               id="keepServerRunning"
+              className="mt-[6px]"
               checked={keepServerRunningOnClose}
               onCheckedChange={(checked: boolean) => {
                 setKeepServerRunningOnClose(checked);
@@ -115,6 +153,39 @@ export function ConnectionForm() {
             </div>
           </div>
         </div>
+
+        {platform.metadata.isTauri && (
+          <div className="mt-6 pt-6 border-t">
+            <div className="flex items-start space-x-3">
+              <Checkbox
+                id="allowNetworkAccess"
+                className="mt-[6px]"
+                checked={mode === 'remote'}
+                onCheckedChange={(checked: boolean) => {
+                  setMode(checked ? 'remote' : 'local');
+                  toast({
+                    title: 'Setting updated',
+                    description: checked
+                      ? 'Network access enabled. Restart the app to apply.'
+                      : 'Network access disabled. Restart the app to apply.',
+                  });
+                }}
+              />
+              <div className="space-y-1">
+                <label
+                  htmlFor="allowNetworkAccess"
+                  className="text-sm font-medium leading-none peer-disabled:cursor-not-allowed peer-disabled:opacity-70 cursor-pointer"
+                >
+                  Allow network access
+                </label>
+                <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                  Makes the server accessible from other devices on your network. Restart the app
+                  after changing this setting.
+                </p>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        )}
       </CardContent>
     </Card>
   );

app/src/components/ServerSettings/GenerationSettings.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+import { Card, CardContent, CardDescription, CardHeader, CardTitle } from '@/components/ui/card';
+import { Checkbox } from '@/components/ui/checkbox';
+import { Slider } from '@/components/ui/slider';
+import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
+
+export function GenerationSettings() {
+  const maxChunkChars = useServerStore((state) => state.maxChunkChars);
+  const setMaxChunkChars = useServerStore((state) => state.setMaxChunkChars);
+  const crossfadeMs = useServerStore((state) => state.crossfadeMs);
+  const setCrossfadeMs = useServerStore((state) => state.setCrossfadeMs);
+  const normalizeAudio = useServerStore((state) => state.normalizeAudio);
+  const setNormalizeAudio = useServerStore((state) => state.setNormalizeAudio);
+  const autoplayOnGenerate = useServerStore((state) => state.autoplayOnGenerate);
+  const setAutoplayOnGenerate = useServerStore((state) => state.setAutoplayOnGenerate);
+
+  return (
+    <Card role="region" aria-label="Generation Settings" tabIndex={0}>
+      <CardHeader>
+        <CardTitle>Generation Settings</CardTitle>
+        <CardDescription>
+          Controls for long text generation. These settings apply to all engines.
+        </CardDescription>
+      </CardHeader>
+      <CardContent>
+        <div className="space-y-6">
+          <div className="space-y-3">
+            <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
+              <label htmlFor="maxChunkChars" className="text-sm font-medium leading-none">
+                Auto-chunking limit
+              </label>
+              <span className="text-sm tabular-nums text-muted-foreground">
+                {maxChunkChars} chars
+              </span>
+            </div>
+            <Slider
+              id="maxChunkChars"
+              value={[maxChunkChars]}
+              onValueChange={([value]) => setMaxChunkChars(value)}
+              min={100}
+              max={5000}
+              step={50}
+              aria-label="Auto-chunking character limit"
+            />
+            <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+              Long text is split into chunks at sentence boundaries before generating. Lower values
+              can improve quality for long outputs.
+            </p>
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="space-y-3">
+            <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
+              <label htmlFor="crossfadeMs" className="text-sm font-medium leading-none">
+                Chunk crossfade
+              </label>
+              <span className="text-sm tabular-nums text-muted-foreground">
+                {crossfadeMs === 0 ? 'Cut' : `${crossfadeMs}ms`}
+              </span>
+            </div>
+            <Slider
+              id="crossfadeMs"
+              value={[crossfadeMs]}
+              onValueChange={([value]) => setCrossfadeMs(value)}
+              min={0}
+              max={200}
+              step={10}
+              aria-label="Chunk crossfade duration"
+            />
+            <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+              Blends audio between chunks to smooth transitions. Set to 0 for a hard cut.
+            </p>
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="flex items-start gap-3">
+            <Checkbox
+              id="normalizeAudio"
+              checked={normalizeAudio}
+              onCheckedChange={setNormalizeAudio}
+              className="mt-[6px]"
+            />
+            <div className="space-y-1">
+              <label
+                htmlFor="normalizeAudio"
+                className="text-sm font-medium leading-none cursor-pointer"
+              >
+                Normalize audio
+              </label>
+              <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                Adjusts output volume to a consistent level across generations.
+              </p>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="flex items-start gap-3">
+            <Checkbox
+              id="autoplayOnGenerate"
+              checked={autoplayOnGenerate}
+              onCheckedChange={setAutoplayOnGenerate}
+              className="mt-[6px]"
+            />
+            <div className="space-y-1">
+              <label
+                htmlFor="autoplayOnGenerate"
+                className="text-sm font-medium leading-none cursor-pointer"
+              >
+                Autoplay on generate
+              </label>
+              <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                Automatically play audio when a generation completes.
+              </p>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </CardContent>
+    </Card>
+  );
+}

app/src/components/ServerSettings/GpuAcceleration.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,369 @@
+import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
+import { AlertCircle, Download, Loader2, RotateCw, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
+import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from '@/components/ui/card';
+import { Progress } from '@/components/ui/progress';
+import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
+import type { CudaDownloadProgress } from '@/lib/api/types';
+import { useServerHealth } from '@/lib/hooks/useServer';
+import { usePlatform } from '@/platform/PlatformContext';
+import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
+
+type RestartPhase = 'idle' | 'stopping' | 'waiting' | 'ready';
+
+export function GpuAcceleration() {
+  const platform = usePlatform();
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
+  const serverUrl = useServerStore((state) => state.serverUrl);
+  const { data: health } = useServerHealth();
+
+  const [restartPhase, setRestartPhase] = useState<RestartPhase>('idle');
+  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [downloadProgress, setDownloadProgress] = useState<CudaDownloadProgress | null>(null);
+  const healthPollRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null>(null);
+
+  // Query CUDA backend status
+  const {
+    data: cudaStatus,
+    isLoading: _cudaStatusLoading,
+    refetch: refetchCudaStatus,
+  } = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ['cuda-status', serverUrl],
+    queryFn: () => apiClient.getCudaStatus(),
+    refetchInterval: (query) => (query.state.status === 'pending' ? false : 10000),
+    retry: 1,
+    enabled: !!health, // Only fetch when backend is reachable
+  });
+
+  // Derived state
+  const isCurrentlyCuda = health?.backend_variant === 'cuda';
+  const cudaAvailable = cudaStatus?.available ?? false;
+  const cudaDownloading = cudaStatus?.downloading ?? false;
+
+  // Clean up health poll on unmount
+  useEffect(() => {
+    return () => {
+      if (healthPollRef.current) {
+        clearInterval(healthPollRef.current);
+        healthPollRef.current = null;
+      }
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  // SSE progress tracking during download
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!cudaDownloading || !serverUrl) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const eventSource = new EventSource(`${serverUrl}/backend/cuda-progress`);
+
+    eventSource.onmessage = (event) => {
+      try {
+        const data = JSON.parse(event.data) as CudaDownloadProgress;
+        setDownloadProgress(data);
+
+        if (data.status === 'complete') {
+          eventSource.close();
+          setDownloadProgress(null);
+          refetchCudaStatus();
+        } else if (data.status === 'error') {
+          eventSource.close();
+          setError(data.error || 'Download failed');
+          setDownloadProgress(null);
+          refetchCudaStatus();
+        }
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.error('Error parsing CUDA progress event:', e);
+      }
+    };
+
+    eventSource.onerror = () => {
+      eventSource.close();
+    };
+
+    return () => {
+      eventSource.close();
+    };
+  }, [cudaDownloading, serverUrl, refetchCudaStatus]);
+
+  // Start aggressive health polling during restart
+  const startHealthPolling = useCallback(() => {
+    if (healthPollRef.current) return;
+
+    healthPollRef.current = setInterval(async () => {
+      try {
+        const result = await apiClient.getHealth();
+        if (result.status === 'healthy') {
+          // Server is back up
+          if (healthPollRef.current) {
+            clearInterval(healthPollRef.current);
+            healthPollRef.current = null;
+          }
+          setRestartPhase('ready');
+          // Invalidate all queries to refresh UI
+          queryClient.invalidateQueries();
+          // Reset after a moment
+          setTimeout(() => setRestartPhase('idle'), 2000);
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // Server still down, keep polling
+      }
+    }, 1000);
+  }, [queryClient]);
+
+  const handleDownload = async () => {
+    setError(null);
+    try {
+      await apiClient.downloadCudaBackend();
+      refetchCudaStatus();
+    } catch (e: unknown) {
+      const msg = e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Failed to start download';
+      if (msg.includes('already downloaded')) {
+        refetchCudaStatus();
+      } else {
+        setError(msg);
+      }
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleRestart = async () => {
+    setError(null);
+    setRestartPhase('stopping');
+
+    try {
+      setRestartPhase('waiting');
+      startHealthPolling();
+      await platform.lifecycle.restartServer();
+      // Invoke resolved — server is likely ready. Stop polling and refresh.
+      if (healthPollRef.current) {
+        clearInterval(healthPollRef.current);
+        healthPollRef.current = null;
+      }
+      setRestartPhase('ready');
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries();
+      setTimeout(() => setRestartPhase('idle'), 2000);
+    } catch (e: unknown) {
+      setRestartPhase('idle');
+      if (healthPollRef.current) {
+        clearInterval(healthPollRef.current);
+        healthPollRef.current = null;
+      }
+      setError(e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Restart failed');
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleSwitchToCpu = async () => {
+    // To switch to CPU: delete the CUDA binary, then restart.
+    // start_server always prefers CUDA if present, so we must remove it first.
+    setError(null);
+    setRestartPhase('stopping');
+
+    try {
+      await apiClient.deleteCudaBackend();
+      setRestartPhase('waiting');
+      startHealthPolling();
+      await platform.lifecycle.restartServer();
+      // Invoke resolved — server is likely ready
+      if (healthPollRef.current) {
+        clearInterval(healthPollRef.current);
+        healthPollRef.current = null;
+      }
+      setRestartPhase('ready');
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries();
+      setTimeout(() => setRestartPhase('idle'), 2000);
+    } catch (e: unknown) {
+      setRestartPhase('idle');
+      if (healthPollRef.current) {
+        clearInterval(healthPollRef.current);
+        healthPollRef.current = null;
+      }
+      setError(e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Failed to switch to CPU');
+      refetchCudaStatus();
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleDelete = async () => {
+    setError(null);
+    try {
+      await apiClient.deleteCudaBackend();
+      refetchCudaStatus();
+    } catch (e: unknown) {
+      setError(e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Failed to delete CUDA backend');
+    }
+  };
+
+  const formatBytes = (bytes: number): string => {
+    if (bytes === 0) return '0 B';
+    const k = 1024;
+    const sizes = ['B', 'KB', 'MB', 'GB'];
+    const i = Math.floor(Math.log(bytes) / Math.log(k));
+    return `${(bytes / k ** i).toFixed(1)} ${sizes[i]}`;
+  };
+
+  // Don't render until health data is available
+  if (!health) return null;
+
+  // If the system already has native GPU (MPS, etc.), only show info - no CUDA needed
+  const hasNativeGpu =
+    health.gpu_available &&
+    !isCurrentlyCuda &&
+    health.gpu_type &&
+    !health.gpu_type.includes('CUDA');
+
+  return (
+    <Card>
+      <CardHeader>
+        <CardTitle>GPU Acceleration</CardTitle>
+      </CardHeader>
+      <CardContent className="space-y-4">
+        {/* GPU status */}
+        <div className="space-y-1">
+          {health.gpu_available && health.gpu_type ? (
+            <>
+              <div className="text-sm font-medium">
+                {health.gpu_type.replace(/^(CUDA|ROCm|MPS|Metal|XPU|DirectML)\s*\((.+)\)$/, '$2') ||
+                  health.gpu_type}
+              </div>
+              <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                {health.gpu_type.replace(/\s*\(.+\)$/, '')}
+                {health.vram_used_mb != null && health.vram_used_mb > 0
+                  ? ` \u00b7 ${health.vram_used_mb.toFixed(0)} MB VRAM used`
+                  : ''}
+              </div>
+            </>
+          ) : (
+            <>
+              <div className="text-sm font-medium">CPU</div>
+              <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">No GPU acceleration available</div>
+            </>
+          )}
+        </div>
+
+        {/* Native GPU detected - no CUDA download needed */}
+
+        {/* CUDA download section - only show when no GPU is active (native or CUDA) */}
+        {!hasNativeGpu && !isCurrentlyCuda && (
+          <>
+            {/* Download progress (manual download or auto-update) */}
+            {cudaDownloading && downloadProgress && (
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                <div className="flex items-center justify-between text-sm">
+                  <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+                    <Loader2 className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
+                    <span>
+                      {downloadProgress.filename ||
+                        (cudaAvailable
+                          ? 'Updating CUDA backend...'
+                          : 'Downloading CUDA backend...')}
+                    </span>
+                  </div>
+                  {downloadProgress.total > 0 && (
+                    <span className="text-muted-foreground">
+                      {downloadProgress.progress.toFixed(1)}%
+                    </span>
+                  )}
+                </div>
+                {downloadProgress.total > 0 && (
+                  <>
+                    <Progress value={downloadProgress.progress} className="h-2" />
+                    <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                      {formatBytes(downloadProgress.current)} /{' '}
+                      {formatBytes(downloadProgress.total)}
+                    </div>
+                  </>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            )}
+
+            {/* Restart in progress */}
+            {restartPhase !== 'idle' && (
+              <div className="flex items-center gap-2 p-3 rounded-lg bg-primary/5 border">
+                <Loader2 className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
+                <span className="text-sm">
+                  {restartPhase === 'stopping' && 'Stopping server...'}
+                  {restartPhase === 'waiting' && 'Restarting server...'}
+                  {restartPhase === 'ready' && 'Server restarted successfully!'}
+                </span>
+              </div>
+            )}
+
+            {/* Error display */}
+            {error && (
+              <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-destructive">
+                <AlertCircle className="h-4 w-4 shrink-0" />
+                <span>{error}</span>
+              </div>
+            )}
+
+            {/* Actions */}
+            {restartPhase === 'idle' && !cudaDownloading && (
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                {/* Not downloaded yet - show download button */}
+                {!cudaAvailable && (
+                  <div className="space-y-3">
+                    <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                      Download the CUDA backend (~2.4 GB) for NVIDIA GPU acceleration. Requires an
+                      NVIDIA GPU with CUDA support.
+                    </p>
+                    <Button onClick={handleDownload} className="w-full" size="sm">
+                      <Download className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
+                      Download CUDA Backend
+                    </Button>
+                  </div>
+                )}
+
+                {/* Downloaded but not active - show switch button */}
+                {cudaAvailable && !isCurrentlyCuda && platform.metadata.isTauri && (
+                  <div className="space-y-3">
+                    <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                      CUDA backend is downloaded and ready. Restart the server to enable GPU
+                      acceleration.
+                    </p>
+                    <Button onClick={handleRestart} className="w-full" size="sm">
+                      <RotateCw className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
+                      Switch to CUDA Backend
+                    </Button>
+                  </div>
+                )}
+
+                {/* Currently active - show switch back to CPU */}
+                {isCurrentlyCuda && platform.metadata.isTauri && (
+                  <div className="space-y-3">
+                    <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                      Running with CUDA GPU acceleration. Switch back to CPU if needed (you can
+                      re-download later).
+                    </p>
+                    <Button
+                      onClick={handleSwitchToCpu}
+                      variant="outline"
+                      className="w-full"
+                      size="sm"
+                    >
+                      <RotateCw className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
+                      Switch to CPU Backend
+                    </Button>
+                  </div>
+                )}
+
+                {/* Delete option when downloaded (and not active) */}
+                {cudaAvailable && !isCurrentlyCuda && (
+                  <Button
+                    onClick={handleDelete}
+                    variant="ghost"
+                    className="w-full text-muted-foreground hover:text-destructive"
+                    size="sm"
+                  >
+                    <Trash2 className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
+                    Remove CUDA Backend
+                  </Button>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            )}
+          </>
+        )}
+      </CardContent>
+    </Card>
+  );
+}

app/src/components/ServerSettings/ModelProgress.tsx

@@ -8,14 +8,23 @@ import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
 interface ModelProgressProps {
   modelName: string;
   displayName: string;
+  /** Only connect to SSE when actively downloading - prevents connection exhaustion */
+  isDownloading?: boolean;
 }
 
-export function ModelProgress({ modelName, displayName }: ModelProgressProps) {
+export function ModelProgress({ modelName, displayName, isDownloading = false }: ModelProgressProps) {
   const [progress, setProgress] = useState<ModelProgressType | null>(null);
   const serverUrl = useServerStore((state) => state.serverUrl);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!serverUrl) return;
+    // IMPORTANT: Only connect to SSE when this specific model is downloading
+    // Opening SSE connections for all models exhausts HTTP/1.1 connection limits (6 per origin)
+    // which causes other fetches (like the download trigger) to be queued/blocked
+    if (!serverUrl || !isDownloading) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    console.log(`[ModelProgress] Connecting SSE for ${modelName}`);
 
     // Subscribe to progress updates via Server-Sent Events
     const eventSource = new EventSource(`${serverUrl}/models/progress/${modelName}`);
@@ -27,6 +36,7 @@ export function ModelProgress({ modelName, displayName }: ModelProgressProps) {
 
         // Close connection if complete or error
         if (data.status === 'complete' || data.status === 'error') {
+          console.log(`[ModelProgress] Download ${data.status} for ${modelName}, closing SSE`);
           eventSource.close();
         }
       } catch (error) {
@@ -35,14 +45,15 @@ export function ModelProgress({ modelName, displayName }: ModelProgressProps) {
     };
 
     eventSource.onerror = (error) => {
-      console.error('SSE error:', error);
+      console.error(`[ModelProgress] SSE error for ${modelName}:`, error);
       eventSource.close();
     };
 
     return () => {
+      console.log(`[ModelProgress] Cleanup - closing SSE for ${modelName}`);
       eventSource.close();
     };
-  }, [serverUrl, modelName]);
+  }, [serverUrl, modelName, isDownloading]);
 
   // Don't render if no progress or if complete/error and some time has passed
   if (

app/src/components/ServerSettings/ServerStatus.tsx

@@ -3,14 +3,13 @@ import { Badge } from '@/components/ui/badge';
 import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from '@/components/ui/card';
 import { useServerHealth } from '@/lib/hooks/useServer';
 import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
-import { ModelProgress } from './ModelProgress';
 
 export function ServerStatus() {
   const { data: health, isLoading, error } = useServerHealth();
   const serverUrl = useServerStore((state) => state.serverUrl);
 
   return (
-    <Card>
+    <Card role="region" aria-label="Server Status" tabIndex={0}>
       <CardHeader>
         <CardTitle>Server Status</CardTitle>
       </CardHeader>
@@ -20,16 +19,6 @@ export function ServerStatus() {
           <div className="font-mono text-sm">{serverUrl}</div>
         </div>
 
-        {/* Model download progress */}
-        <div className="space-y-2">
-          <ModelProgress modelName="qwen-tts-1.7B" displayName="Qwen TTS 1.7B" />
-          <ModelProgress modelName="qwen-tts-0.6B" displayName="Qwen TTS 0.6B" />
-          <ModelProgress modelName="whisper-base" displayName="Whisper Base" />
-          <ModelProgress modelName="whisper-small" displayName="Whisper Small" />
-          <ModelProgress modelName="whisper-medium" displayName="Whisper Medium" />
-          <ModelProgress modelName="whisper-large" displayName="Whisper Large" />
-        </div>
-
         {isLoading ? (
           <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
             <Loader2 className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />

app/src/components/ServerSettings/UpdateStatus.tsx

@@ -11,15 +11,17 @@ export function UpdateStatus() {
   const platform = usePlatform();
   const { status, checkForUpdates, downloadAndInstall, restartAndInstall } = useAutoUpdater(false);
   const [currentVersion, setCurrentVersion] = useState<string>('');
+  const isDev = !import.meta.env?.PROD;
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    platform.metadata.getVersion()
+    platform.metadata
+      .getVersion()
       .then(setCurrentVersion)
-      .catch(() => setCurrentVersion('0.1.0'));
+      .catch(() => setCurrentVersion('Unknown'));
   }, [platform]);
 
   return (
-    <Card>
+    <Card role="region" aria-label="App Updates" tabIndex={0}>
       <CardHeader>
         <CardTitle>App Updates</CardTitle>
       </CardHeader>
@@ -27,97 +29,110 @@ export function UpdateStatus() {
         <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
           <div className="space-y-1">
             <div className="text-sm font-medium">Current Version</div>
-            <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">v{currentVersion}</div>
+            <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+              v{currentVersion}
+              {isDev ? ' (dev)' : ''}
+            </div>
           </div>
-          <Button
-            onClick={checkForUpdates}
-            disabled={status.checking || status.downloading || status.readyToInstall}
-            variant="outline"
-            size="sm"
-          >
-            <RefreshCw className={`h-4 w-4 mr-2 ${status.checking ? 'animate-spin' : ''}`} />
-            Check for Updates
-          </Button>
+          {!isDev && (
+            <Button
+              onClick={checkForUpdates}
+              disabled={status.checking || status.downloading || status.readyToInstall}
+              variant="outline"
+              size="sm"
+            >
+              <RefreshCw className={`h-4 w-4 mr-2 ${status.checking ? 'animate-spin' : ''}`} />
+              Check for Updates
+            </Button>
+          )}
         </div>
 
-        {status.checking && (
-          <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-            <RefreshCw className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
-            Checking for updates...
+        {isDev ? (
+          <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+            Auto-updates are disabled in development mode.
           </div>
-        )}
-
-        {status.error && (
-          <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-destructive">
-            <AlertCircle className="h-4 w-4" />
-            {status.error}
-          </div>
-        )}
-
-        {status.available && !status.downloading && !status.readyToInstall && (
-          <div className="space-y-3 p-4 border rounded-lg bg-primary/5">
-            <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
-              <div>
-                <div className="font-semibold">Update Available</div>
-                <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Version {status.version}</div>
+        ) : (
+          <>
+            {status.checking && (
+              <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                <RefreshCw className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
+                Checking for updates...
               </div>
-              <Badge>New</Badge>
-            </div>
-            <Button onClick={downloadAndInstall} className="w-full" size="sm">
-              <Download className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
-              Download Update
-            </Button>
-          </div>
-        )}
+            )}
 
-        {status.downloading && (
-          <div className="space-y-2">
-            <div className="flex items-center justify-between text-sm">
-              <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-                <Download className="h-4 w-4" />
-                Downloading update...
+            {status.error && (
+              <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-destructive">
+                <AlertCircle className="h-4 w-4" />
+                {status.error}
               </div>
-              {status.downloadProgress !== undefined && (
-                <span className="text-muted-foreground">{status.downloadProgress}%</span>
-              )}
-            </div>
-            <Progress value={status.downloadProgress} />
-            {status.downloadedBytes !== undefined &&
-              status.totalBytes !== undefined &&
-              status.totalBytes > 0 && (
-                <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                  {(status.downloadedBytes / 1024 / 1024).toFixed(1)} MB /{' '}
-                  {(status.totalBytes / 1024 / 1024).toFixed(1)} MB
+            )}
+
+            {status.available && !status.downloading && !status.readyToInstall && (
+              <div className="space-y-3 p-4 border rounded-lg bg-primary/5">
+                <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
+                  <div>
+                    <div className="font-semibold">Update Available</div>
+                    <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Version {status.version}</div>
+                  </div>
+                  <Badge>New</Badge>
                 </div>
-              )}
-          </div>
-        )}
+                <Button onClick={downloadAndInstall} className="w-full" size="sm">
+                  <Download className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
+                  Download Update
+                </Button>
+              </div>
+            )}
 
-        {status.readyToInstall && (
-          <div className="space-y-3 p-4 border rounded-lg bg-accent/30 border-accent/50">
-            <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-              <div>
-                <div className="font-semibold">Update Ready to Install</div>
+            {status.downloading && (
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                <div className="flex items-center justify-between text-sm">
+                  <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+                    <Download className="h-4 w-4" />
+                    Downloading update...
+                  </div>
+                  {status.downloadProgress !== undefined && (
+                    <span className="text-muted-foreground">{status.downloadProgress}%</span>
+                  )}
+                </div>
+                <Progress value={status.downloadProgress} />
+                {status.downloadedBytes !== undefined &&
+                  status.totalBytes !== undefined &&
+                  status.totalBytes > 0 && (
+                    <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                      {(status.downloadedBytes / 1024 / 1024).toFixed(1)} MB /{' '}
+                      {(status.totalBytes / 1024 / 1024).toFixed(1)} MB
+                    </div>
+                  )}
+              </div>
+            )}
+
+            {status.readyToInstall && (
+              <div className="space-y-3 p-4 border rounded-lg bg-accent/30 border-accent/50">
+                <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+                  <div>
+                    <div className="font-semibold">Update Ready to Install</div>
+                    <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                      Version {status.version} has been downloaded
+                    </div>
+                  </div>
+                </div>
                 <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-                  Version {status.version} has been downloaded
+                  The app needs to restart to complete the installation. You can do this now or
+                  later at your convenience.
                 </div>
+                <Button onClick={restartAndInstall} className="w-full" size="sm">
+                  <RefreshCw className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
+                  Restart Now
+                </Button>
               </div>
-            </div>
-            <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-              The app needs to restart to complete the installation. You can do this now or later at
-              your convenience.
-            </div>
-            <Button onClick={restartAndInstall} className="w-full" size="sm">
-              <RefreshCw className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
-              Restart Now
-            </Button>
-          </div>
-        )}
+            )}
 
-        {!status.available && !status.checking && !status.error && status.checking === false && (
-          <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-            You're up to date
-          </div>
+            {!status.available && !status.checking && !status.error && (
+              <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                You're up to date
+              </div>
+            )}
+          </>
         )}
       </CardContent>
     </Card>

app/src/components/ServerTab/ServerTab.tsx

@@ -1,17 +1,25 @@
 import { ConnectionForm } from '@/components/ServerSettings/ConnectionForm';
-import { ServerStatus } from '@/components/ServerSettings/ServerStatus';
+import { GenerationSettings } from '@/components/ServerSettings/GenerationSettings';
+import { GpuAcceleration } from '@/components/ServerSettings/GpuAcceleration';
 import { UpdateStatus } from '@/components/ServerSettings/UpdateStatus';
+import { BOTTOM_SAFE_AREA_PADDING } from '@/lib/constants/ui';
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
 import { usePlatform } from '@/platform/PlatformContext';
+import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
 
 export function ServerTab() {
   const platform = usePlatform();
+  const isPlayerVisible = !!usePlayerStore((state) => state.audioUrl);
   return (
-    <div className="space-y-4 overflow-y-auto flex flex-col">
+    <div
+      className={cn('overflow-y-auto flex flex-col', isPlayerVisible && BOTTOM_SAFE_AREA_PADDING)}
+    >
       <div className="grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-2">
         <ConnectionForm />
-        <ServerStatus />
+        <GenerationSettings />
+        {platform.metadata.isTauri && <GpuAcceleration />}
+        {platform.metadata.isTauri && <UpdateStatus />}
       </div>
-      {platform.metadata.isTauri && <UpdateStatus />}
       <div className="py-8 text-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
         Created by{' '}
         <a

app/src/components/Sidebar.tsx

@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 import { Link, useMatchRoute } from '@tanstack/react-router';
-import { Box, BookOpen, Loader2, Mic, Server, Speaker, Volume2 } from 'lucide-react';
+import { AudioLines, Box, Mic, Server, Speaker, Volume2, Wand2 } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import voiceboxLogo from '@/assets/voicebox-logo.png';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
-import { useGenerationStore } from '@/stores/generationStore';
+import { usePlatform } from '@/platform/PlatformContext';
+import type { UpdateStatus } from '@/platform/types';
 import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
+import { version } from '../../package.json';
 
 interface SidebarProps {
   isMacOS?: boolean;
@@ -11,18 +14,21 @@ interface SidebarProps {
 
 const tabs = [
   { id: 'main', path: '/', icon: Volume2, label: 'Generate' },
-  { id: 'stories', path: '/stories', icon: BookOpen, label: 'Stories' },
+  { id: 'stories', path: '/stories', icon: AudioLines, label: 'Stories' },
   { id: 'voices', path: '/voices', icon: Mic, label: 'Voices' },
+  { id: 'effects', path: '/effects', icon: Wand2, label: 'Effects' },
   { id: 'audio', path: '/audio', icon: Speaker, label: 'Audio' },
   { id: 'models', path: '/models', icon: Box, label: 'Models' },
   { id: 'server', path: '/server', icon: Server, label: 'Server' },
 ];
 
 export function Sidebar({ isMacOS }: SidebarProps) {
-  const isGenerating = useGenerationStore((state) => state.isGenerating);
-  const audioUrl = usePlayerStore((state) => state.audioUrl);
-  const isPlayerVisible = !!audioUrl;
   const matchRoute = useMatchRoute();
+  const isPlayerOpen = !!usePlayerStore((s) => s.audioUrl);
+  const platform = usePlatform();
+
+  const [updateStatus, setUpdateStatus] = useState<UpdateStatus>(platform.updater.getStatus());
+  useEffect(() => platform.updater.subscribe(setUpdateStatus), [platform.updater]);
 
   return (
     <div
@@ -33,51 +39,72 @@ export function Sidebar({ isMacOS }: SidebarProps) {
     >
       {/* Logo */}
       <div className="mb-2">
-        <img src={voiceboxLogo} alt="Voicebox" className="w-12 h-12 object-contain" />
+        <img
+          src={voiceboxLogo}
+          alt="Voicebox"
+          className="w-12 h-12 object-contain"
+          style={{
+            filter:
+              'drop-shadow(0 0 6px hsl(var(--accent) / 0.5)) drop-shadow(0 0 14px hsl(var(--accent) / 0.35)) drop-shadow(0 0 28px hsl(var(--accent) / 0.2))',
+          }}
+        />
       </div>
 
       {/* Navigation Buttons */}
       <div className="flex flex-col gap-3">
-        {tabs.map((tab) => {
+        {tabs.map((tab, index) => {
           const Icon = tab.icon;
           // For index route, use exact match; for others, use default matching
           const isActive =
-            tab.path === '/'
-              ? matchRoute({ to: '/', exact: true })
-              : matchRoute({ to: tab.path });
+            tab.path === '/' ? matchRoute({ to: '/', exact: true }) : matchRoute({ to: tab.path });
+
+          // Accent fades as buttons get further from the logo
+          const accentOpacity = Math.max(0.08, 0.5 - index * 0.07);
 
           return (
             <Link
               key={tab.id}
               to={tab.path}
               className={cn(
-                'w-12 h-12 rounded-full flex items-center justify-center transition-all duration-200',
-                'hover:bg-muted/50',
-                isActive ? 'bg-muted/50 text-foreground shadow-lg' : 'text-muted-foreground',
+                'relative w-12 h-12 rounded-full flex items-center justify-center transition-all duration-200 overflow-hidden',
+                isActive
+                  ? 'bg-white/[0.07] text-foreground shadow-lg backdrop-blur-sm border border-white/[0.08]'
+                  : 'text-muted-foreground hover:bg-muted/50',
               )}
               title={tab.label}
               aria-label={tab.label}
             >
-              <Icon className="h-5 w-5" />
+              {isActive && (
+                <div
+                  className="absolute inset-0 rounded-full pointer-events-none"
+                  style={{
+                    maskImage: 'linear-gradient(to bottom, black, transparent 60%)',
+                    WebkitMaskImage: 'linear-gradient(to bottom, black, transparent 60%)',
+                    border: `1px solid hsl(var(--accent) / ${accentOpacity})`,
+                  }}
+                />
+              )}
+              <Icon className="h-5 w-5 relative z-10" />
             </Link>
           );
         })}
       </div>
 
-      {/* Spacer to push loader to bottom */}
-      <div className="flex-1" />
-
-      {/* Generation Loader */}
-      {isGenerating && (
-        <div
-          className={cn(
-            'w-full flex items-center justify-center transition-all duration-200',
-            isPlayerVisible ? 'mb-[120px]' : 'mb-0',
-          )}
-        >
-          <Loader2 className="h-6 w-6 text-accent animate-spin" />
-        </div>
-      )}
+      {/* Version */}
+      <div
+        className="mt-auto flex flex-col items-center gap-1.5 transition-all duration-300"
+        style={{ paddingBottom: isPlayerOpen ? '7rem' : undefined }}
+      >
+        <span className="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground/50">v{version}</span>
+        {updateStatus.available && (
+          <Link
+            to="/server"
+            className="text-[9px] font-semibold tracking-wide uppercase px-2 py-0.5 rounded-full bg-accent/15 text-accent hover:bg-accent/25 transition-colors"
+          >
+            Update
+          </Link>
+        )}
+      </div>
     </div>
   );
 }

app/src/components/StoriesTab/StoriesTab.tsx

@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 import { FloatingGenerateBox } from '@/components/Generation/FloatingGenerateBox';
+import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
 import { StoryContent } from './StoryContent';
 import { StoryList } from './StoryList';
 
 export function StoriesTab() {
+  const audioUrl = usePlayerStore((state) => state.audioUrl);
+
   return (
     <div className="flex flex-col h-full min-h-0 overflow-hidden">
       {/* Main content area */}
@@ -18,7 +21,7 @@ export function StoriesTab() {
         </div>
 
         {/* Floating Generate Box - position is managed via storyStore.trackEditorHeight */}
-        <FloatingGenerateBox showVoiceSelector />
+        <FloatingGenerateBox showVoiceSelector isPlayerOpen={!!audioUrl} />
       </div>
     </div>
   );

app/src/components/StoriesTab/StoryContent.tsx

@@ -13,8 +13,11 @@ import {
   sortableKeyboardCoordinates,
   verticalListSortingStrategy,
 } from '@dnd-kit/sortable';
+import { Link } from '@tanstack/react-router';
+import { AnimatePresence, motion } from 'framer-motion';
 import { Download, Plus } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import Loader from 'react-loaders';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input';
 import { Popover, PopoverContent, PopoverTrigger } from '@/components/ui/popover';
@@ -28,6 +31,7 @@ import {
   useStory,
 } from '@/lib/hooks/useStories';
 import { useStoryPlayback } from '@/lib/hooks/useStoryPlayback';
+import { useGenerationStore } from '@/stores/generationStore';
 import { useStoryStore } from '@/stores/storyStore';
 import { SortableStoryChatItem } from './StoryChatItem';
 
@@ -40,6 +44,7 @@ export function StoryContent() {
   const addStoryItem = useAddStoryItem();
   const { toast } = useToast();
   const scrollRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const pendingCount = useGenerationStore((s) => s.pendingGenerationIds.size);
 
   // Add generation popover state
   const [searchQuery, setSearchQuery] = useState('');
@@ -53,9 +58,9 @@ export function StoryContent() {
     const query = searchQuery.toLowerCase();
     return historyData.items.filter(
       (gen) =>
+        gen.status === 'completed' &&
         !storyGenerationIds.has(gen.id) &&
-        (gen.text.toLowerCase().includes(query) ||
-          gen.profile_name.toLowerCase().includes(query)),
+        (gen.text.toLowerCase().includes(query) || gen.profile_name.toLowerCase().includes(query)),
     );
   }, [historyData, story, searchQuery]);
 
@@ -267,7 +272,31 @@ export function StoryContent() {
             <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground mt-1">{story.description}</p>
           )}
         </div>
-        <div className="flex gap-2">
+        <div className="flex gap-2 items-center">
+          <AnimatePresence>
+            {pendingCount > 0 && (
+              <motion.div
+                initial={{ opacity: 0, scale: 0.9, width: 0 }}
+                animate={{ opacity: 1, scale: 1, width: 'auto' }}
+                exit={{ opacity: 0, scale: 0.9, width: 0 }}
+                transition={{ duration: 0.2 }}
+              >
+                <Link
+                  to="/"
+                  className="flex items-center gap-2 h-8 pl-1.5 pr-3 rounded-full bg-card border border-border hover:bg-muted/50 transition-all duration-200 cursor-pointer"
+                >
+                  <div className="shrink-0 w-10 h-5 overflow-hidden flex items-center justify-center">
+                    <div className="scale-[0.45]">
+                      <Loader type="line-scale" active />
+                    </div>
+                  </div>
+                  <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground whitespace-nowrap">
+                    Generating {pendingCount} {pendingCount === 1 ? 'audio' : 'audios'}
+                  </span>
+                </Link>
+              </motion.div>
+            )}
+          </AnimatePresence>
           <Popover open={isAddOpen} onOpenChange={setIsAddOpen}>
             <PopoverTrigger asChild>
               <Button variant="outline" size="sm">
@@ -287,9 +316,7 @@ export function StoryContent() {
               <div className="max-h-60 overflow-y-auto">
                 {availableGenerations.length === 0 ? (
                   <div className="p-4 text-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-                    {searchQuery
-                      ? 'No matching generations found'
-                      : 'No available generations'}
+                    {searchQuery ? 'No matching generations found' : 'No available generations'}
                   </div>
                 ) : (
                   availableGenerations.map((gen) => (

app/src/components/StoriesTab/StoryList.tsx

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import { Plus, BookOpen, MoreHorizontal, Pencil, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react';
-import { useState } from 'react';
+import { BookOpen, MoreHorizontal, Pencil, Plus, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import {
   AlertDialog,
   AlertDialogAction,
@@ -29,7 +29,13 @@ import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input';
 import { Label } from '@/components/ui/label';
 import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea';
 import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
-import { useStories, useCreateStory, useUpdateStory, useDeleteStory } from '@/lib/hooks/useStories';
+import {
+  useCreateStory,
+  useDeleteStory,
+  useStories,
+  useStory,
+  useUpdateStory,
+} from '@/lib/hooks/useStories';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
 import { formatDate } from '@/lib/utils/format';
 import { useStoryStore } from '@/stores/storyStore';
@@ -38,6 +44,8 @@ export function StoryList() {
   const { data: stories, isLoading } = useStories();
   const selectedStoryId = useStoryStore((state) => state.selectedStoryId);
   const setSelectedStoryId = useStoryStore((state) => state.setSelectedStoryId);
+  const trackEditorHeight = useStoryStore((state) => state.trackEditorHeight);
+  const { data: selectedStory } = useStory(selectedStoryId);
   const createStory = useCreateStory();
   const updateStory = useUpdateStory();
   const deleteStory = useDeleteStory();
@@ -54,6 +62,13 @@ export function StoryList() {
   const [newStoryDescription, setNewStoryDescription] = useState('');
   const { toast } = useToast();
 
+  // Auto-select the first story when the list loads with no selection
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!selectedStoryId && stories && stories.length > 0) {
+      setSelectedStoryId(stories[0].id);
+    }
+  }, [selectedStoryId, stories, setSelectedStoryId]);
+
   const handleCreateStory = () => {
     if (!newStoryName.trim()) {
       toast({
@@ -170,20 +185,29 @@ export function StoryList() {
   }
 
   const storyList = stories || [];
+  const hasTrackEditor = selectedStoryId && selectedStory && selectedStory.items.length > 0;
 
   return (
-    <div className="flex flex-col h-full min-h-0">
-      {/* Header */}
-      <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-4 px-1">
-        <h2 className="text-2xl font-bold">Stories</h2>
-        <Button onClick={() => setCreateDialogOpen(true)} size="sm">
-          <Plus className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-          New Story
-        </Button>
+    <div className="h-full flex flex-col relative overflow-hidden">
+      {/* Scroll Mask */}
+      <div className="absolute top-0 left-0 right-0 h-16 bg-gradient-to-b from-background to-transparent z-10 pointer-events-none" />
+
+      {/* Fixed Header */}
+      <div className="absolute top-0 left-0 right-0 z-20">
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-4 px-1">
+          <h2 className="text-2xl font-bold">Stories</h2>
+          <Button onClick={() => setCreateDialogOpen(true)} size="sm">
+            <Plus className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+            New Story
+          </Button>
+        </div>
       </div>
 
-      {/* Story List */}
-      <div className="flex-1 min-h-0 overflow-y-auto space-y-2">
+      {/* Scrollable Story List */}
+      <div
+        className="flex-1 overflow-y-auto pt-14 relative z-0"
+        style={{ paddingBottom: hasTrackEditor ? `${trackEditorHeight + 140}px` : '170px' }}
+      >
         {storyList.length === 0 ? (
           <div className="text-center py-12 px-5 border-2 border-dashed border-muted rounded-2xl text-muted-foreground">
             <BookOpen className="h-12 w-12 mx-auto mb-4 opacity-50" />
@@ -191,62 +215,68 @@ export function StoryList() {
             <p className="text-xs mt-2">Create your first story to get started</p>
           </div>
         ) : (
-          storyList.map((story) => (
-            <div
-              key={story.id}
-              className={cn(
-                'h-24 p-4 border rounded-2xl transition-colors group flex items-center',
-                selectedStoryId === story.id && 'bg-muted border-primary',
-              )}
-            >
-              <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-2 w-full min-w-0">
-                <button
-                  type="button"
-                  className="flex-1 min-w-0 text-left cursor-pointer overflow-hidden"
-                  onClick={() => setSelectedStoryId(story.id)}
-                >
-                  <h3 className="font-medium truncate">{story.name}</h3>
-                  {story.description && (
-                    <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground mt-1 truncate">
-                      {story.description}
-                    </p>
-                  )}
-                  <div className="flex items-center gap-3 mt-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                    <span>
-                      {story.item_count} {story.item_count === 1 ? 'item' : 'items'}
-                    </span>
-                    <span>•</span>
-                    <span>{formatDate(story.updated_at)}</span>
+          <div className="space-y-0.5">
+            {storyList.map((story) => (
+              <div
+                key={story.id}
+                role="button"
+                tabIndex={0}
+                className={cn(
+                  'px-5 py-3 rounded-lg transition-colors group flex items-center cursor-pointer',
+                  selectedStoryId === story.id ? 'bg-muted' : 'hover:bg-muted/50',
+                )}
+                aria-label={`Story ${story.name}, ${story.item_count} ${story.item_count === 1 ? 'item' : 'items'}, ${formatDate(story.updated_at)}`}
+                aria-pressed={selectedStoryId === story.id}
+                onClick={() => setSelectedStoryId(story.id)}
+                onKeyDown={(e) => {
+                  if (e.target !== e.currentTarget) return;
+                  if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') {
+                    e.preventDefault();
+                    setSelectedStoryId(story.id);
+                  }
+                }}
+              >
+                <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-2 w-full min-w-0">
+                  <div className="flex-1 min-w-0 text-left overflow-hidden">
+                    <h3 className="text-sm font-medium truncate">{story.name}</h3>
+                    <div className="flex items-center gap-2 mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                      <span>
+                        {story.item_count} {story.item_count === 1 ? 'item' : 'items'}
+                      </span>
+                      <span>·</span>
+                      <span>{formatDate(story.updated_at)}</span>
+                    </div>
                   </div>
-                </button>
-                <DropdownMenu>
-                  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
-                    <Button
-                      variant="ghost"
-                      size="icon"
-                      className="h-8 w-8 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity"
-                      onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
-                    >
-                      <MoreHorizontal className="h-4 w-4" />
-                    </Button>
-                  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
-                  <DropdownMenuContent align="end">
-                    <DropdownMenuItem onClick={() => handleEditClick(story)}>
-                      <Pencil className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-                      Edit
-                    </DropdownMenuItem>
-                    <DropdownMenuItem
-                      onClick={() => handleDeleteClick(story.id)}
-                      className="text-destructive focus:text-destructive"
-                    >
-                      <Trash2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-                      Delete
-                    </DropdownMenuItem>
-                  </DropdownMenuContent>
-                </DropdownMenu>
+                  <DropdownMenu>
+                    <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
+                      <Button
+                        variant="ghost"
+                        size="icon"
+                        className="h-7 w-7 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity"
+                        onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+                        aria-label={`Actions for ${story.name}`}
+                      >
+                        <MoreHorizontal className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+                      </Button>
+                    </DropdownMenuTrigger>
+                    <DropdownMenuContent align="end">
+                      <DropdownMenuItem onClick={() => handleEditClick(story)}>
+                        <Pencil className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+                        Edit
+                      </DropdownMenuItem>
+                      <DropdownMenuItem
+                        onClick={() => handleDeleteClick(story.id)}
+                        className="text-destructive focus:text-destructive"
+                      >
+                        <Trash2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+                        Delete
+                      </DropdownMenuItem>
+                    </DropdownMenuContent>
+                  </DropdownMenu>
+                </div>
               </div>
-            </div>
-          ))
+            ))}
+          </div>
         )}
       </div>
 

app/src/components/StoriesTab/StoryTrackEditor.tsx

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import {
+  Check,
   Copy,
+  GalleryVerticalEnd,
   GripHorizontal,
   Minus,
   Pause,
@@ -12,6 +14,12 @@ import {
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import WaveSurfer from 'wavesurfer.js';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
+import {
+  DropdownMenu,
+  DropdownMenuContent,
+  DropdownMenuItem,
+  DropdownMenuTrigger,
+} from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu';
 import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
 import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
 import type { StoryItemDetail } from '@/lib/api/types';
@@ -19,6 +27,7 @@ import {
   useDuplicateStoryItem,
   useMoveStoryItem,
   useRemoveStoryItem,
+  useSetStoryItemVersion,
   useSplitStoryItem,
   useTrimStoryItem,
 } from '@/lib/hooks/useStories';
@@ -28,12 +37,14 @@ import { useStoryStore } from '@/stores/storyStore';
 // Clip waveform component with trim support
 function ClipWaveform({
   generationId,
+  versionId,
   width,
   trimStartMs,
   trimEndMs,
   duration,
 }: {
   generationId: string;
+  versionId?: string;
   width: number;
   trimStartMs: number;
   trimEndMs: number;
@@ -79,7 +90,9 @@ function ClipWaveform({
 
     wavesurferRef.current = wavesurfer;
 
-    const audioUrl = apiClient.getAudioUrl(generationId);
+    const audioUrl = versionId
+      ? apiClient.getVersionAudioUrl(versionId)
+      : apiClient.getAudioUrl(generationId);
     wavesurfer.load(audioUrl).catch(() => {
       // Ignore load errors
     });
@@ -88,7 +101,7 @@ function ClipWaveform({
       wavesurfer.destroy();
       wavesurferRef.current = null;
     };
-  }, [generationId, fullWaveformWidth]);
+  }, [generationId, versionId, fullWaveformWidth]);
 
   return (
     <div className="w-full h-full opacity-60 overflow-hidden">
@@ -135,12 +148,57 @@ export function StoryTrackEditor({ storyId, items }: StoryTrackEditorProps) {
   const splitItem = useSplitStoryItem();
   const duplicateItem = useDuplicateStoryItem();
   const removeItem = useRemoveStoryItem();
+  const setItemVersion = useSetStoryItemVersion();
   const { toast } = useToast();
 
   // Selection state
   const selectedClipId = useStoryStore((state) => state.selectedClipId);
   const setSelectedClipId = useStoryStore((state) => state.setSelectedClipId);
 
+  // Selected clip item (for version picker)
+  const selectedItem = useMemo(
+    () => (selectedClipId ? items.find((i) => i.id === selectedClipId) : undefined),
+    [selectedClipId, items],
+  );
+  const selectedItemVersions = selectedItem?.versions;
+  const hasMultipleVersions = selectedItemVersions && selectedItemVersions.length > 1;
+
+  // Determine which version label is active for the selected clip
+  const activeVersionLabel = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!selectedItem || !selectedItemVersions) return null;
+    // If the item has a pinned version_id, find its label
+    if (selectedItem.version_id) {
+      const pinned = selectedItemVersions.find((v) => v.id === selectedItem.version_id);
+      return pinned?.label ?? null;
+    }
+    // Otherwise use the generation's default version
+    const defaultVersion = selectedItemVersions.find((v) => v.is_default);
+    return defaultVersion?.label ?? null;
+  }, [selectedItem, selectedItemVersions]);
+
+  const handleSetVersion = useCallback(
+    (versionId: string | null) => {
+      if (!selectedClipId) return;
+      setItemVersion.mutate(
+        {
+          storyId,
+          itemId: selectedClipId,
+          data: { version_id: versionId },
+        },
+        {
+          onError: (error) => {
+            toast({
+              title: 'Failed to set version',
+              description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error),
+              variant: 'destructive',
+            });
+          },
+        },
+      );
+    },
+    [selectedClipId, storyId, setItemVersion, toast],
+  );
+
   // Trim state
   const [trimmingItem, setTrimmingItem] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [trimSide, setTrimSide] = useState<'start' | 'end' | null>(null);
@@ -736,6 +794,7 @@ export function StoryTrackEditor({ storyId, items }: StoryTrackEditorProps) {
               className="h-7 w-7"
               onClick={handlePlayPause}
               title="Play/Pause (Space)"
+              aria-label={isCurrentlyPlaying ? 'Pause' : 'Play'}
             >
               {isCurrentlyPlaying ? <Pause className="h-4 w-4" /> : <Play className="h-4 w-4" />}
             </Button>
@@ -745,6 +804,7 @@ export function StoryTrackEditor({ storyId, items }: StoryTrackEditorProps) {
               className="h-7 w-7"
               onClick={handleStop}
               disabled={!isCurrentlyPlaying}
+              aria-label="Stop"
             >
               <Square className="h-3 w-3" />
             </Button>
@@ -762,6 +822,7 @@ export function StoryTrackEditor({ storyId, items }: StoryTrackEditorProps) {
                 className="h-7 w-7"
                 onClick={handleSplit}
                 title="Split at playhead (S)"
+                aria-label="Split at playhead"
               >
                 <Scissors className="h-4 w-4" />
               </Button>
@@ -771,6 +832,7 @@ export function StoryTrackEditor({ storyId, items }: StoryTrackEditorProps) {
                 className="h-7 w-7"
                 onClick={handleDuplicate}
                 title="Duplicate (Cmd/Ctrl+D)"
+                aria-label="Duplicate clip"
               >
                 <Copy className="h-4 w-4" />
               </Button>
@@ -780,19 +842,75 @@ export function StoryTrackEditor({ storyId, items }: StoryTrackEditorProps) {
                 className="h-7 w-7"
                 onClick={handleDelete}
                 title="Delete (Delete/Backspace)"
+                aria-label="Delete clip"
               >
                 <Trash2 className="h-4 w-4" />
               </Button>
+              {hasMultipleVersions && (
+                <>
+                  <div className="w-px h-4 bg-border mx-1" />
+                  <DropdownMenu>
+                    <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
+                      <Button
+                        variant="ghost"
+                        className="h-7 gap-1.5 px-2 text-xs"
+                        title="Change version/take"
+                      >
+                        <GalleryVerticalEnd className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+                        <span className="max-w-[80px] truncate">
+                          {activeVersionLabel ?? 'default'}
+                        </span>
+                      </Button>
+                    </DropdownMenuTrigger>
+                    <DropdownMenuContent align="center" className="min-w-[160px]">
+                      {selectedItemVersions.map((version) => {
+                        const isActive = selectedItem?.version_id
+                          ? version.id === selectedItem.version_id
+                          : version.is_default;
+                        return (
+                          <DropdownMenuItem
+                            key={version.id}
+                            onClick={() => handleSetVersion(version.id)}
+                            className="gap-2 text-xs"
+                          >
+                            <Check
+                              className={cn('h-3 w-3', isActive ? 'opacity-100' : 'opacity-0')}
+                            />
+                            <span className="truncate">{version.label}</span>
+                            {version.effects_chain && version.effects_chain.length > 0 && (
+                              <span className="text-muted-foreground ml-auto text-[10px]">
+                                {version.effects_chain.length} fx
+                              </span>
+                            )}
+                          </DropdownMenuItem>
+                        );
+                      })}
+                    </DropdownMenuContent>
+                  </DropdownMenu>
+                </>
+              )}
             </div>
           )}
 
           {/* Zoom controls - right side */}
           <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
             <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Zoom:</span>
-            <Button variant="ghost" size="icon" className="h-6 w-6" onClick={handleZoomOut}>
+            <Button
+              variant="ghost"
+              size="icon"
+              className="h-6 w-6"
+              onClick={handleZoomOut}
+              aria-label="Zoom out"
+            >
               <Minus className="h-3 w-3" />
             </Button>
-            <Button variant="ghost" size="icon" className="h-6 w-6" onClick={handleZoomIn}>
+            <Button
+              variant="ghost"
+              size="icon"
+              className="h-6 w-6"
+              onClick={handleZoomIn}
+              aria-label="Zoom in"
+            >
               <Plus className="h-3 w-3" />
             </Button>
           </div>
@@ -941,6 +1059,7 @@ export function StoryTrackEditor({ storyId, items }: StoryTrackEditorProps) {
                       <div className="absolute inset-0 top-3">
                         <ClipWaveform
                           generationId={item.generation_id}
+                          versionId={item.version_id}
                           width={clipWidth}
                           trimStartMs={displayTrimStart}
                           trimEndMs={displayTrimEnd}

app/src/components/TitleBarDragRegion.tsx

@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
+const isWindows = navigator.userAgent.includes('Windows');
+
 export function TitleBarDragRegion() {
-  return (
-    <div
-      data-tauri-drag-region
-      className="fixed top-0 left-0 right-0 h-12 z-[9999]"
-    />
-  );
+  if (isWindows) return null;
+
+  return <div data-tauri-drag-region className="fixed top-0 left-0 right-0 h-12 z-[9999]" />;
 }

app/src/components/VoiceProfiles/AudioSampleRecording.tsx

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export function AudioSampleRecording({
   // Request microphone access when component mounts
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!showWaveform) return;
+    if (!navigator.mediaDevices || !navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia) return;
 
     let stream: MediaStream | null = null;
 
@@ -139,7 +140,13 @@ export function AudioSampleRecording({
               </div>
               <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground text-center">File: {file.name}</p>
               <div className="flex gap-2">
-                <Button type="button" size="icon" variant="outline" onClick={onPlayPause}>
+                <Button
+                  type="button"
+                  size="icon"
+                  variant="outline"
+                  onClick={onPlayPause}
+                  aria-label={isPlaying ? 'Pause' : 'Play'}
+                >
                   {isPlaying ? <Pause className="h-4 w-4" /> : <Play className="h-4 w-4" />}
                 </Button>
                 <Button

app/src/components/VoiceProfiles/AudioSampleSystem.tsx

@@ -77,7 +77,13 @@ export function AudioSampleSystem({
               </div>
               <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground text-center">File: {file.name}</p>
               <div className="flex gap-2">
-                <Button type="button" size="icon" variant="outline" onClick={onPlayPause}>
+                <Button
+                  type="button"
+                  size="icon"
+                  variant="outline"
+                  onClick={onPlayPause}
+                  aria-label={isPlaying ? 'Pause' : 'Play'}
+                >
                   {isPlaying ? <Pause className="h-4 w-4" /> : <Play className="h-4 w-4" />}
                 </Button>
                 <Button

app/src/components/VoiceProfiles/AudioSampleUpload.tsx

@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ export function AudioSampleUpload({
                     variant="outline"
                     onClick={onPlayPause}
                     disabled={isValidating}
+                    aria-label={isPlaying ? 'Pause' : 'Play'}
                   >
                     {isPlaying ? <Pause className="h-4 w-4" /> : <Play className="h-4 w-4" />}
                   </Button>

app/src/components/VoiceProfiles/ProfileCard.tsx

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Download, Edit, Mic, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Download, Edit, Sparkles, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useState } from 'react';
 import { Badge } from '@/components/ui/badge';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import {
 import type { VoiceProfileResponse } from '@/lib/api/types';
 import { useDeleteProfile, useExportProfile } from '@/lib/hooks/useProfiles';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
-import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
 import { useUIStore } from '@/stores/uiStore';
 
 interface ProfileCardProps {
@@ -24,19 +23,16 @@ interface ProfileCardProps {
 
 export function ProfileCard({ profile }: ProfileCardProps) {
   const [deleteDialogOpen, setDeleteDialogOpen] = useState(false);
-  const [avatarError, setAvatarError] = useState(false);
+
   const deleteProfile = useDeleteProfile();
   const exportProfile = useExportProfile();
   const setEditingProfileId = useUIStore((state) => state.setEditingProfileId);
   const setProfileDialogOpen = useUIStore((state) => state.setProfileDialogOpen);
   const selectedProfileId = useUIStore((state) => state.selectedProfileId);
   const setSelectedProfileId = useUIStore((state) => state.setSelectedProfileId);
-  const serverUrl = useServerStore((state) => state.serverUrl);
 
   const isSelected = selectedProfileId === profile.id;
 
-  const avatarUrl = profile.avatar_path ? `${serverUrl}/profiles/${profile.id}/avatar` : null;
-
   const handleSelect = () => {
     setSelectedProfileId(isSelected ? null : profile.id);
   };
@@ -61,32 +57,35 @@ export function ProfileCard({ profile }: ProfileCardProps) {
     exportProfile.mutate(profile.id);
   };
 
+  const handleKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
+    const target = e.target as HTMLElement;
+    if (target.closest('button')) return;
+    if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      handleSelect();
+    }
+  };
+
+  const selectLabel = isSelected
+    ? `${profile.name}, ${profile.language}. Selected as voice for generation.`
+    : `${profile.name}, ${profile.language}. Select as voice for generation.`;
+
   return (
     <>
       <Card
         className={cn(
-          'cursor-pointer hover:shadow-md transition-all flex flex-col',
-          isSelected && 'ring-2 ring-primary shadow-md',
+          'cursor-pointer hover:shadow-md transition-all flex flex-col h-[162px]',
+          isSelected && 'ring-2 ring-accent shadow-md',
         )}
         onClick={handleSelect}
+        tabIndex={0}
+        role="button"
+        aria-label={selectLabel}
+        aria-pressed={isSelected}
+        onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
       >
         <CardHeader className="p-3 pb-2">
-          <CardTitle className="flex items-center gap-1.5 text-base font-medium">
-            <div className="h-6 w-6 rounded-full bg-muted flex items-center justify-center shrink-0 overflow-hidden">
-              {avatarUrl && !avatarError ? (
-                <img
-                  src={avatarUrl}
-                  alt={`${profile.name} avatar`}
-                  className={cn(
-                    'h-full w-full object-cover transition-all duration-200',
-                    !isSelected && 'grayscale',
-                  )}
-                  onError={() => setAvatarError(true)}
-                />
-              ) : (
-                <Mic className="h-3.5 w-3.5 text-muted-foreground" />
-              )}
-            </div>
+          <CardTitle className="text-base font-medium">
             <span className="break-words">{profile.name}</span>
           </CardTitle>
         </CardHeader>
@@ -94,10 +93,13 @@ export function ProfileCard({ profile }: ProfileCardProps) {
           <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mb-1.5 line-clamp-2 leading-relaxed">
             {profile.description || 'No description'}
           </p>
-          <div className="mb-2">
+          <div className="mb-2 flex items-center gap-1.5">
             <Badge variant="outline" className="text-xs h-5 px-1.5 text-muted-foreground">
               {profile.language}
             </Badge>
+            {profile.effects_chain && profile.effects_chain.length > 0 && (
+              <Sparkles className="h-3.5 w-3.5 text-accent fill-accent" />
+            )}
           </div>
           <div className="flex gap-0.5 justify-end items-end mt-auto">
             <CircleButton

app/src/components/VoiceProfiles/ProfileForm.tsx

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { Edit2, Mic, Monitor, Upload, X } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { useForm } from 'react-hook-form';
 import * as z from 'zod';
+import { EffectsChainEditor } from '@/components/Effects/EffectsChainEditor';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import {
   Dialog,
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@ import {
 import { Tabs, TabsContent, TabsList, TabsTrigger } from '@/components/ui/tabs';
 import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea';
 import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
+import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
+import type { EffectConfig } from '@/lib/api/types';
 import { LANGUAGE_CODES, LANGUAGE_OPTIONS, type LanguageCode } from '@/lib/constants/languages';
 import { useAudioPlayer } from '@/lib/hooks/useAudioPlayer';
 import { useAudioRecording } from '@/lib/hooks/useAudioRecording';
@@ -43,7 +46,7 @@ import {
 } from '@/lib/hooks/useProfiles';
 import { useSystemAudioCapture } from '@/lib/hooks/useSystemAudioCapture';
 import { useTranscription } from '@/lib/hooks/useTranscription';
-import { formatAudioDuration, getAudioDuration } from '@/lib/utils/audio';
+import { convertToWav, formatAudioDuration, getAudioDuration } from '@/lib/utils/audio';
 import { usePlatform } from '@/platform/PlatformContext';
 import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
 import { type ProfileFormDraft, useUIStore } from '@/stores/uiStore';
@@ -125,6 +128,8 @@ export function ProfileForm() {
   const { isPlaying, playPause, cleanup: cleanupAudio } = useAudioPlayer();
   const isCreating = !editingProfileId;
   const serverUrl = useServerStore((state) => state.serverUrl);
+  const [profileEffectsChain, setProfileEffectsChain] = useState<EffectConfig[]>([]);
+  const [effectsDirty, setEffectsDirty] = useState(false);
 
   const form = useForm<ProfileFormValues>({
     resolver: zodResolver(profileSchema),
@@ -280,6 +285,8 @@ export function ProfileForm() {
         referenceText: undefined,
         avatarFile: undefined,
       });
+      setProfileEffectsChain(editingProfile.effects_chain ?? []);
+      setEffectsDirty(false);
     } else if (profileFormDraft && open) {
       // Restore from draft when opening in create mode
       form.reset({
@@ -435,6 +442,24 @@ export function ProfileForm() {
           }
         }
 
+        // Save effects chain if changed
+        if (effectsDirty) {
+          try {
+            await apiClient.updateProfileEffects(
+              editingProfileId,
+              profileEffectsChain.length > 0 ? profileEffectsChain : null,
+            );
+          } catch (fxError) {
+            toast({
+              title: 'Effects update failed',
+              description:
+                fxError instanceof Error ? fxError.message : 'Failed to save effects chain',
+              variant: 'destructive',
+            });
+            return;
+          }
+        }
+
         toast({
           title: 'Voice updated',
           description: `"${data.name}" has been updated successfully.`,
@@ -505,10 +530,23 @@ export function ProfileForm() {
           language: data.language,
         });
 
+        // Convert non-WAV uploads to WAV so the backend can always use soundfile.
+        // Recorded audio is already WAV (from useAudioRecording's convertToWav call).
+        let fileToUpload: File = sampleFile;
+        if (!sampleFile.type.includes('wav') && !sampleFile.name.toLowerCase().endsWith('.wav')) {
+          try {
+            const wavBlob = await convertToWav(sampleFile);
+            const wavName = sampleFile.name.replace(/\.[^.]+$/, '.wav');
+            fileToUpload = new File([wavBlob], wavName, { type: 'audio/wav' });
+          } catch {
+            // If browser can't decode the format, send the original and let the backend try.
+          }
+        }
+
         try {
           await addSample.mutateAsync({
             profileId: profile.id,
-            file: sampleFile,
+            file: fileToUpload,
             referenceText: referenceText,
           });
 
@@ -885,6 +923,23 @@ export function ProfileForm() {
                       </FormItem>
                     )}
                   />
+
+                  {editingProfileId && (
+                    <div className="space-y-2">
+                      <FormLabel>Default Effects</FormLabel>
+                      <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                        Effects applied automatically to all new generations with this voice.
+                      </p>
+                      <EffectsChainEditor
+                        value={profileEffectsChain}
+                        onChange={(chain) => {
+                          setProfileEffectsChain(chain);
+                          setEffectsDirty(true);
+                        }}
+                        compact
+                      />
+                    </div>
+                  )}
                 </div>
               </div>
 

app/src/components/VoiceProfiles/ProfileList.tsx

@@ -41,9 +41,11 @@ export function ProfileList() {
             </CardContent>
           </Card>
         ) : (
-          <div className="grid gap-4 grid-cols-3 auto-rows-auto p-1 pb-[150px]">
+          <div className="flex gap-4 overflow-x-auto p-1 pb-1 lg:grid lg:grid-cols-3 lg:auto-rows-auto lg:overflow-x-visible lg:pb-[150px]">
             {allProfiles.map((profile) => (
-              <ProfileCard key={profile.id} profile={profile} />
+              <div key={profile.id} className="shrink-0 w-[200px] lg:w-auto lg:shrink">
+                <ProfileCard profile={profile} />
+              </div>
             ))}
           </div>
         )}

app/src/components/VoiceProfiles/SampleList.tsx

@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ function MiniSamplePlayer({ audioUrl }: MiniSamplePlayerProps) {
           className="h-7 w-7 shrink-0"
           onClick={handlePlayPause}
           disabled={isLoading}
+          aria-label={isPlaying ? 'Pause sample' : 'Play sample'}
         >
           {isPlaying ? <Pause className="h-3.5 w-3.5" /> : <Play className="h-3.5 w-3.5 ml-0.5" />}
         </Button>
@@ -113,6 +114,8 @@ function MiniSamplePlayer({ audioUrl }: MiniSamplePlayerProps) {
             max={100}
             step={0.1}
             className="flex-1"
+            aria-label="Sample playback position"
+            aria-valuetext={`${formatAudioDuration(currentTime)} of ${formatAudioDuration(duration)}`}
           />
           <div className="flex items-center gap-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground shrink-0 min-w-[70px]">
             <span className="font-mono">{formatAudioDuration(currentTime)}</span>
@@ -128,6 +131,7 @@ function MiniSamplePlayer({ audioUrl }: MiniSamplePlayerProps) {
           className="h-7 w-7 shrink-0"
           onClick={handleStop}
           title="Stop"
+          aria-label="Stop playback"
         >
           <X className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
         </Button>

app/src/components/VoicesTab/VoiceInspector.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,340 @@
+import { zodResolver } from '@hookform/resolvers/zod';
+import { Edit2, Mic, X } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { useForm } from 'react-hook-form';
+import * as z from 'zod';
+import { EffectsChainEditor } from '@/components/Effects/EffectsChainEditor';
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
+import {
+  Form,
+  FormControl,
+  FormField,
+  FormItem,
+  FormLabel,
+  FormMessage,
+} from '@/components/ui/form';
+import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input';
+import {
+  Select,
+  SelectContent,
+  SelectItem,
+  SelectTrigger,
+  SelectValue,
+} from '@/components/ui/select';
+import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea';
+import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
+import { SampleList } from '@/components/VoiceProfiles/SampleList';
+import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
+import type { EffectConfig } from '@/lib/api/types';
+import { LANGUAGE_CODES, LANGUAGE_OPTIONS, type LanguageCode } from '@/lib/constants/languages';
+import { BOTTOM_SAFE_AREA_PADDING } from '@/lib/constants/ui';
+import {
+  useDeleteAvatar,
+  useProfile,
+  useUpdateProfile,
+  useUploadAvatar,
+} from '@/lib/hooks/useProfiles';
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
+import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
+import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
+
+const profileSchema = z.object({
+  name: z.string().min(1, 'Name is required').max(100),
+  description: z.string().max(500).optional(),
+  language: z.enum(LANGUAGE_CODES as [LanguageCode, ...LanguageCode[]]),
+});
+
+type ProfileFormValues = z.infer<typeof profileSchema>;
+
+interface VoiceInspectorProps {
+  profileId: string;
+}
+
+export function VoiceInspector({ profileId }: VoiceInspectorProps) {
+  const { data: profile } = useProfile(profileId);
+  const audioUrl = usePlayerStore((state) => state.audioUrl);
+  const isPlayerVisible = !!audioUrl;
+  const updateProfile = useUpdateProfile();
+  const uploadAvatar = useUploadAvatar();
+  const deleteAvatar = useDeleteAvatar();
+  const serverUrl = useServerStore((state) => state.serverUrl);
+  const { toast } = useToast();
+
+  const [avatarPreview, setAvatarPreview] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [avatarError, setAvatarError] = useState(false);
+  const avatarInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+
+  const [effectsChain, setEffectsChain] = useState<EffectConfig[]>([]);
+  const [effectsDirty, setEffectsDirty] = useState(false);
+
+  const form = useForm<ProfileFormValues>({
+    resolver: zodResolver(profileSchema),
+    defaultValues: {
+      name: '',
+      description: '',
+      language: 'en',
+    },
+  });
+
+  // Populate form when profile loads
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (profile) {
+      form.reset({
+        name: profile.name,
+        description: profile.description || '',
+        language: profile.language as LanguageCode,
+      });
+      setEffectsChain(profile.effects_chain ?? []);
+      setEffectsDirty(false);
+    }
+  }, [profile, form]);
+
+  // Avatar preview
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (profile?.avatar_path) {
+      setAvatarPreview(`${serverUrl}/profiles/${profile.id}/avatar`);
+    } else {
+      setAvatarPreview(null);
+    }
+    setAvatarError(false);
+  }, [profile, serverUrl]);
+
+  function handleAvatarFileChange(e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) {
+    const file = e.target.files?.[0];
+    if (!file) return;
+    if (!file.type.startsWith('image/')) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Invalid file type',
+        description: 'Please select PNG, JPG, or WebP',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+    if (file.size > 5 * 1024 * 1024) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'File too large',
+        description: 'Image must be less than 5MB',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+    // Upload immediately
+    uploadAvatar.mutate(
+      { profileId, file },
+      {
+        onSuccess: () => {
+          setAvatarPreview(URL.createObjectURL(file));
+          toast({ title: 'Avatar updated' });
+        },
+        onError: (err) => {
+          toast({
+            title: 'Avatar upload failed',
+            description: err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Unknown error',
+            variant: 'destructive',
+          });
+        },
+      },
+    );
+  }
+
+  async function handleRemoveAvatar() {
+    if (profile?.avatar_path) {
+      try {
+        await deleteAvatar.mutateAsync(profileId);
+        toast({ title: 'Avatar removed' });
+      } catch (err) {
+        toast({
+          title: 'Failed to remove avatar',
+          description: err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Unknown error',
+          variant: 'destructive',
+        });
+      }
+    }
+    setAvatarPreview(null);
+    if (avatarInputRef.current) avatarInputRef.current.value = '';
+  }
+
+  async function onSubmit(data: ProfileFormValues) {
+    try {
+      await updateProfile.mutateAsync({
+        profileId,
+        data: {
+          name: data.name,
+          description: data.description,
+          language: data.language,
+        },
+      });
+
+      if (effectsDirty) {
+        try {
+          await apiClient.updateProfileEffects(
+            profileId,
+            effectsChain.length > 0 ? effectsChain : null,
+          );
+          setEffectsDirty(false);
+        } catch (fxError) {
+          toast({
+            title: 'Effects update failed',
+            description: fxError instanceof Error ? fxError.message : 'Failed to save effects',
+            variant: 'destructive',
+          });
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+
+      toast({ title: 'Voice updated', description: `"${data.name}" saved.` });
+    } catch (error) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Error',
+        description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Failed to save profile',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (!profile) {
+    return (
+      <div className="flex items-center justify-center h-full text-muted-foreground text-sm">
+        Loading...
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+  const isDirty = form.formState.isDirty || effectsDirty;
+
+  return (
+    <div className="h-full flex flex-col overflow-hidden">
+      <div className={cn('flex-1 overflow-y-auto', isPlayerVisible && BOTTOM_SAFE_AREA_PADDING)}>
+        <Form {...form}>
+          <form onSubmit={form.handleSubmit(onSubmit)} className="space-y-0">
+            {/* Avatar */}
+            <div className="flex justify-center pt-5 pb-3">
+              <div className="relative group">
+                <div className="h-20 w-20 rounded-full bg-muted flex items-center justify-center shrink-0 overflow-hidden border-2 border-border">
+                  {avatarPreview && !avatarError ? (
+                    <img
+                      src={avatarPreview}
+                      alt={profile.name}
+                      className="h-full w-full object-cover"
+                      onError={() => setAvatarError(true)}
+                    />
+                  ) : (
+                    <Mic className="h-8 w-8 text-muted-foreground" />
+                  )}
+                </div>
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  onClick={() => avatarInputRef.current?.click()}
+                  className="absolute inset-0 rounded-full bg-accent/60 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity flex items-center justify-center cursor-pointer"
+                >
+                  <Edit2 className="h-5 w-5 text-accent-foreground" />
+                </button>
+                {avatarPreview && (
+                  <button
+                    type="button"
+                    onClick={handleRemoveAvatar}
+                    disabled={deleteAvatar.isPending}
+                    className="absolute bottom-0 right-0 h-5 w-5 rounded-full bg-background/60 backdrop-blur-sm text-muted-foreground flex items-center justify-center hover:bg-background/80 hover:text-foreground transition-colors shadow-sm border border-border/50"
+                  >
+                    <X className="h-3 w-3" />
+                  </button>
+                )}
+              </div>
+              <input
+                ref={avatarInputRef}
+                type="file"
+                accept="image/png,image/jpeg,image/webp"
+                onChange={handleAvatarFileChange}
+                className="hidden"
+              />
+            </div>
+
+            {/* Fields */}
+            <div className="space-y-3 px-5">
+              <FormField
+                control={form.control}
+                name="name"
+                render={({ field }) => (
+                  <FormItem>
+                    <FormLabel>Name</FormLabel>
+                    <FormControl>
+                      <Input placeholder="My Voice" {...field} />
+                    </FormControl>
+                    <FormMessage />
+                  </FormItem>
+                )}
+              />
+
+              <FormField
+                control={form.control}
+                name="description"
+                render={({ field }) => (
+                  <FormItem>
+                    <FormLabel>Description</FormLabel>
+                    <FormControl>
+                      <Textarea placeholder="Describe this voice..." rows={2} {...field} />
+                    </FormControl>
+                    <FormMessage />
+                  </FormItem>
+                )}
+              />
+
+              <FormField
+                control={form.control}
+                name="language"
+                render={({ field }) => (
+                  <FormItem>
+                    <FormLabel>Language</FormLabel>
+                    <Select onValueChange={field.onChange} value={field.value}>
+                      <FormControl>
+                        <SelectTrigger>
+                          <SelectValue />
+                        </SelectTrigger>
+                      </FormControl>
+                      <SelectContent>
+                        {LANGUAGE_OPTIONS.map((lang) => (
+                          <SelectItem key={lang.value} value={lang.value}>
+                            {lang.label}
+                          </SelectItem>
+                        ))}
+                      </SelectContent>
+                    </Select>
+                    <FormMessage />
+                  </FormItem>
+                )}
+              />
+
+              {/* Effects */}
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                <FormLabel>Default Effects</FormLabel>
+                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                  Applied automatically to new generations with this voice.
+                </p>
+                <EffectsChainEditor
+                  value={effectsChain}
+                  onChange={(chain) => {
+                    setEffectsChain(chain);
+                    setEffectsDirty(true);
+                  }}
+                  compact
+                />
+              </div>
+
+              {/* Save */}
+              {isDirty && (
+                <Button type="submit" className="w-full" disabled={updateProfile.isPending}>
+                  {updateProfile.isPending ? 'Saving...' : 'Save Changes'}
+                </Button>
+              )}
+            </div>
+
+            {/* Samples */}
+            <div className="px-5 pb-5">
+              <SampleList profileId={profileId} />
+            </div>
+          </form>
+        </Form>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}

app/src/components/VoicesTab/VoicesTab.tsx

@@ -1,13 +1,9 @@
 import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
-import { Edit, MoreHorizontal, Plus, Trash2, Mic } from 'lucide-react';
-import { useMemo, useRef } from 'react';
+import { Mic, Plus, Search, Sparkles } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
-import {
-  DropdownMenu,
-  DropdownMenuContent,
-  DropdownMenuItem,
-  DropdownMenuTrigger,
-} from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu';
+import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input';
+
 import { MultiSelect } from '@/components/ui/multi-select';
 import {
   Table,
@@ -21,33 +17,46 @@ import { ProfileForm } from '@/components/VoiceProfiles/ProfileForm';
 import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
 import type { VoiceProfileResponse } from '@/lib/api/types';
 import { BOTTOM_SAFE_AREA_PADDING } from '@/lib/constants/ui';
-import { useHistory } from '@/lib/hooks/useHistory';
-import { useDeleteProfile, useProfileSamples, useProfiles } from '@/lib/hooks/useProfiles';
+import { useProfiles } from '@/lib/hooks/useProfiles';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
 import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
+import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
 import { useUIStore } from '@/stores/uiStore';
+import { VoiceInspector } from './VoiceInspector';
 
 export function VoicesTab() {
   const { data: profiles, isLoading } = useProfiles();
-  const { data: historyData } = useHistory({ limit: 1000 });
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
   const setDialogOpen = useUIStore((state) => state.setProfileDialogOpen);
-  const setEditingProfileId = useUIStore((state) => state.setEditingProfileId);
-  const deleteProfile = useDeleteProfile();
+  const selectedVoiceId = useUIStore((state) => state.selectedVoiceId);
+  const setSelectedVoiceId = useUIStore((state) => state.setSelectedVoiceId);
   const scrollRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const audioUrl = usePlayerStore((state) => state.audioUrl);
   const isPlayerVisible = !!audioUrl;
+  const [search, setSearch] = useState('');
 
-  // Get generation counts per profile
-  const generationCounts = useMemo(() => {
-    const counts: Record<string, number> = {};
-    if (historyData?.items) {
-      historyData.items.forEach((item) => {
-        counts[item.profile_id] = (counts[item.profile_id] || 0) + 1;
-      });
+  const filteredProfiles = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!profiles) return [];
+    if (!search.trim()) return profiles;
+    const q = search.toLowerCase();
+    return profiles.filter(
+      (p) =>
+        p.name.toLowerCase().includes(q) ||
+        p.description?.toLowerCase().includes(q) ||
+        p.language.toLowerCase().includes(q),
+    );
+  }, [profiles, search]);
+
+  // Auto-select first profile if none selected
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!selectedVoiceId && profiles && profiles.length > 0) {
+      setSelectedVoiceId(profiles[0].id);
     }
-    return counts;
-  }, [historyData]);
+    // Clear selection if selected profile was deleted
+    if (selectedVoiceId && profiles && !profiles.find((p) => p.id === selectedVoiceId)) {
+      setSelectedVoiceId(profiles.length > 0 ? profiles[0].id : null);
+    }
+  }, [profiles, selectedVoiceId, setSelectedVoiceId]);
 
   // Get channel assignments for each profile
   const { data: channelAssignments } = useQuery({
@@ -74,17 +83,6 @@ export function VoicesTab() {
     queryFn: () => apiClient.listChannels(),
   });
 
-  const handleEdit = (profileId: string) => {
-    setEditingProfileId(profileId);
-    setDialogOpen(true);
-  };
-
-  const handleDelete = (profileId: string) => {
-    if (confirm('Are you sure you want to delete this profile?')) {
-      deleteProfile.mutate(profileId);
-    }
-  };
-
   const handleChannelChange = async (profileId: string, channelIds: string[]) => {
     try {
       await apiClient.setProfileChannels(profileId, channelIds);
@@ -103,56 +101,76 @@ export function VoicesTab() {
   }
 
   return (
-    <div className="h-full flex flex-col relative overflow-hidden">
-      {/* Scroll Mask - Always visible, behind content */}
-      <div className="absolute top-0 left-0 right-0 h-16 bg-gradient-to-b from-background to-transparent z-10 pointer-events-none" />
+    <div className="h-full flex gap-0 overflow-hidden -mx-8">
+      {/* Left: Table */}
+      <div className="flex-1 min-w-0 flex flex-col relative overflow-hidden">
+        {/* Scroll Mask */}
+        <div className="absolute top-0 left-0 right-0 h-16 bg-gradient-to-b from-background to-transparent z-10 pointer-events-none" />
 
-      {/* Fixed Header */}
-      <div className="absolute top-0 left-0 right-0 z-20">
-        <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-6">
-          <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold">Voices</h1>
-          <Button onClick={() => setDialogOpen(true)}>
-            <Plus className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
-            New Voice
-          </Button>
+        {/* Fixed Header */}
+        <div className="absolute top-0 left-0 right-0 z-20 pl-8 pr-8">
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-3 mb-6">
+            <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold">Voices</h1>
+            <div className="flex-1" />
+            <div className="relative w-[240px]">
+              <Search className="absolute left-2.5 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 h-3.5 w-3.5 text-muted-foreground" />
+              <Input
+                placeholder="Search voices..."
+                value={search}
+                onChange={(e) => setSearch(e.target.value)}
+                className="h-10 pl-8 text-sm rounded-full focus-visible:ring-0 focus-visible:ring-offset-0"
+              />
+            </div>
+            <Button onClick={() => setDialogOpen(true)}>
+              <Plus className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
+              New Voice
+            </Button>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+
+        {/* Scrollable Content */}
+        <div
+          ref={scrollRef}
+          className={cn(
+            'flex-1 overflow-y-auto overflow-x-hidden pt-16 relative z-0',
+            isPlayerVisible && BOTTOM_SAFE_AREA_PADDING,
+          )}
+        >
+          <Table className="table-fixed [&_td:first-child]:pl-8 [&_th:first-child]:pl-8">
+            <TableHeader>
+              <TableRow>
+                <TableHead className="w-[30%]">Name</TableHead>
+                <TableHead className="w-[10%]">Language</TableHead>
+                <TableHead className="w-[10%]">Generations</TableHead>
+                <TableHead className="w-[8%]">Samples</TableHead>
+                <TableHead className="w-[8%]">Effects</TableHead>
+                <TableHead className="w-[24%]">Channels</TableHead>
+                <TableHead className="w-6"></TableHead>
+              </TableRow>
+            </TableHeader>
+            <TableBody>
+              {filteredProfiles.map((profile) => (
+                <VoiceRow
+                  key={profile.id}
+                  profile={profile}
+                  isSelected={selectedVoiceId === profile.id}
+                  onSelect={() => setSelectedVoiceId(profile.id)}
+                  channelIds={channelAssignments?.[profile.id] || []}
+                  channels={channels || []}
+                  onChannelChange={(channelIds) => handleChannelChange(profile.id, channelIds)}
+                />
+              ))}
+            </TableBody>
+          </Table>
         </div>
       </div>
 
-      {/* Scrollable Content */}
-      <div
-        ref={scrollRef}
-        className={cn(
-          'flex-1 overflow-y-auto pt-16 relative z-0',
-          isPlayerVisible && BOTTOM_SAFE_AREA_PADDING,
-        )}
-      >
-        <Table>
-          <TableHeader>
-            <TableRow>
-              <TableHead>Name</TableHead>
-              <TableHead>Language</TableHead>
-              <TableHead>Generations</TableHead>
-              <TableHead>Samples</TableHead>
-              <TableHead>Channels</TableHead>
-              <TableHead className="w-[50px]"></TableHead>
-            </TableRow>
-          </TableHeader>
-          <TableBody>
-            {profiles?.map((profile) => (
-              <VoiceRow
-                key={profile.id}
-                profile={profile}
-                generationCount={generationCounts[profile.id] || 0}
-                channelIds={channelAssignments?.[profile.id] || []}
-                channels={channels || []}
-                onChannelChange={(channelIds) => handleChannelChange(profile.id, channelIds)}
-                onEdit={() => handleEdit(profile.id)}
-                onDelete={() => handleDelete(profile.id)}
-              />
-            ))}
-          </TableBody>
-        </Table>
-      </div>
+      {/* Right: Inspector */}
+      {selectedVoiceId && (
+        <div className="w-[340px] shrink-0 border-l border-t rounded-tl-xl bg-muted/30">
+          <VoiceInspector key={selectedVoiceId} profileId={selectedVoiceId} />
+        </div>
+      )}
 
       <ProfileForm />
     </div>
@@ -161,43 +179,71 @@ export function VoicesTab() {
 
 interface VoiceRowProps {
   profile: VoiceProfileResponse;
-  generationCount: number;
+  isSelected: boolean;
+  onSelect: () => void;
   channelIds: string[];
   channels: Array<{ id: string; name: string; is_default: boolean }>;
   onChannelChange: (channelIds: string[]) => void;
-  onEdit: () => void;
-  onDelete: () => void;
 }
 
 function VoiceRow({
   profile,
-  generationCount,
+  isSelected,
+  onSelect,
   channelIds,
   channels,
   onChannelChange,
-  onEdit,
-  onDelete,
 }: VoiceRowProps) {
-  const { data: samples } = useProfileSamples(profile.id);
+  const serverUrl = useServerStore((state) => state.serverUrl);
+  const [avatarError, setAvatarError] = useState(false);
+  const avatarUrl = profile.avatar_path ? `${serverUrl}/profiles/${profile.id}/avatar` : null;
+
+  const enabledEffects = profile.effects_chain?.filter((e) => e.enabled) ?? [];
+  const effectsSummary = enabledEffects.map((e) => e.type).join(' → ');
 
   return (
-    <TableRow className="cursor-pointer" onClick={onEdit}>
+    <TableRow
+      className={cn('cursor-pointer', isSelected ? 'bg-muted/50' : 'hover:bg-muted/50')}
+      onClick={onSelect}
+    >
       <TableCell>
-        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-          <div className="h-8 w-8 rounded-lg bg-muted flex items-center justify-center shrink-0">
-            <Mic className="h-4 w-4 text-muted-foreground" />
+        <div className="flex w-full min-w-0 items-center gap-2">
+          <div className="h-8 w-8 rounded-full bg-muted flex items-center justify-center shrink-0 overflow-hidden">
+            {avatarUrl && !avatarError ? (
+              <img
+                src={avatarUrl}
+                alt={`${profile.name} avatar`}
+                className="h-full w-full object-cover"
+                onError={() => setAvatarError(true)}
+              />
+            ) : (
+              <Mic className="h-4 w-4 text-muted-foreground" />
+            )}
           </div>
-          <div>
-            <div className="font-medium">{profile.name}</div>
+          <div className="min-w-0">
+            <div className="font-medium truncate">{profile.name}</div>
             {profile.description && (
-              <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">{profile.description}</div>
+              <div className="text-sm text-muted-foreground truncate">{profile.description}</div>
             )}
           </div>
         </div>
       </TableCell>
-      <TableCell onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>{profile.language}</TableCell>
-      <TableCell onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>{generationCount}</TableCell>
-      <TableCell onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>{samples?.length || 0}</TableCell>
+      <TableCell>{profile.language}</TableCell>
+      <TableCell>{profile.generation_count}</TableCell>
+      <TableCell>{profile.sample_count}</TableCell>
+      <TableCell>
+        {enabledEffects.length > 0 ? (
+          <span
+            className="inline-flex items-center gap-1 text-xs text-accent"
+            title={effectsSummary}
+          >
+            <Sparkles className="h-3 w-3 fill-accent" />
+            {enabledEffects.length}
+          </span>
+        ) : (
+          <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">—</span>
+        )}
+      </TableCell>
       <TableCell onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>
         <MultiSelect
           options={channels.map((ch) => ({
@@ -207,28 +253,10 @@ function VoiceRow({
           value={channelIds}
           onChange={onChannelChange}
           placeholder="Select channels..."
-          className="min-w-[200px]"
+          className="w-full"
         />
       </TableCell>
-      <TableCell onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>
-        <DropdownMenu>
-          <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
-            <Button variant="ghost" size="icon">
-              <MoreHorizontal className="h-4 w-4" />
-            </Button>
-          </DropdownMenuTrigger>
-          <DropdownMenuContent>
-            <DropdownMenuItem onClick={onEdit}>
-              <Edit className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
-              Edit
-            </DropdownMenuItem>
-            <DropdownMenuItem onClick={onDelete} className="text-destructive">
-              <Trash2 className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
-              Delete
-            </DropdownMenuItem>
-          </DropdownMenuContent>
-        </DropdownMenu>
-      </TableCell>
+      <TableCell />
     </TableRow>
   );
 }

app/src/components/ui/checkbox.tsx

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import * as React from 'react';
 import { Check } from 'lucide-react';
+import * as React from 'react';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
 
 export interface CheckboxProps {

app/src/components/ui/dropdown-menu.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import * as React from 'react';
 import * as DropdownMenuPrimitive from '@radix-ui/react-dropdown-menu';
 import { MoreHorizontal } from 'lucide-react';
+import * as React from 'react';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
 
 const DropdownMenu = DropdownMenuPrimitive.Root;
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ const DropdownMenuItem = React.forwardRef<
   <DropdownMenuPrimitive.Item
     ref={ref}
     className={cn(
-      'relative flex cursor-default select-none items-center rounded-sm px-2 py-1.5 text-sm outline-none transition-colors focus:bg-accent focus:text-accent-foreground data-[disabled]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled]:opacity-50',
+      'relative flex cursor-default select-none items-center rounded-sm px-2 py-1.5 text-sm outline-none focus:bg-accent focus:text-accent-foreground data-[disabled]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled]:opacity-50',
       inset && 'pl-8',
       className,
     )}
@@ -154,7 +154,9 @@ const DropdownMenuSeparator = React.forwardRef<
 DropdownMenuSeparator.displayName = DropdownMenuPrimitive.Separator.displayName;
 
 const DropdownMenuShortcut = ({ className, ...props }: React.HTMLAttributes<HTMLSpanElement>) => {
-  return <span className={cn('ml-auto text-xs tracking-widest opacity-60', className)} {...props} />;
+  return (
+    <span className={cn('ml-auto text-xs tracking-widest opacity-60', className)} {...props} />
+  );
 };
 DropdownMenuShortcut.displayName = 'DropdownMenuShortcut';
 

app/src/components/ui/select.tsx

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ const SelectTrigger = React.forwardRef<
   <SelectPrimitive.Trigger
     ref={ref}
     className={cn(
-      'flex h-10 w-full items-center justify-between rounded-md border border-input bg-background px-3 py-2 text-sm ring-offset-background placeholder:text-muted-foreground focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-ring focus:ring-offset-2 disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-50 [&>span]:line-clamp-1',
+      'flex h-10 w-full items-center justify-between rounded-md border border-input bg-background px-3 py-2 text-sm ring-offset-background placeholder:text-muted-foreground focus:outline-none focus:bg-muted/50 disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-50 [&>span]:line-clamp-1',
       className,
     )}
     {...props}
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ const SelectItem = React.forwardRef<
   <SelectPrimitive.Item
     ref={ref}
     className={cn(
-      'relative flex w-full cursor-default select-none items-center rounded-sm py-1.5 pl-8 pr-2 text-sm outline-none focus:bg-accent focus:text-accent-foreground data-[disabled]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled]:opacity-50',
+      'relative flex w-full cursor-default select-none items-center rounded-sm py-1.5 pl-8 pr-2 text-sm outline-none focus:bg-accent focus:text-accent-foreground focus:[&_*]:text-accent-foreground data-[disabled]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled]:opacity-50',
       className,
     )}
     {...props}

app/src/components/ui/table.tsx

@@ -14,7 +14,11 @@ const TableHeader = React.forwardRef<
   HTMLTableSectionElement,
   React.HTMLAttributes<HTMLTableSectionElement>
 >(({ className, ...props }, ref) => (
-  <thead ref={ref} className={cn('[&_tr]:border-b', className)} {...props} />
+  <thead
+    ref={ref}
+    className={cn('[&_tr]:border-b [&_tr]:hover:bg-transparent', className)}
+    {...props}
+  />
 ));
 TableHeader.displayName = 'TableHeader';
 
@@ -42,10 +46,7 @@ const TableRow = React.forwardRef<HTMLTableRowElement, React.HTMLAttributes<HTML
   ({ className, ...props }, ref) => (
     <tr
       ref={ref}
-      className={cn(
-        'border-b transition-colors hover:bg-muted/50 data-[state=selected]:bg-muted',
-        className,
-      )}
+      className={cn('border-b hover:bg-muted/50 data-[state=selected]:bg-muted', className)}
       {...props}
     />
   ),

app/src/hooks/useAutoUpdater.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { usePlatform } from '@/platform/PlatformContext';
 import type { UpdateStatus } from '@/platform/types';
 
@@ -7,9 +7,8 @@ export type { UpdateStatus };
 
 export function useAutoUpdater(checkOnMount = false) {
   const platform = usePlatform();
-  const [status, setStatus] = useState<UpdateStatus>(
-    platform.updater.getStatus(),
-  );
+  const [status, setStatus] = useState<UpdateStatus>(platform.updater.getStatus());
+  const hasCheckedRef = useRef(false);
 
   // Subscribe to updater status changes
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -17,25 +16,32 @@ export function useAutoUpdater(checkOnMount = false) {
       setStatus(newStatus);
     });
     return unsubscribe;
-  }, [platform]);
+    // Empty dependency array - platform is stable from context
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.updater.subscribe]);
 
   const checkForUpdates = useCallback(async () => {
     await platform.updater.checkForUpdates();
-  }, [platform]);
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.updater.checkForUpdates]);
 
   const downloadAndInstall = useCallback(async () => {
     await platform.updater.downloadAndInstall();
-  }, [platform]);
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.updater.downloadAndInstall]);
 
   const restartAndInstall = useCallback(async () => {
     await platform.updater.restartAndInstall();
-  }, [platform]);
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.updater.restartAndInstall]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (checkOnMount && platform.metadata.isTauri) {
+    if (checkOnMount && platform.metadata.isTauri && !hasCheckedRef.current) {
+      hasCheckedRef.current = true;
       checkForUpdates();
     }
-  }, [checkOnMount, checkForUpdates, platform.metadata.isTauri]);
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.metadata.isTauricheckOnMountcheckForUpdates]);
 
   return {
     status,

app/src/hooks/useAutoUpdater.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,209 @@
+import { Download, RefreshCw } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { Progress } from '@/components/ui/progress';
+import { ToastAction } from '@/components/ui/toast';
+import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
+import { usePlatform } from '@/platform/PlatformContext';
+import type { UpdateStatus } from '@/platform/types';
+
+// Re-export UpdateStatus for backwards compatibility
+export type { UpdateStatus };
+
+interface UseAutoUpdaterOptions {
+  checkOnMount?: boolean;
+  showToast?: boolean;
+}
+
+export function useAutoUpdater(options: boolean | UseAutoUpdaterOptions = false) {
+  // Support both old boolean API and new options object
+  const { checkOnMount, showToast } =
+    typeof options === 'boolean'
+      ? { checkOnMount: options, showToast: false }
+      : { checkOnMount: options.checkOnMount ?? false, showToast: options.showToast ?? false };
+
+  const platform = usePlatform();
+  const { toast } = useToast();
+  const [status, setStatus] = useState<UpdateStatus>(platform.updater.getStatus());
+  const hasCheckedRef = useRef(false);
+  const toastIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
+  const toastUpdateRef = useRef<
+    | ((props: {
+        title?: React.ReactNode;
+        description?: React.ReactNode;
+        duration?: number;
+        variant?: 'default' | 'destructive';
+        open?: boolean;
+        action?: React.ReactElement<typeof ToastAction>;
+      }) => void)
+    | null
+  >(null);
+
+  // Subscribe to updater status changes
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const unsubscribe = platform.updater.subscribe((newStatus) => {
+      setStatus(newStatus);
+    });
+    return unsubscribe;
+    // Empty dependency array - platform is stable from context
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.updater.subscribe]);
+
+  const checkForUpdates = useCallback(async () => {
+    await platform.updater.checkForUpdates();
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.updater.checkForUpdates]);
+
+  const downloadAndInstall = useCallback(async () => {
+    await platform.updater.downloadAndInstall();
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.updater.downloadAndInstall]);
+
+  const restartAndInstall = useCallback(async () => {
+    await platform.updater.restartAndInstall();
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.updater.restartAndInstall]);
+
+  // Check for updates on mount
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (checkOnMount && platform.metadata.isTauri && !hasCheckedRef.current) {
+      hasCheckedRef.current = true;
+      checkForUpdates().catch((error) => {
+        console.error('Auto update check failed:', error);
+      });
+    }
+    // Empty dependency array - only run once on mount
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [platform.metadata.isTauricheckOnMountcheckForUpdates]);
+
+  // Show toast when update is available
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (
+      !showToast ||
+      !status.available ||
+      status.downloading ||
+      status.readyToInstall ||
+      toastIdRef.current
+    ) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const handleUpdateNow = async () => {
+      await downloadAndInstall();
+    };
+
+    const toastResult = toast({
+      title: 'Update Available',
+      description: `Version ${status.version} is ready to download.`,
+      duration: Infinity,
+      action: (
+        <ToastAction altText="Update now" onClick={handleUpdateNow}>
+          Update Now
+        </ToastAction>
+      ),
+    });
+
+    toastIdRef.current = toastResult.id;
+    // Type assertion needed because update function has broader type than our ref
+    toastUpdateRef.current = toastResult.update as typeof toastUpdateRef.current;
+  }, [
+    showToast,
+    status.available,
+    status.downloading,
+    status.readyToInstall,
+    status.version,
+    downloadAndInstall,
+    toast,
+  ]);
+
+  // Update toast when downloading
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!showToast || !status.downloading || !toastIdRef.current || !toastUpdateRef.current) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const progressPercent = status.downloadProgress || 0;
+    const progressText =
+      status.downloadedBytes !== undefined &&
+      status.totalBytes !== undefined &&
+      status.totalBytes > 0
+        ? `${(status.downloadedBytes / 1024 / 1024).toFixed(1)} MB / ${(status.totalBytes / 1024 / 1024).toFixed(1)} MB`
+        : '';
+
+    toastUpdateRef.current({
+      title: (
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+          <Download className="h-4 w-4 animate-pulse" />
+          <span>Downloading Update</span>
+        </div>
+      ),
+      description: (
+        <div className="space-y-2">
+          <div className="text-sm">Version {status.version}</div>
+          {progressPercent > 0 && (
+            <>
+              <Progress value={progressPercent} className="h-2" />
+              {progressText && <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{progressText}</div>}
+            </>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      ),
+      duration: Infinity,
+    });
+  }, [
+    showToast,
+    status.downloading,
+    status.downloadProgress,
+    status.downloadedBytes,
+    status.totalBytes,
+    status.version,
+  ]);
+
+  // Update toast when ready to install
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!showToast || !status.readyToInstall || !toastIdRef.current || !toastUpdateRef.current) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const handleRestartNow = async () => {
+      await restartAndInstall();
+    };
+
+    toastUpdateRef.current({
+      title: 'Update Ready',
+      description: `Version ${status.version} has been downloaded and is ready to install.`,
+      duration: Infinity,
+      action: (
+        <ToastAction altText="Restart now" onClick={handleRestartNow}>
+          <RefreshCw className="h-3 w-3 mr-1" />
+          Restart Now
+        </ToastAction>
+      ),
+    });
+  }, [showToast, status.readyToInstall, status.version, restartAndInstall]);
+
+  // Handle errors in toast
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!showToast || !status.error || !toastIdRef.current || !toastUpdateRef.current) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    toastUpdateRef.current({
+      title: 'Update Failed',
+      description: status.error,
+      variant: 'destructive',
+      duration: 5000,
+    });
+
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      toastIdRef.current = null;
+      toastUpdateRef.current = null;
+    }, 5000);
+  }, [showToast, status.error]);
+
+  return {
+    status,
+    checkForUpdates,
+    downloadAndInstall,
+    restartAndInstall,
+  };
+}

app/src/index.css

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 @import "tailwindcss" source(".");
+@import "loaders.css/loaders.min.css";
 
 @theme {
   --radius-sm: calc(var(--radius) - 4px);
@@ -155,3 +156,18 @@
   animation: fadeIn 0.5s ease-out 0.15s forwards;
   opacity: 0;
 }
+
+/* react-loaders */
+.line-scale-pulse-out-rapid > div,
+.line-scale > div {
+  background-color: hsl(var(--accent)) !important;
+}
+
+.loader-hidden {
+  display: block;
+}
+
+.loader-hidden > div > div {
+  animation-play-state: paused !important;
+  background-color: hsl(var(--muted-foreground)) !important;
+}

app/src/lib/api/client.ts

@@ -1,29 +1,37 @@
-import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
 import type { LanguageCode } from '@/lib/constants/languages';
+import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
 import type {
-  VoiceProfileCreate,
-  VoiceProfileResponse,
-  ProfileSampleResponse,
+  ActiveTasksResponse,
+  ApplyEffectsRequest,
+  AvailableEffectsResponse,
+  CudaStatus,
+  EffectConfig,
+  EffectPresetCreate,
+  EffectPresetResponse,
   GenerationRequest,
   GenerationResponse,
-  HistoryQuery,
-  HistoryListResponse,
-  HistoryResponse,
-  TranscriptionResponse,
+  GenerationVersionResponse,
   HealthResponse,
-  ModelStatusListResponse,
+  HistoryListResponse,
+  HistoryQuery,
+  HistoryResponse,
   ModelDownloadRequest,
-  ActiveTasksResponse,
+  ModelStatusListResponse,
+  ProfileSampleResponse,
   StoryCreate,
-  StoryResponse,
   StoryDetailResponse,
+  StoryItemBatchUpdate,
   StoryItemCreate,
   StoryItemDetail,
-  StoryItemBatchUpdate,
-  StoryItemReorder,
   StoryItemMove,
-  StoryItemTrim,
+  StoryItemReorder,
   StoryItemSplit,
+  StoryItemTrim,
+  StoryItemVersionUpdate,
+  StoryResponse,
+  TranscriptionResponse,
+  VoiceProfileCreate,
+  VoiceProfileResponse,
 } from './types';
 
 class ApiClient {
@@ -199,6 +207,24 @@ class ApiClient {
     });
   }
 
+  async retryGeneration(generationId: string): Promise<GenerationResponse> {
+    return this.request<GenerationResponse>(`/generate/${generationId}/retry`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+    });
+  }
+
+  async regenerateGeneration(generationId: string): Promise<GenerationResponse> {
+    return this.request<GenerationResponse>(`/generate/${generationId}/regenerate`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+    });
+  }
+
+  async toggleFavorite(generationId: string): Promise<{ is_favorited: boolean }> {
+    return this.request<{ is_favorited: boolean }>(`/history/${generationId}/favorite`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+    });
+  }
+
   // History
   async listHistory(query?: HistoryQuery): Promise<HistoryListResponse> {
     const params = new URLSearchParams();
@@ -251,7 +277,13 @@ class ApiClient {
     return response.blob();
   }
 
-  async importGeneration(file: File): Promise<{ id: string; profile_id: string; profile_name: string; text: string; message: string }> {
+  async importGeneration(file: File): Promise<{
+    id: string;
+    profile_id: string;
+    profile_name: string;
+    text: string;
+    message: string;
+  }> {
     const url = `${this.getBaseUrl()}/history/import`;
     const formData = new FormData();
     formData.append('file', file);
@@ -271,6 +303,11 @@ class ApiClient {
     return response.json();
   }
 
+  // Generation status SSE
+  getGenerationStatusUrl(generationId: string): string {
+    return `${this.getBaseUrl()}/generate/${generationId}/status`;
+  }
+
   // Audio
   getAudioUrl(audioId: string): string {
     return `${this.getBaseUrl()}/audio/${audioId}`;
@@ -309,11 +346,34 @@ class ApiClient {
     return this.request<ModelStatusListResponse>('/models/status');
   }
 
+  async getModelsCacheDir(): Promise<{ path: string }> {
+    return this.request<{ path: string }>('/models/cache-dir');
+  }
+
+  async migrateModels(destination: string): Promise<{ source: string; destination: string }> {
+    return this.request('/models/migrate', {
+      method: 'POST',
+      body: JSON.stringify({ destination }),
+    });
+  }
+
+  getMigrationProgressUrl(): string {
+    return `${this.getBaseUrl()}/models/migrate/progress`;
+  }
+
   async triggerModelDownload(modelName: string): Promise<{ message: string }> {
-    return this.request<{ message: string }>('/models/download', {
+    console.log(
+      '[API] triggerModelDownload called for:',
+      modelName,
+      'at',
+      new Date().toISOString(),
+    );
+    const result = await this.request<{ message: string }>('/models/download', {
       method: 'POST',
       body: JSON.stringify({ model_name: modelName } as ModelDownloadRequest),
     });
+    console.log('[API] triggerModelDownload response:', result);
+    return result;
   }
 
   async deleteModel(modelName: string): Promise<{ message: string }> {
@@ -322,11 +382,28 @@ class ApiClient {
     });
   }
 
+  async unloadModel(modelName: string): Promise<{ message: string }> {
+    return this.request<{ message: string }>(`/models/${modelName}/unload`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+    });
+  }
+
+  async cancelDownload(modelName: string): Promise<{ message: string }> {
+    return this.request<{ message: string }>('/models/download/cancel', {
+      method: 'POST',
+      body: JSON.stringify({ model_name: modelName } as ModelDownloadRequest),
+    });
+  }
+
   // Task Management
   async getActiveTasks(): Promise<ActiveTasksResponse> {
     return this.request<ActiveTasksResponse>('/tasks/active');
   }
 
+  async clearAllTasks(): Promise<{ message: string }> {
+    return this.request<{ message: string }>('/tasks/clear', { method: 'POST' });
+  }
+
   // Audio Channels
   async listChannels(): Promise<
     Array<{
@@ -340,10 +417,7 @@ class ApiClient {
     return this.request('/channels');
   }
 
-  async createChannel(data: {
-    name: string;
-    device_ids: string[];
-  }): Promise<{
+  async createChannel(data: { name: string; device_ids: string[] }): Promise<{
     id: string;
     name: string;
     is_default: boolean;
@@ -385,10 +459,7 @@ class ApiClient {
     return this.request(`/channels/${channelId}/voices`);
   }
 
-  async setChannelVoices(
-    channelId: string,
-    profileIds: string[],
-  ): Promise<{ message: string }> {
+  async setChannelVoices(channelId: string, profileIds: string[]): Promise<{ message: string }> {
     return this.request(`/channels/${channelId}/voices`, {
       method: 'PUT',
       body: JSON.stringify({ profile_ids: profileIds }),
@@ -399,16 +470,30 @@ class ApiClient {
     return this.request(`/profiles/${profileId}/channels`);
   }
 
-  async setProfileChannels(
-    profileId: string,
-    channelIds: string[],
-  ): Promise<{ message: string }> {
+  async setProfileChannels(profileId: string, channelIds: string[]): Promise<{ message: string }> {
     return this.request(`/profiles/${profileId}/channels`, {
       method: 'PUT',
       body: JSON.stringify({ channel_ids: channelIds }),
     });
   }
 
+  // CUDA Backend Management
+  async getCudaStatus(): Promise<CudaStatus> {
+    return this.request<CudaStatus>('/backend/cuda-status');
+  }
+
+  async downloadCudaBackend(): Promise<{ message: string; progress_key: string }> {
+    return this.request<{ message: string; progress_key: string }>('/backend/download-cuda', {
+      method: 'POST',
+    });
+  }
+
+  async deleteCudaBackend(): Promise<{ message: string }> {
+    return this.request<{ message: string }>('/backend/cuda', {
+      method: 'DELETE',
+    });
+  }
+
   // Stories
   async listStories(): Promise<StoryResponse[]> {
     return this.request<StoryResponse[]>('/stories');
@@ -465,21 +550,33 @@ class ApiClient {
     });
   }
 
-  async moveStoryItem(storyId: string, itemId: string, data: StoryItemMove): Promise<StoryItemDetail> {
+  async moveStoryItem(
+    storyId: string,
+    itemId: string,
+    data: StoryItemMove,
+  ): Promise<StoryItemDetail> {
     return this.request<StoryItemDetail>(`/stories/${storyId}/items/${itemId}/move`, {
       method: 'PUT',
       body: JSON.stringify(data),
     });
   }
 
-  async trimStoryItem(storyId: string, itemId: string, data: StoryItemTrim): Promise<StoryItemDetail> {
+  async trimStoryItem(
+    storyId: string,
+    itemId: string,
+    data: StoryItemTrim,
+  ): Promise<StoryItemDetail> {
     return this.request<StoryItemDetail>(`/stories/${storyId}/items/${itemId}/trim`, {
       method: 'PUT',
       body: JSON.stringify(data),
     });
   }
 
-  async splitStoryItem(storyId: string, itemId: string, data: StoryItemSplit): Promise<StoryItemDetail[]> {
+  async splitStoryItem(
+    storyId: string,
+    itemId: string,
+    data: StoryItemSplit,
+  ): Promise<StoryItemDetail[]> {
     return this.request<StoryItemDetail[]>(`/stories/${storyId}/items/${itemId}/split`, {
       method: 'POST',
       body: JSON.stringify(data),
@@ -492,6 +589,17 @@ class ApiClient {
     });
   }
 
+  async setStoryItemVersion(
+    storyId: string,
+    itemId: string,
+    data: StoryItemVersionUpdate,
+  ): Promise<StoryItemDetail> {
+    return this.request<StoryItemDetail>(`/stories/${storyId}/items/${itemId}/version`, {
+      method: 'PUT',
+      body: JSON.stringify(data),
+    });
+  }
+
   async exportStoryAudio(storyId: string): Promise<Blob> {
     const url = `${this.getBaseUrl()}/stories/${storyId}/export-audio`;
     const response = await fetch(url);
@@ -505,6 +613,103 @@ class ApiClient {
 
     return response.blob();
   }
+
+  // Effects & Versions
+  async getAvailableEffects(): Promise<AvailableEffectsResponse> {
+    return this.request<AvailableEffectsResponse>('/effects/available');
+  }
+
+  async listEffectPresets(): Promise<EffectPresetResponse[]> {
+    return this.request<EffectPresetResponse[]>('/effects/presets');
+  }
+
+  async createEffectPreset(data: EffectPresetCreate): Promise<EffectPresetResponse> {
+    return this.request<EffectPresetResponse>('/effects/presets', {
+      method: 'POST',
+      body: JSON.stringify(data),
+    });
+  }
+
+  async updateEffectPreset(
+    presetId: string,
+    data: { name?: string; description?: string; effects_chain?: EffectConfig[] },
+  ): Promise<EffectPresetResponse> {
+    return this.request<EffectPresetResponse>(`/effects/presets/${presetId}`, {
+      method: 'PUT',
+      body: JSON.stringify(data),
+    });
+  }
+
+  async deleteEffectPreset(presetId: string): Promise<void> {
+    await this.request<void>(`/effects/presets/${presetId}`, {
+      method: 'DELETE',
+    });
+  }
+
+  async listGenerationVersions(generationId: string): Promise<GenerationVersionResponse[]> {
+    return this.request<GenerationVersionResponse[]>(`/generations/${generationId}/versions`);
+  }
+
+  async applyEffectsToGeneration(
+    generationId: string,
+    data: ApplyEffectsRequest,
+  ): Promise<GenerationVersionResponse> {
+    return this.request<GenerationVersionResponse>(
+      `/generations/${generationId}/versions/apply-effects`,
+      {
+        method: 'POST',
+        body: JSON.stringify(data),
+      },
+    );
+  }
+
+  async setDefaultVersion(
+    generationId: string,
+    versionId: string,
+  ): Promise<GenerationVersionResponse> {
+    return this.request<GenerationVersionResponse>(
+      `/generations/${generationId}/versions/${versionId}/set-default`,
+      { method: 'PUT' },
+    );
+  }
+
+  async deleteGenerationVersion(generationId: string, versionId: string): Promise<void> {
+    await this.request<void>(`/generations/${generationId}/versions/${versionId}`, {
+      method: 'DELETE',
+    });
+  }
+
+  getVersionAudioUrl(versionId: string): string {
+    return `${this.getBaseUrl()}/audio/version/${versionId}`;
+  }
+
+  async updateProfileEffects(
+    profileId: string,
+    effectsChain: EffectConfig[] | null,
+  ): Promise<VoiceProfileResponse> {
+    return this.request<VoiceProfileResponse>(`/profiles/${profileId}/effects`, {
+      method: 'PUT',
+      body: JSON.stringify({ effects_chain: effectsChain }),
+    });
+  }
+
+  async previewEffects(generationId: string, effectsChain: EffectConfig[]): Promise<Blob> {
+    const url = `${this.getBaseUrl()}/effects/preview/${generationId}`;
+    const response = await fetch(url, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ effects_chain: effectsChain }),
+    });
+
+    if (!response.ok) {
+      const error = await response.json().catch(() => ({
+        detail: response.statusText,
+      }));
+      throw new Error(error.detail || `HTTP error! status: ${response.status}`);
+    }
+
+    return response.blob();
+  }
 }
 
 export const apiClient = new ApiClient();

app/src/lib/api/models/ModelStatus.ts

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ export type ModelStatus = {
   model_name: string;
   display_name: string;
   downloaded: boolean;
+  downloading?: boolean;  // True if download is in progress
   size_mb?: number | null;
   loaded?: boolean;
 };

app/src/lib/api/types.ts

@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ export interface VoiceProfileResponse {
   description?: string;
   language: string;
   avatar_path?: string;
+  effects_chain?: EffectConfig[];
+  generation_count: number;
+  sample_count: number;
   created_at: string;
   updated_at: string;
 }
@@ -28,12 +31,35 @@ export interface ProfileSampleResponse {
   reference_text: string;
 }
 
+export interface EffectConfig {
+  type: string;
+  enabled: boolean;
+  params: Record<string, number>;
+}
+
 export interface GenerationRequest {
   profile_id: string;
   text: string;
   language: LanguageCode;
   seed?: number;
   model_size?: '1.7B' | '0.6B';
+  engine?: 'qwen' | 'luxtts' | 'chatterbox' | 'chatterbox_turbo';
+  instruct?: string;
+  max_chunk_chars?: number;
+  crossfade_ms?: number;
+  normalize?: boolean;
+  effects_chain?: EffectConfig[];
+}
+
+export interface GenerationVersionResponse {
+  id: string;
+  generation_id: string;
+  label: string;
+  audio_path: string;
+  effects_chain?: EffectConfig[];
+  source_version_id?: string;
+  is_default: boolean;
+  created_at: string;
 }
 
 export interface GenerationResponse {
@@ -41,10 +67,18 @@ export interface GenerationResponse {
   profile_id: string;
   text: string;
   language: string;
-  audio_path: string;
-  duration: number;
+  audio_path?: string;
+  duration?: number;
   seed?: number;
+  instruct?: string;
+  engine?: string;
+  model_size?: string;
+  status: 'loading_model' | 'generating' | 'completed' | 'failed';
+  error?: string;
+  is_favorited?: boolean;
   created_at: string;
+  versions?: GenerationVersionResponse[];
+  active_version_id?: string;
 }
 
 export interface HistoryQuery {
@@ -56,6 +90,8 @@ export interface HistoryQuery {
 
 export interface HistoryResponse extends GenerationResponse {
   profile_name: string;
+  versions?: GenerationVersionResponse[];
+  active_version_id?: string;
 }
 
 export interface HistoryListResponse {
@@ -78,7 +114,29 @@ export interface HealthResponse {
   model_downloaded?: boolean;
   model_size?: string;
   gpu_available: boolean;
+  gpu_type?: string;
   vram_used_mb?: number;
+  backend_type?: string;
+  backend_variant?: string; // "cpu" or "cuda"
+}
+
+export interface CudaDownloadProgress {
+  model_name: string;
+  current: number;
+  total: number;
+  progress: number;
+  filename?: string;
+  status: 'downloading' | 'extracting' | 'complete' | 'error';
+  timestamp: string;
+  error?: string;
+}
+
+export interface CudaStatus {
+  available: boolean; // CUDA binary exists on disk
+  active: boolean; // Currently running the CUDA binary
+  binary_path?: string;
+  downloading: boolean; // Download in progress
+  download_progress?: CudaDownloadProgress;
 }
 
 export interface ModelProgress {
@@ -95,11 +153,29 @@ export interface ModelProgress {
 export interface ModelStatus {
   model_name: string;
   display_name: string;
+  hf_repo_id?: string; // HuggingFace repository ID
   downloaded: boolean;
+  downloading: boolean; // True if download is in progress
   size_mb?: number;
   loaded: boolean;
 }
 
+export interface HuggingFaceModelInfo {
+  id: string;
+  author: string;
+  lastModified: string;
+  pipeline_tag?: string;
+  library_name?: string;
+  downloads: number;
+  likes: number;
+  tags: string[];
+  cardData?: {
+    license?: string;
+    language?: string[];
+    pipeline_tag?: string;
+  };
+}
+
 export interface ModelStatusListResponse {
   models: ModelStatus[];
 }
@@ -112,6 +188,11 @@ export interface ActiveDownloadTask {
   model_name: string;
   status: string;
   started_at: string;
+  error?: string;
+  progress?: number; // 0-100 percentage
+  current?: number; // bytes downloaded
+  total?: number; // total bytes
+  filename?: string; // current file being downloaded
 }
 
 export interface ActiveGenerationTask {
@@ -144,6 +225,7 @@ export interface StoryItemDetail {
   id: string;
   story_id: string;
   generation_id: string;
+  version_id?: string;
   start_time_ms: number;
   track: number;
   trim_start_ms: number;
@@ -158,6 +240,12 @@ export interface StoryItemDetail {
   seed?: number;
   instruct?: string;
   generation_created_at: string;
+  versions?: GenerationVersionResponse[];
+  active_version_id?: string;
+}
+
+export interface StoryItemVersionUpdate {
+  version_id: string | null;
 }
 
 export interface StoryDetailResponse {
@@ -201,3 +289,52 @@ export interface StoryItemTrim {
 export interface StoryItemSplit {
   split_time_ms: number;
 }
+
+// Effects
+
+export interface EffectPresetResponse {
+  id: string;
+  name: string;
+  description?: string;
+  effects_chain: EffectConfig[];
+  is_builtin: boolean;
+  created_at: string;
+}
+
+export interface EffectPresetCreate {
+  name: string;
+  description?: string;
+  effects_chain: EffectConfig[];
+}
+
+export interface EffectPresetUpdate {
+  name?: string;
+  description?: string;
+  effects_chain?: EffectConfig[];
+}
+
+export interface AvailableEffectParam {
+  default: number;
+  min: number;
+  max: number;
+  step: number;
+  description: string;
+}
+
+export interface AvailableEffect {
+  type: string;
+  label: string;
+  description: string;
+  params: Record<string, AvailableEffectParam>;
+}
+
+export interface AvailableEffectsResponse {
+  effects: AvailableEffect[];
+}
+
+export interface ApplyEffectsRequest {
+  effects_chain: EffectConfig[];
+  source_version_id?: string;
+  label?: string;
+  set_as_default?: boolean;
+}

app/src/lib/constants/languages.ts

@@ -1,26 +1,86 @@
 /**
- * Supported languages for Qwen3-TTS
- * Based on: https://github.com/QwenLM/Qwen3-TTS
+ * Supported languages for voice generation, per engine.
+ *
+ * Qwen3-TTS supports 10 languages.
+ * LuxTTS is English-only.
+ * Chatterbox Multilingual supports 23 languages.
+ * Chatterbox Turbo is English-only.
  */
 
-export const SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES = {
-  zh: 'Chinese',
+/** All languages that any engine supports. */
+export const ALL_LANGUAGES = {
+  ar: 'Arabic',
+  da: 'Danish',
+  de: 'German',
+  el: 'Greek',
   en: 'English',
+  es: 'Spanish',
+  fi: 'Finnish',
+  fr: 'French',
+  he: 'Hebrew',
+  hi: 'Hindi',
+  it: 'Italian',
   ja: 'Japanese',
   ko: 'Korean',
-  de: 'German',
-  fr: 'French',
-  ru: 'Russian',
+  ms: 'Malay',
+  nl: 'Dutch',
+  no: 'Norwegian',
+  pl: 'Polish',
   pt: 'Portuguese',
-  es: 'Spanish',
-  it: 'Italian',
+  ru: 'Russian',
+  sv: 'Swedish',
+  sw: 'Swahili',
+  tr: 'Turkish',
+  zh: 'Chinese',
 } as const;
 
-export type LanguageCode = keyof typeof SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES;
+export type LanguageCode = keyof typeof ALL_LANGUAGES;
 
-export const LANGUAGE_CODES = Object.keys(SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES) as LanguageCode[];
+/** Per-engine supported language codes. */
+export const ENGINE_LANGUAGES: Record<string, readonly LanguageCode[]> = {
+  qwen: ['zh', 'en', 'ja', 'ko', 'de', 'fr', 'ru', 'pt', 'es', 'it'],
+  luxtts: ['en'],
+  chatterbox: [
+    'ar',
+    'da',
+    'de',
+    'el',
+    'en',
+    'es',
+    'fi',
+    'fr',
+    'he',
+    'hi',
+    'it',
+    'ja',
+    'ko',
+    'ms',
+    'nl',
+    'no',
+    'pl',
+    'pt',
+    'ru',
+    'sv',
+    'sw',
+    'tr',
+    'zh',
+  ],
+  chatterbox_turbo: ['en'],
+} as const;
 
+/** Helper: get language options for a given engine. */
+export function getLanguageOptionsForEngine(engine: string) {
+  const codes = ENGINE_LANGUAGES[engine] ?? ENGINE_LANGUAGES.qwen;
+  return codes.map((code) => ({
+    value: code,
+    label: ALL_LANGUAGES[code],
+  }));
+}
+
+// ── Backwards-compatible exports used elsewhere ──────────────────────
+export const SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES = ALL_LANGUAGES;
+export const LANGUAGE_CODES = Object.keys(ALL_LANGUAGES) as LanguageCode[];
 export const LANGUAGE_OPTIONS = LANGUAGE_CODES.map((code) => ({
   value: code,
-  label: SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES[code],
+  label: ALL_LANGUAGES[code],
 }));

app/src/lib/constants/ui.ts

@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@
  * UI layout constants for safe area padding
  */
 
+const isWindows = typeof navigator !== 'undefined' && navigator.userAgent.includes('Windows');
+
 /**
  * Top safe area padding - height of the drag region bar
- * Corresponds to Tailwind's pt-12 (3rem / 48px)
+ * On macOS this accounts for the overlay titlebar (48px).
+ * On Windows the native title bar is outside the webview, so no padding is needed.
  */
-export const TOP_SAFE_AREA_PADDING = 'pt-12';
+export const TOP_SAFE_AREA_PADDING = isWindows ? 'pt-8' : 'pt-12';
 
 /**
  * Bottom safe area padding - height of the audio player

app/src/lib/hooks/useAudioRecording.ts

@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@ export function useAudioRecording({
   const streamRef = useRef<MediaStream | null>(null);
   const timerRef = useRef<number | null>(null);
   const startTimeRef = useRef<number | null>(null);
+  const cancelledRef = useRef<boolean>(false);
 
   const startRecording = useCallback(async () => {
     try {
       setError(null);
       chunksRef.current = [];
+      cancelledRef.current = false;
       setDuration(0);
 
       // Check if getUserMedia is available
@@ -87,31 +89,34 @@ export function useAudioRecording({
       };
 
       mediaRecorder.onstop = async () => {
+        // Snapshot the cancellation flag and recorded duration immediately —
+        // cancelRecording() clears chunks and sets cancelledRef synchronously
+        // before this async handler runs, so we must check it first.
+        const wasCancelled = cancelledRef.current;
+        const recordedDuration = startTimeRef.current
+          ? (Date.now() - startTimeRef.current) / 1000
+          : undefined;
+
         const webmBlob = new Blob(chunksRef.current, { type: 'audio/webm' });
 
-        // Convert to WAV format to avoid needing ffmpeg on backend
-        try {
-          const wavBlob = await convertToWav(webmBlob);
-
-          // Pass the actual recorded duration
-          const recordedDuration = startTimeRef.current
-            ? (Date.now() - startTimeRef.current) / 1000
-            : undefined;
-          onRecordingComplete?.(wavBlob, recordedDuration);
-        } catch (err) {
-          console.error('Error converting audio to WAV:', err);
-          // Fallback to original blob if conversion fails
-          const recordedDuration = startTimeRef.current
-            ? (Date.now() - startTimeRef.current) / 1000
-            : undefined;
-          onRecordingComplete?.(webmBlob, recordedDuration);
-        }
-
-        // Stop all tracks
+        // Stop all tracks now that we have the data
         streamRef.current?.getTracks().forEach((track) => {
           track.stop();
         });
         streamRef.current = null;
+
+        // Don't fire completion callback if the recording was cancelled
+        if (wasCancelled) return;
+
+        // Convert to WAV format to avoid needing ffmpeg on backend
+        try {
+          const wavBlob = await convertToWav(webmBlob);
+          onRecordingComplete?.(wavBlob, recordedDuration);
+        } catch (err) {
+          console.error('Error converting audio to WAV:', err);
+          // Fallback to original blob if conversion fails
+          onRecordingComplete?.(webmBlob, recordedDuration);
+        }
       };
 
       mediaRecorder.onerror = (event) => {
@@ -167,9 +172,10 @@ export function useAudioRecording({
 
   const cancelRecording = useCallback(() => {
     if (mediaRecorderRef.current) {
+      cancelledRef.current = true; // Must be set before stop() triggers onstop
+      chunksRef.current = [];
       mediaRecorderRef.current.stop();
       setIsRecording(false);
-      chunksRef.current = [];
       setDuration(0);
     }
 

app/src/lib/hooks/useGenerationForm.ts

@@ -4,18 +4,20 @@ import { useForm } from 'react-hook-form';
 import * as z from 'zod';
 import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
 import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
+import type { EffectConfig } from '@/lib/api/types';
 import { LANGUAGE_CODES, type LanguageCode } from '@/lib/constants/languages';
 import { useGeneration } from '@/lib/hooks/useGeneration';
 import { useModelDownloadToast } from '@/lib/hooks/useModelDownloadToast';
 import { useGenerationStore } from '@/stores/generationStore';
-import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
+import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
 
 const generationSchema = z.object({
-  text: z.string().min(1, 'Text is required').max(5000),
+  text: z.string().min(1, '').max(50000),
   language: z.enum(LANGUAGE_CODES as [LanguageCode, ...LanguageCode[]]),
   seed: z.number().int().optional(),
   modelSize: z.enum(['1.7B', '0.6B']).optional(),
   instruct: z.string().max(500).optional(),
+  engine: z.enum(['qwen', 'luxtts', 'chatterbox', 'chatterbox_turbo']).optional(),
 });
 
 export type GenerationFormValues = z.infer<typeof generationSchema>;
@@ -23,13 +25,16 @@ export type GenerationFormValues = z.infer<typeof generationSchema>;
 interface UseGenerationFormOptions {
   onSuccess?: (generationId: string) => void;
   defaultValues?: Partial<GenerationFormValues>;
+  getEffectsChain?: () => EffectConfig[] | undefined;
 }
 
 export function useGenerationForm(options: UseGenerationFormOptions = {}) {
   const { toast } = useToast();
   const generation = useGeneration();
-  const setAudioWithAutoPlay = usePlayerStore((state) => state.setAudioWithAutoPlay);
-  const setIsGenerating = useGenerationStore((state) => state.setIsGenerating);
+  const addPendingGeneration = useGenerationStore((state) => state.addPendingGeneration);
+  const maxChunkChars = useServerStore((state) => state.maxChunkChars);
+  const crossfadeMs = useServerStore((state) => state.crossfadeMs);
+  const normalizeAudio = useServerStore((state) => state.normalizeAudio);
   const [downloadingModelName, setDownloadingModelName] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [downloadingDisplayName, setDownloadingDisplayName] = useState<string | null>(null);
 
@@ -47,6 +52,7 @@ export function useGenerationForm(options: UseGenerationFormOptions = {}) {
       seed: undefined,
       modelSize: '1.7B',
       instruct: '',
+      engine: 'qwen',
       ...options.defaultValues,
     },
   });
@@ -65,11 +71,27 @@ export function useGenerationForm(options: UseGenerationFormOptions = {}) {
     }
 
     try {
-      setIsGenerating(true);
-
-      const modelName = `qwen-tts-${data.modelSize}`;
-      const displayName = data.modelSize === '1.7B' ? 'Qwen TTS 1.7B' : 'Qwen TTS 0.6B';
+      const engine = data.engine || 'qwen';
+      const modelName =
+        engine === 'luxtts'
+          ? 'luxtts'
+          : engine === 'chatterbox'
+            ? 'chatterbox-tts'
+            : engine === 'chatterbox_turbo'
+              ? 'chatterbox-turbo'
+              : `qwen-tts-${data.modelSize}`;
+      const displayName =
+        engine === 'luxtts'
+          ? 'LuxTTS'
+          : engine === 'chatterbox'
+            ? 'Chatterbox TTS'
+            : engine === 'chatterbox_turbo'
+              ? 'Chatterbox Turbo'
+              : data.modelSize === '1.7B'
+                ? 'Qwen TTS 1.7B'
+                : 'Qwen TTS 0.6B';
 
+      // Check if model needs downloading
       try {
         const modelStatus = await apiClient.getModelStatus();
         const model = modelStatus.models.find((m) => m.model_name === modelName);
@@ -82,24 +104,35 @@ export function useGenerationForm(options: UseGenerationFormOptions = {}) {
         console.error('Failed to check model status:', error);
       }
 
+      const isQwen = engine === 'qwen';
+      const effectsChain = options.getEffectsChain?.();
+      // This now returns immediately with status="generating"
       const result = await generation.mutateAsync({
         profile_id: selectedProfileId,
         text: data.text,
         language: data.language,
         seed: data.seed,
-        model_size: data.modelSize,
-        instruct: data.instruct || undefined,
+        model_size: isQwen ? data.modelSize : undefined,
+        engine,
+        instruct: isQwen ? data.instruct || undefined : undefined,
+        max_chunk_chars: maxChunkChars,
+        crossfade_ms: crossfadeMs,
+        normalize: normalizeAudio,
+        effects_chain: effectsChain?.length ? effectsChain : undefined,
       });
 
-      toast({
-        title: 'Generation complete!',
-        description: `Audio generated (${result.duration.toFixed(2)}s)`,
+      // Track this generation for SSE status updates
+      addPendingGeneration(result.id);
+
+      // Reset form immediately — user can start typing again
+      form.reset({
+        text: '',
+        language: data.language,
+        seed: undefined,
+        modelSize: data.modelSize,
+        instruct: '',
+        engine: data.engine,
       });
-
-      const audioUrl = apiClient.getAudioUrl(result.id);
-      setAudioWithAutoPlay(audioUrl, result.id, selectedProfileId, data.text.substring(0, 50));
-
-      form.reset();
       options.onSuccess?.(result.id);
     } catch (error) {
       toast({
@@ -108,7 +141,6 @@ export function useGenerationForm(options: UseGenerationFormOptions = {}) {
         variant: 'destructive',
       });
     } finally {
-      setIsGenerating(false);
       setDownloadingModelName(null);
       setDownloadingDisplayName(null);
     }

app/src/lib/hooks/useGenerationProgress.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+import { useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
+import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
+import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
+import { useGenerationStore } from '@/stores/generationStore';
+import { usePlayerStore } from '@/stores/playerStore';
+import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
+
+interface GenerationStatusEvent {
+  id: string;
+  status: 'loading_model' | 'generating' | 'completed' | 'failed' | 'not_found';
+  duration?: number;
+  error?: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Subscribes to SSE for all pending generations. When a generation completes,
+ * invalidates the history query, removes it from pending, and auto-plays
+ * if the player is idle.
+ */
+export function useGenerationProgress() {
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
+  const { toast } = useToast();
+  const pendingIds = useGenerationStore((s) => s.pendingGenerationIds);
+  const removePendingGeneration = useGenerationStore((s) => s.removePendingGeneration);
+  const removePendingStoryAdd = useGenerationStore((s) => s.removePendingStoryAdd);
+  const isPlaying = usePlayerStore((s) => s.isPlaying);
+  const setAudioWithAutoPlay = usePlayerStore((s) => s.setAudioWithAutoPlay);
+  const autoplayOnGenerate = useServerStore((s) => s.autoplayOnGenerate);
+
+  // Keep refs to avoid stale closures in EventSource handlers
+  const isPlayingRef = useRef(isPlaying);
+  const autoplayRef = useRef(autoplayOnGenerate);
+  isPlayingRef.current = isPlaying;
+  autoplayRef.current = autoplayOnGenerate;
+
+  // Track active EventSource instances
+  const eventSourcesRef = useRef<Map<string, EventSource>>(new Map());
+
+  // Unmount-only cleanup — close all SSE connections when the hook is torn down
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const sources = eventSourcesRef.current;
+    return () => {
+      for (const source of sources.values()) {
+        source.close();
+      }
+      sources.clear();
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const currentSources = eventSourcesRef.current;
+
+    // Close SSE connections for IDs no longer pending
+    for (const [id, source] of currentSources.entries()) {
+      if (!pendingIds.has(id)) {
+        source.close();
+        currentSources.delete(id);
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Open SSE connections for new pending IDs
+    for (const id of pendingIds) {
+      if (currentSources.has(id)) continue;
+
+      const url = apiClient.getGenerationStatusUrl(id);
+      const source = new EventSource(url);
+
+      source.onmessage = (event) => {
+        try {
+          const data: GenerationStatusEvent = JSON.parse(event.data);
+
+          if (data.status === 'completed') {
+            source.close();
+            currentSources.delete(id);
+            removePendingGeneration(id);
+
+            // Refresh history to pick up the completed generation
+            queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['history'] });
+
+            // If this generation was queued for a story, add it now
+            const storyId = removePendingStoryAdd(id);
+            if (storyId) {
+              apiClient
+                .addStoryItem(storyId, { generation_id: id })
+                .then(() => {
+                  queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['stories'] });
+                  queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['stories', storyId] });
+                  toast({
+                    title: 'Added to story',
+                    description: data.duration
+                      ? `Audio generated (${data.duration.toFixed(2)}s) and added to story`
+                      : 'Audio generated and added to story',
+                  });
+                })
+                .catch(() => {
+                  toast({
+                    title: 'Generation complete',
+                    description: 'Audio generated but failed to add to story',
+                    variant: 'destructive',
+                  });
+                });
+            } else {
+              // toast({
+              //   title: 'Generation complete!',
+              //   description: data.duration
+              //     ? `Audio generated (${data.duration.toFixed(2)}s)`
+              //     : 'Audio generated',
+              // });
+            }
+
+            // Auto-play if enabled and nothing is currently playing
+            if (autoplayRef.current && !isPlayingRef.current) {
+              const genAudioUrl = apiClient.getAudioUrl(id);
+              setAudioWithAutoPlay(genAudioUrl, id, '', '');
+            }
+          } else if (data.status === 'failed' || data.status === 'not_found') {
+            source.close();
+            currentSources.delete(id);
+            removePendingGeneration(id);
+            removePendingStoryAdd(id);
+
+            queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['history'] });
+
+            toast({
+              title: data.status === 'not_found' ? 'Generation not found' : 'Generation failed',
+              description: data.error || 'An error occurred during generation',
+              variant: 'destructive',
+            });
+          }
+        } catch {
+          // Ignore parse errors from heartbeats etc
+        }
+      };
+
+      source.onerror = () => {
+        // EventSource auto-reconnects, but if we get repeated errors
+        // just clean up
+        source.close();
+        currentSources.delete(id);
+        removePendingGeneration(id);
+      };
+
+      currentSources.set(id, source);
+    }
+  }, [
+    pendingIds,
+    removePendingGeneration,
+    removePendingStoryAdd,
+    queryClient,
+    toast,
+    setAudioWithAutoPlay,
+  ]);
+}

app/src/lib/hooks/useModelDownloadToast.tsx

@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
-import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
-import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
-import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
+import { CheckCircle2, Loader2, XCircle } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
 import { Progress } from '@/components/ui/progress';
-import { Loader2, CheckCircle2, XCircle } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
 import type { ModelProgress } from '@/lib/api/types';
+import { useServerStore } from '@/stores/serverStore';
 
 interface UseModelDownloadToastOptions {
   modelName: string;
   displayName: string;
   enabled?: boolean;
+  onComplete?: () => void;
+  onError?: (error: string) => void;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -19,47 +21,64 @@ export function useModelDownloadToast({
   modelName,
   displayName,
   enabled = false,
+  onComplete,
+  onError,
 }: UseModelDownloadToastOptions) {
   const { toast } = useToast();
   const serverUrl = useServerStore((state) => state.serverUrl);
   const toastIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
-  const toastUpdateRef = useRef<
-    ((props: {
-      title?: React.ReactNode;
-      description?: React.ReactNode;
-      duration?: number;
-      variant?: 'default' | 'destructive';
-      open?: boolean;
-    }) => void) | null
-  >(null);
+  // biome-ignore lint: Using any for toast update ref to handle complex toast types
+  const toastUpdateRef = useRef<any>(null);
   const eventSourceRef = useRef<EventSource | null>(null);
 
-  const formatBytes = (bytes: number): string => {
+  const formatBytes = useCallback((bytes: number): string => {
     if (bytes === 0) return '0 B';
     const k = 1024;
     const sizes = ['B', 'KB', 'MB', 'GB'];
     const i = Math.floor(Math.log(bytes) / Math.log(k));
-    return `${(bytes / Math.pow(k, i)).toFixed(1)} ${sizes[i]}`;
-  };
+    return `${(bytes / k ** i).toFixed(1)} ${sizes[i]}`;
+  }, []);
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    console.log('[useModelDownloadToast] useEffect triggered', {
+      enabled,
+      serverUrl,
+      modelName,
+      displayName,
+    });
+
     if (!enabled || !serverUrl || !modelName) {
+      console.log('[useModelDownloadToast] Not enabled, skipping');
       return;
     }
 
+    console.log('[useModelDownloadToast] Creating toast and EventSource for:', modelName);
+
     // Create initial toast
     const toastResult = toast({
       title: displayName,
-      description: 'Starting download...',
+      description: (
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+          <Loader2 className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
+          <span>Connecting to download...</span>
+        </div>
+      ),
       duration: Infinity, // Don't auto-dismiss, we'll handle it manually
     });
     toastIdRef.current = toastResult.id;
     toastUpdateRef.current = toastResult.update;
 
     // Subscribe to progress updates via Server-Sent Events
-    const eventSource = new EventSource(`${serverUrl}/models/progress/${modelName}`);
+    const eventSourceUrl = `${serverUrl}/models/progress/${modelName}`;
+    console.log('[useModelDownloadToast] Creating EventSource to:', eventSourceUrl);
+    const eventSource = new EventSource(eventSourceUrl);
+
+    eventSource.onopen = () => {
+      console.log('[useModelDownloadToast] EventSource connection opened for:', modelName);
+    };
 
     eventSource.onmessage = (event) => {
+      console.log('[useModelDownloadToast] Received SSE message:', event.data);
       try {
         const progress = JSON.parse(event.data) as ModelProgress;
 
@@ -82,11 +101,11 @@ export function useModelDownloadToast({
               break;
             case 'error':
               statusIcon = <XCircle className="h-4 w-4 text-destructive" />;
-              statusText = `Error: ${progress.error || 'Unknown error'}`;
+              statusText = 'Download failed. See Problems panel for details.';
               break;
             case 'downloading':
               statusIcon = <Loader2 className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />;
-              statusText = progress.filename ? `Downloading ${progress.filename}...` : 'Downloading...';
+              statusText = progress.filename || 'Downloading...';
               break;
             case 'extracting':
               statusIcon = <Loader2 className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />;
@@ -112,26 +131,44 @@ export function useModelDownloadToast({
                 )}
               </div>
             ),
-            duration: progress.status === 'complete' ? 5000 : Infinity,
-            variant: progress.status === 'error' ? 'destructive' : 'default',
+            duration: progress.status === 'complete' || progress.status === 'error' ? 5000 : Infinity,
           });
 
           // Close connection and dismiss toast on completion or error
-          if (progress.status === 'complete' || progress.status === 'error') {
+          // Also treat progress >= 100% as complete
+          const isComplete = progress.status === 'complete' || progress.progress >= 100;
+          const isError = progress.status === 'error';
+
+          if (isComplete || isError) {
+            console.log('[useModelDownloadToast] Download finished:', {
+              isComplete,
+              isError,
+              progress: progress.progress,
+            });
             eventSource.close();
             eventSourceRef.current = null;
 
-            // Auto-dismiss on completion after delay
-            if (progress.status === 'complete') {
-              setTimeout(() => {
-                if (toastIdRef.current && toastUpdateRef.current) {
-                  toastUpdateRef.current({
-                    open: false,
-                  });
-                  toastIdRef.current = null;
-                  toastUpdateRef.current = null;
-                }
-              }, 5000);
+            // Update toast to show completion state before callbacks
+            if (isComplete && toastUpdateRef.current) {
+              toastUpdateRef.current({
+                title: (
+                  <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+                    <CheckCircle2 className="h-4 w-4 text-green-500" />
+                    <span>{displayName}</span>
+                  </div>
+                ),
+                description: 'Download complete',
+                duration: 3000,
+              });
+            }
+
+            // Call callbacks
+            if (isComplete && onComplete) {
+              console.log('[useModelDownloadToast] Download complete, calling onComplete callback');
+              onComplete();
+            } else if (isError && onError) {
+              console.log('[useModelDownloadToast] Download error, calling onError callback');
+              onError(progress.error || 'Unknown error');
             }
           }
         }
@@ -141,7 +178,8 @@ export function useModelDownloadToast({
     };
 
     eventSource.onerror = (error) => {
-      console.error('SSE error:', error);
+      console.error('[useModelDownloadToast] SSE error for:', modelName, error);
+      console.log('[useModelDownloadToast] EventSource readyState:', eventSource.readyState);
       eventSource.close();
       eventSourceRef.current = null;
 
@@ -162,15 +200,16 @@ export function useModelDownloadToast({
 
     // Cleanup on unmount or when disabled
     return () => {
+      console.log('[useModelDownloadToast] Cleanup - closing EventSource for:', modelName);
       if (eventSourceRef.current) {
         eventSourceRef.current.close();
         eventSourceRef.current = null;
       }
       // Note: We don't dismiss the toast here as it might still be showing completion state
     };
-  }, [enabled, serverUrl, modelName, displayName, toast]);
+  }, [enabled, serverUrl, modelName, displayName, toast, formatBytes, onComplete, onError]);
 
   return {
     isTracking: enabled && eventSourceRef.current !== null,
   };
-}
+}

app/src/lib/hooks/useRestoreActiveTasks.tsx

@@ -1,23 +1,23 @@
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
-import { useGenerationStore } from '@/stores/generationStore';
 import type { ActiveDownloadTask } from '@/lib/api/types';
+import { useGenerationStore } from '@/stores/generationStore';
 
 // Polling interval in milliseconds
-const POLL_INTERVAL = 2000;
+const POLL_INTERVAL = 30000;
 
 /**
  * Hook to monitor active tasks (downloads and generations).
  * Polls the server periodically to catch downloads triggered from anywhere
  * (transcription, generation, explicit download, etc.).
- * 
+ *
  * Returns the active downloads so components can render download toasts.
  */
 export function useRestoreActiveTasks() {
   const [activeDownloads, setActiveDownloads] = useState<ActiveDownloadTask[]>([]);
-  const setIsGenerating = useGenerationStore((state) => state.setIsGenerating);
   const setActiveGenerationId = useGenerationStore((state) => state.setActiveGenerationId);
-  
+  const addPendingGeneration = useGenerationStore((state) => state.addPendingGeneration);
+
   // Track which downloads we've seen to detect new ones
   const seenDownloadsRef = useRef<Set<string>>(new Set());
 
@@ -25,15 +25,15 @@ export function useRestoreActiveTasks() {
     try {
       const tasks = await apiClient.getActiveTasks();
 
-      // Update generation state
+      // Restore pending generations (e.g., after page refresh)
       if (tasks.generations.length > 0) {
-        setIsGenerating(true);
         setActiveGenerationId(tasks.generations[0].task_id);
+        for (const gen of tasks.generations) {
+          addPendingGeneration(gen.task_id);
+        }
       } else {
-        // Only clear if we were tracking a generation
         const currentId = useGenerationStore.getState().activeGenerationId;
         if (currentId) {
-          setIsGenerating(false);
           setActiveGenerationId(null);
         }
       }
@@ -41,14 +41,14 @@ export function useRestoreActiveTasks() {
       // Update active downloads
       // Keep track of all active downloads (including new ones)
       const currentDownloadNames = new Set(tasks.downloads.map((d) => d.model_name));
-      
+
       // Remove completed downloads from our seen set
       for (const name of seenDownloadsRef.current) {
         if (!currentDownloadNames.has(name)) {
           seenDownloadsRef.current.delete(name);
         }
       }
-      
+
       // Add new downloads to seen set
       for (const download of tasks.downloads) {
         seenDownloadsRef.current.add(download.model_name);
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ export function useRestoreActiveTasks() {
       // Silently fail - server might be temporarily unavailable
       console.debug('Failed to fetch active tasks:', error);
     }
-  }, [setIsGenerating, setActiveGenerationId]);
+  }, [setActiveGenerationId, addPendingGeneration]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     // Fetch immediately on mount

app/src/lib/hooks/useStories.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 import { useMutation, useQuery, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import { apiClient } from '@/lib/api/client';
-import type { StoryCreate, StoryItemCreate, StoryItemBatchUpdate, StoryItemReorder, StoryItemMove, StoryItemTrim, StoryItemSplit } from '@/lib/api/types';
+import type {
+  StoryCreate,
+  StoryItemBatchUpdate,
+  StoryItemCreate,
+  StoryItemMove,
+  StoryItemReorder,
+  StoryItemSplit,
+  StoryItemTrim,
+  StoryItemVersionUpdate,
+} from '@/lib/api/types';
 import { usePlatform } from '@/platform/PlatformContext';
 
 export function useStories() {
@@ -109,8 +118,15 @@ export function useMoveStoryItem() {
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
 
   return useMutation({
-    mutationFn: ({ storyId, itemId, data }: { storyId: string; itemId: string; data: StoryItemMove }) =>
-      apiClient.moveStoryItem(storyId, itemId, data),
+    mutationFn: ({
+      storyId,
+      itemId,
+      data,
+    }: {
+      storyId: string;
+      itemId: string;
+      data: StoryItemMove;
+    }) => apiClient.moveStoryItem(storyId, itemId, data),
     onSuccess: (_, variables) => {
       queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['stories'] });
       queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['stories', variables.storyId] });
@@ -122,8 +138,15 @@ export function useTrimStoryItem() {
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
 
   return useMutation({
-    mutationFn: ({ storyId, itemId, data }: { storyId: string; itemId: string; data: StoryItemTrim }) =>
-      apiClient.trimStoryItem(storyId, itemId, data),
+    mutationFn: ({
+      storyId,
+      itemId,
+      data,
+    }: {
+      storyId: string;
+      itemId: string;
+      data: StoryItemTrim;
+    }) => apiClient.trimStoryItem(storyId, itemId, data),
     onSuccess: (_, variables) => {
       queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['stories'] });
       queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['stories', variables.storyId] });
@@ -135,8 +158,15 @@ export function useSplitStoryItem() {
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
 
   return useMutation({
-    mutationFn: ({ storyId, itemId, data }: { storyId: string; itemId: string; data: StoryItemSplit }) =>
-      apiClient.splitStoryItem(storyId, itemId, data),
+    mutationFn: ({
+      storyId,
+      itemId,
+      data,
+    }: {
+      storyId: string;
+      itemId: string;
+      data: StoryItemSplit;
+    }) => apiClient.splitStoryItem(storyId, itemId, data),
     onSuccess: (_, variables) => {
       queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['stories'] });
       queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['stories', variables.storyId] });
@@ -157,6 +187,26 @@ export function useDuplicateStoryItem() {
   });
 }
 
+export function useSetStoryItemVersion() {
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
+
+  return useMutation({
+    mutationFn: ({
+      storyId,
+      itemId,
+      data,
+    }: {
+      storyId: string;
+      itemId: string;
+      data: StoryItemVersionUpdate;
+    }) => apiClient.setStoryItemVersion(storyId, itemId, data),
+    onSuccess: (_, variables) => {
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['stories'] });
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['stories', variables.storyId] });
+    },
+  });
+}
+
 export function useExportStoryAudio() {
   const platform = usePlatform();
 
@@ -165,7 +215,10 @@ export function useExportStoryAudio() {
       const blob = await apiClient.exportStoryAudio(storyId);
 
       // Create safe filename
-      const safeName = storyName.substring(0, 50).replace(/[^a-z0-9]/gi, '-').toLowerCase();
+      const safeName = storyName
+        .substring(0, 50)
+        .replace(/[^a-z0-9]/gi, '-')
+        .toLowerCase();
       const filename = `${safeName || 'story'}.wav`;
 
       await platform.filesystem.saveFile(filename, blob, [

app/src/lib/hooks/useStoryPlayback.ts

@@ -70,6 +70,16 @@ export function useStoryPlayback(items: StoryItemDetail[] | undefined) {
     }
   }, []);
 
+  // Resolve the audio buffer key and URL for an item.
+  // When a version_id is pinned, use that version's audio; otherwise use the generation default.
+  const getAudioKey = (item: StoryItemDetail) =>
+    item.version_id ? `v:${item.version_id}` : item.generation_id;
+
+  const getAudioUrlForItem = (item: StoryItemDetail) =>
+    item.version_id
+      ? apiClient.getVersionAudioUrl(item.version_id)
+      : apiClient.getAudioUrl(item.generation_id);
+
   // Preload audio files as AudioBuffers
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!items || items.length === 0) {
@@ -78,12 +88,12 @@ export function useStoryPlayback(items: StoryItemDetail[] | undefined) {
       return;
     }
 
-    const currentIds = new Set(items.map((item) => item.generation_id));
+    const currentKeys = new Set(items.map(getAudioKey));
     const audioContext = getAudioContext();
 
     // Remove buffers for items that no longer exist
     for (const [id] of audioBuffersRef.current) {
-      if (!currentIds.has(id)) {
+      if (!currentKeys.has(id)) {
         audioBuffersRef.current.delete(id);
       }
     }
@@ -91,24 +101,25 @@ export function useStoryPlayback(items: StoryItemDetail[] | undefined) {
     // Preload audio for new items
     const preloadPromises: Promise<void>[] = [];
     for (const item of items) {
-      if (!audioBuffersRef.current.has(item.generation_id)) {
-        const audioUrl = apiClient.getAudioUrl(item.generation_id);
-        console.log('[StoryPlayback] Preloading audio buffer:', item.generation_id);
+      const key = getAudioKey(item);
+      if (!audioBuffersRef.current.has(key)) {
+        const audioUrl = getAudioUrlForItem(item);
+        console.log('[StoryPlayback] Preloading audio buffer:', key);
 
         const preloadPromise = fetch(audioUrl)
           .then((response) => response.arrayBuffer())
           .then((arrayBuffer) => audioContext.decodeAudioData(arrayBuffer))
           .then((audioBuffer) => {
-            audioBuffersRef.current.set(item.generation_id, audioBuffer);
+            audioBuffersRef.current.set(key, audioBuffer);
             console.log(
               '[StoryPlayback] Preloaded buffer:',
-              item.generation_id,
+              key,
               'duration:',
               audioBuffer.duration,
             );
           })
           .catch((err) => {
-            console.error('[StoryPlayback] Failed to preload audio:', item.generation_id, err);
+            console.error('[StoryPlayback] Failed to preload audio:', key, err);
           });
 
         preloadPromises.push(preloadPromise);
@@ -216,15 +227,16 @@ export function useStoryPlayback(items: StoryItemDetail[] | undefined) {
       // Schedule new sources for items that should be playing
       for (const item of shouldBePlaying) {
         if (!activeSourcesRef.current.has(item.id)) {
-          const buffer = audioBuffersRef.current.get(item.generation_id);
+          const bufferKey = getAudioKey(item);
+          const buffer = audioBuffersRef.current.get(bufferKey);
           if (!buffer) {
-            console.warn('[StoryPlayback] Buffer not loaded for:', item.generation_id);
+            console.warn('[StoryPlayback] Buffer not loaded for:', bufferKey);
             continue;
           }
 
           // Calculate when this item should start in AudioContext time
           const itemStartContextTime = storyTimeToContextTime(item.start_time_ms);
-          
+
           // Calculate effective duration and trim offsets
           const trimStartSec = (item.trim_start_ms || 0) / 1000;
           const trimEndSec = (item.trim_end_ms || 0) / 1000;

app/src/lib/utils/audio.ts

@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ export function formatAudioDuration(seconds: number): string {
  * If the file has a recordedDuration property (from recording hooks),
  * use that instead of trying to read metadata. This fixes issues on Windows
  * where WebM files from MediaRecorder don't have proper duration metadata.
+ *
+ * For uploaded files we use AudioContext.decodeAudioData which fully decodes
+ * the audio and returns the exact duration. This is more reliable than
+ * HTMLMediaElement.duration which can return incorrect large values for VBR
+ * MP3 files that lack a proper XING/VBRI header.
  */
 export async function getAudioDuration(
   file: File & { recordedDuration?: number },
@@ -30,26 +35,39 @@ export async function getAudioDuration(
     return file.recordedDuration;
   }
 
-  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    const audio = new Audio();
-    const url = URL.createObjectURL(file);
+  // Use Web Audio API for accurate duration — avoids VBR MP3 metadata issues.
+  try {
+    const audioContext = new AudioContext();
+    try {
+      const arrayBuffer = await file.arrayBuffer();
+      const audioBuffer = await audioContext.decodeAudioData(arrayBuffer);
+      return audioBuffer.duration;
+    } finally {
+      await audioContext.close();
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // Fallback: read duration from the media element (less accurate but works for WAV).
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+      const audio = new Audio();
+      const url = URL.createObjectURL(file);
 
-    audio.addEventListener('loadedmetadata', () => {
-      URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
-      if (Number.isFinite(audio.duration) && audio.duration > 0) {
-        resolve(audio.duration);
-      } else {
-        reject(new Error('Audio file has invalid duration metadata'));
-      }
+      audio.addEventListener('loadedmetadata', () => {
+        URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
+        if (Number.isFinite(audio.duration) && audio.duration > 0) {
+          resolve(audio.duration);
+        } else {
+          reject(new Error('Audio file has invalid duration metadata'));
+        }
+      });
+
+      audio.addEventListener('error', () => {
+        URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
+        reject(new Error('Failed to load audio file'));
+      });
+
+      audio.src = url;
     });
-
-    audio.addEventListener('error', () => {
-      URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
-      reject(new Error('Failed to load audio file'));
-    });
-
-    audio.src = url;
-  });
+  }
 }
 
 /**

app/src/lib/utils/format.ts

@@ -21,10 +21,25 @@ export function formatDate(date: string | Date): string {
   } else {
     dateObj = date;
   }
-  
+
   return formatDistance(dateObj, new Date(), { addSuffix: true }).replace(/^about /i, '');
 }
 
+const ENGINE_DISPLAY_NAMES: Record<string, string> = {
+  qwen: 'Qwen',
+  luxtts: 'LuxTTS',
+  chatterbox: 'Chatterbox',
+  chatterbox_turbo: 'Chatterbox Turbo',
+};
+
+export function formatEngineName(engine?: string, modelSize?: string): string {
+  const name = ENGINE_DISPLAY_NAMES[engine ?? 'qwen'] ?? engine ?? 'Qwen';
+  if (engine === 'qwen' && modelSize) {
+    return `${name} ${modelSize}`;
+  }
+  return name;
+}
+
 export function formatFileSize(bytes: number): string {
   if (bytes === 0) return '0 Bytes';
   const k = 1024;

app/src/platform/types.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ export interface FileFilter {
 
 export interface PlatformFilesystem {
   saveFile(filename: string, blob: Blob, filters?: FileFilter[]): Promise<void>;
+  openPath(path: string): Promise<void>;
+  pickDirectory(title: string): Promise<string | null>;
 }
 
 export interface UpdateStatus {
@@ -49,8 +51,9 @@ export interface PlatformAudio {
 }
 
 export interface PlatformLifecycle {
-  startServer(remote?: boolean): Promise<string>;
+  startServer(remote?: boolean, modelsDir?: string | null): Promise<string>;
   stopServer(): Promise<void>;
+  restartServer(modelsDir?: string | null): Promise<string>;
   setKeepServerRunning(keep: boolean): Promise<void>;
   setupWindowCloseHandler(): Promise<void>;
   onServerReady?: () => void;

app/src/router.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { createRootRoute, createRoute, createRouter, Outlet } from '@tanstack/react-router';
 import { AppFrame } from '@/components/AppFrame/AppFrame';
 import { AudioTab } from '@/components/AudioTab/AudioTab';
+import { EffectsTab } from '@/components/EffectsTab/EffectsTab';
 import { MainEditor } from '@/components/MainEditor/MainEditor';
 import { ModelsTab } from '@/components/ModelsTab/ModelsTab';
 import { ServerTab } from '@/components/ServerTab/ServerTab';
@@ -8,8 +9,10 @@ import { Sidebar } from '@/components/Sidebar';
 import { StoriesTab } from '@/components/StoriesTab/StoriesTab';
 import { Toaster } from '@/components/ui/toaster';
 import { VoicesTab } from '@/components/VoicesTab/VoicesTab';
+import { useGenerationProgress } from '@/lib/hooks/useGenerationProgress';
 import { useModelDownloadToast } from '@/lib/hooks/useModelDownloadToast';
 import { MODEL_DISPLAY_NAMES, useRestoreActiveTasks } from '@/lib/hooks/useRestoreActiveTasks';
+
 // Simple platform check that works in both web and Tauri
 const isMacOS = () => navigator.platform.toLowerCase().includes('mac');
 
@@ -18,6 +21,9 @@ function RootLayout() {
   // Monitor active downloads/generations and show toasts for them
   const activeDownloads = useRestoreActiveTasks();
 
+  // Subscribe to SSE for pending generations — handles completion, auto-play, and history refresh
+  useGenerationProgress();
+
   return (
     <AppFrame>
       <div className="flex flex-1 min-h-0 overflow-hidden">
@@ -100,6 +106,13 @@ const audioRoute = createRoute({
   component: AudioTab,
 });
 
+// Effects route
+const effectsRoute = createRoute({
+  getParentRoute: () => rootRoute,
+  path: '/effects',
+  component: EffectsTab,
+});
+
 // Models route
 const modelsRoute = createRoute({
   getParentRoute: () => rootRoute,
@@ -120,6 +133,7 @@ const routeTree = rootRoute.addChildren([
   storiesRoute,
   voicesRoute,
   audioRoute,
+  effectsRoute,
   modelsRoute,
   serverRoute,
 ]);

app/src/stores/effectsStore.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { create } from 'zustand';
+import type { EffectConfig } from '@/lib/api/types';
+
+interface EffectsStore {
+  selectedPresetId: string | null;
+  setSelectedPresetId: (id: string | null) => void;
+
+  // Working chain for the detail panel (editing a preset or building a new one)
+  workingChain: EffectConfig[];
+  setWorkingChain: (chain: EffectConfig[]) => void;
+
+  // Track if editing an existing preset vs creating new
+  isCreatingNew: boolean;
+  setIsCreatingNew: (v: boolean) => void;
+}
+
+export const useEffectsStore = create<EffectsStore>((set) => ({
+  selectedPresetId: null,
+  setSelectedPresetId: (id) => set({ selectedPresetId: id, isCreatingNew: false }),
+
+  workingChain: [],
+  setWorkingChain: (chain) => set({ workingChain: chain }),
+
+  isCreatingNew: false,
+  setIsCreatingNew: (v) => set({ isCreatingNew: v, ...(v && { selectedPresetId: null }) }),
+}));

app/src/stores/generationStore.ts

@@ -1,15 +1,58 @@
 import { create } from 'zustand';
 
 interface GenerationState {
+  /** IDs of generations currently in progress */
+  pendingGenerationIds: Set<string>;
+  /** Whether any generation is in progress (derived from pendingGenerationIds) */
   isGenerating: boolean;
-  activeGenerationId: string | null;
-  setIsGenerating: (generating: boolean) => void;
+  /** Map of generationId → storyId for deferred story additions */
+  pendingStoryAdds: Map<string, string>;
+  addPendingGeneration: (id: string) => void;
+  removePendingGeneration: (id: string) => void;
+  addPendingStoryAdd: (generationId: string, storyId: string) => void;
+  removePendingStoryAdd: (generationId: string) => string | undefined;
   setActiveGenerationId: (id: string | null) => void;
+  activeGenerationId: string | null;
 }
 
-export const useGenerationStore = create<GenerationState>((set) => ({
+export const useGenerationStore = create<GenerationState>((set, get) => ({
+  pendingGenerationIds: new Set(),
   isGenerating: false,
   activeGenerationId: null,
-  setIsGenerating: (generating) => set({ isGenerating: generating }),
+  pendingStoryAdds: new Map(),
+
+  addPendingGeneration: (id) =>
+    set((state) => {
+      const next = new Set(state.pendingGenerationIds);
+      next.add(id);
+      return { pendingGenerationIds: next, isGenerating: true };
+    }),
+
+  removePendingGeneration: (id) =>
+    set((state) => {
+      const next = new Set(state.pendingGenerationIds);
+      next.delete(id);
+      return { pendingGenerationIds: next, isGenerating: next.size > 0 };
+    }),
+
+  addPendingStoryAdd: (generationId, storyId) =>
+    set((state) => {
+      const next = new Map(state.pendingStoryAdds);
+      next.set(generationId, storyId);
+      return { pendingStoryAdds: next };
+    }),
+
+  removePendingStoryAdd: (generationId) => {
+    const storyId = get().pendingStoryAdds.get(generationId);
+    if (storyId) {
+      set((state) => {
+        const next = new Map(state.pendingStoryAdds);
+        next.delete(generationId);
+        return { pendingStoryAdds: next };
+      });
+    }
+    return storyId;
+  },
+
   setActiveGenerationId: (id) => set({ activeGenerationId: id }),
 }));

app/src/stores/serverStore.ts

@@ -13,6 +13,21 @@ interface ServerStore {
 
   keepServerRunningOnClose: boolean;
   setKeepServerRunningOnClose: (keepRunning: boolean) => void;
+
+  maxChunkChars: number;
+  setMaxChunkChars: (value: number) => void;
+
+  crossfadeMs: number;
+  setCrossfadeMs: (value: number) => void;
+
+  normalizeAudio: boolean;
+  setNormalizeAudio: (value: boolean) => void;
+
+  autoplayOnGenerate: boolean;
+  setAutoplayOnGenerate: (value: boolean) => void;
+
+  customModelsDir: string | null;
+  setCustomModelsDir: (dir: string | null) => void;
 }
 
 export const useServerStore = create<ServerStore>()(
@@ -29,6 +44,21 @@ export const useServerStore = create<ServerStore>()(
 
       keepServerRunningOnClose: false,
       setKeepServerRunningOnClose: (keepRunning) => set({ keepServerRunningOnClose: keepRunning }),
+
+      maxChunkChars: 800,
+      setMaxChunkChars: (value) => set({ maxChunkChars: value }),
+
+      crossfadeMs: 50,
+      setCrossfadeMs: (value) => set({ crossfadeMs: value }),
+
+      normalizeAudio: true,
+      setNormalizeAudio: (value) => set({ normalizeAudio: value }),
+
+      autoplayOnGenerate: true,
+      setAutoplayOnGenerate: (value) => set({ autoplayOnGenerate: value }),
+
+      customModelsDir: null,
+      setCustomModelsDir: (dir) => set({ customModelsDir: dir }),
     }),
     {
       name: 'voicebox-server',

app/src/stores/uiStore.ts

@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ interface UIStore {
   selectedProfileId: string | null;
   setSelectedProfileId: (id: string | null) => void;
 
+  // Selected voice in Voices tab inspector
+  selectedVoiceId: string | null;
+  setSelectedVoiceId: (id: string | null) => void;
+
   // Profile form draft (for persisting create voice modal state)
   profileFormDraft: ProfileFormDraft | null;
   setProfileFormDraft: (draft: ProfileFormDraft | null) => void;
@@ -55,6 +59,9 @@ export const useUIStore = create<UIStore>((set) => ({
   selectedProfileId: null,
   setSelectedProfileId: (id) => set({ selectedProfileId: id }),
 
+  selectedVoiceId: null,
+  setSelectedVoiceId: (id) => set({ selectedVoiceId: id }),
+
   profileFormDraft: null,
   setProfileFormDraft: (draft) => set({ profileFormDraft: draft }),
 

backend/README.md

@@ -1,459 +1,135 @@
-# voicebox Backend
+# Voicebox Backend
 
-Production-quality FastAPI backend for Qwen3-TTS voice cloning.
+FastAPI server powering voice cloning, speech generation, and audio processing. Runs locally as a Tauri sidecar or standalone via `python -m backend.main`.
 
-## Features
+## Running
 
-- ✅ **Voice Profile Management** - Create, update, delete voice profiles with multi-sample support
-- ✅ **Voice Cloning** - Generate speech using voice profiles with caching
-- ✅ **Generation History** - Full history tracking with search and filtering
-- ✅ **Transcription** - Whisper-based audio transcription
-- ✅ **Multi-Sample Profiles** - Combine multiple reference samples for better quality
-- ✅ **Voice Prompt Caching** - Dual memory + disk caching for fast generation
-- ✅ **Audio Validation** - Automatic validation of reference audio quality
-- ✅ **Model Management** - Lazy loading and VRAM management
+```bash
+# Via justfile (recommended)
+just dev:server
+
+# Standalone
+python -m backend.main --host 127.0.0.1 --port 17493
+
+# With custom data directory
+python -m backend.main --data-dir /path/to/data
+```
+
+The server auto-initializes the SQLite database on first startup. Models are downloaded from HuggingFace on first use.
 
 ## Architecture
 
 ```
 backend/
-├── main.py              # FastAPI app with all routes
-├── models.py            # Pydantic request/response models
-├── platform_detect.py   # Platform detection for backend selection
-├── tts.py              # TTS backend abstraction (delegates to MLX or PyTorch)
-├── transcribe.py       # STT backend abstraction (delegates to MLX or PyTorch)
-├── backends/           # Backend implementations
-│   ├── __init__.py     # Backend factory and protocols
-│   ├── mlx_backend.py  # MLX backend (Apple Silicon)
-│   └── pytorch_backend.py  # PyTorch backend (Windows/Linux/Intel)
-├── profiles.py         # Voice profile CRUD
-├── history.py          # Generation history
-├── studio.py           # Audio editing (TODO)
-├── database.py         # SQLite ORM
-└── utils/
-    ├── audio.py        # Audio processing utilities
-    ├── cache.py        # Voice prompt caching
-    └── validation.py   # Input validation
+  app.py                  # FastAPI app factory, CORS, lifecycle events
+  main.py                 # Entry point (imports app, runs uvicorn)
+  config.py               # Data directory paths and configuration
+  models.py               # Pydantic request/response schemas
+  server.py               # Tauri sidecar launcher, parent-pid watchdog
+
+  routes/                 # Thin HTTP handlers — validation, delegation, response formatting
+  services/               # Business logic, CRUD, orchestration
+  backends/               # TTS/STT engine implementations (MLX, PyTorch, etc.)
+  database/               # ORM models, session management, migrations, seed data
+  utils/                  # Shared utilities (audio, effects, caching, progress tracking)
 ```
 
-### Backend Selection
-
-Voicebox automatically selects the best backend based on platform:
-
-- **Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3)**: Uses MLX backend with native Metal acceleration (4-5x faster)
-- **Windows/Linux/Intel Mac**: Uses PyTorch backend (CUDA GPU if available, CPU fallback)
-
-The backend is detected at runtime via `platform_detect.py`. Both backends implement the same interface, so the API remains consistent across platforms.
-
-## API Endpoints
-
-### Health & Info
-
-#### `GET /`
-Root endpoint with version info.
-
-#### `GET /health`
-Health check with model status.
-
-**Response:**
-```json
-{
-  "status": "healthy",
-  "model_loaded": true,
-  "gpu_available": true,
-  "gpu_type": "Metal (Apple Silicon via MLX)",
-  "backend_type": "mlx",
-  "vram_used_mb": null
-}
-```
-
-**Backend Types:**
-- `"mlx"` - MLX backend (Apple Silicon with Metal acceleration)
-- `"pytorch"` - PyTorch backend (Windows/Linux/Intel Mac)
-
-### Voice Profiles
-
-**Note:** The database is automatically initialized when the server starts. No manual setup required.
-
-#### `POST /profiles`
-Create a new voice profile.
-
-**Request:**
-```json
-{
-  "name": "My Voice",
-  "description": "Optional description",
-  "language": "en"
-}
-```
-
-**Response:**
-```json
-{
-  "id": "uuid",
-  "name": "My Voice",
-  "description": "Optional description",
-  "language": "en",
-  "created_at": "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
-  "updated_at": "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z"
-}
-```
-
-#### `GET /profiles`
-List all voice profiles.
-
-#### `GET /profiles/{profile_id}`
-Get a specific profile.
-
-#### `PUT /profiles/{profile_id}`
-Update a profile.
-
-#### `DELETE /profiles/{profile_id}`
-Delete a profile and all associated samples.
-
-#### `POST /profiles/{profile_id}/samples`
-Add a sample to a profile.
-
-**Form Data:**
-- `file`: Audio file (WAV, MP3, etc.)
-- `reference_text`: Transcript of the audio
-
-**Response:**
-```json
-{
-  "id": "sample-uuid",
-  "profile_id": "profile-uuid",
-  "audio_path": "/path/to/sample.wav",
-  "reference_text": "This is my voice"
-}
-```
-
-#### `GET /profiles/{profile_id}/samples`
-List all samples for a profile.
-
-#### `DELETE /profiles/samples/{sample_id}`
-Delete a specific sample.
-
-### Generation
-
-#### `POST /generate`
-Generate speech from text using a voice profile.
-
-**Request:**
-```json
-{
-  "profile_id": "uuid",
-  "text": "Hello, this is a test.",
-  "language": "en",
-  "seed": 42
-}
-```
-
-**Response:**
-```json
-{
-  "id": "generation-uuid",
-  "profile_id": "profile-uuid",
-  "text": "Hello, this is a test.",
-  "language": "en",
-  "audio_path": "/path/to/audio.wav",
-  "duration": 2.5,
-  "seed": 42,
-  "created_at": "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z"
-}
-```
-
-### History
-
-#### `GET /history`
-List generation history with optional filters.
-
-**Query Parameters:**
-- `profile_id` (optional): Filter by profile
-- `search` (optional): Search in text content
-- `limit` (default: 50): Results per page
-- `offset` (default: 0): Pagination offset
-
-#### `GET /history/{generation_id}`
-Get a specific generation.
-
-#### `DELETE /history/{generation_id}`
-Delete a generation.
-
-#### `GET /history/stats`
-Get generation statistics.
-
-**Response:**
-```json
-{
-  "total_generations": 100,
-  "total_duration_seconds": 250.5,
-  "generations_by_profile": {
-    "profile-uuid-1": 50,
-    "profile-uuid-2": 50
-  }
-}
-```
-
-### Audio Files
-
-#### `GET /audio/{generation_id}`
-Download generated audio file.
-
-Returns WAV file with appropriate headers.
-
-### Transcription
-
-#### `POST /transcribe`
-Transcribe audio file to text.
-
-**Form Data:**
-- `file`: Audio file
-- `language` (optional): Language hint (en or zh)
-
-**Response:**
-```json
-{
-  "text": "Transcribed text here",
-  "duration": 5.5
-}
-```
-
-### Model Management
-
-#### `POST /models/load`
-Manually load TTS model.
-
-**Query Parameters:**
-- `model_size`: Model size (1.7B or 0.6B)
-
-#### `POST /models/unload`
-Unload TTS model to free memory.
-
-## Database Schema
-
-### profiles
-- `id`: UUID primary key
-- `name`: Profile name (unique)
-- `description`: Optional description
-- `language`: Language code (en/zh)
-- `created_at`: Creation timestamp
-- `updated_at`: Last update timestamp
-
-### profile_samples
-- `id`: UUID primary key
-- `profile_id`: Foreign key to profiles
-- `audio_path`: Path to audio file
-- `reference_text`: Transcript
-
-### generations
-- `id`: UUID primary key
-- `profile_id`: Foreign key to profiles
-- `text`: Generated text
-- `language`: Language code
-- `audio_path`: Path to audio file
-- `duration`: Duration in seconds
-- `seed`: Random seed (optional)
-- `created_at`: Creation timestamp
-
-### projects
-- `id`: UUID primary key
-- `name`: Project name
-- `data`: JSON data
-- `created_at`: Creation timestamp
-- `updated_at`: Last update timestamp
-
-## File Structure
+### Request flow
 
 ```
-data/
-├── profiles/
-│   └── {profile_id}/
-│       ├── {sample_id}.wav
-│       └── ...
-├── generations/
-│   └── {generation_id}.wav
-├── cache/
-│   └── {hash}.prompt
-├── projects/
-│   └── {project_id}.json
-└── voicebox.db
+HTTP request
+  -> routes/        (validate input, parse params)
+  -> services/      (business logic, database queries, orchestration)
+  -> backends/      (TTS/STT inference)
+  -> utils/         (audio processing, effects, caching)
 ```
 
-## Setup
+Route handlers are intentionally thin. They validate input, delegate to a service function, and format the response. All business logic lives in `services/`.
 
-### 1. Install Dependencies
+### Key modules
+
+**services/generation.py** -- Single `run_generation()` function that handles all three generation modes (generate, retry, regenerate). Manages model loading, voice prompt creation, chunked inference, normalization, effects, and version persistence.
+
+**services/task_queue.py** -- Serial generation queue. Ensures only one GPU inference runs at a time. Background tasks are tracked to prevent garbage collection.
+
+**backends/__init__.py** -- Protocol definitions (`TTSBackend`, `STTBackend`), model config registry, and factory functions. Adding a new engine means implementing the protocol and registering a config entry.
+
+**backends/base.py** -- Shared utilities used across all engine implementations: HuggingFace cache checks, device detection, voice prompt combination, progress tracking.
+
+**database/** -- SQLAlchemy ORM models with a re-exporting `__init__.py` for backward compatibility. Migrations run automatically on startup.
+
+### Backend selection
+
+The server detects the best inference backend at startup:
+
+| Platform | Backend | Acceleration |
+|----------|---------|-------------|
+| macOS (Apple Silicon) | MLX | Metal / Neural Engine |
+| Windows / Linux (NVIDIA) | PyTorch | CUDA |
+| Linux (AMD) | PyTorch | ROCm |
+| Intel Arc | PyTorch | IPEX / XPU |
+| Windows (any GPU) | PyTorch | DirectML |
+| Any | PyTorch | CPU fallback |
+
+Detection is handled by `utils/platform_detect.py`. Both backends implement the same `TTSBackend` protocol, so the API layer is engine-agnostic.
+
+## API
+
+90 endpoints organized by domain. Full interactive documentation available at `http://localhost:17493/docs` when the server is running.
+
+| Domain | Prefix | Description |
+|--------|--------|-------------|
+| Health | `/`, `/health` | Server status, GPU info, filesystem checks |
+| Profiles | `/profiles` | Voice profile CRUD, samples, avatars, import/export |
+| Channels | `/channels` | Audio channel management and voice assignment |
+| Generation | `/generate` | TTS generation, retry, regenerate, status SSE |
+| History | `/history` | Generation history, search, favorites, export |
+| Transcription | `/transcribe` | Whisper-based audio-to-text |
+| Stories | `/stories` | Multi-track timeline editor, audio export |
+| Effects | `/effects` | Effect presets, preview, version management |
+| Audio | `/audio`, `/samples` | Audio file serving |
+| Models | `/models` | Load, unload, download, migrate, status |
+| Tasks | `/tasks`, `/cache` | Active task tracking, cache management |
+| CUDA | `/backend/cuda-*` | CUDA binary download and management |
+
+### Quick examples
 
 ```bash
-pip install -r requirements.txt
-```
-
-**Note:** On Apple Silicon, also install MLX dependencies for faster inference:
-```bash
-pip install -r requirements-mlx.txt
-```
-
-### 2. Download Models (Automatic)
-
-The Qwen3-TTS models are automatically downloaded from HuggingFace Hub on first use, similar to how Whisper models work.
-
-**No manual download required!** The models will be cached locally after the first download.
-
-Available models:
-- **1.7B** (recommended): `Qwen/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base` (~4GB)
-- **0.6B** (faster): `Qwen/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-0.6B-Base` (~2GB)
-
-**Note:** The first generation will take longer as the model downloads. Subsequent generations will use the cached model.
-
-#### Manual Download (Optional)
-
-If you prefer to download models manually or have limited internet during runtime:
-
-```bash
-# Install huggingface-cli
-pip install huggingface_hub
-
-# Download 1.7B model
-huggingface-cli download Qwen/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base
-
-# Or use Python
-python -c "from huggingface_hub import snapshot_download; snapshot_download('Qwen/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base')"
-```
-
-Models are cached in `~/.cache/huggingface/hub/` by default.
-
-### 4. Run Server
-
-```bash
-# Development (local only)
-python -m backend.main
-
-# Production (allow remote access)
-python -m backend.main --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000
-```
-
-## Usage Examples
-
-### Creating a Voice Profile
-
-```bash
-# 1. Create profile
-curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/profiles \
+# Generate speech
+curl -X POST http://localhost:17493/generate \
   -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-  -d '{"name": "My Voice", "language": "en"}'
+  -d '{"text": "Hello world", "profile_id": "...", "language": "en"}'
 
-# Response: {"id": "abc-123", ...}
+# List profiles
+curl http://localhost:17493/profiles
 
-# 2. Add sample
-curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/profiles/abc-123/samples \
-  -F "[email protected]" \
-  -F "reference_text=This is my voice sample"
+# Stream generation status (SSE)
+curl http://localhost:17493/generate/{id}/status
 ```
 
-### Generating Speech
+## Data directory
+
+```
+{data_dir}/
+  voicebox.db             # SQLite database
+  profiles/{id}/          # Voice samples per profile
+  generations/            # Generated audio files
+  cache/                  # Voice prompt cache (memory + disk)
+  backends/               # Downloaded CUDA binary (if applicable)
+```
+
+Default location is the OS-specific app data directory. Override with `--data-dir` or the `VOICEBOX_DATA_DIR` environment variable.
+
+## Code quality
+
+Linting and formatting are enforced by [ruff](https://docs.astral.sh/ruff/), configured in `pyproject.toml`. See `STYLE_GUIDE.md` for conventions.
 
 ```bash
-curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/generate \
-  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-  -d '{
-    "profile_id": "abc-123",
-    "text": "Hello, this is a test.",
-    "language": "en",
-    "seed": 42
-  }'
-
-# Response: {"id": "gen-456", "audio_path": "/path/to/audio.wav", ...}
-
-# Download audio
-curl http://localhost:8000/audio/gen-456 -o output.wav
+just check-python       # lint + format check
+just fix-python         # auto-fix lint issues + reformat
+just test               # run pytest
 ```
 
-### Transcribing Audio
+## Dependencies
 
-```bash
-curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/transcribe \
-  -F "[email protected]" \
-  -F "language=en"
-
-# Response: {"text": "Transcribed text", "duration": 5.5}
-```
-
-## Advanced Features
-
-### Multi-Sample Profiles
-
-Add multiple samples to a profile for better quality:
-
-```bash
-# Add first sample
-curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/profiles/abc-123/samples \
-  -F "[email protected]" \
-  -F "reference_text=First sample"
-
-# Add second sample
-curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/profiles/abc-123/samples \
-  -F "[email protected]" \
-  -F "reference_text=Second sample"
-
-# Generation will automatically combine all samples
-```
-
-### Voice Prompt Caching
-
-Voice prompts are automatically cached for faster generation:
-- First generation: ~5-10 seconds (creates prompt)
-- Subsequent generations: ~1-2 seconds (uses cached prompt)
-
-Cache is stored in `data/cache/` and persists across server restarts.
-
-### VRAM Management
-
-Models are lazy-loaded and can be manually unloaded:
-
-```bash
-# Unload TTS model
-curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/models/unload
-
-# Load specific model size
-curl -X POST "http://localhost:8000/models/load?model_size=0.6B"
-```
-
-## Error Handling
-
-All endpoints return proper HTTP status codes:
-
-- `200 OK`: Success
-- `400 Bad Request`: Invalid input
-- `404 Not Found`: Resource not found
-- `500 Internal Server Error`: Server error
-
-Error responses include details:
-
-```json
-{
-  "detail": "Profile not found"
-}
-```
-
-## Performance Tips
-
-1. **Use multi-sample profiles** - Better quality than single sample
-2. **Let caching work** - Voice prompts are cached automatically
-3. **Use 0.6B model on CPU** - Faster than 1.7B with acceptable quality
-4. **Use 1.7B model on GPU** - Best quality, still fast
-5. **Unload Whisper after transcription** - Frees VRAM for TTS
-
-## TODO
-
-- [ ] WebSocket support for generation progress
-- [ ] Batch generation endpoint
-- [ ] Audio effects (M3GAN, etc.)
-- [ ] Voice design (text-to-voice)
-- [ ] Audio studio timeline features
-- [ ] Project management
-- [ ] Authentication & rate limiting
-- [ ] Export/import profiles
-
-## License
-
-See main project LICENSE.
+Runtime dependencies are in `requirements.txt`. macOS-only MLX dependencies are in `requirements-mlx.txt`. Dev tools (ruff, pytest) are installed automatically by `just setup-python`.

backend/STYLE_GUIDE.md

@@ -0,0 +1,404 @@
+# Python Style Guide
+
+Target: **Python 3.12+** | Formatter/Linter: **Ruff** | Config: `backend/pyproject.toml`
+
+This guide codifies the conventions used across the backend, and prescribes the target style for code written during the refactor (Phases 3-6). Existing code should be migrated incrementally -- don't reformat entire files in unrelated PRs.
+
+---
+
+## Formatting
+
+Enforced by `ruff format` (Black-compatible).
+
+- **Line length**: 120 characters.
+- **Indent**: 4 spaces. No tabs.
+- **Trailing commas**: Required on multi-line function signatures, arguments, collections.
+- **Quotes**: Double quotes (`"`) for strings. Single quotes are acceptable in f-string expressions and dict keys inside f-strings where avoiding escapes improves readability.
+
+Run: `ruff format backend/`
+
+---
+
+## Imports
+
+Enforced by ruff's `isort` rules (rule set `I`).
+
+**Grouping** -- three blocks separated by a blank line:
+
+```python
+import asyncio                          # 1. stdlib
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import numpy as np                      # 2. third-party
+from fastapi import APIRouter, HTTPException
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
+
+from backend.config import get_data_dir  # 3. local (absolute)
+from .database import get_db            #    or relative
+```
+
+**Rules:**
+- Within the `backend` package, use **relative imports** for sibling/child modules: `from .database import get_db`, `from ..utils.audio import load_audio`.
+- Absolute imports are fine for top-level references from entry points (`main.py`, `server.py`).
+- Never use wildcard imports (`from module import *`).
+- One import per line for `from X import Y` when there are 4+ names; below that, comma-separated is fine.
+- **Lazy imports** are acceptable for heavy dependencies (torch, transformers, mlx) inside functions to reduce startup time. Add a comment: `# lazy: heavy import`.
+
+---
+
+## Type Annotations
+
+Python 3.12 means we use **built-in generics and union syntax natively**. No `from __future__ import annotations`, no `typing.List`/`typing.Dict`.
+
+```python
+# Yes
+def process(items: list[str], config: dict[str, int] | None = None) -> tuple[int, str]: ...
+
+# No
+from typing import List, Dict, Optional, Tuple
+def process(items: List[str], config: Optional[Dict[str, int]] = None) -> Tuple[int, str]: ...
+```
+
+**What to annotate:**
+- All public function signatures (parameters + return type).
+- Private functions: parameters at minimum; return type encouraged.
+- Module-level variables: only when the type isn't obvious from the assignment.
+- Route handlers: parameters are annotated via FastAPI's dependency injection. Add explicit `-> SomeResponse` return types when the route doesn't use `response_model`.
+
+**Imports from `typing` that are still needed** (no built-in equivalent):
+`Literal`, `TypeAlias`, `Protocol`, `runtime_checkable`, `Callable`, `Any`, `ClassVar`, `TypeVar`, `overload`, `TYPE_CHECKING`.
+
+Use `collections.abc` for abstract types: `Sequence`, `Mapping`, `Iterable`, `Iterator`, `Generator`.
+
+---
+
+## Naming
+
+| Thing | Convention | Example |
+|-------|-----------|---------|
+| Module | `snake_case` | `task_queue.py` |
+| Class | `PascalCase` | `ProgressManager` |
+| Function / method | `snake_case` | `create_profile` |
+| Variable | `snake_case` | `sample_rate` |
+| Constant | `UPPER_SNAKE_CASE` | `DEFAULT_SAMPLE_RATE` |
+| Private | `_leading_underscore` | `_generation_queue` |
+| Type alias | `PascalCase` | `EffectChain = list[dict[str, Any]]` |
+
+**Specific conventions:**
+- Database ORM models imported with `DB` prefix alias: `from .database import VoiceProfile as DBVoiceProfile`.
+- Pydantic models use descriptive suffixes: `VoiceProfileCreate`, `VoiceProfileResponse`, `GenerationRequest`.
+- Backend classes use engine-name prefix: `MLXTTSBackend`, `PyTorchSTTBackend`.
+
+---
+
+## Docstrings
+
+**Google style**. Required on all public functions, classes, and modules.
+
+```python
+def combine_voice_prompts(
+    profile_dir: Path,
+    *,
+    target_sr: int = 24000,
+) -> tuple[np.ndarray, int]:
+    """Load and concatenate all voice prompt files for a profile.
+
+    Reads .wav/.mp3/.flac files from the profile directory, resamples to
+    the target sample rate, normalizes, and concatenates into a single array.
+
+    Args:
+        profile_dir: Path to the voice profile directory containing audio files.
+        target_sr: Target sample rate for the output. Defaults to 24000.
+
+    Returns:
+        Tuple of (concatenated audio array, sample rate).
+
+    Raises:
+        FileNotFoundError: If profile_dir does not exist.
+        ValueError: If no valid audio files are found.
+    """
+```
+
+**Short form** is fine for simple functions:
+
+```python
+def get_db_path() -> Path:
+    """Get the path to the SQLite database file."""
+```
+
+**When to skip**: Private helpers under ~5 lines where the name and signature make intent obvious.
+
+**Module docstrings**: A single sentence at the top of every file describing its purpose.
+
+```python
+"""Voice profile CRUD operations."""
+```
+
+---
+
+## Comments
+
+Comments explain **why**, not **what**. If the code needs a comment to explain what it does, the code should be rewritten to be clearer. The exceptions are non-obvious performance choices, external constraints, and concurrency/race-condition reasoning -- those always deserve a comment.
+
+### No section dividers
+
+Do not use ASCII dividers to create visual sections in files:
+
+```python
+# No -- any of these:
+# ============================================
+# GENERATION ENDPOINTS
+# ============================================
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Device detection
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# --- Load model --------------------------------------------------
+```
+
+If a file needs section dividers to be navigable, the file is too long. Split it into modules. Within a function, if you need labeled sections to follow the logic, extract those sections into named functions.
+
+### Inline comments
+
+Inline comments (end-of-line) are fine when they add information the code can't express:
+
+```python
+# Yes -- explains a non-obvious constraint or gives context:
+audio, sr = load_audio(path, sr=24000)  # Qwen expects 24kHz mono
+_generation_queue: asyncio.Queue = None  # type: ignore  # initialized at startup
+"tauri://localhost",         # Tauri webview (macOS)
+
+# No -- restates the code:
+# Check if profile name already exists
+existing = db.query(DBVoiceProfile).filter_by(name=data.name).first()
+
+# Delete from database
+db.delete(sample)
+
+# Update fields
+profile.name = data.name
+```
+
+Delete comments that narrate what the next line of code obviously does. If the function name, variable name, or method call already communicates intent, the comment is noise.
+
+### Block comments
+
+Use block comments for **why** explanations -- constraints, workarounds, non-obvious decisions:
+
+```python
+# PyInstaller + multiprocessing: child processes re-execute the frozen binary
+# with internal arguments. freeze_support() handles this and exits early.
+multiprocessing.freeze_support()
+
+# Mark any stale "generating" records as failed -- these are leftovers
+# from a previous process that was killed mid-generation.
+db.query(Generation).filter_by(status="generating").update({"status": "failed"})
+```
+
+Keep block comments tight. Two to three lines is normal. If you need a paragraph, it probably belongs in the docstring or a design doc.
+
+### Linter/type-checker suppression
+
+Always add a reason after `noqa` and `type: ignore`:
+
+```python
+import intel_extension_for_pytorch  # noqa: F401 -- side-effect import enables XPU
+_queue: asyncio.Queue = None  # type: ignore[assignment]  # initialized at startup
+```
+
+Bare `# noqa` or `# type: ignore` with no explanation are not allowed.
+
+### TODO / FIXME
+
+Use sparingly. Every `TODO` must include a brief description of what needs doing. Don't use them as a substitute for tracking work properly:
+
+```python
+# TODO: replace with async SQLAlchemy once CRUD modules are migrated (Phase 5)
+result = await asyncio.to_thread(profiles.get_profile, profile_id, db)
+```
+
+Never commit `HACK`, `XXX`, or `FIXME` -- fix the problem or file an issue.
+
+### Commented-out code
+
+Delete it. That's what git is for. If you need to document that something was intentionally removed, a short tombstone comment is acceptable:
+
+```python
+# Removed config.json-only check -- too lenient, doesn't confirm weights exist.
+```
+
+---
+
+## Error Handling
+
+The refactor is standardizing on a **two-layer pattern**:
+
+### 1. Domain layer -- raise plain exceptions
+
+CRUD modules and services raise `ValueError`, `FileNotFoundError`, or (post-refactor) custom exceptions defined in `backend/errors.py`:
+
+```python
+# backend/errors.py  (to be created in Phase 4)
+class NotFoundError(Exception):
+    """Raised when a requested resource does not exist."""
+
+class ConflictError(Exception):
+    """Raised on uniqueness constraint violations."""
+```
+
+```python
+# In a service or CRUD module:
+raise NotFoundError(f"Profile {profile_id} not found")
+```
+
+### 2. Route layer -- translate to HTTPException
+
+Route handlers catch domain exceptions and convert:
+
+```python
+@router.post("/profiles")
+async def create_profile(data: VoiceProfileCreate, db: Session = Depends(get_db)):
+    try:
+        return await profiles.create_profile(data, db)
+    except ConflictError as e:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=409, detail=str(e))
+```
+
+**Background tasks** catch `Exception` broadly, log with `logger.exception()`, and update the task status to `"failed"`.
+
+**Never**: silently swallow exceptions, use bare `except:`, or catch `BaseException`.
+
+---
+
+## Async
+
+### Rules for the refactor
+
+1. **Don't declare `async def` unless the function awaits something.** Several service modules still declare `async def` without awaiting -- these should be migrated to sync functions with `asyncio.to_thread()` at the route layer, or to real async SQLAlchemy.
+2. **CPU-bound work** (audio processing, numpy operations) goes through `asyncio.to_thread()`:
+   ```python
+   audio, sr = await asyncio.to_thread(load_audio, source_path)
+   ```
+3. **GPU-bound TTS inference** is serialized through the generation queue (`services/task_queue.py`). Never call a backend's `generate()` directly from a route handler.
+4. **Fire-and-forget tasks**: use `asyncio.create_task()` and track the task reference to prevent garbage collection:
+   ```python
+   task = asyncio.create_task(some_coro())
+   _background_tasks.add(task)
+   task.add_done_callback(_background_tasks.discard)
+   ```
+
+---
+
+## Logging
+
+Use the `logging` module. Not `print()`.
+
+```python
+import logging
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+logger.info("Loading model %s on %s", model_name, device)
+logger.warning("Cache miss for %s, downloading", repo_id)
+logger.exception("Generation %s failed")  # logs traceback automatically
+```
+
+**Rules:**
+- Use `%s`-style placeholders in log calls (not f-strings). This avoids formatting the string if the log level is filtered out.
+- Use `logger.exception()` inside `except` blocks -- it captures the traceback.
+- Logger name should be `__name__` (yields `backend.utils.audio`, etc.).
+- Existing `print()` calls should be migrated to logging as files are touched during the refactor.
+
+---
+
+## Constants
+
+- Define at **module level** in the file where they're primarily used.
+- Use `UPPER_SNAKE_CASE`.
+- Shared/cross-cutting constants (sample rates, file size limits, CORS origins) go in `backend/config.py` after Phase 6 consolidation.
+- Magic numbers in function bodies should be extracted to named constants:
+  ```python
+  # No
+  if len(audio) > 24000 * 60 * 10:
+
+  # Yes
+  MAX_AUDIO_DURATION_SAMPLES = SAMPLE_RATE * 60 * 10
+  if len(audio) > MAX_AUDIO_DURATION_SAMPLES:
+  ```
+
+---
+
+## Function Signatures
+
+- **Keyword-only arguments** (after `*`) for functions with 3+ parameters, especially when several share the same type:
+  ```python
+  def is_model_cached(
+      hf_repo: str,
+      *,
+      weight_extensions: tuple[str, ...] = (".safetensors", ".bin"),
+      required_files: list[str] | None = None,
+  ) -> bool:
+  ```
+- Parameters on **separate lines** when the signature exceeds ~100 characters or has 3+ params.
+- **Trailing comma** after the last parameter in multi-line signatures.
+- Default values inline with the parameter.
+
+---
+
+## String Formatting
+
+- **f-strings** for runtime string construction.
+- **`%s`-style** for `logging` calls (lazy evaluation).
+- **`.format()`**: avoid; f-strings are preferred.
+
+---
+
+## Testing
+
+Framework: **pytest** with `pytest-asyncio`.
+
+- Test files: `test_<module>.py` in `backend/tests/`.
+- Use `conftest.py` for shared fixtures (db sessions, test client, mock backends).
+- Group related tests in classes: `class TestProfileCRUD:`.
+- Use `@pytest.mark.asyncio` for async tests.
+- Use `@pytest.mark.parametrize` to reduce repetition.
+- Manual integration scripts stay in `tests/` but are clearly marked (filename prefix `manual_` or documented in `tests/README.md`).
+
+---
+
+## Project Layout
+
+```
+backend/
+  app.py              # FastAPI app factory, CORS, lifecycle events
+  main.py             # Entry point (imports app, runs uvicorn)
+  config.py           # Data directory paths
+  models.py           # Pydantic request/response schemas
+  server.py           # Tauri sidecar launcher, parent-pid watchdog
+  routes/             # Thin HTTP handlers (validation, delegation, response formatting)
+  services/           # Business logic, CRUD, orchestration
+  backends/           # TTS/STT engine implementations
+  database/           # ORM models, session management, migrations, seeds
+  utils/              # Shared utilities (audio, effects, caching, progress)
+  tests/              # pytest suite
+```
+
+---
+
+## Ruff Adoption
+
+`pyproject.toml` configures ruff for linting and formatting. Run:
+
+```bash
+# Lint (check)
+ruff check backend/
+
+# Lint (auto-fix)
+ruff check backend/ --fix
+
+# Format
+ruff format backend/
+```
+
+Introduce ruff fixes file-by-file as you touch them. Don't run `--fix` across the entire codebase in one shot -- that creates unreviewable diffs.

backend/__init__.py

@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 # Backend package
 
-__version__ = "0.1.11"
+__version__ = "0.2.3"

backend/app.py

@@ -0,0 +1,215 @@
+"""FastAPI application factory, middleware, and lifecycle events."""
+
+import asyncio
+import logging
+import os
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+class ColoredFormatter(logging.Formatter):
+    """Custom formatter to add colors matching uvicorn's style."""
+
+    COLORS = {
+        "DEBUG": "\033[36m",  # Cyan
+        "INFO": "\033[32m",  # Green
+        "WARNING": "\033[33m",  # Yellow
+        "ERROR": "\033[31m",  # Red
+        "CRITICAL": "\033[35m",  # Magenta
+    }
+    RESET = "\033[0m"
+
+    def format(self, record):
+        log_color = self.COLORS.get(record.levelname, self.RESET)
+        record.levelname = f"{log_color}{record.levelname}{self.RESET}"
+        return super().format(record)
+
+
+# Configure logging to match uvicorn's format with colors
+handler = logging.StreamHandler(sys.stderr)
+handler.setFormatter(ColoredFormatter("%(levelname)s:     %(message)s"))
+logging.basicConfig(
+    level=logging.INFO,
+    handlers=[handler],
+)
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+# AMD GPU environment variables must be set before torch import
+if not os.environ.get("HSA_OVERRIDE_GFX_VERSION"):
+    os.environ["HSA_OVERRIDE_GFX_VERSION"] = "10.3.0"
+if not os.environ.get("MIOPEN_LOG_LEVEL"):
+    os.environ["MIOPEN_LOG_LEVEL"] = "4"
+
+import torch
+from fastapi import FastAPI
+from fastapi.middleware.cors import CORSMiddleware
+from urllib.parse import quote
+
+from . import __version__, config, database
+from .services import tts, transcribe
+from .database import get_db
+from .utils.platform_detect import get_backend_type
+from .utils.progress import get_progress_manager
+from .services.task_queue import create_background_task, init_queue
+from .routes import register_routers
+
+
+def safe_content_disposition(disposition_type: str, filename: str) -> str:
+    """Build a Content-Disposition header safe for non-ASCII filenames.
+
+    Uses RFC 5987 ``filename*`` parameter so browsers can decode UTF-8
+    filenames while the ``filename`` fallback stays ASCII-only.
+    """
+    ascii_name = "".join(c for c in filename if c.isascii() and (c.isalnum() or c in " -_.")).strip() or "download"
+    utf8_name = quote(filename, safe="")
+    return f"{disposition_type}; filename=\"{ascii_name}\"; filename*=UTF-8''{utf8_name}"
+
+
+def create_app() -> FastAPI:
+    """Create and configure the FastAPI application."""
+    application = FastAPI(
+        title="voicebox API",
+        description="Production-quality Qwen3-TTS voice cloning API",
+        version=__version__,
+    )
+
+    _configure_cors(application)
+    register_routers(application)
+    _register_lifecycle(application)
+
+    return application
+
+
+def _configure_cors(application: FastAPI) -> None:
+    """Set up CORS middleware with local-first defaults."""
+    default_origins = [
+        "http://localhost:5173",  # Vite dev server
+        "http://127.0.0.1:5173",
+        "http://localhost:17493",
+        "http://127.0.0.1:17493",
+        "tauri://localhost",  # Tauri webview (macOS)
+        "https://tauri.localhost",  # Tauri webview (Windows/Linux)
+        "http://tauri.localhost",  # Tauri webview (Windows, some builds)
+    ]
+    env_origins = os.environ.get("VOICEBOX_CORS_ORIGINS", "")
+    all_origins = default_origins + [o.strip() for o in env_origins.split(",") if o.strip()]
+
+    application.add_middleware(
+        CORSMiddleware,
+        allow_origins=all_origins,
+        allow_credentials=True,
+        allow_methods=["*"],
+        allow_headers=["*"],
+    )
+
+
+def _get_gpu_status() -> str:
+    """Return a human-readable string describing GPU availability."""
+    backend_type = get_backend_type()
+    if torch.cuda.is_available():
+        device_name = torch.cuda.get_device_name(0)
+        is_rocm = hasattr(torch.version, "hip") and torch.version.hip is not None
+        if is_rocm:
+            return f"ROCm ({device_name})"
+        return f"CUDA ({device_name})"
+    elif hasattr(torch.backends, "mps") and torch.backends.mps.is_available():
+        return "MPS (Apple Silicon)"
+    elif backend_type == "mlx":
+        return "Metal (Apple Silicon via MLX)"
+    return "None (CPU only)"
+
+
+def _register_lifecycle(application: FastAPI) -> None:
+    """Attach startup and shutdown event handlers."""
+
+    @application.on_event("startup")
+    async def startup_event():
+        import platform
+        import sys
+
+        logger.info("Voicebox v%s starting up", __version__)
+        logger.info(
+            "Python %s on %s %s (%s)",
+            sys.version.split()[0],
+            platform.system(),
+            platform.release(),
+            platform.machine(),
+        )
+
+        database.init_db()
+
+        from .database.session import _db_path
+
+        logger.info("Database: %s", _db_path)
+        logger.info("Data directory: %s", config.get_data_dir())
+
+        init_queue()
+
+        # Mark stale "generating" records as failed -- leftovers from a killed process
+        from sqlalchemy import text as sa_text
+
+        db = next(get_db())
+        try:
+            result = db.execute(
+                sa_text(
+                    "UPDATE generations SET status = 'failed', "
+                    "error = 'Server was shut down during generation' "
+                    "WHERE status IN ('generating', 'loading_model')"
+                )
+            )
+            if result.rowcount > 0:
+                logger.info("Marked %d stale generation(s) as failed", result.rowcount)
+
+            from .database import VoiceProfile as DBVoiceProfile, Generation as DBGeneration
+
+            profile_count = db.query(DBVoiceProfile).count()
+            generation_count = db.query(DBGeneration).count()
+            logger.info("Profiles: %d, Generations: %d", profile_count, generation_count)
+
+            db.commit()
+        except Exception as e:
+            db.rollback()
+            logger.warning("Could not clean up stale generations: %s", e)
+        finally:
+            db.close()
+
+        backend_type = get_backend_type()
+        logger.info("Backend: %s", backend_type.upper())
+        logger.info("GPU: %s", _get_gpu_status())
+
+        from .services.cuda import check_and_update_cuda_binary
+
+        create_background_task(check_and_update_cuda_binary())
+
+        try:
+            progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
+            progress_manager._set_main_loop(asyncio.get_running_loop())
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.warning("Could not initialize progress manager event loop: %s", e)
+
+        try:
+            from huggingface_hub import constants as hf_constants
+
+            cache_dir = Path(hf_constants.HF_HUB_CACHE)
+            cache_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+            logger.info("Model cache: %s", cache_dir)
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.warning("Could not create HuggingFace cache directory: %s", e)
+
+        logger.info("Ready")
+
+    @application.on_event("shutdown")
+    async def shutdown_event():
+        logger.info("Voicebox server shutting down...")
+        try:
+            tts.unload_tts_model()
+        except Exception:
+            logger.exception("Failed to unload TTS model")
+        try:
+            transcribe.unload_whisper_model()
+        except Exception:
+            logger.exception("Failed to unload Whisper model")
+
+
+app = create_app()

backend/backends/__init__.py

@@ -1,24 +1,66 @@
 """
 Backend abstraction layer for TTS and STT.
 
-Provides a unified interface for MLX and PyTorch backends.
+Provides a unified interface for MLX and PyTorch backends,
+and a model config registry that eliminates per-engine dispatch maps.
 """
 
+import threading
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from typing import Protocol, Optional, Tuple, List
 from typing_extensions import runtime_checkable
 import numpy as np
 
-from ..platform_detect import get_backend_type
+from ..utils.platform_detect import get_backend_type
+
+LANGUAGE_CODE_TO_NAME = {
+    "zh": "chinese",
+    "en": "english",
+    "ja": "japanese",
+    "ko": "korean",
+    "de": "german",
+    "fr": "french",
+    "ru": "russian",
+    "pt": "portuguese",
+    "es": "spanish",
+    "it": "italian",
+}
+
+WHISPER_HF_REPOS = {
+    "base": "openai/whisper-base",
+    "small": "openai/whisper-small",
+    "medium": "openai/whisper-medium",
+    "large": "openai/whisper-large-v3",
+    "turbo": "openai/whisper-large-v3-turbo",
+}
+
+
+@dataclass
+class ModelConfig:
+    """Declarative config for a downloadable model variant."""
+
+    model_name: str  # e.g. "luxtts", "chatterbox-tts"
+    display_name: str  # e.g. "LuxTTS (Fast, CPU-friendly)"
+    engine: str  # e.g. "luxtts", "chatterbox"
+    hf_repo_id: str  # e.g. "YatharthS/LuxTTS"
+    model_size: str = "default"
+    size_mb: int = 0
+    needs_trim: bool = False
+    supports_instruct: bool = False
+    languages: list[str] = field(default_factory=lambda: ["en"])
 
 
 @runtime_checkable
 class TTSBackend(Protocol):
     """Protocol for TTS backend implementations."""
-    
+
+    # Each backend class should define MODEL_CONFIGS as a class variable:
+    # MODEL_CONFIGS: list[ModelConfig]
+
     async def load_model(self, model_size: str) -> None:
         """Load TTS model."""
         ...
-    
+
     async def create_voice_prompt(
         self,
         audio_path: str,
@@ -27,12 +69,12 @@ class TTSBackend(Protocol):
     ) -> Tuple[dict, bool]:
         """
         Create voice prompt from reference audio.
-        
+
         Returns:
             Tuple of (voice_prompt_dict, was_cached)
         """
         ...
-    
+
     async def combine_voice_prompts(
         self,
         audio_paths: List[str],
@@ -40,12 +82,12 @@ class TTSBackend(Protocol):
     ) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, str]:
         """
         Combine multiple voice prompts.
-        
+
         Returns:
             Tuple of (combined_audio_array, combined_text)
         """
         ...
-    
+
     async def generate(
         self,
         text: str,
@@ -56,24 +98,24 @@ class TTSBackend(Protocol):
     ) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, int]:
         """
         Generate audio from text.
-        
+
         Returns:
             Tuple of (audio_array, sample_rate)
         """
         ...
-    
+
     def unload_model(self) -> None:
         """Unload model to free memory."""
         ...
-    
+
     def is_loaded(self) -> bool:
         """Check if model is loaded."""
         ...
-    
+
     def _get_model_path(self, model_size: str) -> str:
         """
         Get model path for a given size.
-        
+
         Returns:
             Model path or HuggingFace Hub ID
         """
@@ -83,11 +125,11 @@ class TTSBackend(Protocol):
 @runtime_checkable
 class STTBackend(Protocol):
     """Protocol for STT (Speech-to-Text) backend implementations."""
-    
+
     async def load_model(self, model_size: str) -> None:
         """Load STT model."""
         ...
-    
+
     async def transcribe(
         self,
         audio_path: str,
@@ -95,16 +137,16 @@ class STTBackend(Protocol):
     ) -> str:
         """
         Transcribe audio to text.
-        
+
         Returns:
             Transcribed text
         """
         ...
-    
+
     def unload_model(self) -> None:
         """Unload model to free memory."""
         ...
-    
+
     def is_loaded(self) -> bool:
         """Check if model is loaded."""
         ...
@@ -112,55 +154,375 @@ class STTBackend(Protocol):
 
 # Global backend instances
 _tts_backend: Optional[TTSBackend] = None
+_tts_backends: dict[str, TTSBackend] = {}
+_tts_backends_lock = threading.Lock()
 _stt_backend: Optional[STTBackend] = None
 
+# Supported TTS engines — keyed by engine name, value is the backend class import path.
+# The factory function uses this for the if/elif chain; the model configs live on the backend classes.
+TTS_ENGINES = {
+    "qwen": "Qwen TTS",
+    "luxtts": "LuxTTS",
+    "chatterbox": "Chatterbox TTS",
+    "chatterbox_turbo": "Chatterbox Turbo",
+}
+
+
+def _get_qwen_model_configs() -> list[ModelConfig]:
+    """Return Qwen model configs with backend-aware HF repo IDs."""
+    backend_type = get_backend_type()
+    if backend_type == "mlx":
+        repo_1_7b = "mlx-community/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base-bf16"
+        repo_0_6b = "mlx-community/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base-bf16"  # 0.6B not available in MLX, falls back
+    else:
+        repo_1_7b = "Qwen/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base"
+        repo_0_6b = "Qwen/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-0.6B-Base"
+
+    return [
+        ModelConfig(
+            model_name="qwen-tts-1.7B",
+            display_name="Qwen TTS 1.7B",
+            engine="qwen",
+            hf_repo_id=repo_1_7b,
+            model_size="1.7B",
+            size_mb=3500,
+            supports_instruct=False,  # Base model drops instruct silently
+            languages=["zh", "en", "ja", "ko", "de", "fr", "ru", "pt", "es", "it"],
+        ),
+        ModelConfig(
+            model_name="qwen-tts-0.6B",
+            display_name="Qwen TTS 0.6B",
+            engine="qwen",
+            hf_repo_id=repo_0_6b,
+            model_size="0.6B",
+            size_mb=1200,
+            supports_instruct=False,
+            languages=["zh", "en", "ja", "ko", "de", "fr", "ru", "pt", "es", "it"],
+        ),
+    ]
+
+
+def _get_non_qwen_tts_configs() -> list[ModelConfig]:
+    """Return model configs for non-Qwen TTS engines.
+
+    These are static — no backend-type branching needed.
+    """
+    return [
+        ModelConfig(
+            model_name="luxtts",
+            display_name="LuxTTS (Fast, CPU-friendly)",
+            engine="luxtts",
+            hf_repo_id="YatharthS/LuxTTS",
+            size_mb=300,
+            languages=["en"],
+        ),
+        ModelConfig(
+            model_name="chatterbox-tts",
+            display_name="Chatterbox TTS (Multilingual)",
+            engine="chatterbox",
+            hf_repo_id="ResembleAI/chatterbox",
+            size_mb=3200,
+            needs_trim=True,
+            languages=[
+                "zh",
+                "en",
+                "ja",
+                "ko",
+                "de",
+                "fr",
+                "ru",
+                "pt",
+                "es",
+                "it",
+                "he",
+                "ar",
+                "da",
+                "el",
+                "fi",
+                "hi",
+                "ms",
+                "nl",
+                "no",
+                "pl",
+                "sv",
+                "sw",
+                "tr",
+            ],
+        ),
+        ModelConfig(
+            model_name="chatterbox-turbo",
+            display_name="Chatterbox Turbo (English, Tags)",
+            engine="chatterbox_turbo",
+            hf_repo_id="ResembleAI/chatterbox-turbo",
+            size_mb=1500,
+            needs_trim=True,
+            languages=["en"],
+        ),
+    ]
+
+
+def _get_whisper_configs() -> list[ModelConfig]:
+    """Return Whisper STT model configs."""
+    return [
+        ModelConfig(
+            model_name="whisper-base",
+            display_name="Whisper Base",
+            engine="whisper",
+            hf_repo_id="openai/whisper-base",
+            model_size="base",
+        ),
+        ModelConfig(
+            model_name="whisper-small",
+            display_name="Whisper Small",
+            engine="whisper",
+            hf_repo_id="openai/whisper-small",
+            model_size="small",
+        ),
+        ModelConfig(
+            model_name="whisper-medium",
+            display_name="Whisper Medium",
+            engine="whisper",
+            hf_repo_id="openai/whisper-medium",
+            model_size="medium",
+        ),
+        ModelConfig(
+            model_name="whisper-large",
+            display_name="Whisper Large",
+            engine="whisper",
+            hf_repo_id="openai/whisper-large-v3",
+            model_size="large",
+        ),
+        ModelConfig(
+            model_name="whisper-turbo",
+            display_name="Whisper Turbo",
+            engine="whisper",
+            hf_repo_id="openai/whisper-large-v3-turbo",
+            model_size="turbo",
+        ),
+    ]
+
+
+def get_all_model_configs() -> list[ModelConfig]:
+    """Return the full list of model configs (TTS + STT)."""
+    return _get_qwen_model_configs() + _get_non_qwen_tts_configs() + _get_whisper_configs()
+
+
+def get_tts_model_configs() -> list[ModelConfig]:
+    """Return only TTS model configs."""
+    return _get_qwen_model_configs() + _get_non_qwen_tts_configs()
+
+
+# Lookup helpers — these replace the if/elif chains in main.py
+
+
+def get_model_config(model_name: str) -> Optional[ModelConfig]:
+    """Look up a model config by model_name."""
+    for cfg in get_all_model_configs():
+        if cfg.model_name == model_name:
+            return cfg
+    return None
+
+
+def engine_needs_trim(engine: str) -> bool:
+    """Whether this engine's output should be run through trim_tts_output."""
+    for cfg in get_tts_model_configs():
+        if cfg.engine == engine:
+            return cfg.needs_trim
+    return False
+
+
+def engine_has_model_sizes(engine: str) -> bool:
+    """Whether this engine supports multiple model sizes (only Qwen currently)."""
+    configs = [c for c in get_tts_model_configs() if c.engine == engine]
+    return len(configs) > 1
+
+
+async def load_engine_model(engine: str, model_size: str = "default") -> None:
+    """Load a model for the given engine, handling the Qwen model_size special case."""
+    backend = get_tts_backend_for_engine(engine)
+    if engine == "qwen":
+        await backend.load_model_async(model_size)
+    else:
+        await backend.load_model()
+
+
+async def ensure_model_cached_or_raise(engine: str, model_size: str = "default") -> None:
+    """Check if a model is cached, raise HTTPException if not. Used by streaming endpoint."""
+    from fastapi import HTTPException
+
+    backend = get_tts_backend_for_engine(engine)
+    cfg = None
+    for c in get_tts_model_configs():
+        if c.engine == engine and c.model_size == model_size:
+            cfg = c
+            break
+
+    if engine == "qwen":
+        if not backend._is_model_cached(model_size):
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=400,
+                detail=f"Model {model_size} is not downloaded yet. Use /generate to trigger a download.",
+            )
+    else:
+        if not backend._is_model_cached():
+            display = cfg.display_name if cfg else engine
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=400,
+                detail=f"{display} model is not downloaded yet. Use /generate to trigger a download.",
+            )
+
+
+def unload_model_by_config(config: ModelConfig) -> bool:
+    """Unload a model given its config. Returns True if it was loaded, False otherwise."""
+    from . import get_tts_backend_for_engine
+    from ..services import tts, transcribe
+
+    if config.engine == "whisper":
+        whisper_model = transcribe.get_whisper_model()
+        if whisper_model.is_loaded() and whisper_model.model_size == config.model_size:
+            transcribe.unload_whisper_model()
+            return True
+        return False
+
+    if config.engine == "qwen":
+        tts_model = tts.get_tts_model()
+        loaded_size = getattr(tts_model, "_current_model_size", None) or getattr(tts_model, "model_size", None)
+        if tts_model.is_loaded() and loaded_size == config.model_size:
+            tts.unload_tts_model()
+            return True
+        return False
+
+    # All other TTS engines
+    backend = get_tts_backend_for_engine(config.engine)
+    if backend.is_loaded():
+        backend.unload_model()
+        return True
+    return False
+
+
+def check_model_loaded(config: ModelConfig) -> bool:
+    """Check if a model is currently loaded."""
+    from . import get_tts_backend_for_engine
+    from ..services import tts, transcribe
+
+    try:
+        if config.engine == "whisper":
+            whisper_model = transcribe.get_whisper_model()
+            return whisper_model.is_loaded() and getattr(whisper_model, "model_size", None) == config.model_size
+
+        if config.engine == "qwen":
+            tts_model = tts.get_tts_model()
+            loaded_size = getattr(tts_model, "_current_model_size", None) or getattr(tts_model, "model_size", None)
+            return tts_model.is_loaded() and loaded_size == config.model_size
+
+        backend = get_tts_backend_for_engine(config.engine)
+        return backend.is_loaded()
+    except Exception:
+        return False
+
+
+def get_model_load_func(config: ModelConfig):
+    """Return a callable that loads/downloads the model."""
+    from . import get_tts_backend_for_engine
+    from ..services import tts, transcribe
+
+    if config.engine == "whisper":
+        return lambda: transcribe.get_whisper_model().load_model(config.model_size)
+
+    if config.engine == "qwen":
+        return lambda: tts.get_tts_model().load_model(config.model_size)
+
+    return lambda: get_tts_backend_for_engine(config.engine).load_model()
+
 
 def get_tts_backend() -> TTSBackend:
     """
-    Get or create TTS backend instance based on platform.
-    
+    Get or create the default (Qwen) TTS backend instance based on platform.
+
     Returns:
         TTS backend instance (MLX or PyTorch)
     """
-    global _tts_backend
-    
-    if _tts_backend is None:
-        backend_type = get_backend_type()
-        
-        if backend_type == "mlx":
-            from .mlx_backend import MLXTTSBackend
-            _tts_backend = MLXTTSBackend()
+    return get_tts_backend_for_engine("qwen")
+
+
+def get_tts_backend_for_engine(engine: str) -> TTSBackend:
+    """
+    Get or create a TTS backend for the given engine.
+
+    Args:
+        engine: Engine name (e.g. "qwen", "luxtts", "chatterbox", "chatterbox_turbo")
+
+    Returns:
+        TTS backend instance
+    """
+    global _tts_backends
+
+    # Fast path: check without lock
+    if engine in _tts_backends:
+        return _tts_backends[engine]
+
+    # Slow path: create with lock to avoid duplicate instantiation
+    with _tts_backends_lock:
+        # Double-check after acquiring lock
+        if engine in _tts_backends:
+            return _tts_backends[engine]
+
+        if engine == "qwen":
+            backend_type = get_backend_type()
+            if backend_type == "mlx":
+                from .mlx_backend import MLXTTSBackend
+
+                backend = MLXTTSBackend()
+            else:
+                from .pytorch_backend import PyTorchTTSBackend
+
+                backend = PyTorchTTSBackend()
+        elif engine == "luxtts":
+            from .luxtts_backend import LuxTTSBackend
+
+            backend = LuxTTSBackend()
+        elif engine == "chatterbox":
+            from .chatterbox_backend import ChatterboxTTSBackend
+
+            backend = ChatterboxTTSBackend()
+        elif engine == "chatterbox_turbo":
+            from .chatterbox_turbo_backend import ChatterboxTurboTTSBackend
+
+            backend = ChatterboxTurboTTSBackend()
         else:
-            from .pytorch_backend import PyTorchTTSBackend
-            _tts_backend = PyTorchTTSBackend()
-    
-    return _tts_backend
+            raise ValueError(f"Unknown TTS engine: {engine}. Supported: {list(TTS_ENGINES.keys())}")
+
+        _tts_backends[engine] = backend
+        return backend
 
 
 def get_stt_backend() -> STTBackend:
     """
     Get or create STT backend instance based on platform.
-    
+
     Returns:
         STT backend instance (MLX or PyTorch)
     """
     global _stt_backend
-    
+
     if _stt_backend is None:
         backend_type = get_backend_type()
-        
+
         if backend_type == "mlx":
             from .mlx_backend import MLXSTTBackend
+
             _stt_backend = MLXSTTBackend()
         else:
             from .pytorch_backend import PyTorchSTTBackend
+
             _stt_backend = PyTorchSTTBackend()
-    
+
     return _stt_backend
 
 
 def reset_backends():
     """Reset backend instances (useful for testing)."""
-    global _tts_backend, _stt_backend
+    global _tts_backend, _tts_backends, _stt_backend
     _tts_backend = None
+    _tts_backends.clear()
     _stt_backend = None

backend/backends/base.py

@@ -0,0 +1,258 @@
+"""
+Shared utilities for TTS/STT backend implementations.
+
+Eliminates duplication of cache checking, device detection,
+voice prompt combination, and model loading progress tracking.
+"""
+
+import logging
+import platform
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Callable, List, Optional, Tuple
+
+import numpy as np
+
+from ..utils.audio import normalize_audio, load_audio
+from ..utils.progress import get_progress_manager
+from ..utils.hf_progress import HFProgressTracker, create_hf_progress_callback
+from ..utils.tasks import get_task_manager
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def is_model_cached(
+    hf_repo: str,
+    *,
+    weight_extensions: tuple[str, ...] = (".safetensors", ".bin"),
+    required_files: Optional[list[str]] = None,
+) -> bool:
+    """
+    Check if a HuggingFace model is fully cached locally.
+
+    Args:
+        hf_repo: HuggingFace repo ID (e.g. "Qwen/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base")
+        weight_extensions: File extensions that count as model weights.
+        required_files: If set, check that these specific filenames exist
+                        in snapshots instead of checking by extension.
+
+    Returns:
+        True if model is fully cached, False if missing or incomplete.
+    """
+    try:
+        from huggingface_hub import constants as hf_constants
+
+        repo_cache = Path(hf_constants.HF_HUB_CACHE) / ("models--" + hf_repo.replace("/", "--"))
+
+        if not repo_cache.exists():
+            return False
+
+        # Incomplete blobs mean a download is still in progress
+        blobs_dir = repo_cache / "blobs"
+        if blobs_dir.exists() and any(blobs_dir.glob("*.incomplete")):
+            logger.debug(f"Found .incomplete files for {hf_repo}")
+            return False
+
+        snapshots_dir = repo_cache / "snapshots"
+        if not snapshots_dir.exists():
+            return False
+
+        if required_files:
+            # Check that every required filename exists somewhere in snapshots
+            for fname in required_files:
+                if not any(snapshots_dir.rglob(fname)):
+                    return False
+            return True
+
+        # Check that at least one weight file exists
+        for ext in weight_extensions:
+            if any(snapshots_dir.rglob(f"*{ext}")):
+                return True
+
+        logger.debug(f"No model weights found for {hf_repo}")
+        return False
+
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.warning(f"Error checking cache for {hf_repo}: {e}")
+        return False
+
+
+def get_torch_device(
+    *,
+    allow_xpu: bool = False,
+    allow_directml: bool = False,
+    allow_mps: bool = False,
+    force_cpu_on_mac: bool = False,
+) -> str:
+    """
+    Detect the best available torch device.
+
+    Args:
+        allow_xpu: Check for Intel XPU (IPEX) support.
+        allow_directml: Check for DirectML (Windows) support.
+        allow_mps: Allow MPS (Apple Silicon). If False, MPS falls back to CPU.
+        force_cpu_on_mac: Force CPU on macOS regardless of GPU availability.
+    """
+    if force_cpu_on_mac and platform.system() == "Darwin":
+        return "cpu"
+
+    import torch
+
+    if torch.cuda.is_available():
+        return "cuda"
+
+    if allow_xpu:
+        try:
+            import intel_extension_for_pytorch  # noqa: F401
+
+            if hasattr(torch, "xpu") and torch.xpu.is_available():
+                return "xpu"
+        except ImportError:
+            pass
+
+    if allow_directml:
+        try:
+            import torch_directml
+
+            if torch_directml.device_count() > 0:
+                return torch_directml.device(0)
+        except ImportError:
+            pass
+
+    if allow_mps:
+        if hasattr(torch.backends, "mps") and torch.backends.mps.is_available():
+            return "mps"
+
+    return "cpu"
+
+
+async def combine_voice_prompts(
+    audio_paths: List[str],
+    reference_texts: List[str],
+    *,
+    sample_rate: Optional[int] = None,
+) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, str]:
+    """
+    Combine multiple reference audio samples into one.
+
+    Loads each audio file, normalizes, concatenates, and joins texts.
+
+    Args:
+        audio_paths: Paths to reference audio files.
+        reference_texts: Corresponding transcripts.
+        sample_rate: If set, resample audio to this rate during loading.
+    """
+    combined_audio = []
+
+    for path in audio_paths:
+        kwargs = {"sample_rate": sample_rate} if sample_rate else {}
+        audio, _sr = load_audio(path, **kwargs)
+        audio = normalize_audio(audio)
+        combined_audio.append(audio)
+
+    mixed = np.concatenate(combined_audio)
+    mixed = normalize_audio(mixed)
+    combined_text = " ".join(reference_texts)
+
+    return mixed, combined_text
+
+
+@contextmanager
+def model_load_progress(
+    model_name: str,
+    is_cached: bool,
+    filter_non_downloads: Optional[bool] = None,
+):
+    """
+    Context manager for model loading with HF download progress tracking.
+
+    Handles the tqdm patching, progress_manager/task_manager lifecycle,
+    and error reporting that every backend duplicates.
+
+    Args:
+        model_name: Progress tracking key (e.g. "qwen-tts-1.7B", "whisper-base").
+        is_cached: Whether the model is already downloaded.
+        filter_non_downloads: Whether to filter non-download tqdm bars.
+                              Defaults to `is_cached`.
+
+    Yields:
+        The tracker context (already entered). The caller loads the model
+        inside the `with` block. The tqdm patch is torn down on exit.
+
+    Usage:
+        with model_load_progress("qwen-tts-1.7B", is_cached) as ctx:
+            self.model = SomeModel.from_pretrained(...)
+    """
+    if filter_non_downloads is None:
+        filter_non_downloads = is_cached
+
+    progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
+    task_manager = get_task_manager()
+
+    progress_callback = create_hf_progress_callback(model_name, progress_manager)
+    tracker = HFProgressTracker(progress_callback, filter_non_downloads=filter_non_downloads)
+
+    tracker_context = tracker.patch_download()
+    tracker_context.__enter__()
+
+    if not is_cached:
+        task_manager.start_download(model_name)
+        progress_manager.update_progress(
+            model_name=model_name,
+            current=0,
+            total=0,
+            filename="Connecting to HuggingFace...",
+            status="downloading",
+        )
+
+    try:
+        yield tracker_context
+    except Exception as e:
+        # Report error to both managers
+        progress_manager.mark_error(model_name, str(e))
+        task_manager.error_download(model_name, str(e))
+        raise
+    else:
+        # Only mark complete if we were tracking a download
+        if not is_cached:
+            progress_manager.mark_complete(model_name)
+            task_manager.complete_download(model_name)
+    finally:
+        tracker_context.__exit__(None, None, None)
+
+
+def patch_chatterbox_f32(model) -> None:
+    """
+    Patch float64 -> float32 dtype mismatches in upstream chatterbox.
+
+    librosa.load returns float64 numpy arrays. Multiple upstream code paths
+    convert these to torch tensors via torch.from_numpy() without casting,
+    then matmul against float32 model weights. This patches the two known
+    entry points:
+
+    1. S3Tokenizer.log_mel_spectrogram — audio tensor hits _mel_filters (f32)
+    2. VoiceEncoder.forward — float64 mel spectrograms hit LSTM weights (f32)
+    """
+    import types
+
+    # Patch S3Tokenizer
+    _tokzr = model.s3gen.tokenizer
+    _orig_log_mel = _tokzr.log_mel_spectrogram.__func__
+
+    def _f32_log_mel(self_tokzr, audio, padding=0):
+        import torch as _torch
+
+        if _torch.is_tensor(audio):
+            audio = audio.float()
+        return _orig_log_mel(self_tokzr, audio, padding)
+
+    _tokzr.log_mel_spectrogram = types.MethodType(_f32_log_mel, _tokzr)
+
+    # Patch VoiceEncoder
+    _ve = model.ve
+    _orig_ve_forward = _ve.forward.__func__
+
+    def _f32_ve_forward(self_ve, mels):
+        return _orig_ve_forward(self_ve, mels.float())
+
+    _ve.forward = types.MethodType(_f32_ve_forward, _ve)

backend/backends/chatterbox_backend.py

@@ -0,0 +1,230 @@
+"""
+Chatterbox TTS backend implementation.
+
+Wraps ChatterboxMultilingualTTS from chatterbox-tts for zero-shot
+voice cloning. Supports 23 languages including Hebrew. Forces CPU
+on macOS due to known MPS tensor issues.
+"""
+
+import asyncio
+import logging
+import threading
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import ClassVar, List, Optional, Tuple
+
+import numpy as np
+
+from . import TTSBackend
+from .base import (
+    is_model_cached,
+    get_torch_device,
+    combine_voice_prompts as _combine_voice_prompts,
+    model_load_progress,
+    patch_chatterbox_f32,
+)
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+CHATTERBOX_HF_REPO = "ResembleAI/chatterbox"
+
+# Files that must be present for the multilingual model
+_MTL_WEIGHT_FILES = [
+    "t3_mtl23ls_v2.safetensors",
+    "s3gen.pt",
+    "ve.pt",
+]
+
+
+class ChatterboxTTSBackend:
+    """Chatterbox Multilingual TTS backend for voice cloning."""
+
+    # Class-level lock for torch.load monkey-patching
+    _load_lock: ClassVar[threading.Lock] = threading.Lock()
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.model = None
+        self.model_size = "default"
+        self._device = None
+        self._model_load_lock = asyncio.Lock()
+
+    def _get_device(self) -> str:
+        return get_torch_device(force_cpu_on_mac=True)
+
+    def is_loaded(self) -> bool:
+        return self.model is not None
+
+    def _get_model_path(self, model_size: str = "default") -> str:
+        return CHATTERBOX_HF_REPO
+
+    def _is_model_cached(self, model_size: str = "default") -> bool:
+        return is_model_cached(CHATTERBOX_HF_REPO, required_files=_MTL_WEIGHT_FILES)
+
+    async def load_model(self, model_size: str = "default") -> None:
+        """Load the Chatterbox multilingual model."""
+        if self.model is not None:
+            return
+        async with self._model_load_lock:
+            if self.model is not None:
+                return
+            await asyncio.to_thread(self._load_model_sync)
+
+    def _load_model_sync(self):
+        """Synchronous model loading."""
+        model_name = "chatterbox-tts"
+        is_cached = self._is_model_cached()
+
+        with model_load_progress(model_name, is_cached):
+            device = self._get_device()
+            self._device = device
+            logger.info(f"Loading Chatterbox Multilingual TTS on {device}...")
+
+            import torch
+            from chatterbox.mtl_tts import ChatterboxMultilingualTTS
+
+            if device == "cpu":
+                _orig_torch_load = torch.load
+
+                def _patched_load(*args, **kwargs):
+                    kwargs.setdefault("map_location", "cpu")
+                    return _orig_torch_load(*args, **kwargs)
+
+                with ChatterboxTTSBackend._load_lock:
+                    torch.load = _patched_load
+                    try:
+                        model = ChatterboxMultilingualTTS.from_pretrained(device=device)
+                    finally:
+                        torch.load = _orig_torch_load
+            else:
+                model = ChatterboxMultilingualTTS.from_pretrained(device=device)
+
+            # Fix sdpa attention for output_attentions support
+            t3_tfmr = model.t3.tfmr
+            if hasattr(t3_tfmr, "config") and hasattr(t3_tfmr.config, "_attn_implementation"):
+                t3_tfmr.config._attn_implementation = "eager"
+                for layer in getattr(t3_tfmr, "layers", []):
+                    if hasattr(layer, "self_attn"):
+                        layer.self_attn._attn_implementation = "eager"
+
+            patch_chatterbox_f32(model)
+            self.model = model
+
+        logger.info("Chatterbox Multilingual TTS loaded successfully")
+
+    def unload_model(self) -> None:
+        """Unload model to free memory."""
+        if self.model is not None:
+            device = self._device
+            del self.model
+            self.model = None
+            self._device = None
+            if device == "cuda":
+                import torch
+
+                torch.cuda.empty_cache()
+            logger.info("Chatterbox unloaded")
+
+    async def create_voice_prompt(
+        self,
+        audio_path: str,
+        reference_text: str,
+        use_cache: bool = True,
+    ) -> Tuple[dict, bool]:
+        """
+        Create voice prompt from reference audio.
+
+        Chatterbox processes reference audio at generation time, so the
+        prompt just stores the file path. The actual audio is loaded by
+        model.generate() via audio_prompt_path.
+        """
+        voice_prompt = {
+            "ref_audio": str(audio_path),
+            "ref_text": reference_text,
+        }
+        return voice_prompt, False
+
+    async def combine_voice_prompts(
+        self,
+        audio_paths: List[str],
+        reference_texts: List[str],
+    ) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, str]:
+        return await _combine_voice_prompts(audio_paths, reference_texts)
+
+    # Per-language generation defaults. Lower temp + higher cfg = clearer speech.
+    _LANG_DEFAULTS: ClassVar[dict] = {
+        "he": {
+            "exaggeration": 0.4,
+            "cfg_weight": 0.7,
+            "temperature": 0.65,
+            "repetition_penalty": 2.5,
+        },
+    }
+    _GLOBAL_DEFAULTS: ClassVar[dict] = {
+        "exaggeration": 0.5,
+        "cfg_weight": 0.5,
+        "temperature": 0.8,
+        "repetition_penalty": 2.0,
+    }
+
+    async def generate(
+        self,
+        text: str,
+        voice_prompt: dict,
+        language: str = "en",
+        seed: Optional[int] = None,
+        instruct: Optional[str] = None,
+    ) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, int]:
+        """
+        Generate audio using Chatterbox Multilingual TTS.
+
+        Args:
+            text: Text to synthesize
+            voice_prompt: Dict with ref_audio path
+            language: BCP-47 language code
+            seed: Random seed for reproducibility
+            instruct: Unused (protocol compatibility)
+
+        Returns:
+            Tuple of (audio_array, sample_rate)
+        """
+        await self.load_model()
+
+        ref_audio = voice_prompt.get("ref_audio")
+        if ref_audio and not Path(ref_audio).exists():
+            logger.warning(f"Reference audio not found: {ref_audio}")
+            ref_audio = None
+
+        # Merge language-specific defaults with global defaults
+        lang_defaults = self._LANG_DEFAULTS.get(language, self._GLOBAL_DEFAULTS)
+
+        def _generate_sync():
+            import torch
+
+            if seed is not None:
+                torch.manual_seed(seed)
+
+            logger.info(f"[Chatterbox] Generating: lang={language}")
+
+            wav = self.model.generate(
+                text,
+                language_id=language,
+                audio_prompt_path=ref_audio,
+                exaggeration=lang_defaults["exaggeration"],
+                cfg_weight=lang_defaults["cfg_weight"],
+                temperature=lang_defaults["temperature"],
+                repetition_penalty=lang_defaults["repetition_penalty"],
+            )
+
+            # Convert tensor -> numpy
+            if isinstance(wav, torch.Tensor):
+                audio = wav.squeeze().cpu().numpy().astype(np.float32)
+            else:
+                audio = np.asarray(wav, dtype=np.float32)
+
+            sample_rate = (
+                getattr(self.model, "sr", None)
+                or getattr(self.model, "sample_rate", 24000)
+            )
+
+            return audio, sample_rate
+
+        return await asyncio.to_thread(_generate_sync)

backend/backends/chatterbox_turbo_backend.py

@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+"""
+Chatterbox Turbo TTS backend implementation.
+
+Wraps ChatterboxTurboTTS from chatterbox-tts for fast, English-only
+voice cloning with paralinguistic tag support ([laugh], [cough], etc.).
+Forces CPU on macOS due to known MPS tensor issues.
+"""
+
+import asyncio
+import logging
+import threading
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import ClassVar, List, Optional, Tuple
+
+import numpy as np
+
+from . import TTSBackend
+from .base import (
+    is_model_cached,
+    get_torch_device,
+    combine_voice_prompts as _combine_voice_prompts,
+    model_load_progress,
+    patch_chatterbox_f32,
+)
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+CHATTERBOX_TURBO_HF_REPO = "ResembleAI/chatterbox-turbo"
+
+# Files that must be present for the turbo model
+_TURBO_WEIGHT_FILES = [
+    "t3_turbo_v1.safetensors",
+    "s3gen_meanflow.safetensors",
+    "ve.safetensors",
+]
+
+
+class ChatterboxTurboTTSBackend:
+    """Chatterbox Turbo TTS backend — fast, English-only, with paralinguistic tags."""
+
+    # Class-level lock for torch.load monkey-patching
+    _load_lock: ClassVar[threading.Lock] = threading.Lock()
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.model = None
+        self.model_size = "default"
+        self._device = None
+        self._model_load_lock = asyncio.Lock()
+
+    def _get_device(self) -> str:
+        return get_torch_device(force_cpu_on_mac=True)
+
+    def is_loaded(self) -> bool:
+        return self.model is not None
+
+    def _get_model_path(self, model_size: str = "default") -> str:
+        return CHATTERBOX_TURBO_HF_REPO
+
+    def _is_model_cached(self, model_size: str = "default") -> bool:
+        return is_model_cached(CHATTERBOX_TURBO_HF_REPO, required_files=_TURBO_WEIGHT_FILES)
+
+    async def load_model(self, model_size: str = "default") -> None:
+        """Load the Chatterbox Turbo model."""
+        if self.model is not None:
+            return
+        async with self._model_load_lock:
+            if self.model is not None:
+                return
+            await asyncio.to_thread(self._load_model_sync)
+
+    def _load_model_sync(self):
+        """Synchronous model loading."""
+        model_name = "chatterbox-turbo"
+        is_cached = self._is_model_cached()
+
+        with model_load_progress(model_name, is_cached):
+            device = self._get_device()
+            self._device = device
+            logger.info(f"Loading Chatterbox Turbo TTS on {device}...")
+
+            import torch
+            from huggingface_hub import snapshot_download
+            from chatterbox.tts_turbo import ChatterboxTurboTTS
+
+            local_path = snapshot_download(
+                repo_id=CHATTERBOX_TURBO_HF_REPO,
+                token=None,
+                allow_patterns=["*.safetensors", "*.json", "*.txt", "*.pt", "*.model"],
+            )
+
+            if device == "cpu":
+                _orig_torch_load = torch.load
+
+                def _patched_load(*args, **kwargs):
+                    kwargs.setdefault("map_location", "cpu")
+                    return _orig_torch_load(*args, **kwargs)
+
+                with ChatterboxTurboTTSBackend._load_lock:
+                    torch.load = _patched_load
+                    try:
+                        model = ChatterboxTurboTTS.from_local(local_path, device)
+                    finally:
+                        torch.load = _orig_torch_load
+            else:
+                model = ChatterboxTurboTTS.from_local(local_path, device)
+
+            patch_chatterbox_f32(model)
+            self.model = model
+
+        logger.info("Chatterbox Turbo TTS loaded successfully")
+
+    def unload_model(self) -> None:
+        """Unload model to free memory."""
+        if self.model is not None:
+            device = self._device
+            del self.model
+            self.model = None
+            self._device = None
+            if device == "cuda":
+                import torch
+
+                torch.cuda.empty_cache()
+            logger.info("Chatterbox Turbo unloaded")
+
+    async def create_voice_prompt(
+        self,
+        audio_path: str,
+        reference_text: str,
+        use_cache: bool = True,
+    ) -> Tuple[dict, bool]:
+        """
+        Create voice prompt from reference audio.
+
+        Chatterbox Turbo processes reference audio at generation time, so the
+        prompt just stores the file path.
+        """
+        voice_prompt = {
+            "ref_audio": str(audio_path),
+            "ref_text": reference_text,
+        }
+        return voice_prompt, False
+
+    async def combine_voice_prompts(
+        self,
+        audio_paths: List[str],
+        reference_texts: List[str],
+    ) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, str]:
+        return await _combine_voice_prompts(audio_paths, reference_texts)
+
+    async def generate(
+        self,
+        text: str,
+        voice_prompt: dict,
+        language: str = "en",
+        seed: Optional[int] = None,
+        instruct: Optional[str] = None,
+    ) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, int]:
+        """
+        Generate audio using Chatterbox Turbo TTS.
+
+        Supports paralinguistic tags in text: [laugh], [cough], [chuckle], etc.
+
+        Args:
+            text: Text to synthesize (may include paralinguistic tags)
+            voice_prompt: Dict with ref_audio path
+            language: Ignored (Turbo is English-only)
+            seed: Random seed for reproducibility
+            instruct: Unused (protocol compatibility)
+
+        Returns:
+            Tuple of (audio_array, sample_rate)
+        """
+        await self.load_model()
+
+        ref_audio = voice_prompt.get("ref_audio")
+        if ref_audio and not Path(ref_audio).exists():
+            logger.warning(f"Reference audio not found: {ref_audio}")
+            ref_audio = None
+
+        def _generate_sync():
+            import torch
+
+            if seed is not None:
+                torch.manual_seed(seed)
+
+            logger.info("[Chatterbox Turbo] Generating (English)")
+
+            wav = self.model.generate(
+                text,
+                audio_prompt_path=ref_audio,
+                temperature=0.8,
+                top_k=1000,
+                top_p=0.95,
+                repetition_penalty=1.2,
+            )
+
+            # Convert tensor -> numpy
+            if isinstance(wav, torch.Tensor):
+                audio = wav.squeeze().cpu().numpy().astype(np.float32)
+            else:
+                audio = np.asarray(wav, dtype=np.float32)
+
+            sample_rate = (
+                getattr(self.model, "sr", None)
+                or getattr(self.model, "sample_rate", 24000)
+            )
+
+            return audio, sample_rate
+
+        return await asyncio.to_thread(_generate_sync)

backend/backends/luxtts_backend.py

@@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
+"""
+LuxTTS backend implementation.
+
+Wraps the LuxTTS (ZipVoice) model for zero-shot voice cloning.
+~1GB VRAM, 48kHz output, 150x realtime on CPU.
+"""
+
+import asyncio
+import logging
+from typing import Optional, Tuple
+
+import numpy as np
+
+from . import TTSBackend
+from .base import is_model_cached, get_torch_device, combine_voice_prompts as _combine_voice_prompts, model_load_progress
+from ..utils.cache import get_cache_key, get_cached_voice_prompt, cache_voice_prompt
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+# HuggingFace repo for model weight detection
+LUXTTS_HF_REPO = "YatharthS/LuxTTS"
+
+
+class LuxTTSBackend:
+    """LuxTTS backend for zero-shot voice cloning."""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.model = None
+        self.model_size = "default"  # LuxTTS has only one model size
+        self._device = None
+
+    def _get_device(self) -> str:
+        return get_torch_device(allow_mps=True)
+
+    def is_loaded(self) -> bool:
+        return self.model is not None
+
+    @property
+    def device(self) -> str:
+        if self._device is None:
+            self._device = self._get_device()
+        return self._device
+
+    def _get_model_path(self, model_size: str) -> str:
+        return LUXTTS_HF_REPO
+
+    def _is_model_cached(self, model_size: str = "default") -> bool:
+        return is_model_cached(
+            LUXTTS_HF_REPO,
+            weight_extensions=(".pt", ".safetensors", ".onnx", ".bin"),
+        )
+
+    async def load_model(self, model_size: str = "default") -> None:
+        """Load the LuxTTS model."""
+        if self.model is not None:
+            return
+
+        await asyncio.to_thread(self._load_model_sync)
+
+    def _load_model_sync(self):
+        model_name = "luxtts"
+        is_cached = self._is_model_cached()
+
+        with model_load_progress(model_name, is_cached):
+            from zipvoice.luxvoice import LuxTTS
+
+            device = self.device
+            logger.info(f"Loading LuxTTS on {device}...")
+
+            if device == "cpu":
+                import os
+                threads = os.cpu_count() or 4
+                self.model = LuxTTS(
+                    model_path=LUXTTS_HF_REPO, device="cpu", threads=min(threads, 8),
+                )
+            else:
+                self.model = LuxTTS(model_path=LUXTTS_HF_REPO, device=device)
+
+        logger.info("LuxTTS loaded successfully")
+
+    def unload_model(self) -> None:
+        """Unload model to free memory."""
+        if self.model is not None:
+            del self.model
+            self.model = None
+
+            import torch
+            if torch.cuda.is_available():
+                torch.cuda.empty_cache()
+
+            logger.info("LuxTTS unloaded")
+
+    async def create_voice_prompt(
+        self,
+        audio_path: str,
+        reference_text: str,
+        use_cache: bool = True,
+    ) -> Tuple[dict, bool]:
+        """
+        Create voice prompt from reference audio.
+
+        LuxTTS uses its own encode_prompt() which runs Whisper ASR internally
+        to transcribe the reference. The reference_text parameter is not used
+        by LuxTTS itself, but we include it in the cache key for consistency.
+        """
+        await self.load_model()
+
+        # Compute cache key once for both lookup and storage
+        cache_key = ("luxtts_" + get_cache_key(audio_path, reference_text)) if use_cache else None
+
+        if cache_key:
+            cached = get_cached_voice_prompt(cache_key)
+            if cached is not None and isinstance(cached, dict):
+                return cached, True
+
+        def _encode_sync():
+            return self.model.encode_prompt(
+                prompt_audio=str(audio_path),
+                duration=5,
+                rms=0.01,
+            )
+
+        encoded = await asyncio.to_thread(_encode_sync)
+
+        if cache_key:
+            cache_voice_prompt(cache_key, encoded)
+
+        return encoded, False
+
+    async def combine_voice_prompts(self, audio_paths, reference_texts):
+        return await _combine_voice_prompts(audio_paths, reference_texts, sample_rate=24000)
+
+    async def generate(
+        self,
+        text: str,
+        voice_prompt: dict,
+        language: str = "en",
+        seed: Optional[int] = None,
+        instruct: Optional[str] = None,
+    ) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, int]:
+        """
+        Generate audio from text using LuxTTS.
+
+        Args:
+            text: Text to synthesize
+            voice_prompt: Encoded prompt dict from encode_prompt()
+            language: Language code (LuxTTS is English-focused)
+            seed: Random seed for reproducibility
+            instruct: Not supported by LuxTTS (ignored)
+
+        Returns:
+            Tuple of (audio_array, sample_rate)
+        """
+        await self.load_model()
+
+        def _generate_sync():
+            import torch
+
+            if seed is not None:
+                torch.manual_seed(seed)
+                if torch.cuda.is_available():
+                    torch.cuda.manual_seed(seed)
+
+            wav = self.model.generate_speech(
+                text=text,
+                encode_dict=voice_prompt,
+                num_steps=4,
+                guidance_scale=3.0,
+                t_shift=0.5,
+                speed=1.0,
+                return_smooth=False,  # 48kHz output
+            )
+
+            # LuxTTS returns a tensor (may be on GPU/MPS), move to CPU first
+            audio = wav.detach().cpu().numpy().squeeze()
+            return audio, 48000
+
+        return await asyncio.to_thread(_generate_sync)

backend/backends/mlx_backend.py

@@ -4,36 +4,44 @@ MLX backend implementation for TTS and STT using mlx-audio.
 
 from typing import Optional, List, Tuple
 import asyncio
+import logging
 import numpy as np
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
-from . import TTSBackend, STTBackend
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+# PATCH: Import and apply offline patch BEFORE any huggingface_hub usage
+# This prevents mlx_audio from making network requests when models are cached
+from ..utils.hf_offline_patch import patch_huggingface_hub_offline, ensure_original_qwen_config_cached
+
+patch_huggingface_hub_offline()
+ensure_original_qwen_config_cached()
+
+from . import TTSBackend, STTBackend, LANGUAGE_CODE_TO_NAME, WHISPER_HF_REPOS
+from .base import is_model_cached, combine_voice_prompts as _combine_voice_prompts, model_load_progress
 from ..utils.cache import get_cache_key, get_cached_voice_prompt, cache_voice_prompt
-from ..utils.audio import normalize_audio, load_audio
-from ..utils.progress import get_progress_manager
-from ..utils.hf_progress import HFProgressTracker, create_hf_progress_callback
-from ..utils.tasks import get_task_manager
 
 
 class MLXTTSBackend:
     """MLX-based TTS backend using mlx-audio."""
-    
+
     def __init__(self, model_size: str = "1.7B"):
         self.model = None
         self.model_size = model_size
         self._current_model_size = None
-    
+
     def is_loaded(self) -> bool:
         """Check if model is loaded."""
         return self.model is not None
-    
+
     def _get_model_path(self, model_size: str) -> str:
         """
         Get the MLX model path.
-        
+
         Args:
             model_size: Model size (1.7B or 0.6B)
-            
+
         Returns:
             HuggingFace Hub model ID for MLX
         """
@@ -43,109 +51,90 @@ class MLXTTSBackend:
             # 0.6B not yet converted to MLX format
             "0.6B": "mlx-community/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base-bf16",  # Fallback to 1.7B
         }
-        
+
         if model_size not in mlx_model_map:
             raise ValueError(f"Unknown model size: {model_size}")
-        
+
         hf_model_id = mlx_model_map[model_size]
-        print(f"Will download MLX model from HuggingFace Hub: {hf_model_id}")
-        
+        logger.info("Will download MLX model from HuggingFace Hub: %s", hf_model_id)
+
         return hf_model_id
-    
+
+    def _is_model_cached(self, model_size: str) -> bool:
+        return is_model_cached(
+            self._get_model_path(model_size),
+            weight_extensions=(".safetensors", ".bin", ".npz"),
+        )
+
     async def load_model_async(self, model_size: Optional[str] = None):
         """
         Lazy load the MLX TTS model.
-        
+
         Args:
             model_size: Model size to load (1.7B or 0.6B)
         """
         if model_size is None:
             model_size = self.model_size
-            
+
         # If already loaded with correct size, return
         if self.model is not None and self._current_model_size == model_size:
             return
-        
+
         # Unload existing model if different size requested
         if self.model is not None and self._current_model_size != model_size:
             self.unload_model()
-        
+
         # Run blocking load in thread pool
         await asyncio.to_thread(self._load_model_sync, model_size)
-    
+
     # Alias for compatibility
     load_model = load_model_async
-    
+
     def _load_model_sync(self, model_size: str):
         """Synchronous model loading."""
+        model_path = self._get_model_path(model_size)
+        model_name = f"qwen-tts-{model_size}"
+        is_cached = self._is_model_cached(model_size)
+
+        # Force offline mode when cached to avoid network requests
+        original_hf_hub_offline = os.environ.get("HF_HUB_OFFLINE")
+        if is_cached:
+            os.environ["HF_HUB_OFFLINE"] = "1"
+            logger.info("[PATCH] Model %s is cached, forcing HF_HUB_OFFLINE=1 to avoid network requests", model_size)
+
         try:
-            from mlx_audio.tts import load
-            
-            # Get model path
-            model_path = self._get_model_path(model_size)
-            
-            # Set up progress tracking
-            progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
-            model_name = f"qwen-tts-{model_size}"
-            
-            # Start tracking download task
-            task_manager = get_task_manager()
-            task_manager.start_download(model_name)
-            
-            print(f"Loading MLX TTS model {model_size}...")
-            
-            # Initialize progress state
-            progress_manager.update_progress(
-                model_name=model_name,
-                current=0,
-                total=1,
-                filename="",
-                status="downloading",
-            )
-            
-            # Set up progress callback
-            progress_callback = create_hf_progress_callback(model_name, progress_manager)
-            tracker = HFProgressTracker(progress_callback)
-            
-            # Use progress tracker during download
-            with tracker.patch_download():
-                # Load MLX model (downloads automatically)
-                self.model = load(model_path)
-            
-            self._current_model_size = model_size
-            self.model_size = model_size
-            
-            # Mark as complete
-            progress_manager.mark_complete(model_name)
-            task_manager.complete_download(model_name)
-            
-            print(f"MLX TTS model {model_size} loaded successfully")
-            
-        except ImportError as e:
-            print(f"Error: mlx_audio package not found. Install with: pip install mlx-audio")
-            progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
-            task_manager = get_task_manager()
-            model_name = f"qwen-tts-{model_size}"
-            progress_manager.mark_error(model_name, str(e))
-            task_manager.error_download(model_name, str(e))
-            raise
-        except Exception as e:
-            print(f"Error loading MLX TTS model: {e}")
-            progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
-            task_manager = get_task_manager()
-            model_name = f"qwen-tts-{model_size}"
-            progress_manager.mark_error(model_name, str(e))
-            task_manager.error_download(model_name, str(e))
-            raise
-    
+            with model_load_progress(model_name, is_cached):
+                from mlx_audio.tts import load
+
+                logger.info("Loading MLX TTS model %s...", model_size)
+
+                try:
+                    self.model = load(model_path)
+                except Exception as load_error:
+                    if is_cached and "offline" in str(load_error).lower():
+                        logger.warning("[PATCH] Offline load failed, trying with network: %s", load_error)
+                        os.environ.pop("HF_HUB_OFFLINE", None)
+                        self.model = load(model_path)
+                    else:
+                        raise
+        finally:
+            if original_hf_hub_offline is not None:
+                os.environ["HF_HUB_OFFLINE"] = original_hf_hub_offline
+            else:
+                os.environ.pop("HF_HUB_OFFLINE", None)
+
+        self._current_model_size = model_size
+        self.model_size = model_size
+        logger.info("MLX TTS model %s loaded successfully", model_size)
+
     def unload_model(self):
         """Unload the model to free memory."""
         if self.model is not None:
             del self.model
             self.model = None
             self._current_model_size = None
-            print("MLX TTS model unloaded")
-    
+            logger.info("MLX TTS model unloaded")
+
     async def create_voice_prompt(
         self,
         audio_path: str,
@@ -154,20 +143,20 @@ class MLXTTSBackend:
     ) -> Tuple[dict, bool]:
         """
         Create voice prompt from reference audio.
-        
+
         MLX backend stores voice prompt as a dict with audio path and text.
         The actual voice prompt processing happens during generation.
-        
+
         Args:
             audio_path: Path to reference audio file
             reference_text: Transcript of reference audio
             use_cache: Whether to use cached prompt if available
-            
+
         Returns:
             Tuple of (voice_prompt_dict, was_cached)
         """
         await self.load_model_async(None)
-        
+
         # Check cache if enabled
         if use_cache:
             cache_key = get_cache_key(audio_path, reference_text)
@@ -181,53 +170,25 @@ class MLXTTSBackend:
                         return cached_prompt, True
                     else:
                         # Cached file no longer exists, invalidate cache
-                        print(f"Cached audio file not found: {cached_audio_path}, regenerating prompt")
-        
+                        logger.warning("Cached audio file not found: %s, regenerating prompt", cached_audio_path)
+
         # MLX voice prompt format - store audio path and text
         # The model will process this during generation
         voice_prompt_items = {
             "ref_audio": str(audio_path),
             "ref_text": reference_text,
         }
-        
+
         # Cache if enabled
         if use_cache:
             cache_key = get_cache_key(audio_path, reference_text)
             cache_voice_prompt(cache_key, voice_prompt_items)
-        
+
         return voice_prompt_items, False
-    
-    async def combine_voice_prompts(
-        self,
-        audio_paths: List[str],
-        reference_texts: List[str],
-    ) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, str]:
-        """
-        Combine multiple reference samples for better quality.
-        
-        Args:
-            audio_paths: List of audio file paths
-            reference_texts: List of reference texts
-            
-        Returns:
-            Tuple of (combined_audio, combined_text)
-        """
-        combined_audio = []
-        
-        for audio_path in audio_paths:
-            audio, sr = load_audio(audio_path)
-            audio = normalize_audio(audio)
-            combined_audio.append(audio)
-        
-        # Concatenate audio
-        mixed = np.concatenate(combined_audio)
-        mixed = normalize_audio(mixed)
-        
-        # Combine texts
-        combined_text = " ".join(reference_texts)
-        
-        return mixed, combined_text
-    
+
+    async def combine_voice_prompts(self, audio_paths, reference_texts):
+        return await _combine_voice_prompts(audio_paths, reference_texts)
+
     async def generate(
         self,
         text: str,
@@ -251,31 +212,33 @@ class MLXTTSBackend:
         """
         await self.load_model_async(None)
 
-        print(f"Generating audio for text: {text}")
+        logger.info("Generating audio for text: %s", text)
 
         def _generate_sync():
             """Run synchronous generation in thread pool."""
             # MLX generate() returns a generator yielding GenerationResult objects
             audio_chunks = []
             sample_rate = 24000
-            
+            lang = LANGUAGE_CODE_TO_NAME.get(language, "auto")
+
             # Set seed if provided (MLX uses numpy random)
             if seed is not None:
                 import mlx.core as mx
+
                 np.random.seed(seed)
                 mx.random.seed(seed)
-            
+
             # Extract voice prompt info
             ref_audio = voice_prompt.get("ref_audio") or voice_prompt.get("ref_audio_path")
             ref_text = voice_prompt.get("ref_text", "")
-            
+
             # Validate that the audio file exists
             if ref_audio and not Path(ref_audio).exists():
-                print(f"Warning: Audio file not found: {ref_audio}")
-                print("This may be due to a cached voice prompt referencing a deleted temp file.")
-                print("Regenerating without voice prompt.")
+                logger.warning("Audio file not found: %s", ref_audio)
+                logger.warning("This may be due to a cached voice prompt referencing a deleted temp file.")
+                logger.warning("Regenerating without voice prompt.")
                 ref_audio = None
-            
+
             # Check if model supports voice cloning via generate method
             # MLX API may support ref_audio parameter directly
             try:
@@ -283,36 +246,37 @@ class MLXTTSBackend:
                 if ref_audio:
                     # Check if generate accepts ref_audio parameter
                     import inspect
+
                     sig = inspect.signature(self.model.generate)
                     if "ref_audio" in sig.parameters:
                         # Generate with voice cloning
-                        for result in self.model.generate(text, ref_audio=ref_audio, ref_text=ref_text):
+                        for result in self.model.generate(text, ref_audio=ref_audio, ref_text=ref_text, lang_code=lang):
                             audio_chunks.append(np.array(result.audio))
                             sample_rate = result.sample_rate
                     else:
                         # Fallback: generate without voice cloning
-                        for result in self.model.generate(text):
+                        for result in self.model.generate(text, lang_code=lang):
                             audio_chunks.append(np.array(result.audio))
                             sample_rate = result.sample_rate
                 else:
                     # No voice prompt, generate normally
-                    for result in self.model.generate(text):
+                    for result in self.model.generate(text, lang_code=lang):
                         audio_chunks.append(np.array(result.audio))
                         sample_rate = result.sample_rate
             except Exception as e:
                 # If voice cloning fails, try without it
-                print(f"Warning: Voice cloning failed, generating without voice prompt: {e}")
-                for result in self.model.generate(text):
+                logger.warning("Voice cloning failed, generating without voice prompt: %s", e)
+                for result in self.model.generate(text, lang_code=lang):
                     audio_chunks.append(np.array(result.audio))
                     sample_rate = result.sample_rate
-            
+
             # Concatenate all chunks
             if audio_chunks:
                 audio = np.concatenate([np.asarray(chunk, dtype=np.float32) for chunk in audio_chunks])
             else:
                 # Fallback: empty audio
                 audio = np.array([], dtype=np.float32)
-            
+
             return audio, sample_rate
 
         # Run blocking inference in thread pool
@@ -323,113 +287,60 @@ class MLXTTSBackend:
 
 class MLXSTTBackend:
     """MLX-based STT backend using mlx-audio Whisper."""
-    
+
     def __init__(self, model_size: str = "base"):
         self.model = None
         self.model_size = model_size
-    
+
     def is_loaded(self) -> bool:
         """Check if model is loaded."""
         return self.model is not None
-    
+
+    def _is_model_cached(self, model_size: str) -> bool:
+        hf_repo = WHISPER_HF_REPOS.get(model_size, f"openai/whisper-{model_size}")
+        return is_model_cached(hf_repo, weight_extensions=(".safetensors", ".bin", ".npz"))
+
     async def load_model_async(self, model_size: Optional[str] = None):
         """
         Lazy load the MLX Whisper model.
-        
+
         Args:
             model_size: Model size (tiny, base, small, medium, large)
         """
         if model_size is None:
             model_size = self.model_size
-        
+
         if self.model is not None and self.model_size == model_size:
             return
-        
+
         # Run blocking load in thread pool
         await asyncio.to_thread(self._load_model_sync, model_size)
-    
+
     # Alias for compatibility
     load_model = load_model_async
-    
+
     def _load_model_sync(self, model_size: str):
         """Synchronous model loading."""
-        try:
-            # IMPORTANT: Set up progress tracking BEFORE importing mlx_audio
-            # This ensures tqdm is patched before any HuggingFace Hub imports
-            progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
-            progress_model_name = f"whisper-{model_size}"
+        progress_model_name = f"whisper-{model_size}"
+        is_cached = self._is_model_cached(model_size)
 
-            # Set up progress callback and tracker
-            progress_callback = create_hf_progress_callback(progress_model_name, progress_manager)
-            tracker = HFProgressTracker(progress_callback)
-
-            # Patch tqdm BEFORE importing mlx_audio
-            # This is critical because mlx_audio imports huggingface_hub which imports tqdm
-            print("[DEBUG] Starting tqdm patch BEFORE mlx_audio import")
-            tracker_context = tracker.patch_download()
-            tracker_context.__enter__()
-            print("[DEBUG] tqdm patched, now importing mlx_audio")
-
-            # NOW import mlx_audio - it will use our patched tqdm
+        with model_load_progress(progress_model_name, is_cached):
             from mlx_audio.stt import load
 
-            # MLX Whisper uses the standard OpenAI models
-            model_name = f"openai/whisper-{model_size}"
-            
-            # Start tracking download task
-            task_manager = get_task_manager()
-            task_manager.start_download(progress_model_name)
+            model_name = WHISPER_HF_REPOS.get(model_size, f"openai/whisper-{model_size}")
+            logger.info("Loading MLX Whisper model %s...", model_size)
+            self.model = load(model_name)
 
-            print(f"Loading MLX Whisper model {model_size}...")
+        self.model_size = model_size
+        logger.info("MLX Whisper model %s loaded successfully", model_size)
 
-            # Initialize progress state
-            progress_manager.update_progress(
-                model_name=progress_model_name,
-                current=0,
-                total=1,
-                filename="",
-                status="downloading",
-            )
-
-            # Load the model (tqdm is already patched from above)
-            try:
-                self.model = load(model_name)
-            finally:
-                # Exit the patch context
-                tracker_context.__exit__(None, None, None)
-            
-            self.model_size = model_size
-            
-            # Mark as complete
-            progress_manager.mark_complete(progress_model_name)
-            task_manager.complete_download(progress_model_name)
-            
-            print(f"MLX Whisper model {model_size} loaded successfully")
-            
-        except ImportError as e:
-            print(f"Error: mlx_audio package not found. Install with: pip install mlx-audio")
-            progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
-            task_manager = get_task_manager()
-            progress_model_name = f"whisper-{model_size}"
-            progress_manager.mark_error(progress_model_name, str(e))
-            task_manager.error_download(progress_model_name, str(e))
-            raise
-        except Exception as e:
-            print(f"Error loading MLX Whisper model: {e}")
-            progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
-            task_manager = get_task_manager()
-            progress_model_name = f"whisper-{model_size}"
-            progress_manager.mark_error(progress_model_name, str(e))
-            task_manager.error_download(progress_model_name, str(e))
-            raise
-    
     def unload_model(self):
         """Unload the model to free memory."""
         if self.model is not None:
             del self.model
             self.model = None
-            print("MLX Whisper model unloaded")
-    
+            logger.info("MLX Whisper model unloaded")
+
     async def transcribe(
         self,
         audio_path: str,

backend/backends/pytorch_backend.py

@@ -4,47 +4,47 @@ PyTorch backend implementation for TTS and STT.
 
 from typing import Optional, List, Tuple
 import asyncio
+import logging
 import torch
 import numpy as np
-from pathlib import Path
 
-from . import TTSBackend, STTBackend
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+from . import TTSBackend, STTBackend, LANGUAGE_CODE_TO_NAME, WHISPER_HF_REPOS
+from .base import (
+    is_model_cached,
+    get_torch_device,
+    combine_voice_prompts as _combine_voice_prompts,
+    model_load_progress,
+)
 from ..utils.cache import get_cache_key, get_cached_voice_prompt, cache_voice_prompt
-from ..utils.audio import normalize_audio, load_audio
-from ..utils.progress import get_progress_manager
-from ..utils.hf_progress import HFProgressTracker, create_hf_progress_callback
-from ..utils.tasks import get_task_manager
+from ..utils.audio import load_audio
 
 
 class PyTorchTTSBackend:
     """PyTorch-based TTS backend using Qwen3-TTS."""
-    
+
     def __init__(self, model_size: str = "1.7B"):
         self.model = None
         self.model_size = model_size
         self.device = self._get_device()
         self._current_model_size = None
-    
+
     def _get_device(self) -> str:
         """Get the best available device."""
-        if torch.cuda.is_available():
-            return "cuda"
-        elif hasattr(torch.backends, 'mps') and torch.backends.mps.is_available():
-            # MPS can have issues, use CPU for stability
-            return "cpu"
-        return "cpu"
-    
+        return get_torch_device(allow_xpu=True, allow_directml=True)
+
     def is_loaded(self) -> bool:
         """Check if model is loaded."""
         return self.model is not None
-    
+
     def _get_model_path(self, model_size: str) -> str:
         """
         Get the HuggingFace Hub model ID.
-        
+
         Args:
             model_size: Model size (1.7B or 0.6B)
-            
+
         Returns:
             HuggingFace Hub model ID
         """
@@ -52,123 +52,79 @@ class PyTorchTTSBackend:
             "1.7B": "Qwen/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-1.7B-Base",
             "0.6B": "Qwen/Qwen3-TTS-12Hz-0.6B-Base",
         }
-        
+
         if model_size not in hf_model_map:
             raise ValueError(f"Unknown model size: {model_size}")
-        
+
         return hf_model_map[model_size]
-    
+
+    def _is_model_cached(self, model_size: str) -> bool:
+        return is_model_cached(self._get_model_path(model_size))
+
     async def load_model_async(self, model_size: Optional[str] = None):
         """
         Lazy load the TTS model with automatic downloading from HuggingFace Hub.
-        
+
         Args:
             model_size: Model size to load (1.7B or 0.6B)
         """
         if model_size is None:
             model_size = self.model_size
-            
+
         # If already loaded with correct size, return
         if self.model is not None and self._current_model_size == model_size:
             return
-        
+
         # Unload existing model if different size requested
         if self.model is not None and self._current_model_size != model_size:
             self.unload_model()
-        
+
         # Run blocking load in thread pool
         await asyncio.to_thread(self._load_model_sync, model_size)
-    
+
     # Alias for compatibility
     load_model = load_model_async
-    
+
     def _load_model_sync(self, model_size: str):
         """Synchronous model loading."""
-        try:
-            # IMPORTANT: Set up progress tracking BEFORE importing qwen_tts
-            # This ensures tqdm is patched before any HuggingFace Hub imports
-            progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
-            model_name = f"qwen-tts-{model_size}"
+        model_name = f"qwen-tts-{model_size}"
+        is_cached = self._is_model_cached(model_size)
 
-            # Set up progress callback and tracker
-            progress_callback = create_hf_progress_callback(model_name, progress_manager)
-            tracker = HFProgressTracker(progress_callback)
-
-            # Patch tqdm BEFORE importing qwen_tts
-            tracker_context = tracker.patch_download()
-            tracker_context.__enter__()
-
-            # NOW import qwen_tts - it will use our patched tqdm
+        with model_load_progress(model_name, is_cached):
             from qwen_tts import Qwen3TTSModel
 
-            # Get model path (local or HuggingFace Hub ID)
             model_path = self._get_model_path(model_size)
+            logger.info("Loading TTS model %s on %s...", model_size, self.device)
 
-            print(f"Loading TTS model {model_size} on {self.device}...")
-
-            # Start tracking download task
-            task_manager = get_task_manager()
-            task_manager.start_download(model_name)
-
-            # Initialize progress state to show download has started
-            progress_manager.update_progress(
-                model_name=model_name,
-                current=0,
-                total=1,  # Set to 1 initially, will be updated by callback
-                filename="",
-                status="downloading",
-            )
-
-            # Load the model (tqdm is already patched from above)
-            try:
+            if self.device == "cpu":
+                self.model = Qwen3TTSModel.from_pretrained(
+                    model_path,
+                    torch_dtype=torch.float32,
+                    low_cpu_mem_usage=False,
+                )
+            else:
                 self.model = Qwen3TTSModel.from_pretrained(
                     model_path,
                     device_map=self.device,
-                    torch_dtype=torch.float32 if self.device == "cpu" else torch.bfloat16,
+                    torch_dtype=torch.bfloat16,
                 )
-            finally:
-                # Exit the patch context
-                tracker_context.__exit__(None, None, None)
-            
-            # Mark as complete
-            progress_manager.mark_complete(model_name)
-            task_manager.complete_download(model_name)
-            
-            self._current_model_size = model_size
-            self.model_size = model_size
-            
-            print(f"TTS model {model_size} loaded successfully")
-            
-        except ImportError as e:
-            print(f"Error: qwen_tts package not found. Install with: pip install git+https://github.com/QwenLM/Qwen3-TTS.git")
-            progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
-            task_manager = get_task_manager()
-            model_name = f"qwen-tts-{model_size}"
-            progress_manager.mark_error(model_name, str(e))
-            task_manager.error_download(model_name, str(e))
-            raise
-        except Exception as e:
-            print(f"Error loading TTS model: {e}")
-            print(f"Tip: The model will be automatically downloaded from HuggingFace Hub on first use.")
-            progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
-            task_manager = get_task_manager()
-            model_name = f"qwen-tts-{model_size}"
-            progress_manager.mark_error(model_name, str(e))
-            task_manager.error_download(model_name, str(e))
-            raise
-    
+
+        self._current_model_size = model_size
+        self.model_size = model_size
+        logger.info("TTS model %s loaded successfully", model_size)
+
     def unload_model(self):
         """Unload the model to free memory."""
         if self.model is not None:
             del self.model
             self.model = None
             self._current_model_size = None
-            
+
             if torch.cuda.is_available():
                 torch.cuda.empty_cache()
-            
-            print("TTS model unloaded")
-    
+
+            logger.info("TTS model unloaded")
+
     async def create_voice_prompt(
         self,
         audio_path: str,
@@ -177,17 +133,17 @@ class PyTorchTTSBackend:
     ) -> Tuple[dict, bool]:
         """
         Create voice prompt from reference audio.
-        
+
         Args:
             audio_path: Path to reference audio file
             reference_text: Transcript of reference audio
             use_cache: Whether to use cached prompt if available
-            
+
         Returns:
             Tuple of (voice_prompt_dict, was_cached)
         """
         await self.load_model_async(None)
-        
+
         # Check cache if enabled
         if use_cache:
             cache_key = get_cache_key(audio_path, reference_text)
@@ -203,7 +159,7 @@ class PyTorchTTSBackend:
                     # Legacy cache format - convert to dict
                     # This shouldn't happen in practice, but handle it
                     return {"prompt": cached_prompt}, True
-        
+
         def _create_prompt_sync():
             """Run synchronous voice prompt creation in thread pool."""
             return self.model.create_voice_clone_prompt(
@@ -211,48 +167,24 @@ class PyTorchTTSBackend:
                 ref_text=reference_text,
                 x_vector_only_mode=False,
             )
-        
+
         # Run blocking operation in thread pool
         voice_prompt_items = await asyncio.to_thread(_create_prompt_sync)
-        
+
         # Cache if enabled
         if use_cache:
             cache_key = get_cache_key(audio_path, reference_text)
             cache_voice_prompt(cache_key, voice_prompt_items)
-        
+
         return voice_prompt_items, False
-    
+
     async def combine_voice_prompts(
         self,
         audio_paths: List[str],
         reference_texts: List[str],
     ) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, str]:
-        """
-        Combine multiple reference samples for better quality.
-        
-        Args:
-            audio_paths: List of audio file paths
-            reference_texts: List of reference texts
-            
-        Returns:
-            Tuple of (combined_audio, combined_text)
-        """
-        combined_audio = []
-        
-        for audio_path in audio_paths:
-            audio, sr = load_audio(audio_path)
-            audio = normalize_audio(audio)
-            combined_audio.append(audio)
-        
-        # Concatenate audio
-        mixed = np.concatenate(combined_audio)
-        mixed = normalize_audio(mixed)
-        
-        # Combine texts
-        combined_text = " ".join(reference_texts)
-        
-        return mixed, combined_text
-    
+        return await _combine_voice_prompts(audio_paths, reference_texts)
+
     async def generate(
         self,
         text: str,
@@ -289,6 +221,7 @@ class PyTorchTTSBackend:
             wavs, sample_rate = self.model.generate_voice_clone(
                 text=text,
                 voice_clone_prompt=voice_prompt,
+                language=LANGUAGE_CODE_TO_NAME.get(language, "auto"),
                 instruct=instruct,
             )
             return wavs[0], sample_rate
@@ -301,26 +234,25 @@ class PyTorchTTSBackend:
 
 class PyTorchSTTBackend:
     """PyTorch-based STT backend using Whisper."""
-    
+
     def __init__(self, model_size: str = "base"):
         self.model = None
         self.processor = None
         self.model_size = model_size
         self.device = self._get_device()
-    
+
     def _get_device(self) -> str:
         """Get the best available device."""
-        if torch.cuda.is_available():
-            return "cuda"
-        elif hasattr(torch.backends, 'mps') and torch.backends.mps.is_available():
-            # MPS support for Whisper
-            return "cpu"  # Use CPU for stability
-        return "cpu"
-    
+        return get_torch_device(allow_xpu=True, allow_directml=True)
+
     def is_loaded(self) -> bool:
         """Check if model is loaded."""
         return self.model is not None
-    
+
+    def _is_model_cached(self, model_size: str) -> bool:
+        hf_repo = WHISPER_HF_REPOS.get(model_size, f"openai/whisper-{model_size}")
+        return is_model_cached(hf_repo)
+
     async def load_model_async(self, model_size: Optional[str] = None):
         """
         Lazy load the Whisper model.
@@ -328,92 +260,35 @@ class PyTorchSTTBackend:
         Args:
             model_size: Model size (tiny, base, small, medium, large)
         """
-        print(f"[DEBUG] load_model_async called with size: {model_size}")
         if model_size is None:
             model_size = self.model_size
 
-        print(f"[DEBUG] Model already loaded? {self.model is not None}, current size: {self.model_size}, requested: {model_size}")
         if self.model is not None and self.model_size == model_size:
-            print(f"[DEBUG] Early return - model already loaded")
             return
 
-        print(f"[DEBUG] Calling asyncio.to_thread for _load_model_sync")
-        # Run blocking load in thread pool
         await asyncio.to_thread(self._load_model_sync, model_size)
-        print(f"[DEBUG] asyncio.to_thread completed")
-    
+
     # Alias for compatibility
     load_model = load_model_async
-    
+
     def _load_model_sync(self, model_size: str):
         """Synchronous model loading."""
-        print(f"[DEBUG] _load_model_sync called for Whisper {model_size}")
-        try:
-            # IMPORTANT: Set up progress tracking BEFORE importing transformers
-            # This ensures tqdm is patched before any HuggingFace Hub imports
-            progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
-            progress_model_name = f"whisper-{model_size}"
+        progress_model_name = f"whisper-{model_size}"
+        is_cached = self._is_model_cached(model_size)
 
-            # Set up progress callback and tracker
-            progress_callback = create_hf_progress_callback(progress_model_name, progress_manager)
-            tracker = HFProgressTracker(progress_callback)
-
-            # Patch tqdm BEFORE importing transformers
-            print("[DEBUG] Starting tqdm patch BEFORE transformers import")
-            tracker_context = tracker.patch_download()
-            tracker_context.__enter__()
-            print("[DEBUG] tqdm patched, now importing transformers")
-
-            # NOW import transformers - it will use our patched tqdm
+        with model_load_progress(progress_model_name, is_cached):
             from transformers import WhisperProcessor, WhisperForConditionalGeneration
 
-            model_name = f"openai/whisper-{model_size}"
-            print(f"[DEBUG] Model name: {model_name}")
+            model_name = WHISPER_HF_REPOS.get(model_size, f"openai/whisper-{model_size}")
+            logger.info("Loading Whisper model %s on %s...", model_size, self.device)
 
-            # Start tracking download task
-            task_manager = get_task_manager()
-            task_manager.start_download(progress_model_name)
-            print(f"[DEBUG] Task manager started download")
+            self.processor = WhisperProcessor.from_pretrained(model_name)
+            self.model = WhisperForConditionalGeneration.from_pretrained(model_name)
 
-            print(f"Loading Whisper model {model_size} on {self.device}...")
+        self.model.to(self.device)
+        self.model_size = model_size
+        logger.info("Whisper model %s loaded successfully", model_size)
 
-            # Initialize progress state to show download has started
-            print(f"[DEBUG] Calling update_progress...")
-            progress_manager.update_progress(
-                model_name=progress_model_name,
-                current=0,
-                total=1,  # Set to 1 initially, will be updated by callback
-                filename="",
-                status="downloading",
-            )
-            print(f"[DEBUG] update_progress called, listeners: {len(progress_manager._listeners.get(progress_model_name, []))}")
-
-            # Load models (tqdm is already patched from above)
-            try:
-                self.processor = WhisperProcessor.from_pretrained(model_name)
-                self.model = WhisperForConditionalGeneration.from_pretrained(model_name)
-            finally:
-                # Exit the patch context
-                tracker_context.__exit__(None, None, None)
-            
-            self.model.to(self.device)
-            self.model_size = model_size
-            
-            # Mark as complete
-            progress_manager.mark_complete(progress_model_name)
-            task_manager.complete_download(progress_model_name)
-            
-            print(f"Whisper model {model_size} loaded successfully")
-            
-        except Exception as e:
-            print(f"Error loading Whisper model: {e}")
-            progress_manager = get_progress_manager()
-            task_manager = get_task_manager()
-            progress_model_name = f"whisper-{model_size}"
-            progress_manager.mark_error(progress_model_name, str(e))
-            task_manager.error_download(progress_model_name, str(e))
-            raise
-    
     def unload_model(self):
         """Unload the model to free memory."""
         if self.model is not None:
@@ -421,12 +296,12 @@ class PyTorchSTTBackend:
             del self.processor
             self.model = None
             self.processor = None
-            
+
             if torch.cuda.is_available():
                 torch.cuda.empty_cache()
-            
-            print("Whisper model unloaded")
-    
+
+            logger.info("Whisper model unloaded")
+
     async def transcribe(
         self,
         audio_path: str,
@@ -434,21 +309,21 @@ class PyTorchSTTBackend:
     ) -> str:
         """
         Transcribe audio to text.
-        
+
         Args:
             audio_path: Path to audio file
             language: Optional language hint (en or zh)
-            
+
         Returns:
             Transcribed text
         """
         await self.load_model_async(None)
-        
+
         def _transcribe_sync():
             """Run synchronous transcription in thread pool."""
             # Load audio
             audio, sr = load_audio(audio_path, sample_rate=16000)
-            
+
             # Process audio
             inputs = self.processor(
                 audio,
@@ -456,31 +331,30 @@ class PyTorchSTTBackend:
                 return_tensors="pt",
             )
             inputs = inputs.to(self.device)
-            
-            # Set language if provided
-            forced_decoder_ids = None
+
+            # Generate transcription
+            # If language is provided, force it; otherwise let Whisper auto-detect
+            generate_kwargs = {}
             if language:
-                # Support all languages from frontend: en, zh, ja, ko, de, fr, ru, pt, es, it
-                # Whisper supports these and many more
                 forced_decoder_ids = self.processor.get_decoder_prompt_ids(
                     language=language,
                     task="transcribe",
                 )
-            
-            # Generate transcription
+                generate_kwargs["forced_decoder_ids"] = forced_decoder_ids
+
             with torch.no_grad():
                 predicted_ids = self.model.generate(
                     inputs["input_features"],
-                    forced_decoder_ids=forced_decoder_ids,
+                    **generate_kwargs,
                 )
-            
+
             # Decode
             transcription = self.processor.batch_decode(
                 predicted_ids,
                 skip_special_tokens=True,
             )[0]
-            
+
             return transcription.strip()
-        
+
         # Run blocking transcription in thread pool
         return await asyncio.to_thread(_transcribe_sync)

backend/build_binary.py

@@ -1,108 +1,343 @@
 """
 PyInstaller build script for creating standalone Python server binary.
+
+Usage:
+    python build_binary.py           # Build default (CPU) server binary
+    python build_binary.py --cuda    # Build CUDA-enabled server binary
 """
 
 import PyInstaller.__main__
+import argparse
+import logging
 import os
 import platform
+import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 def is_apple_silicon():
     """Check if running on Apple Silicon."""
     return platform.system() == "Darwin" and platform.machine() == "arm64"
 
 
-def build_server():
-    """Build Python server as standalone binary."""
+def build_server(cuda=False):
+    """Build Python server as standalone binary.
+
+    Args:
+        cuda: If True, build with CUDA support and name the binary
+              voicebox-server-cuda instead of voicebox-server.
+    """
     backend_dir = Path(__file__).parent
 
+    binary_name = "voicebox-server-cuda" if cuda else "voicebox-server"
+
     # PyInstaller arguments
     args = [
-        'server.py',  # Use server.py as entry point instead of main.py
-        '--onefile',
-        '--name', 'voicebox-server',
+        "server.py",  # Use server.py as entry point instead of main.py
+        "--onefile",
+        "--name",
+        binary_name,
     ]
 
+    # Hide console window on Windows only. On macOS/Linux the sidecar needs
+    # stdout/stderr for Tauri to capture logs.
+    if platform.system() == "Windows":
+        args.append("--noconsole")
+
     # Add local qwen_tts path if specified (for editable installs)
-    qwen_tts_path = os.getenv('QWEN_TTS_PATH')
+    qwen_tts_path = os.getenv("QWEN_TTS_PATH")
     if qwen_tts_path and Path(qwen_tts_path).exists():
-        args.extend(['--paths', str(qwen_tts_path)])
-        print(f"Using local qwen_tts source from: {qwen_tts_path}")
+        args.extend(["--paths", str(qwen_tts_path)])
+        logger.info("Using local qwen_tts source from: %s", qwen_tts_path)
 
     # Add common hidden imports
-    args.extend([
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.main',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.config',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.database',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.models',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.profiles',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.history',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.tts',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.transcribe',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.platform_detect',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.backends',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.backends.pytorch_backend',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.utils.audio',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.utils.cache',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.utils.progress',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.utils.hf_progress',
-        '--hidden-import', 'backend.utils.validation',
-        '--hidden-import', 'torch',
-        '--hidden-import', 'transformers',
-        '--hidden-import', 'fastapi',
-        '--hidden-import', 'uvicorn',
-        '--hidden-import', 'sqlalchemy',
-        '--hidden-import', 'librosa',
-        '--hidden-import', 'soundfile',
-        '--hidden-import', 'qwen_tts',
-        '--hidden-import', 'qwen_tts.inference',
-        '--hidden-import', 'qwen_tts.inference.qwen3_tts_model',
-        '--hidden-import', 'qwen_tts.inference.qwen3_tts_tokenizer',
-        '--hidden-import', 'qwen_tts.core',
-        '--hidden-import', 'qwen_tts.cli',
-        '--copy-metadata', 'qwen-tts',
-        '--collect-submodules', 'qwen_tts',
-        '--collect-data', 'qwen_tts',
-        # Fix for pkg_resources and jaraco namespace packages
-        '--hidden-import', 'pkg_resources.extern',
-        '--collect-submodules', 'jaraco',
-    ])
+    args.extend(
+        [
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.main",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.config",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.database",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.models",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.services.profiles",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.services.history",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.services.tts",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.services.transcribe",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.utils.platform_detect",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.backends",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.backends.pytorch_backend",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.utils.audio",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.utils.cache",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.utils.progress",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.utils.hf_progress",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.services.cuda",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.services.effects",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.utils.effects",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.services.versions",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "pedalboard",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "chatterbox",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "chatterbox.tts_turbo",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "chatterbox.mtl_tts",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.backends.chatterbox_backend",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.backends.chatterbox_turbo_backend",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "backend.backends.luxtts_backend",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "zipvoice",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "zipvoice.luxvoice",
+            "--collect-all",
+            "zipvoice",
+            "--collect-all",
+            "linacodec",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "torch",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "transformers",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "fastapi",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "uvicorn",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "sqlalchemy",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "librosa",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "soundfile",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "qwen_tts",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "qwen_tts.inference",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "qwen_tts.inference.qwen3_tts_model",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "qwen_tts.inference.qwen3_tts_tokenizer",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "qwen_tts.core",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "qwen_tts.cli",
+            "--copy-metadata",
+            "qwen-tts",
+            "--copy-metadata",
+            "requests",
+            "--copy-metadata",
+            "transformers",
+            "--copy-metadata",
+            "huggingface-hub",
+            "--copy-metadata",
+            "tokenizers",
+            "--copy-metadata",
+            "safetensors",
+            "--copy-metadata",
+            "tqdm",
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "requests",
+            "--collect-submodules",
+            "qwen_tts",
+            "--collect-data",
+            "qwen_tts",
+            # Fix for pkg_resources and jaraco namespace packages
+            "--hidden-import",
+            "pkg_resources.extern",
+            "--collect-submodules",
+            "jaraco",
+            # inflect uses typeguard @typechecked which calls inspect.getsource()
+            # at import time — needs .py source files, not just .pyc bytecode
+            "--collect-all",
+            "inflect",
+            # perth ships pretrained watermark model files (hparams.yaml, .pth.tar)
+            # in perth/perth_net/pretrained/ — needed by chatterbox at runtime
+            "--collect-all",
+            "perth",
+            # piper_phonemize ships espeak-ng-data/ (phoneme tables, language dicts)
+            # needed by LuxTTS for text-to-phoneme conversion
+            "--collect-all",
+            "piper_phonemize",
+        ]
+    )
 
-    # Add MLX-specific imports if building on Apple Silicon
-    if is_apple_silicon():
-        print("Building for Apple Silicon - including MLX dependencies")
-        args.extend([
-            '--hidden-import', 'backend.backends.mlx_backend',
-            '--hidden-import', 'mlx',
-            '--hidden-import', 'mlx.core',
-            '--hidden-import', 'mlx.nn',
-            '--hidden-import', 'mlx_audio',
-            '--hidden-import', 'mlx_audio.tts',
-            '--hidden-import', 'mlx_audio.stt',
-            '--collect-submodules', 'mlx',
-            '--collect-submodules', 'mlx_audio',
-            # Collect MLX data files including Metal shader libraries (.metallib)
-            '--collect-data', 'mlx',
-            '--collect-data', 'mlx_audio',
-        ])
+    # Add CUDA-specific hidden imports
+    if cuda:
+        logger.info("Building with CUDA support")
+        args.extend(
+            [
+                "--hidden-import",
+                "torch.cuda",
+                "--hidden-import",
+                "torch.backends.cudnn",
+            ]
+        )
     else:
-        print("Building for non-Apple Silicon platform - PyTorch only")
+        # Exclude NVIDIA CUDA packages from CPU-only builds to keep binary small.
+        # When building from a venv with CUDA torch installed, PyInstaller would
+        # bundle ~3GB of NVIDIA shared libraries. We exclude both the Python
+        # modules and the binary DLLs.
+        nvidia_packages = [
+            "nvidia",
+            "nvidia.cublas",
+            "nvidia.cuda_cupti",
+            "nvidia.cuda_nvrtc",
+            "nvidia.cuda_runtime",
+            "nvidia.cudnn",
+            "nvidia.cufft",
+            "nvidia.curand",
+            "nvidia.cusolver",
+            "nvidia.cusparse",
+            "nvidia.nccl",
+            "nvidia.nvjitlink",
+            "nvidia.nvtx",
+        ]
+        for pkg in nvidia_packages:
+            args.extend(["--exclude-module", pkg])
 
-    args.extend([
-        '--noconfirm',
-        '--clean',
-    ])
+    # Add MLX-specific imports if building on Apple Silicon (never for CUDA builds)
+    if is_apple_silicon() and not cuda:
+        logger.info("Building for Apple Silicon - including MLX dependencies")
+        args.extend(
+            [
+                "--hidden-import",
+                "backend.backends.mlx_backend",
+                "--hidden-import",
+                "mlx",
+                "--hidden-import",
+                "mlx.core",
+                "--hidden-import",
+                "mlx.nn",
+                "--hidden-import",
+                "mlx_audio",
+                "--hidden-import",
+                "mlx_audio.tts",
+                "--hidden-import",
+                "mlx_audio.stt",
+                "--collect-submodules",
+                "mlx",
+                "--collect-submodules",
+                "mlx_audio",
+                # Use --collect-all so PyInstaller bundles both data files AND
+                # native shared libraries (.dylib, .metallib) for MLX.
+                # Previously only --collect-data was used, which caused MLX to
+                # raise OSError at runtime inside the bundled binary because
+                # the Metal shader libraries were missing.
+                "--collect-all",
+                "mlx",
+                "--collect-all",
+                "mlx_audio",
+            ]
+        )
+    elif not cuda:
+        logger.info("Building for non-Apple Silicon platform - PyTorch only")
+
+    dist_dir = str(backend_dir / "dist")
+    build_dir = str(backend_dir / "build")
+
+    args.extend(
+        [
+            "--distpath",
+            dist_dir,
+            "--workpath",
+            build_dir,
+            "--noconfirm",
+            "--clean",
+        ]
+    )
 
     # Change to backend directory
     os.chdir(backend_dir)
-    
+
+    # For CPU builds on Windows, ensure we're using CPU-only torch.
+    # If CUDA torch is installed (local dev), swap to CPU torch before building,
+    # then restore CUDA torch after. This prevents PyInstaller from bundling
+    # ~3GB of CUDA DLLs into the CPU binary.
+    restore_cuda = False
+    if not cuda and platform.system() == "Windows":
+        import subprocess
+
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, "-c", "import torch; print(torch.version.cuda or '')"], capture_output=True, text=True
+        )
+        has_cuda_torch = bool(result.stdout.strip())
+        if has_cuda_torch:
+            logger.info("CUDA torch detected — installing CPU torch for CPU build...")
+            subprocess.run(
+                [
+                    sys.executable,
+                    "-m",
+                    "pip",
+                    "install",
+                    "torch",
+                    "torchvision",
+                    "torchaudio",
+                    "--index-url",
+                    "https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cpu",
+                    "--force-reinstall",
+                    "-q",
+                ],
+                check=True,
+            )
+            restore_cuda = True
+
     # Run PyInstaller
-    PyInstaller.__main__.run(args)
-    
-    print(f"Binary built in {backend_dir / 'dist' / 'voicebox-server'}")
+    try:
+        PyInstaller.__main__.run(args)
+    finally:
+        # Restore CUDA torch if we swapped it out (even on build failure)
+        if restore_cuda:
+            logger.info("Restoring CUDA torch...")
+            import subprocess
+
+            subprocess.run(
+                [
+                    sys.executable,
+                    "-m",
+                    "pip",
+                    "install",
+                    "torch",
+                    "torchvision",
+                    "torchaudio",
+                    "--index-url",
+                    "https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu126",
+                    "--force-reinstall",
+                    "-q",
+                ],
+                check=True,
+            )
+
+    logger.info("Binary built in %s", backend_dir / "dist" / binary_name)
 
 
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    build_server()
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Build voicebox-server binary")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--cuda",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Build CUDA-enabled binary (voicebox-server-cuda)",
+    )
+    cli_args = parser.parse_args()
+    build_server(cuda=cli_args.cuda)

backend/config.py

@@ -4,11 +4,24 @@ Configuration module for voicebox backend.
 Handles data directory configuration for production bundling.
 """
 
+import logging
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+# Allow users to override the HuggingFace model download directory.
+# Set VOICEBOX_MODELS_DIR to an absolute path before starting the server.
+# This sets HF_HUB_CACHE so all huggingface_hub downloads go to that path.
+_custom_models_dir = os.environ.get("VOICEBOX_MODELS_DIR")
+if _custom_models_dir:
+    os.environ["HF_HUB_CACHE"] = _custom_models_dir
+    logger.info("Model download path set to: %s", _custom_models_dir)
+
 # Default data directory (used in development)
 _data_dir = Path("data")
 
+
 def set_data_dir(path: str | Path):
     """
     Set the data directory path.
@@ -19,7 +32,8 @@ def set_data_dir(path: str | Path):
     global _data_dir
     _data_dir = Path(path)
     _data_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-    print(f"Data directory set to: {_data_dir.absolute()}")
+    logger.info("Data directory set to: %s", _data_dir.absolute())
+
 
 def get_data_dir() -> Path:
     """
@@ -30,28 +44,33 @@ def get_data_dir() -> Path:
     """
     return _data_dir
 
+
 def get_db_path() -> Path:
     """Get database file path."""
     return _data_dir / "voicebox.db"
 
+
 def get_profiles_dir() -> Path:
     """Get profiles directory path."""
     path = _data_dir / "profiles"
     path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     return path
 
+
 def get_generations_dir() -> Path:
     """Get generations directory path."""
     path = _data_dir / "generations"
     path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     return path
 
+
 def get_cache_dir() -> Path:
     """Get cache directory path."""
     path = _data_dir / "cache"
     path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     return path
 
+
 def get_models_dir() -> Path:
     """Get models directory path."""
     path = _data_dir / "models"

backend/database.py

@@ -1,298 +0,0 @@
-"""
-SQLite database ORM using SQLAlchemy.
-"""
-
-from sqlalchemy import create_engine, Column, String, Integer, Float, DateTime, Text, ForeignKey, Boolean
-from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import declarative_base
-from sqlalchemy.orm import sessionmaker, Session
-from datetime import datetime
-import uuid
-from pathlib import Path
-
-from . import config
-
-Base = declarative_base()
-
-
-class VoiceProfile(Base):
-    """Voice profile database model."""
-    __tablename__ = "profiles"
-
-    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
-    name = Column(String, unique=True, nullable=False)
-    description = Column(Text)
-    language = Column(String, default="en")
-    avatar_path = Column(String, nullable=True)
-    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
-    updated_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, onupdate=datetime.utcnow)
-
-
-class ProfileSample(Base):
-    """Voice profile sample database model."""
-    __tablename__ = "profile_samples"
-    
-    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
-    profile_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("profiles.id"), nullable=False)
-    audio_path = Column(String, nullable=False)
-    reference_text = Column(Text, nullable=False)
-
-
-class Generation(Base):
-    """Generation history database model."""
-    __tablename__ = "generations"
-
-    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
-    profile_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("profiles.id"), nullable=False)
-    text = Column(Text, nullable=False)
-    language = Column(String, default="en")
-    audio_path = Column(String, nullable=False)
-    duration = Column(Float, nullable=False)
-    seed = Column(Integer)
-    instruct = Column(Text)
-    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
-
-
-class Story(Base):
-    """Story database model."""
-    __tablename__ = "stories"
-    
-    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
-    name = Column(String, nullable=False)
-    description = Column(Text)
-    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
-    updated_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, onupdate=datetime.utcnow)
-
-
-class StoryItem(Base):
-    """Story item database model (links generations to stories)."""
-    __tablename__ = "story_items"
-    
-    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
-    story_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("stories.id"), nullable=False)
-    generation_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("generations.id"), nullable=False)
-    start_time_ms = Column(Integer, nullable=False, default=0)  # Milliseconds from story start
-    track = Column(Integer, nullable=False, default=0)  # Track number (0 = main track)
-    trim_start_ms = Column(Integer, nullable=False, default=0)  # Milliseconds trimmed from start
-    trim_end_ms = Column(Integer, nullable=False, default=0)  # Milliseconds trimmed from end
-    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
-
-
-class Project(Base):
-    """Audio studio project database model."""
-    __tablename__ = "projects"
-    
-    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
-    name = Column(String, nullable=False)
-    data = Column(Text)  # JSON string
-    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
-    updated_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, onupdate=datetime.utcnow)
-
-
-class AudioChannel(Base):
-    """Audio channel (bus) database model."""
-    __tablename__ = "audio_channels"
-    
-    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
-    name = Column(String, nullable=False)
-    is_default = Column(Boolean, default=False)
-    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
-
-
-class ChannelDeviceMapping(Base):
-    """Mapping between channels and OS audio devices."""
-    __tablename__ = "channel_device_mappings"
-    
-    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
-    channel_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("audio_channels.id"), nullable=False)
-    device_id = Column(String, nullable=False)  # OS device identifier
-
-
-class ProfileChannelMapping(Base):
-    """Mapping between voice profiles and audio channels (many-to-many)."""
-    __tablename__ = "profile_channel_mappings"
-    
-    profile_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("profiles.id"), primary_key=True)
-    channel_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("audio_channels.id"), primary_key=True)
-
-
-# Database setup will be initialized in init_db()
-engine = None
-SessionLocal = None
-_db_path = None
-
-
-def init_db():
-    """Initialize database tables."""
-    global engine, SessionLocal, _db_path
-
-    _db_path = config.get_db_path()
-    _db_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-
-    engine = create_engine(
-        f"sqlite:///{_db_path}",
-        connect_args={"check_same_thread": False},
-    )
-
-    SessionLocal = sessionmaker(autocommit=False, autoflush=False, bind=engine)
-    
-    # Run migrations before creating tables
-    _run_migrations(engine)
-    
-    Base.metadata.create_all(bind=engine)
-    
-    # Create default channel if it doesn't exist
-    db = SessionLocal()
-    try:
-        default_channel = db.query(AudioChannel).filter(AudioChannel.is_default == True).first()
-        if not default_channel:
-            default_channel = AudioChannel(
-                id=str(uuid.uuid4()),
-                name="Default",
-                is_default=True
-            )
-            db.add(default_channel)
-            
-            # Assign all existing profiles to default channel
-            profiles = db.query(VoiceProfile).all()
-            for profile in profiles:
-                mapping = ProfileChannelMapping(
-                    profile_id=profile.id,
-                    channel_id=default_channel.id
-                )
-                db.add(mapping)
-            
-            db.commit()
-    finally:
-        db.close()
-
-
-def _run_migrations(engine):
-    """Run database migrations."""
-    from sqlalchemy import inspect, text
-    
-    inspector = inspect(engine)
-    
-    # Check if story_items table exists
-    if 'story_items' not in inspector.get_table_names():
-        return  # Table doesn't exist yet, will be created fresh
-    
-    # Get columns in story_items table
-    columns = {col['name'] for col in inspector.get_columns('story_items')}
-    
-    # Migration: Remove position column and ensure start_time_ms exists
-    # SQLite doesn't support DROP COLUMN easily, so we recreate the table
-    if 'position' in columns:
-        print("Migrating story_items: removing position column, using start_time_ms")
-        
-        with engine.connect() as conn:
-            # Check if start_time_ms already exists
-            has_start_time = 'start_time_ms' in columns
-            
-            if not has_start_time:
-                # First, add the new column temporarily
-                conn.execute(text("ALTER TABLE story_items ADD COLUMN start_time_ms INTEGER DEFAULT 0"))
-                
-                # Calculate timecodes from position ordering
-                result = conn.execute(text("""
-                    SELECT si.id, si.story_id, si.position, g.duration
-                    FROM story_items si
-                    JOIN generations g ON si.generation_id = g.id
-                    ORDER BY si.story_id, si.position
-                """))
-                
-                rows = result.fetchall()
-                
-                current_story_id = None
-                current_time_ms = 0
-                
-                for row in rows:
-                    item_id, story_id, position, duration = row
-                    
-                    if story_id != current_story_id:
-                        current_story_id = story_id
-                        current_time_ms = 0
-                    
-                    conn.execute(
-                        text("UPDATE story_items SET start_time_ms = :time WHERE id = :id"),
-                        {"time": current_time_ms, "id": item_id}
-                    )
-                    
-                    current_time_ms += int(duration * 1000) + 200
-                
-                conn.commit()
-            
-            # Now recreate the table without the position column
-            # 1. Create new table
-            conn.execute(text("""
-                CREATE TABLE story_items_new (
-                    id VARCHAR PRIMARY KEY,
-                    story_id VARCHAR NOT NULL,
-                    generation_id VARCHAR NOT NULL,
-                    start_time_ms INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
-                    created_at DATETIME,
-                    FOREIGN KEY (story_id) REFERENCES stories(id),
-                    FOREIGN KEY (generation_id) REFERENCES generations(id)
-                )
-            """))
-            
-            # 2. Copy data
-            conn.execute(text("""
-                INSERT INTO story_items_new (id, story_id, generation_id, start_time_ms, created_at)
-                SELECT id, story_id, generation_id, start_time_ms, created_at FROM story_items
-            """))
-            
-            # 3. Drop old table
-            conn.execute(text("DROP TABLE story_items"))
-            
-            # 4. Rename new table
-            conn.execute(text("ALTER TABLE story_items_new RENAME TO story_items"))
-            
-            conn.commit()
-            print("Migrated story_items table to use start_time_ms (removed position column)")
-    
-    # Migration: Add track column if it doesn't exist
-    # Re-check columns after potential position migration
-    columns = {col['name'] for col in inspector.get_columns('story_items')}
-    if 'track' not in columns:
-        print("Migrating story_items: adding track column")
-        with engine.connect() as conn:
-            conn.execute(text("ALTER TABLE story_items ADD COLUMN track INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0"))
-            conn.commit()
-            print("Added track column to story_items")
-    
-    # Migration: Add trim columns if they don't exist
-    # Re-check columns after potential track migration
-    columns = {col['name'] for col in inspector.get_columns('story_items')}
-    if 'trim_start_ms' not in columns:
-        print("Migrating story_items: adding trim_start_ms column")
-        with engine.connect() as conn:
-            conn.execute(text("ALTER TABLE story_items ADD COLUMN trim_start_ms INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0"))
-            conn.commit()
-            print("Added trim_start_ms column to story_items")
-    
-    columns = {col['name'] for col in inspector.get_columns('story_items')}
-    if 'trim_end_ms' not in columns:
-        print("Migrating story_items: adding trim_end_ms column")
-        with engine.connect() as conn:
-            conn.execute(text("ALTER TABLE story_items ADD COLUMN trim_end_ms INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0"))
-            conn.commit()
-            print("Added trim_end_ms column to story_items")
-
-    # Migration: Add avatar_path to profiles table
-    if 'profiles' in inspector.get_table_names():
-        columns = {col['name'] for col in inspector.get_columns('profiles')}
-        if 'avatar_path' not in columns:
-            print("Migrating profiles: adding avatar_path column")
-            with engine.connect() as conn:
-                conn.execute(text("ALTER TABLE profiles ADD COLUMN avatar_path VARCHAR"))
-                conn.commit()
-                print("Added avatar_path column to profiles")
-
-
-def get_db():
-    """Get database session (generator for dependency injection)."""
-    db = SessionLocal()
-    try:
-        yield db
-    finally:
-        db.close()

backend/database/__init__.py

@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+"""Database package — ORM models, session management, and migrations.
+
+Re-exports all public symbols so that ``from .database import get_db``
+and ``from .database import Generation as DBGeneration`` continue to work
+without changing any importers.
+"""
+
+from .models import (
+    Base,
+    AudioChannel,
+    ChannelDeviceMapping,
+    EffectPreset,
+    Generation,
+    GenerationVersion,
+    ProfileChannelMapping,
+    ProfileSample,
+    Project,
+    Story,
+    StoryItem,
+    VoiceProfile,
+)
+from .session import engine, SessionLocal, _db_path, init_db, get_db
+
+__all__ = [
+    # Models
+    "Base",
+    "AudioChannel",
+    "ChannelDeviceMapping",
+    "EffectPreset",
+    "Generation",
+    "GenerationVersion",
+    "ProfileChannelMapping",
+    "ProfileSample",
+    "Project",
+    "Story",
+    "StoryItem",
+    "VoiceProfile",
+    # Session
+    "engine",
+    "SessionLocal",
+    "_db_path",
+    "init_db",
+    "get_db",
+]

backend/database/migrations.py

@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+"""Column-level migrations for the voicebox SQLite database.
+
+Why not Alembic?  voicebox is a single-user desktop app shipping as a
+PyInstaller binary.  Every user has exactly one SQLite file.  Alembic's
+strengths -- migration tracking across environments, rollback, team
+coordination -- don't apply here and would add bundling complexity
+(alembic.ini, env.py, versions/ directory all need to survive
+PyInstaller).  The column-existence checks below are idempotent, run in
+<50 ms on startup, and have worked reliably across 12 schema changes.
+If the project ever moves to a server-based deployment or Postgres, this
+decision should be revisited.
+
+Adding a new migration:
+    1. Append a new ``_migrate_*`` helper at the bottom of this file.
+    2. Call it from ``run_migrations()`` in the appropriate spot.
+    3. The helper should check column/table existence before acting
+       (idempotent) and print a short message when it does real work.
+"""
+
+import logging
+
+from sqlalchemy import inspect, text
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def run_migrations(engine) -> None:
+    """Run all schema migrations.  Safe to call on every startup."""
+    inspector = inspect(engine)
+    tables = set(inspector.get_table_names())
+
+    _migrate_story_items(engine, inspector, tables)
+    _migrate_profiles(engine, inspector, tables)
+    _migrate_generations(engine, inspector, tables)
+    _migrate_effect_presets(engine, inspector, tables)
+    _migrate_generation_versions(engine, inspector, tables)
+
+
+# -- helpers ---------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def _get_columns(inspector, table: str) -> set[str]:
+    return {col["name"] for col in inspector.get_columns(table)}
+
+
+def _add_column(engine, table: str, column_sql: str, label: str) -> None:
+    """Add a column if it doesn't already exist."""
+    with engine.connect() as conn:
+        conn.execute(text(f"ALTER TABLE {table} ADD COLUMN {column_sql}"))
+        conn.commit()
+    logger.info("Added %s column to %s", label, table)
+
+
+# -- per-table migrations --------------------------------------------------
+
+def _migrate_story_items(engine, inspector, tables: set[str]) -> None:
+    if "story_items" not in tables:
+        return
+
+    columns = _get_columns(inspector, "story_items")
+
+    # Replace position-based ordering with absolute timecodes
+    if "position" in columns:
+        logger.info("Migrating story_items: removing position column, using start_time_ms")
+        with engine.connect() as conn:
+            if "start_time_ms" not in columns:
+                conn.execute(text(
+                    "ALTER TABLE story_items ADD COLUMN start_time_ms INTEGER DEFAULT 0"
+                ))
+                result = conn.execute(text("""
+                    SELECT si.id, si.story_id, si.position, g.duration
+                    FROM story_items si
+                    JOIN generations g ON si.generation_id = g.id
+                    ORDER BY si.story_id, si.position
+                """))
+                current_story_id = None
+                current_time_ms = 0
+                for item_id, story_id, _position, duration in result.fetchall():
+                    if story_id != current_story_id:
+                        current_story_id = story_id
+                        current_time_ms = 0
+                    conn.execute(
+                        text("UPDATE story_items SET start_time_ms = :time WHERE id = :id"),
+                        {"time": current_time_ms, "id": item_id},
+                    )
+                    current_time_ms += int((duration or 0) * 1000) + 200
+                conn.commit()
+
+            # Recreate table without the position column (SQLite lacks DROP COLUMN)
+            conn.execute(text("""
+                CREATE TABLE story_items_new (
+                    id VARCHAR PRIMARY KEY,
+                    story_id VARCHAR NOT NULL,
+                    generation_id VARCHAR NOT NULL,
+                    start_time_ms INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
+                    track INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
+                    trim_start_ms INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
+                    trim_end_ms INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
+                    version_id VARCHAR,
+                    created_at DATETIME,
+                    FOREIGN KEY (story_id) REFERENCES stories(id),
+                    FOREIGN KEY (generation_id) REFERENCES generations(id)
+                )
+            """))
+            conn.execute(text("""
+                INSERT INTO story_items_new (id, story_id, generation_id, start_time_ms, track, trim_start_ms, trim_end_ms, version_id, created_at)
+                SELECT id, story_id, generation_id, start_time_ms,
+                    COALESCE(track, 0), COALESCE(trim_start_ms, 0), COALESCE(trim_end_ms, 0), version_id, created_at
+                FROM story_items
+            """))
+            conn.execute(text("DROP TABLE story_items"))
+            conn.execute(text("ALTER TABLE story_items_new RENAME TO story_items"))
+            conn.commit()
+
+        # Re-read after table recreation
+        columns = _get_columns(inspector, "story_items")
+
+    if "track" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "story_items", "track INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0", "track")
+    # Re-read so subsequent checks see new columns
+    columns = _get_columns(inspector, "story_items")
+    if "trim_start_ms" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "story_items", "trim_start_ms INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0", "trim_start_ms")
+    if "trim_end_ms" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "story_items", "trim_end_ms INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0", "trim_end_ms")
+    if "version_id" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "story_items", "version_id VARCHAR", "version_id")
+
+
+def _migrate_profiles(engine, inspector, tables: set[str]) -> None:
+    if "profiles" not in tables:
+        return
+    columns = _get_columns(inspector, "profiles")
+    if "avatar_path" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "profiles", "avatar_path VARCHAR", "avatar_path")
+    if "effects_chain" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "profiles", "effects_chain TEXT", "effects_chain")
+
+
+def _migrate_generations(engine, inspector, tables: set[str]) -> None:
+    if "generations" not in tables:
+        return
+    columns = _get_columns(inspector, "generations")
+    if "status" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "generations", "status VARCHAR DEFAULT 'completed'", "status")
+    if "error" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "generations", "error TEXT", "error")
+    if "engine" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "generations", "engine VARCHAR DEFAULT 'qwen'", "engine")
+    # Re-read after engine column (variable name shadows outer scope in old code)
+    columns = _get_columns(inspector, "generations")
+    if "model_size" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "generations", "model_size VARCHAR", "model_size")
+    if "is_favorited" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "generations", "is_favorited BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0", "is_favorited")
+
+
+def _migrate_effect_presets(engine, inspector, tables: set[str]) -> None:
+    if "effect_presets" not in tables:
+        return
+    columns = _get_columns(inspector, "effect_presets")
+    if "sort_order" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "effect_presets", "sort_order INTEGER DEFAULT 100", "sort_order")
+
+
+def _migrate_generation_versions(engine, inspector, tables: set[str]) -> None:
+    if "generation_versions" not in tables:
+        return
+    columns = _get_columns(inspector, "generation_versions")
+    if "source_version_id" not in columns:
+        _add_column(engine, "generation_versions", "source_version_id VARCHAR", "source_version_id")

backend/database/models.py

@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+"""ORM model definitions for the voicebox SQLite database."""
+
+from datetime import datetime
+import uuid
+
+from sqlalchemy import Column, String, Integer, Float, DateTime, Text, ForeignKey, Boolean
+from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import declarative_base
+
+Base = declarative_base()
+
+
+class VoiceProfile(Base):
+    """Voice profile."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "profiles"
+
+    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
+    name = Column(String, unique=True, nullable=False)
+    description = Column(Text)
+    language = Column(String, default="en")
+    avatar_path = Column(String, nullable=True)
+    effects_chain = Column(Text, nullable=True)
+    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
+    updated_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, onupdate=datetime.utcnow)
+
+
+class ProfileSample(Base):
+    """Audio sample attached to a voice profile."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "profile_samples"
+
+    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
+    profile_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("profiles.id"), nullable=False)
+    audio_path = Column(String, nullable=False)
+    reference_text = Column(Text, nullable=False)
+
+
+class Generation(Base):
+    """A single TTS generation."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "generations"
+
+    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
+    profile_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("profiles.id"), nullable=False)
+    text = Column(Text, nullable=False)
+    language = Column(String, default="en")
+    audio_path = Column(String, nullable=True)
+    duration = Column(Float, nullable=True)
+    seed = Column(Integer)
+    instruct = Column(Text)
+    engine = Column(String, default="qwen")
+    model_size = Column(String, nullable=True)
+    status = Column(String, default="completed")
+    error = Column(Text, nullable=True)
+    is_favorited = Column(Boolean, default=False)
+    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
+
+
+class Story(Base):
+    """A story that sequences multiple generations."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "stories"
+
+    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
+    name = Column(String, nullable=False)
+    description = Column(Text)
+    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
+    updated_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, onupdate=datetime.utcnow)
+
+
+class StoryItem(Base):
+    """Links a generation to a story at a specific timecode."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "story_items"
+
+    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
+    story_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("stories.id"), nullable=False)
+    generation_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("generations.id"), nullable=False)
+    version_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("generation_versions.id"), nullable=True)
+    start_time_ms = Column(Integer, nullable=False, default=0)
+    track = Column(Integer, nullable=False, default=0)
+    trim_start_ms = Column(Integer, nullable=False, default=0)
+    trim_end_ms = Column(Integer, nullable=False, default=0)
+    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
+
+
+class Project(Base):
+    """Audio studio project (JSON blob)."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "projects"
+
+    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
+    name = Column(String, nullable=False)
+    data = Column(Text)
+    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
+    updated_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, onupdate=datetime.utcnow)
+
+
+class GenerationVersion(Base):
+    """A version of a generation's audio (original, processed, alternate takes)."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "generation_versions"
+
+    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
+    generation_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("generations.id"), nullable=False)
+    label = Column(String, nullable=False)
+    audio_path = Column(String, nullable=False)
+    effects_chain = Column(Text, nullable=True)
+    source_version_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("generation_versions.id"), nullable=True)
+    is_default = Column(Boolean, default=False)
+    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
+
+
+class EffectPreset(Base):
+    """Saved effect chain preset."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "effect_presets"
+
+    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
+    name = Column(String, unique=True, nullable=False)
+    description = Column(Text, nullable=True)
+    effects_chain = Column(Text, nullable=False)
+    is_builtin = Column(Boolean, default=False)
+    sort_order = Column(Integer, default=100)
+    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
+
+
+class AudioChannel(Base):
+    """Audio output channel (bus)."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "audio_channels"
+
+    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
+    name = Column(String, nullable=False)
+    is_default = Column(Boolean, default=False)
+    created_at = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
+
+
+class ChannelDeviceMapping(Base):
+    """Mapping between a channel and an OS audio device."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "channel_device_mappings"
+
+    id = Column(String, primary_key=True, default=lambda: str(uuid.uuid4()))
+    channel_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("audio_channels.id"), nullable=False)
+    device_id = Column(String, nullable=False)
+
+
+class ProfileChannelMapping(Base):
+    """Many-to-many mapping between voice profiles and audio channels."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "profile_channel_mappings"
+
+    profile_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("profiles.id"), primary_key=True)
+    channel_id = Column(String, ForeignKey("audio_channels.id"), primary_key=True)

backend/database/seed.py

@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+"""Post-migration data seeding and backfills."""
+
+import json
+import logging
+import uuid
+from pathlib import Path
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def backfill_generation_versions(SessionLocal, Generation, GenerationVersion) -> None:
+    """Create 'clean' version entries for generations that predate the versions feature."""
+    db = SessionLocal()
+    try:
+        existing_version_gen_ids = {
+            row[0] for row in db.query(GenerationVersion.generation_id).all()
+        }
+        generations = db.query(Generation).filter(
+            Generation.status == "completed",
+            Generation.audio_path.isnot(None),
+            Generation.audio_path != "",
+        ).all()
+
+        count = 0
+        for gen in generations:
+            if gen.id in existing_version_gen_ids:
+                continue
+            if not Path(gen.audio_path).exists():
+                continue
+            version = GenerationVersion(
+                id=str(uuid.uuid4()),
+                generation_id=gen.id,
+                label="clean",
+                audio_path=gen.audio_path,
+                effects_chain=None,
+                is_default=True,
+            )
+            db.add(version)
+            count += 1
+
+        if count > 0:
+            db.commit()
+            logger.info("Backfilled %d generation version entries", count)
+    finally:
+        db.close()
+
+
+def seed_builtin_presets(SessionLocal, EffectPreset) -> None:
+    """Ensure built-in effect presets exist in the database."""
+    from ..utils.effects import BUILTIN_PRESETS
+
+    db = SessionLocal()
+    try:
+        for idx, (_key, preset_data) in enumerate(BUILTIN_PRESETS.items()):
+            sort_order = preset_data.get("sort_order", idx)
+            existing = db.query(EffectPreset).filter_by(name=preset_data["name"]).first()
+            if not existing:
+                preset = EffectPreset(
+                    id=str(uuid.uuid4()),
+                    name=preset_data["name"],
+                    description=preset_data.get("description"),
+                    effects_chain=json.dumps(preset_data["effects_chain"]),
+                    is_builtin=True,
+                    sort_order=sort_order,
+                )
+                db.add(preset)
+            elif existing.sort_order != sort_order:
+                existing.sort_order = sort_order
+        db.commit()
+    finally:
+        db.close()

backend/database/session.py

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+"""Engine creation, initialization, and session management."""
+
+import logging
+import uuid
+
+from sqlalchemy import create_engine
+from sqlalchemy.orm import sessionmaker
+
+from .. import config
+from .models import (
+    Base,
+    AudioChannel,
+    EffectPreset,
+    Generation,
+    GenerationVersion,
+    ProfileChannelMapping,
+    VoiceProfile,
+)
+from .migrations import run_migrations
+from .seed import backfill_generation_versions, seed_builtin_presets
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+# Initialized by init_db()
+engine = None
+SessionLocal = None
+_db_path = None
+
+
+def init_db() -> None:
+    """Initialize the database engine, run migrations, create tables, and seed data."""
+    global engine, SessionLocal, _db_path
+
+    _db_path = config.get_db_path()
+    _db_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+    engine = create_engine(
+        f"sqlite:///{_db_path}",
+        connect_args={"check_same_thread": False},
+    )
+
+    SessionLocal = sessionmaker(autocommit=False, autoflush=False, bind=engine)
+
+    run_migrations(engine)
+    Base.metadata.create_all(bind=engine)
+
+    # Create default audio channel if it doesn't exist
+    db = SessionLocal()
+    try:
+        default_channel = db.query(AudioChannel).filter(AudioChannel.is_default == True).first()
+        if not default_channel:
+            default_channel = AudioChannel(
+                id=str(uuid.uuid4()),
+                name="Default",
+                is_default=True,
+            )
+            db.add(default_channel)
+
+            for profile in db.query(VoiceProfile).all():
+                db.add(ProfileChannelMapping(
+                    profile_id=profile.id,
+                    channel_id=default_channel.id,
+                ))
+            db.commit()
+    finally:
+        db.close()
+
+    backfill_generation_versions(SessionLocal, Generation, GenerationVersion)
+    seed_builtin_presets(SessionLocal, EffectPreset)
+
+
+def get_db():
+    """Yield a database session (FastAPI dependency)."""
+    db = SessionLocal()
+    try:
+        yield db
+    finally:
+        db.close()

backend/example_usage.py

@@ -1,221 +0,0 @@
-"""
-Example usage of the voicebox backend API.
-
-This script demonstrates how to:
-1. Create a voice profile
-2. Add samples to the profile
-3. Generate speech
-4. List history
-"""
-
-import requests
-import time
-from pathlib import Path
-
-# API base URL
-BASE_URL = "http://localhost:8000"
-
-
-def check_health():
-    """Check if the server is running."""
-    response = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/health")
-    data = response.json()
-    print(f"Server status: {data['status']}")
-    print(f"Model loaded: {data['model_loaded']}")
-    print(f"GPU available: {data['gpu_available']}")
-    print()
-    return data
-
-
-def create_profile(name: str, description: str = None, language: str = "en"):
-    """Create a new voice profile."""
-    response = requests.post(
-        f"{BASE_URL}/profiles",
-        json={
-            "name": name,
-            "description": description,
-            "language": language,
-        },
-    )
-    response.raise_for_status()
-    profile = response.json()
-    print(f"Created profile: {profile['name']} (ID: {profile['id']})")
-    return profile
-
-
-def add_sample(profile_id: str, audio_file: str, reference_text: str):
-    """Add a sample to a voice profile."""
-    with open(audio_file, "rb") as f:
-        files = {"file": f}
-        data = {"reference_text": reference_text}
-        response = requests.post(
-            f"{BASE_URL}/profiles/{profile_id}/samples",
-            files=files,
-            data=data,
-        )
-    response.raise_for_status()
-    sample = response.json()
-    print(f"Added sample: {sample['id']}")
-    return sample
-
-
-def generate_speech(profile_id: str, text: str, language: str = "en", seed: int = None):
-    """Generate speech using a voice profile."""
-    print(f"Generating speech: '{text[:50]}...'")
-    start_time = time.time()
-    
-    response = requests.post(
-        f"{BASE_URL}/generate",
-        json={
-            "profile_id": profile_id,
-            "text": text,
-            "language": language,
-            "seed": seed,
-        },
-    )
-    response.raise_for_status()
-    generation = response.json()
-    
-    elapsed = time.time() - start_time
-    print(f"Generated in {elapsed:.2f}s (duration: {generation['duration']:.2f}s)")
-    print(f"Generation ID: {generation['id']}")
-    return generation
-
-
-def download_audio(generation_id: str, output_file: str):
-    """Download generated audio."""
-    response = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/audio/{generation_id}")
-    response.raise_for_status()
-    
-    with open(output_file, "wb") as f:
-        f.write(response.content)
-    
-    print(f"Saved audio to: {output_file}")
-
-
-def list_profiles():
-    """List all voice profiles."""
-    response = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/profiles")
-    response.raise_for_status()
-    profiles = response.json()
-    
-    print(f"Found {len(profiles)} profiles:")
-    for profile in profiles:
-        print(f"  - {profile['name']} (ID: {profile['id']})")
-    
-    return profiles
-
-
-def list_history(profile_id: str = None, limit: int = 10):
-    """List generation history."""
-    params = {"limit": limit}
-    if profile_id:
-        params["profile_id"] = profile_id
-    
-    response = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/history", params=params)
-    response.raise_for_status()
-    history = response.json()
-    
-    print(f"Found {len(history)} generations:")
-    for gen in history:
-        print(f"  - {gen['text'][:50]}... ({gen['duration']:.2f}s)")
-    
-    return history
-
-
-def transcribe_audio(audio_file: str, language: str = None):
-    """Transcribe audio file."""
-    print(f"Transcribing: {audio_file}")
-    
-    with open(audio_file, "rb") as f:
-        files = {"file": f}
-        data = {}
-        if language:
-            data["language"] = language
-        
-        response = requests.post(
-            f"{BASE_URL}/transcribe",
-            files=files,
-            data=data,
-        )
-    
-    response.raise_for_status()
-    result = response.json()
-    
-    print(f"Transcription: {result['text']}")
-    print(f"Duration: {result['duration']:.2f}s")
-    return result
-
-
-def main():
-    """Run example workflow."""
-    print("=" * 60)
-    print("voicebox Backend API Example")
-    print("=" * 60)
-    print()
-    
-    # 1. Check health
-    print("1. Checking server health...")
-    check_health()
-    
-    # 2. Create a profile
-    print("2. Creating voice profile...")
-    profile = create_profile(
-        name="Example Voice",
-        description="A test voice profile",
-        language="en",
-    )
-    profile_id = profile["id"]
-    print()
-    
-    # 3. Add samples (you'll need actual audio files)
-    print("3. Adding samples...")
-    print("   (Skipping - add your own audio files here)")
-    # Uncomment and add your audio file:
-    # sample = add_sample(
-    #     profile_id,
-    #     "path/to/your/sample.wav",
-    #     "This is the transcript of the audio",
-    # )
-    print()
-    
-    # 4. Generate speech (requires samples to be added first)
-    print("4. Generating speech...")
-    print("   (Skipping - add samples first)")
-    # Uncomment after adding samples:
-    # generation = generate_speech(
-    #     profile_id,
-    #     "Hello, this is a test of the voice cloning system.",
-    #     language="en",
-    #     seed=42,
-    # )
-    # 
-    # # 5. Download audio
-    # print("\n5. Downloading audio...")
-    # download_audio(generation["id"], "output.wav")
-    print()
-    
-    # 6. List profiles
-    print("6. Listing all profiles...")
-    list_profiles()
-    print()
-    
-    # 7. List history
-    print("7. Listing generation history...")
-    list_history(limit=5)
-    print()
-    
-    # 8. Transcribe audio (you'll need an audio file)
-    print("8. Transcribing audio...")
-    print("   (Skipping - add your own audio file here)")
-    # Uncomment and add your audio file:
-    # transcribe_audio("path/to/audio.wav", language="en")
-    print()
-    
-    print("=" * 60)
-    print("Example complete!")
-    print("=" * 60)
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    main()

backend/migrate_add_instruct.py

@@ -1,48 +0,0 @@
-"""
-Database migration script to add instruct column to generations table.
-
-Run this once to update existing databases:
-    python -m backend.migrate_add_instruct
-"""
-
-import sqlite3
-import os
-from pathlib import Path
-
-
-def migrate():
-    """Add instruct column to generations table if it doesn't exist."""
-    # Get data directory
-    data_dir = os.environ.get("VOICEBOX_DATA_DIR")
-    if data_dir:
-        db_path = Path(data_dir) / "voicebox.db"
-    else:
-        db_path = Path.cwd() / "data" / "voicebox.db"
-
-    if not db_path.exists():
-        print(f"Database not found at {db_path}, skipping migration")
-        return
-
-    conn = sqlite3.connect(db_path)
-    cursor = conn.cursor()
-
-    # Check if instruct column already exists
-    cursor.execute("PRAGMA table_info(generations)")
-    columns = [row[1] for row in cursor.fetchall()]
-
-    if 'instruct' in columns:
-        print("instruct column already exists, skipping migration")
-        conn.close()
-        return
-
-    # Add instruct column
-    print("Adding instruct column to generations table...")
-    cursor.execute("ALTER TABLE generations ADD COLUMN instruct TEXT")
-    conn.commit()
-    conn.close()
-
-    print("Migration complete!")
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    migrate()

backend/models.py

@@ -9,18 +9,25 @@ from datetime import datetime
 
 class VoiceProfileCreate(BaseModel):
     """Request model for creating a voice profile."""
+
     name: str = Field(..., min_length=1, max_length=100)
     description: Optional[str] = Field(None, max_length=500)
-    language: str = Field(default="en", pattern="^(zh|en|ja|ko|de|fr|ru|pt|es|it)$")
+    language: str = Field(
+        default="en", pattern="^(zh|en|ja|ko|de|fr|ru|pt|es|it|he|ar|da|el|fi|hi|ms|nl|no|pl|sv|sw|tr)$"
+    )
 
 
 class VoiceProfileResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response model for voice profile."""
+
     id: str
     name: str
     description: Optional[str]
     language: str
     avatar_path: Optional[str] = None
+    effects_chain: Optional[List["EffectConfig"]] = None
+    generation_count: int = 0
+    sample_count: int = 0
     created_at: datetime
     updated_at: datetime
 
@@ -30,16 +37,19 @@ class VoiceProfileResponse(BaseModel):
 
 class ProfileSampleCreate(BaseModel):
     """Request model for adding a sample to a profile."""
+
     reference_text: str = Field(..., min_length=1, max_length=1000)
 
 
 class ProfileSampleUpdate(BaseModel):
     """Request model for updating a profile sample."""
+
     reference_text: str = Field(..., min_length=1, max_length=1000)
 
 
 class ProfileSampleResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response model for profile sample."""
+
     id: str
     profile_id: str
     audio_path: str
@@ -51,25 +61,45 @@ class ProfileSampleResponse(BaseModel):
 
 class GenerationRequest(BaseModel):
     """Request model for voice generation."""
+
     profile_id: str
-    text: str = Field(..., min_length=1, max_length=5000)
-    language: str = Field(default="en", pattern="^(zh|en|ja|ko|de|fr|ru|pt|es|it)$")
+    text: str = Field(..., min_length=1, max_length=50000)
+    language: str = Field(default="en", pattern="^(zh|en|ja|ko|de|fr|ru|pt|es|it|he|ar|da|el|fi|hi|ms|nl|no|pl|sv|sw|tr)$")
     seed: Optional[int] = Field(None, ge=0)
     model_size: Optional[str] = Field(default="1.7B", pattern="^(1\\.7B|0\\.6B)$")
     instruct: Optional[str] = Field(None, max_length=500)
+    engine: Optional[str] = Field(default="qwen", pattern="^(qwen|luxtts|chatterbox|chatterbox_turbo)$")
+    max_chunk_chars: int = Field(
+        default=800, ge=100, le=5000, description="Max characters per chunk for long text splitting"
+    )
+    crossfade_ms: int = Field(
+        default=50, ge=0, le=500, description="Crossfade duration in ms between chunks (0 for hard cut)"
+    )
+    normalize: bool = Field(default=True, description="Normalize output audio volume")
+    effects_chain: Optional[List["EffectConfig"]] = Field(
+        None, description="Effects chain to apply after generation (overrides profile default)"
+    )
 
 
 class GenerationResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response model for voice generation."""
+
     id: str
     profile_id: str
     text: str
     language: str
-    audio_path: str
-    duration: float
-    seed: Optional[int]
-    instruct: Optional[str]
+    audio_path: Optional[str] = None
+    duration: Optional[float] = None
+    seed: Optional[int] = None
+    instruct: Optional[str] = None
+    engine: Optional[str] = "qwen"
+    model_size: Optional[str] = None
+    status: str = "completed"
+    error: Optional[str] = None
+    is_favorited: bool = False
     created_at: datetime
+    versions: Optional[List["GenerationVersionResponse"]] = None
+    active_version_id: Optional[str] = None
 
     class Config:
         from_attributes = True
@@ -77,6 +107,7 @@ class GenerationResponse(BaseModel):
 
 class HistoryQuery(BaseModel):
     """Query model for generation history."""
+
     profile_id: Optional[str] = None
     search: Optional[str] = None
     limit: int = Field(default=50, ge=1, le=100)
@@ -85,16 +116,24 @@ class HistoryQuery(BaseModel):
 
 class HistoryResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response model for history entry (includes profile name)."""
+
     id: str
     profile_id: str
     profile_name: str
     text: str
     language: str
-    audio_path: str
-    duration: float
-    seed: Optional[int]
-    instruct: Optional[str]
+    audio_path: Optional[str] = None
+    duration: Optional[float] = None
+    seed: Optional[int] = None
+    instruct: Optional[str] = None
+    engine: Optional[str] = "qwen"
+    model_size: Optional[str] = None
+    status: str = "completed"
+    error: Optional[str] = None
+    is_favorited: bool = False
     created_at: datetime
+    versions: Optional[List["GenerationVersionResponse"]] = None
+    active_version_id: Optional[str] = None
 
     class Config:
         from_attributes = True
@@ -102,23 +141,27 @@ class HistoryResponse(BaseModel):
 
 class HistoryListResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response model for history list."""
+
     items: List[HistoryResponse]
     total: int
 
 
 class TranscriptionRequest(BaseModel):
     """Request model for audio transcription."""
+
     language: Optional[str] = Field(None, pattern="^(en|zh)$")
 
 
 class TranscriptionResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response model for transcription."""
+
     text: str
     duration: float
 
 
 class HealthResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response model for health check."""
+
     status: str
     model_loaded: bool
     model_downloaded: Optional[bool] = None  # Whether model is cached/downloaded
@@ -127,36 +170,73 @@ class HealthResponse(BaseModel):
     gpu_type: Optional[str] = None  # GPU type (CUDA, MPS, or None)
     vram_used_mb: Optional[float] = None
     backend_type: Optional[str] = None  # Backend type (mlx or pytorch)
+    backend_variant: Optional[str] = None  # Binary variant (cpu or cuda)
+
+
+class DirectoryCheck(BaseModel):
+    """Health status for a single directory."""
+
+    path: str
+    exists: bool
+    writable: bool
+    error: Optional[str] = None
+
+
+class FilesystemHealthResponse(BaseModel):
+    """Response model for filesystem health check."""
+
+    healthy: bool
+    disk_free_mb: Optional[float] = None
+    disk_total_mb: Optional[float] = None
+    directories: List[DirectoryCheck]
 
 
 class ModelStatus(BaseModel):
     """Response model for model status."""
+
     model_name: str
     display_name: str
+    hf_repo_id: Optional[str] = None  # HuggingFace repository ID
     downloaded: bool
+    downloading: bool = False  # True if download is in progress
     size_mb: Optional[float] = None
     loaded: bool = False
 
 
 class ModelStatusListResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response model for model status list."""
+
     models: List[ModelStatus]
 
 
 class ModelDownloadRequest(BaseModel):
     """Request model for triggering model download."""
+
     model_name: str
 
 
+class ModelMigrateRequest(BaseModel):
+    """Request model for migrating models to a new directory."""
+
+    destination: str
+
+
 class ActiveDownloadTask(BaseModel):
     """Response model for active download task."""
+
     model_name: str
     status: str
     started_at: datetime
+    error: Optional[str] = None
+    progress: Optional[float] = None  # 0-100 percentage
+    current: Optional[int] = None  # bytes downloaded
+    total: Optional[int] = None  # total bytes
+    filename: Optional[str] = None  # current file being downloaded
 
 
 class ActiveGenerationTask(BaseModel):
     """Response model for active generation task."""
+
     task_id: str
     profile_id: str
     text_preview: str
@@ -165,24 +245,28 @@ class ActiveGenerationTask(BaseModel):
 
 class ActiveTasksResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response model for active tasks."""
+
     downloads: List[ActiveDownloadTask]
     generations: List[ActiveGenerationTask]
 
 
 class AudioChannelCreate(BaseModel):
     """Request model for creating an audio channel."""
+
     name: str = Field(..., min_length=1, max_length=100)
     device_ids: List[str] = Field(default_factory=list)
 
 
 class AudioChannelUpdate(BaseModel):
     """Request model for updating an audio channel."""
+
     name: Optional[str] = Field(None, min_length=1, max_length=100)
     device_ids: Optional[List[str]] = None
 
 
 class AudioChannelResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response model for audio channel."""
+
     id: str
     name: str
     is_default: bool
@@ -195,22 +279,26 @@ class AudioChannelResponse(BaseModel):
 
 class ChannelVoiceAssignment(BaseModel):
     """Request model for assigning voices to a channel."""
+
     profile_ids: List[str]
 
 
 class ProfileChannelAssignment(BaseModel):
     """Request model for assigning channels to a profile."""
+
     channel_ids: List[str]
 
 
 class StoryCreate(BaseModel):
     """Request model for creating a story."""
+
     name: str = Field(..., min_length=1, max_length=100)
     description: Optional[str] = Field(None, max_length=500)
 
 
 class StoryResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response model for story (list view)."""
+
     id: str
     name: str
     description: Optional[str]
@@ -224,9 +312,11 @@ class StoryResponse(BaseModel):
 
 class StoryItemDetail(BaseModel):
     """Detail model for story item with generation info."""
+
     id: str
     story_id: str
     generation_id: str
+    version_id: Optional[str] = None
     start_time_ms: int
     track: int = 0
     trim_start_ms: int = 0
@@ -242,6 +332,9 @@ class StoryItemDetail(BaseModel):
     seed: Optional[int]
     instruct: Optional[str]
     generation_created_at: datetime
+    # Versions available for this generation
+    versions: Optional[List["GenerationVersionResponse"]] = None
+    active_version_id: Optional[str] = None
 
     class Config:
         from_attributes = True
@@ -249,6 +342,7 @@ class StoryItemDetail(BaseModel):
 
 class StoryDetailResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response model for story with items."""
+
     id: str
     name: str
     description: Optional[str]
@@ -262,6 +356,7 @@ class StoryDetailResponse(BaseModel):
 
 class StoryItemCreate(BaseModel):
     """Request model for adding a generation to a story."""
+
     generation_id: str
     start_time_ms: Optional[int] = None  # If not provided, will be calculated automatically
     track: Optional[int] = 0  # Track number (0 = main track)
@@ -269,32 +364,146 @@ class StoryItemCreate(BaseModel):
 
 class StoryItemUpdateTime(BaseModel):
     """Request model for updating a story item's timecode."""
+
     generation_id: str
     start_time_ms: int = Field(..., ge=0)
 
 
 class StoryItemBatchUpdate(BaseModel):
     """Request model for batch updating story item timecodes."""
+
     updates: List[StoryItemUpdateTime]
 
 
 class StoryItemReorder(BaseModel):
     """Request model for reordering story items."""
+
     generation_ids: List[str] = Field(..., min_length=1)
 
 
 class StoryItemMove(BaseModel):
     """Request model for moving a story item (position and/or track)."""
+
     start_time_ms: int = Field(..., ge=0)
     track: int = 0
 
 
 class StoryItemTrim(BaseModel):
     """Request model for trimming a story item."""
+
     trim_start_ms: int = Field(..., ge=0)
     trim_end_ms: int = Field(..., ge=0)
 
 
 class StoryItemSplit(BaseModel):
     """Request model for splitting a story item."""
+
     split_time_ms: int = Field(..., ge=0)  # Time within the clip to split at (relative to clip start)
+
+
+class StoryItemVersionUpdate(BaseModel):
+    """Request model for setting a story item's pinned version."""
+
+    version_id: Optional[str] = None  # null = use generation default
+
+
+class EffectConfig(BaseModel):
+    """A single effect in an effects chain."""
+
+    type: str
+    enabled: bool = True
+    params: dict = Field(default_factory=dict)
+
+
+class EffectsChain(BaseModel):
+    """An ordered list of effects to apply."""
+
+    effects: List[EffectConfig] = Field(default_factory=list)
+
+
+class EffectPresetCreate(BaseModel):
+    """Request model for creating an effect preset."""
+
+    name: str = Field(..., min_length=1, max_length=100)
+    description: Optional[str] = Field(None, max_length=500)
+    effects_chain: List[EffectConfig]
+
+
+class EffectPresetUpdate(BaseModel):
+    """Request model for updating an effect preset."""
+
+    name: Optional[str] = Field(None, min_length=1, max_length=100)
+    description: Optional[str] = None
+    effects_chain: Optional[List[EffectConfig]] = None
+
+
+class EffectPresetResponse(BaseModel):
+    """Response model for effect preset."""
+
+    id: str
+    name: str
+    description: Optional[str] = None
+    effects_chain: List[EffectConfig]
+    is_builtin: bool = False
+    created_at: datetime
+
+    class Config:
+        from_attributes = True
+
+
+class GenerationVersionResponse(BaseModel):
+    """Response model for a generation version."""
+
+    id: str
+    generation_id: str
+    label: str
+    audio_path: str
+    effects_chain: Optional[List[EffectConfig]] = None
+    source_version_id: Optional[str] = None
+    is_default: bool
+    created_at: datetime
+
+    class Config:
+        from_attributes = True
+
+
+class ApplyEffectsRequest(BaseModel):
+    """Request to apply effects to an existing generation."""
+
+    effects_chain: List[EffectConfig]
+    source_version_id: Optional[str] = Field(
+        None, description="Version to use as source audio (defaults to clean/original)"
+    )
+    label: Optional[str] = Field(None, max_length=100, description="Label for this version (auto-generated if omitted)")
+    set_as_default: bool = Field(default=True, description="Set this version as the default")
+
+
+class ProfileEffectsUpdate(BaseModel):
+    """Request to update the default effects chain on a profile."""
+
+    effects_chain: Optional[List[EffectConfig]] = Field(None, description="Effects chain (null to remove)")
+
+
+class AvailableEffectParam(BaseModel):
+    """Description of a single effect parameter."""
+
+    default: float
+    min: float
+    max: float
+    step: float
+    description: str
+
+
+class AvailableEffect(BaseModel):
+    """Description of an available effect type."""
+
+    type: str
+    label: str
+    description: str
+    params: dict  # param_name -> AvailableEffectParam
+
+
+class AvailableEffectsResponse(BaseModel):
+    """Response listing all available effect types."""
+
+    effects: List[AvailableEffect]