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Fast, High-Quality Cloud Setup

Cloud providers offer the fastest processing and highest accuracy for Stenox dictation. This guide shows you the recommended configurations for optimal results.

Most recommended: Stenox Cloud — fine-tuned for Stenox, zero configuration, fastest setup. Included with Plus and Lifetime Plus.

Why Use Cloud Providers?

Ultra-fast processing

Sub-second transcription and enhancement (5-10x faster than local).

Higher accuracy

State-of-the-art models optimized for production use.

No local storage

No need to download multi-GB models.

Works on any Mac

Intel and Apple Silicon, old and new.

Recommended Cloud Configurations

Option 1: Stenox Cloud (Most Recommended)

Best for: Fastest setup, best out-of-the-box experience Configuration:

Transcription: Stenox Cloud Transcription
Enhancement: Stenox Cloud AI Enhancement

Setup time: 2 minutes (just activate your license) Processing time: ~1-2 seconds total Availability: Plus and Lifetime Plus plans

Get Plus or Lifetime Plus

Visit stenox.app/pricing and choose your plan

Activate License

Settings → License → Sign in with your purchase email

Select Stenox Cloud

Settings → Transcription → Provider: Stenox Cloud Settings → AI Enhancement → Provider: Stenox Cloud

Start Dictating

That’s it — no API keys, no configuration, just works

Why Stenox Cloud?

Fine-tuned for Stenox — optimized specifically for voice dictation workflows
Zero configuration — no API keys to manage, no accounts to create
Consistent quality — we maintain and update the models for best results
Fast and accurate — production-grade speed and accuracy

Learn More

Full Stenox Cloud details

Option 2: Maximum Free Credits (BYOK)

Best for: Getting started free, maximum free usage Configuration:

Transcription: DeepGram Nova-3 ($200 free credits)
Enhancement: Google Gemini 2.5 Flash (1,500/day free)

Setup time: 10 minutes Processing time: ~1-2 seconds total Free usage: 6-12 months typical

Get DeepGram API key

Visit console.deepgram.com
Sign up (no credit card required)
Create API key
Get $200 in free credits

Configure DeepGram in Stenox

Settings → Transcription tab
Provider: DeepGram
Paste API key
Model: Nova-3 (best accuracy)

Get Google Gemini API key

Visit aistudio.google.com
Sign in with Google (no credit card)
Create API key
Get 1,500 free requests/day

Configure Gemini in Stenox

Settings → AI Enhancement tab
Provider: Google Gemini
Paste API key
Model: Gemini 2.5 Flash (fastest)

Get detailed setup instructions →

Option 3: Groq Stack (Single API Key)

Best for: Simplicity, one account for everything Configuration:

Transcription: Groq Whisper v3-turbo
Enhancement: Groq Llama 3.3 70B or DeepSeek R1

Setup time: 5 minutes Processing time: ~1-2 seconds total Free usage: Ongoing free tier with rate limits

Get Groq API key

Visit console.groq.com
Sign up (no credit card required)
Create API key
One key for both transcription and enhancement!

Configure Groq Transcription

Settings → Transcription tab
Provider: Groq
Paste API key
Model: whisper-large-v3-turbo

Configure Groq Enhancement

Settings → AI Enhancement tab
Provider: Groq
Paste same API key
Model: Llama 3.3 70B Versatile

Benefits:

Single API key management
Ultra-fast LPU inference
Ongoing free tier (doesn’t expire)
Simple setup

Get detailed setup instructions →

Option 4: Best Quality (Paid BYOK)

Best for: Professional use, maximum accuracy Configuration:

Transcription: DeepGram Nova-3 or AssemblyAI Universal-1
Enhancement: Google Gemini 2.5 Pro

Cost: ~$0.75-1.50 per hour of dictation Processing time: ~1-2 seconds total When to use:

Professional transcription services
Critical accuracy requirements
Business or enterprise use
After free credits are exhausted

Performance Comparison

Configuration	Speed	Accuracy	Setup	Cost	Best For
Stenox Cloud	⚡⚡⚡	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Instant	Plus/Lifetime Plus	Best experience, zero config
DeepGram + Gemini	⚡⚡⚡	⭐⭐⭐⭐	10 min	$$ after free	Maximum free credits
Groq Stack	⚡⚡⚡	⭐⭐⭐⭐	5 min	Free tier	One API key simplicity
AssemblyAI + Gemini	⚡⚡⚡	⭐⭐⭐⭐	10 min	$	Accent optimization
Local (WhisperKit + MLX)	⚡	⭐⭐⭐	5 min	Free forever	Privacy, offline

Detailed Provider Configurations

DeepGram Nova-3 Settings

Recommended configuration:

Setting	Value	Why
Model	Nova-3	Latest, best accuracy
Language	English (or auto-detect)	Optimize for your language
Streaming	Enabled (automatic)	Fastest results
Punctuation	Enabled (automatic)	Auto-punctuation

In Stenox:

Provider: DeepGram
Model: Nova-3 or Nova-3-English
Language: English or Auto-detect

DeepGram full guide →

Google Gemini 2.5 Flash Settings

Recommended configuration:

Setting	Value	Why
Model	Gemini 2.5 Flash	Fastest with excellent quality
Custom prompt	Default or Professional	Based on use case
Temperature	Default	Stenox handles this

In Stenox:

Provider: Google Gemini
Model: Gemini 2.5 Flash
Custom prompt: (optional, see below)

Google Gemini full guide →

Enhancement Prompts

Fine-tuned out of the box. Both Stenox Cloud and local providers come with fine-tuned enhancements that we continue to refine — no configuration needed for most users.

For BYOK providers, you can configure custom enhancement behaviors:

Default (General Use)
Professional Email
Technical Documentation

Fix grammar and punctuation errors.
Keep the original meaning and tone unchanged.

Use for: General dictation, notes

Fix grammar and rewrite in a professional, business-appropriate tone.
Format as a clear, concise email.
Remove filler words and make it direct.
Use proper email structure.

Use for: Work emails, business communications

Fix grammar and format for technical documentation.
Preserve all technical terms and code exactly as stated.
Use active voice and clear, concise language.
Format code blocks appropriately.

Use for: Code comments, documentation, technical writing

Multi-Profile Cloud Setup

For maximum flexibility, create profiles for different scenarios:

Profile Strategy

Work Email Profile

Name: “Work Email”
Transcription: DeepGram Nova-3
Enhancement: Gemini 2.5 Flash
Custom prompt: Professional email tone
Auto-activate: When Gmail or Outlook is active

Quick Notes Profile

Name: “Quick Notes”
Transcription: Groq Whisper (fastest)
Enhancement: None (skip for speed)
Auto-activate: When Notes app is active

Documentation Profile

Name: “Documentation”
Transcription: DeepGram Nova-3
Enhancement: Gemini 2.5 Flash
Custom prompt: Technical documentation
Auto-activate: When VSCode or similar is active

Fallback Local Profile

Name: “Offline”
Transcription: WhisperKit
Enhancement: MLX or None
Manual activation: When internet unavailable

Learn about Profiles →

Usage Optimization

Maximize Free Credits

DeepGram ($200 credits):

Use for important dictation (work emails, documents)
Switch to Groq or local for casual notes
Track usage in DeepGram console

Google Gemini (1,500/day):

More than enough for most users
If you hit limit, create “no enhancement” profile
Resets daily at midnight PST

Groq (free tier):

Use as primary option — no API costs
Rate limits refresh quickly
Good for privacy-conscious users who prefer not to create accounts

Cost Control

After free tiers, control costs:

Use Groq free tier as primary

Groq’s ongoing free tier is sufficient for most personal use. Only upgrade if you consistently hit rate limits.

Skip enhancement for quick notes

Create a profile without AI enhancement for quick personal notes. Saves on Gemini API calls.

Switch to local for high-volume

If you dictate heavily (2+ hours/day), switch to WhisperKit + MLX to avoid costs.

Use AssemblyAI after DeepGram

AssemblyAI costs only $0.0009/min after free credits - very affordable for continued use.

Troubleshooting Cloud Setup

Slow processing despite cloud providers

Check your internet connection speed
Try switching to different model (e.g., Flux instead of Nova-3)
Check provider status pages for outages
Test with local provider to isolate issue

Poor transcription accuracy

Ensure you’re using Nova-3 or latest models
Check microphone input device (Settings → Audio tab)
Reduce background noise
Speak more clearly or use better microphone
Try AssemblyAI if you have strong accent

API errors or authentication failures

Verify API keys are correct (no extra spaces)
Check API key status in provider dashboards
Ensure you have remaining credits/quota
Try creating new API keys

Hit rate limits frequently

Create local fallback profile (WhisperKit + MLX)
Set up multiple cloud providers and rotate
Consider upgrading to paid tier if needed

Internet Connection Requirements

Minimum requirements:

Speed: 1 Mbps upload, 1 Mbps download
Latency: < 100ms preferred
Stability: Consistent connection (not intermittent)

Optimal:

Speed: 5+ Mbps upload/download
Latency: < 50ms
Type: Wi-Fi or Ethernet (not cellular for best results)

Cloud processing sends ~1 MB per minute of audio. Most home internet connections are more than sufficient.

Next Steps

Free Tier Guide

Maximize free usage across all cloud providers.

Create Profiles

Set up different profiles for different scenarios.

DeepGram Setup

Complete DeepGram configuration guide.

Gemini Setup

Complete Google Gemini configuration guide.

Best setup: Stenox Cloud — fine-tuned for Stenox, zero configuration, just works. Get started at stenox.app/pricing.

Getting Started

Profiles

Providers

Pricing

Stenox Setup

Guides

Support

Cloud Setup Guide

Fast, High-Quality Cloud Setup

Why Use Cloud Providers?

Ultra-fast processing

Higher accuracy

No local storage

Works on any Mac

Recommended Cloud Configurations

Option 1: Stenox Cloud (Most Recommended)

Learn More

Option 2: Maximum Free Credits (BYOK)

Option 3: Groq Stack (Single API Key)

Option 4: Best Quality (Paid BYOK)

Performance Comparison

Detailed Provider Configurations

DeepGram Nova-3 Settings

Google Gemini 2.5 Flash Settings

Enhancement Prompts

Multi-Profile Cloud Setup

Profile Strategy

Usage Optimization

Maximize Free Credits

Cost Control

Troubleshooting Cloud Setup

Internet Connection Requirements

Next Steps

Free Tier Guide

Create Profiles

DeepGram Setup

Gemini Setup

Getting Started

Profiles

Providers

Pricing

Stenox Setup

Guides

Support

​Fast, High-Quality Cloud Setup

​Why Use Cloud Providers?

Ultra-fast processing

Higher accuracy

No local storage

Works on any Mac

​Recommended Cloud Configurations

​Option 1: Stenox Cloud (Most Recommended)

Learn More

​Option 2: Maximum Free Credits (BYOK)

​Option 3: Groq Stack (Single API Key)

​Option 4: Best Quality (Paid BYOK)

​Performance Comparison

​Detailed Provider Configurations

​DeepGram Nova-3 Settings

​Google Gemini 2.5 Flash Settings

​Enhancement Prompts

​Multi-Profile Cloud Setup

​Profile Strategy

​Usage Optimization

​Maximize Free Credits

​Cost Control

​Troubleshooting Cloud Setup

​Internet Connection Requirements

​Next Steps

Free Tier Guide

Create Profiles

DeepGram Setup

Gemini Setup

Fast, High-Quality Cloud Setup

Why Use Cloud Providers?

Recommended Cloud Configurations

Option 1: Stenox Cloud (Most Recommended)

Option 2: Maximum Free Credits (BYOK)

Option 3: Groq Stack (Single API Key)

Option 4: Best Quality (Paid BYOK)

Performance Comparison

Detailed Provider Configurations

DeepGram Nova-3 Settings

Google Gemini 2.5 Flash Settings

Enhancement Prompts

Multi-Profile Cloud Setup

Profile Strategy

Usage Optimization

Maximize Free Credits

Cost Control

Troubleshooting Cloud Setup

Internet Connection Requirements

Next Steps