Model updates
AI video with sound: what each model actually played
We asked Veo 3.1 Fast, Gemini Omni Flash 1.1 and Seedance 2.5 for the same sounds, and checked what other models added unasked. Prices and request IDs included.
Video examples here were generated on Cicadas and keep their model, settings and date. Cicadas earns money when you generate with these models. How we test
- Test window:
- 2026-09-08 – 2026-10-12
- Clips recorded with these models:
- 32
- Models:
- Veo 3.1 Fast, Gemini Omni Flash 1.1, Seedance 2.5, Vidu Q4, FLUX 3
- Their provider cost:
- ≈$29.24
- Selection:
- every clip we keep is listed with its settings, cost and request ID; failed or discarded runs are listed in the test record.
Several video models now make the sound with the picture. A prompt can ask for "sizzling oil" or "rain drumming on the umbrella"; what comes back is another matter. We gave the same prompts to Veo 3.1 Fast, Gemini Omni Flash 1.1 and Seedance 2.5 on Cicadas, kept every first result, and had automated listeners describe each sound track: Gemini 3.5 Flash Lite for the September Veo clips, Gemini 3.5 Flash Lite and Flash for the October ones. This is not human listening. Each clip is in the test log; prices are what Cicadas charges today (October 15, 2026).
Test 1: a chef, a pan and a burst of flame
Prompt: a chef tosses vegetables in a hot cast-iron pan in a busy kitchen and a flame flares up; sizzling oil and kitchen clatter. Text to video, 4 seconds, 720p, 16:9.
| Model | Credits today | Provider cost | Back in | What the listeners heard | Request |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veo 3.1 Fast | Credits today150 | Provider cost≈$0.60 | Back in— | What the listeners heardSizzling and running water | Request01a0efb8-7dae… |
| Gemini Omni Flash 1.1 | Credits today100 | Provider cost≈$0.40 | Back in42 s | What the listeners heardRustling and a thud or slide, no sizzle | Request01a12d6f-926b… |
| Seedance 2.5 | Credits today473 | Provider cost≈$1.89 | Back in3 min 54 s | What the listeners heardA mechanical scrape and a deep whoosh, no sizzle | Request01a12df7-8632… |
Only Veo produced the sizzle the prompt named. The pictures differ as much as the sound: Veo stayed close on the hands and the pan, with the flame early; Omni pulled back to show the cook's face and a second cook behind him; Seedance threw the vegetables highest and gave the biggest fireball, but its pan looks like steel rather than cast iron and its kitchen is empty where the prompt asked for a busy one. None of the three had speech or music.
Test 2: rain on a neon street
Prompt: heavy rain on a neon-lit side street at night, a person with a clear umbrella walks away; rain drumming on the umbrella and distant traffic. Text to video, 4 seconds, 720p, vertical.
| Model | Credits today | Provider cost | Back in | What the listeners heard | Request |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veo 3.1 Fast | Credits today150 | Provider cost≈$0.60 | Back in— | What the listeners heardSplashing and flowing water, like heavy rain | Request01a0efb8-8cbf… |
| Gemini Omni Flash 1.1 | Credits today100 | Provider cost≈$0.40 | Back in37 s | What the listeners heardSteady heavy rain | Request01a12d70-65f4… |
Both got the rain and neither had speech or music; neither description mentions the distant traffic. The picture is where they part: Omni's shop signs carry made-up lettering although the prompt asked for no text, which matters if the clip will run as an ad.
Test 3: sound nobody asked for
Three clips from other tests, where the prompt did not ask for sound or asked for silence:
| Model | Clip | Asked for | Got |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vidu Q4 | Clipcoffee steam, 5 s, 720p | Asked forNothing about sound | GotCalm instrumental music |
| FLUX 3 | Clipthe same coffee, sound on | Asked forNothing about sound | GotA single bird chirp, nearly silent |
| Gemini Omni Flash 1.1 | Clipa car on a coastal road, 4 s | Asked for"Silent footage" | GotA low synthesizer drone |
These audio-enabled runs included sounds we did not request. Unwanted music can clash with your own soundtrack; remove or replace the generated audio before adding music if that happens.
How to get the sound you want
- Name the sounds you want. "Sizzling oil and kitchen clatter" got a sizzle once in these three runs. We did not test whether this wording beats a mood-only prompt.
- Decide whether you want sound at all. On Cicadas, Veo 3.1 Fast costs 1.5 times as much with sound; Seedance 2.5's sound is optional at no extra cost; Gemini Omni Flash 1.1 always adds sound. If you will add music yourself, a silent clip is cleaner.
- Listen before you publish. Play the whole result yourself; an automated description can miss sounds.
- Check the picture for text. A sound test is still a video; made-up lettering on signs turned up even with "no text" in the prompt.
fal's page for this Veo 3.1 Fast endpoint says it will be deprecated on November 17, 2026 (read on October 15); the Veo 3.1 page will say what changes on Cicadas.
What these tests don't show
One run per model and prompt, no retries; the listeners describe sound, they do not rate it. Another prompt may come out differently. To try it yourself, start from AI video with sound or compare two models on Omni 1.1 vs Veo 3.1 and Omni 1.1 vs Seedance 2.5. Prices change; see pricing.