diff --git a/src/audio/abstract.cpp b/src/audio/abstract.cpp
index 8026adf8c..d445dbe40 100644
--- a/src/audio/abstract.cpp
+++ b/src/audio/abstract.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ bool TAAudio::setRun(bool run) {
 }
 
 bool TAAudio::init(TAAudioDesc& request, TAAudioDesc& response) {
-  return false;
+  response=request;
+  return true;
 }
 
 TAAudio::~TAAudio() {
diff --git a/src/engine/engine.cpp b/src/engine/engine.cpp
index 9d651b255..d2035e817 100644
--- a/src/engine/engine.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/engine.cpp
@@ -1932,7 +1932,7 @@ void DivEngine::runExportThread() {
 
       sf=sf_open(exportPath.c_str(),SFM_WRITE,&si);
       if (sf==NULL) {
-        logE("could not open file for writing!\n");
+        logE("could not open file for writing! (%s)\n",sf_strerror(NULL));
         exporting=false;
         return;
       }
@@ -1946,6 +1946,8 @@ void DivEngine::runExportThread() {
       deinitAudioBackend();
       playSub(false);
 
+      logI("rendering to file...\n");
+
       while (playing) {
         nextBuf(NULL,outBuf,0,2,EXPORT_BUFSIZE);
         for (int i=0; i<EXPORT_BUFSIZE; i++) {
@@ -1979,6 +1981,7 @@ void DivEngine::runExportThread() {
           logE("error while activating audio!\n");
         }
       }
+      logI("done!\n");
       break;
     }
     case DIV_EXPORT_MODE_MANY_SYS: {
@@ -1998,9 +2001,10 @@ void DivEngine::runExportThread() {
 
       for (int i=0; i<song.systemLen; i++) {
         fname[i]=fmt::sprintf("%s_s%d.wav",exportPath,i+1);
+        logI("- %s\n",fname[i].c_str());
         sf[i]=sf_open(fname[i].c_str(),SFM_WRITE,&si[i]);
         if (sf[i]==NULL) {
-          logE("could not open file for writing!\n");
+          logE("could not open file for writing! (%s)\n",sf_strerror(NULL));
           for (int j=0; j<i; j++) {
             sf_close(sf[i]);
           }
@@ -2017,6 +2021,8 @@ void DivEngine::runExportThread() {
       deinitAudioBackend();
       playSub(false);
 
+      logI("rendering to files...\n");
+
       while (playing) {
         nextBuf(NULL,outBuf,0,2,EXPORT_BUFSIZE);
         for (int i=0; i<song.systemLen; i++) {
@@ -2058,6 +2064,7 @@ void DivEngine::runExportThread() {
           logE("error while activating audio!\n");
         }
       }
+      logI("done!\n");
       break;
     }
     case DIV_EXPORT_MODE_MANY_CHAN: {
@@ -2069,18 +2076,21 @@ void DivEngine::runExportThread() {
       outBuf[1]=new float[EXPORT_BUFSIZE];
       outBuf[2]=new float[EXPORT_BUFSIZE*2];
       int loopCount=remainingLoops;
+
+      logI("rendering to files...\n");
       
       for (int i=0; i<chans; i++) {
         SNDFILE* sf;
         SF_INFO si;
         String fname=fmt::sprintf("%s_c%d.wav",exportPath,i+1);
+        logI("- %s\n",fname.c_str());
         si.samplerate=got.rate;
         si.channels=2;
         si.format=SF_FORMAT_WAV|SF_FORMAT_PCM_16;
 
         sf=sf_open(fname.c_str(),SFM_WRITE,&si);
         if (sf==NULL) {
-          logE("could not open file for writing!\n");
+          logE("could not open file for writing! (%s)\n",sf_strerror(NULL));
           break;
         }
 
@@ -2137,6 +2147,7 @@ void DivEngine::runExportThread() {
           logE("error while activating audio!\n");
         }
       }
+      logI("done!\n");
       break;
     }
   }
@@ -3540,10 +3551,12 @@ void DivEngine::quitDispatch() {
 
 bool DivEngine::initAudioBackend() {
   // load values
-  if (getConfString("audioEngine","SDL")=="JACK") {
-    audioEngine=DIV_AUDIO_JACK;
-  } else {
-    audioEngine=DIV_AUDIO_SDL;
+  if (audioEngine==DIV_AUDIO_NULL) {
+    if (getConfString("audioEngine","SDL")=="JACK") {
+      audioEngine=DIV_AUDIO_JACK;
+    } else {
+      audioEngine=DIV_AUDIO_SDL;
+    }
   }
 
   lowQuality=getConfInt("audioQuality",0);
@@ -3562,6 +3575,9 @@ bool DivEngine::initAudioBackend() {
     case DIV_AUDIO_SDL:
       output=new TAAudioSDL;
       break;
+    case DIV_AUDIO_DUMMY:
+      output=new TAAudio;
+      break;
     default:
       logE("invalid audio engine!\n");
       return false;
@@ -3576,7 +3592,6 @@ bool DivEngine::initAudioBackend() {
 
   output->setCallback(process,this);
 
-  logI("initializing audio.\n");
   if (!output->init(want,got)) {
     logE("error while initializing audio!\n");
     delete output;
diff --git a/src/engine/engine.h b/src/engine/engine.h
index 2b0266ad3..e733a7b26 100644
--- a/src/engine/engine.h
+++ b/src/engine/engine.h
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ enum DivStatusView {
 
 enum DivAudioEngines {
   DIV_AUDIO_JACK=0,
-  DIV_AUDIO_SDL=1
+  DIV_AUDIO_SDL=1,
+  DIV_AUDIO_NULL=2,
+  DIV_AUDIO_DUMMY=3
 };
 
 enum DivAudioExportModes {
@@ -518,7 +520,7 @@ class DivEngine {
       speed1(3),
       speed2(3),
       view(DIV_STATUS_NOTHING),
-      audioEngine(DIV_AUDIO_SDL),
+      audioEngine(DIV_AUDIO_NULL),
       samp_bbInLen(0),
       samp_temp(0),
       samp_prevSample(0),
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index fb9193e58..5df66c4b6 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ FurnaceGUI g;
 #endif
 
 String outName;
+int loops=1;
+DivAudioExportModes outMode=DIV_EXPORT_MODE_ONE;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_GUI
 bool consoleMode=false;
@@ -48,6 +50,10 @@ bool pHelp(String) {
 }
 
 bool pAudio(String val) {
+  if (outName!="") {
+    logE("can't use -audio and -output at the same time.\n");
+    return false;
+  }
   if (val=="jack") {
     e.setAudio(DIV_AUDIO_JACK);
   } else if (val=="sdl") {
@@ -143,9 +149,9 @@ bool pLoops(String val) {
   try {
     int count=std::stoi(val);
     if (count<0) {
-      e.setLoops(-1);
+      loops=0;
     } else {
-      e.setLoops(count+1);
+      loops=count+1;
     }
   } catch (std::exception& e) {
     logE("loop count shall be a number.\n");
@@ -154,8 +160,23 @@ bool pLoops(String val) {
   return true;
 }
 
+bool pOutMode(String val) {
+  if (val=="one") {
+    outMode=DIV_EXPORT_MODE_ONE;
+  } else if (val=="persys") {
+    outMode=DIV_EXPORT_MODE_MANY_SYS;
+  } else if (val=="perchan") {
+    outMode=DIV_EXPORT_MODE_MANY_CHAN;
+  } else {
+    logE("invalid value for outmode! valid values are: one, persys and perchan.\n");
+    return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
 bool pOutput(String val) {
   outName=val;
+  e.setAudio(DIV_AUDIO_DUMMY);
   return true;
 }
 
@@ -178,6 +199,7 @@ void initParams() {
   params.push_back(TAParam("c","console",false,pConsole,"","enable console mode"));
 
   params.push_back(TAParam("l","loops",true,pLoops,"<count>","set number of loops (-1 means loop forever)"));
+  params.push_back(TAParam("o","outmode",true,pOutMode,"one|persys|perchan","set file output mode"));
 
   params.push_back(TAParam("V","version",false,pVersion,"","view information about Furnace."));
   params.push_back(TAParam("W","warranty",false,pWarranty,"","view warranty disclaimer."));
@@ -298,7 +320,12 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     logE("could not initialize engine!\n");
     return 1;
   }
-  if (outName!="") return 0;
+  if (outName!="") {
+    e.setConsoleMode(true);
+    e.saveAudio(outName.c_str(),loops,outMode);
+    e.waitAudioFile();
+    return 0;
+  }
 
   if (consoleMode) {
     logI("playing...\n");