diff --git a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/exception.h b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/exception.h
index b5141cb4c2..3c2fdb2749 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/exception.h
+++ b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/exception.h
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #include <exception>
 #include <string>
 
-#include <boost/format.hpp>
+#include "pbd/compose.h"
 
 #include "audiographer/visibility.h"
 #include "audiographer/debug_utils.h"
@@ -20,20 +20,18 @@ class LIBAUDIOGRAPHER_API Exception : public std::exception
   public:
 	template<typename T>
 	Exception (T const & thrower, std::string const & reason)
-	  : reason (boost::str (boost::format
-			("Exception thrown by %1%: %2%")
-			% DebugUtils::demangled_name (thrower) % reason))
+		: explanation(string_compose ("Exception thrown by %1: %2",  DebugUtils::demangled_name (thrower), reason))
 	{}
 
 	virtual ~Exception () throw() { }
 
 	const char* what() const throw()
 	{
-		return reason.c_str();
+		return explanation.c_str();
 	}
 
   private:
-	std::string const reason;
+	std::string const explanation;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/flag_debuggable.h b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/flag_debuggable.h
index 5816fe8243..266e4355b2 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/flag_debuggable.h
+++ b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/flag_debuggable.h
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 #include "process_context.h"
 #include "types.h"
 
-#include <boost/format.hpp>
-
 namespace AudioGrapher
 {
 
@@ -35,10 +33,11 @@ class LIBAUDIOGRAPHER_API FlagDebuggable : public Debuggable<L>
 		FlagField unsupported = flags.unsupported_flags_of (context.flags());
 
 		for (FlagField::iterator it = unsupported.begin(); it != unsupported.end(); ++it) {
-			Debuggable<L>::debug_stream() << boost::str (boost::format
-				("%1% does not support flag %2%")
-				% DebugUtils::demangled_name (self) % DebugUtils::process_context_flag_name (*it)
-				) << std::endl;
+			Debuggable<L>::debug_stream()
+				<< DebugUtils::demangled_name (self)
+				<< " does not support flag "
+				<< DebugUtils::process_context_flag_name (*it)
+				<< std::endl;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/general/cmdpipe_writer.h b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/general/cmdpipe_writer.h
index 648e4a3e03..c79c1b96f8 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/general/cmdpipe_writer.h
+++ b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/general/cmdpipe_writer.h
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 #include <string>
 
 #include <glib.h>
-#include <boost/format.hpp>
 
 #include "audiographer/flag_debuggable.h"
 #include "audiographer/sink.h"
@@ -70,8 +69,7 @@ public:
 		check_flags (*this, c);
 
 		if (_tmp_fd < 0 && (!_proc || !_proc->is_running())) {
-			throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format
-						("Target encoder process is not running")));
+			throw Exception (*this, "Target encoder process is not running");
 		}
 
 		const size_t bytes_per_sample = sizeof (T);
@@ -85,8 +83,7 @@ public:
 		samples_written += written;
 
 		if (throw_level (ThrowProcess) && written != c.samples()) {
-			throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format
-						("Could not write data to output file")));
+			throw Exception (*this, "Could not write data to output file");
 		}
 
 		if (c.has_flag(ProcessContext<T>::EndOfInput)) {
diff --git a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/general/threader.h b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/general/threader.h
index d0f871585e..828643def0 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/general/threader.h
+++ b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/general/threader.h
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@
 #include <glibmm/threadpool.h>
 #include <glibmm/timeval.h>
 #include <sigc++/slot.h>
-#include <boost/format.hpp>
 
 #include <glib.h>
 
 #include "pbd/atomic.h"
+#include "pbd/compose.h"
 
 #include "audiographer/visibility.h"
 #include "audiographer/source.h"
@@ -28,10 +28,7 @@ class /*LIBAUDIOGRAPHER_API*/ ThreaderException : public Exception
   public:
 	template<typename T>
 	ThreaderException (T const & thrower, std::exception const & e)
-		: Exception (thrower,
-			boost::str ( boost::format
-			("\n\t- Dynamic type: %1%\n\t- what(): %2%")
-			% DebugUtils::demangled_name (e) % e.what() ))
+		: Exception (thrower, string_compose ("\n\t- Dynamic type: %1\n\t- what(): %2", DebugUtils::demangled_name (e), e.what()))
 	{ }
 };
 
diff --git a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/sndfile_reader.h b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/sndfile_reader.h
index b3e84ac40a..01f5a6475e 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/sndfile_reader.h
+++ b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/sndfile_reader.h
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #ifndef AUDIOGRAPHER_SNDFILE_READER_H
 #define AUDIOGRAPHER_SNDFILE_READER_H
 
+#include "pbd/compose.h"
+
 #include "audiographer/utils/listed_source.h"
 #include "audiographer/process_context.h"
 #include "audiographer/sndfile/sndfile_base.h"
@@ -32,9 +34,9 @@ class SndfileReader
 	samplecnt_t read (ProcessContext<T> & context)
 	{
 		if (throw_level (ThrowStrict) && context.channels() != channels() ) {
-			throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format
-				("Wrong number of channels given to process(), %1% instead of %2%")
-				% context.channels() % channels()));
+			throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+					("Wrong number of channels given to process(), %1 instead of %2",
+					context.channels(), channels()));
 		}
 
 		samplecnt_t const samples_read = SndfileHandle::read (context.data(), context.samples());
diff --git a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/sndfile_writer.h b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/sndfile_writer.h
index f88eed2267..9f468a92db 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/sndfile_writer.h
+++ b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/sndfile_writer.h
@@ -3,14 +3,13 @@
 
 #include <string>
 
-#include <boost/format.hpp>
-
 #include "audiographer/flag_debuggable.h"
 #include "audiographer/sink.h"
 #include "audiographer/types.h"
 #include "audiographer/sndfile/sndfile_base.h"
 #include "audiographer/broadcast_info.h"
 
+#include "pbd/compose.h"
 #include "pbd/signals.h"
 
 namespace AudioGrapher
@@ -51,18 +50,21 @@ class SndfileWriter
 		check_flags (*this, c);
 
 		if (throw_level (ThrowStrict) && c.channels() != channels()) {
-			throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format
-				("Wrong number of channels given to process(), %1% instead of %2%")
-				% c.channels() % channels()));
+			throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+					("Wrong number of channels given to process(), %1 instead of %2",
+					c.channels(), channels()));
 		}
 
 		samplecnt_t const written = write (c.data(), c.samples());
 		samples_written += written;
 
 		if (throw_level (ThrowProcess) && written != c.samples()) {
-			throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format
-				("Could not write data to output file (%1%)")
-				% strError()));
+			std::stringstream reason;
+			reason << "Could not write data to output file ("
+			       << strError()
+			       << ")";
+
+			throw Exception (*this, reason.str());
 		}
 
 		if (c.has_flag(ProcessContext<T>::EndOfInput)) {
@@ -85,8 +87,12 @@ class SndfileWriter
 	virtual void init()
 	{
 		if (SF_ERR_NO_ERROR != SndfileHandle::error ()) {
-			throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format
-						("Could not create output file (%1%)") % path));
+			std::stringstream reason;
+			reason << "Could not write data to output file ("
+			       << path
+			       << ")";
+
+			throw Exception (*this, reason.str());
 		}
 		samples_written = 0;
 		add_supported_flag (ProcessContext<T>::EndOfInput);
diff --git a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/tmp_file_rt.h b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/tmp_file_rt.h
index 4b9f321b4e..62f52080de 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/tmp_file_rt.h
+++ b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/tmp_file_rt.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <glib.h>
 
+#include "pbd/compose.h"
 #include "pbd/gstdio_compat.h"
 #include "pbd/pthread_utils.h"
 #include "pbd/ringbuffer.h"
@@ -63,15 +64,16 @@ class TmpFileRt
 		SndfileWriter<T>::check_flags (*this, c);
 
 		if (SndfileWriter<T>::throw_level (ThrowStrict) && c.channels() != SndfileHandle::channels()) {
-			throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format
-				("Wrong number of channels given to process(), %1% instead of %2%")
-				% c.channels() % SndfileHandle::channels()));
+			throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+					("Wrong number of channels given to process(), %1 instead of %2",
+					 c.channels(), SndfileHandle::channels()));
 		}
 
 		if (SndfileWriter<T>::throw_level (ThrowProcess) && _rb.write_space() < (size_t) c.samples()) {
-			throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format
-				("Could not write data to ringbuffer/output file (%1%)")
-				% SndfileHandle::strError()));
+			throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+					("Could not write data to ringbuffer/output file (%1)",
+					 SndfileHandle::strError()));
+
 		}
 
 		_rb.write (c.data(), c.samples());
diff --git a/libs/audiographer/src/general/demo_noise.cc b/libs/audiographer/src/general/demo_noise.cc
index 4bbe1e0729..c99a4c4352 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/src/general/demo_noise.cc
+++ b/libs/audiographer/src/general/demo_noise.cc
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
  * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
  */
 
+#include <cassert>
+
 #include "audiographer/general/demo_noise.h"
 #include "ardour/dB.h"
 
@@ -67,10 +69,14 @@ DemoNoiseAdder::process (ProcessContext<float> const& ctx)
 	const samplecnt_t n_samples = ctx.samples_per_channel ();
 
 	if (throw_level (ThrowStrict) && ctx.channels () != _channels) {
-		throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format ("Wrong channel count given to process(), %1% instead of %2%") % ctx.channels () % _channels));
+		throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+				("Wrong channel count given to process(), %1 instead of %2",
+				 ctx.channels () % _channels));
 	}
 	if (throw_level (ThrowProcess) && ctx.samples () > _data_out_size) {
-		throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format ("Too many samples given to process(), %1% instead of %2%") % ctx.samples () % _data_out_size));
+		throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+				("Too many samples given to process(), %1 instead of %2",
+				 ctx.samples (), _data_out_size));
 	}
 
 	if (_pos + n_samples > _duration) {
diff --git a/libs/audiographer/src/general/loudness_reader.cc b/libs/audiographer/src/general/loudness_reader.cc
index fa53f0bd96..4fe5f88414 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/src/general/loudness_reader.cc
+++ b/libs/audiographer/src/general/loudness_reader.cc
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
  * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
  */
 
+#include <cassert>
+
 #include "audiographer/general/loudness_reader.h"
 #include "pbd/fastlog.h"
 
diff --git a/libs/audiographer/src/general/sample_format_converter.cc b/libs/audiographer/src/general/sample_format_converter.cc
index 1cf22e5dd6..2d8150aec4 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/src/general/sample_format_converter.cc
+++ b/libs/audiographer/src/general/sample_format_converter.cc
@@ -19,14 +19,14 @@
  * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
  */
 
+#include "pbd/compose.h"
+
 #include "audiographer/general/sample_format_converter.h"
 
 #include "audiographer/exception.h"
 #include "audiographer/type_utils.h"
 #include "private/gdither/gdither.h"
 
-#include <boost/format.hpp>
-
 namespace AudioGrapher
 {
 
@@ -72,9 +72,9 @@ void
 SampleFormatConverter<int16_t>::init (samplecnt_t max_samples, int type, int data_width)
 {
 	if (throw_level (ThrowObject) && data_width > 16) {
-		throw Exception (*this, boost::str(boost::format
-		    ("Data width (%1%) too large for int16_t")
-		    % data_width));
+		throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+				("Data width (%1) too large for int16_t",
+				data_width));
 	}
 	init_common (max_samples);
 	dither = gdither_new ((GDitherType) type, channels, GDither16bit, data_width);
@@ -85,9 +85,9 @@ void
 SampleFormatConverter<uint8_t>::init (samplecnt_t max_samples, int type, int data_width)
 {
 	if (throw_level (ThrowObject) && data_width > 8) {
-		throw Exception (*this, boost::str(boost::format
-		    ("Data width (%1%) too large for uint8_t")
-		    % data_width));
+		throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+				("Data width (%1) too large for uint8_t",
+				 data_width));
 	}
 	init_common (max_samples);
 	dither = gdither_new ((GDitherType) type, channels, GDither8bit, data_width);
@@ -197,15 +197,15 @@ void
 SampleFormatConverter<TOut>::check_sample_and_channel_count (samplecnt_t samples, ChannelCount channels_)
 {
 	if (throw_level (ThrowStrict) && channels_ != channels) {
-		throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format
-			("Wrong channel count given to process(), %1% instead of %2%")
-			% channels_ % channels));
+		throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+				("Wrong channel count given to process(), %1 instead of %2",
+				 channels_, channels));
 	}
 
 	if (throw_level (ThrowProcess) && samples  > data_out_size) {
-		throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format
-			("Too many samples given to process(), %1% instead of %2%")
-			% samples % data_out_size));
+		throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+				("Too many samples given to process(), %1 instead of %2",
+				 samples, data_out_size));
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/audiographer/src/general/sr_converter.cc b/libs/audiographer/src/general/sr_converter.cc
index 49004d3884..0e39a460ce 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/src/general/sr_converter.cc
+++ b/libs/audiographer/src/general/sr_converter.cc
@@ -18,18 +18,17 @@
  * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
  */
 
+#include "pbd/compose.h"
+
 #include "audiographer/general/sr_converter.h"
 
 #include "audiographer/exception.h"
 #include "audiographer/type_utils.h"
 
 #include <cmath>
-#include <boost/format.hpp>
 
 namespace AudioGrapher
 {
-using boost::format;
-using boost::str;
 
 SampleRateConverter::SampleRateConverter (uint32_t channels)
   : active (false)
@@ -59,9 +58,9 @@ SampleRateConverter::init (samplecnt_t in_rate, samplecnt_t out_rate, int qualit
 	int err;
 	src_state = src_new (quality, channels, &err);
 	if (throw_level (ThrowObject) && !src_state) {
-		throw Exception (*this, str (format
-			("Cannot initialize sample rate converter: %1%")
-			% src_strerror (err)));
+		throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+				("Cannot initialize sample rate converter: %1",
+				 src_strerror (err)));
 	}
 
 	src_data.src_ratio = (double) out_rate / (double) in_rate;
@@ -113,9 +112,9 @@ SampleRateConverter::process (ProcessContext<float> const & c)
 	float * in = const_cast<float *> (c.data()); // TODO check if this is safe!
 
 	if (throw_level (ThrowProcess) && samples > max_samples_in) {
-		throw Exception (*this, str (format (
-			"process() called with too many samples, %1% instead of %2%")
-			% samples % max_samples_in));
+		throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+				("process() called with too many samples, %1 instead of %2",
+				 samples, max_samples_in));
 	}
 
 	int err;
@@ -163,9 +162,7 @@ SampleRateConverter::process (ProcessContext<float> const & c)
 
 		err = src_process (src_state, &src_data);
 		if (throw_level (ThrowProcess) && err) {
-			throw Exception (*this, str (format
-			("An error occurred during sample rate conversion: %1%")
-			% src_strerror (err)));
+			throw Exception (*this, string_compose ("An error occurred during sample rate conversion: %1",src_strerror (err)));
 		}
 
 		leftover_samples = src_data.input_frames - src_data.input_frames_used;
@@ -191,9 +188,9 @@ SampleRateConverter::process (ProcessContext<float> const & c)
 		}
 
 		if (throw_level (ThrowProcess) && src_data.output_frames_gen == 0 && leftover_samples) {
-			throw Exception (*this, boost::str (boost::format
-				("No output samples generated with %1% leftover samples")
-				% leftover_samples));
+			throw Exception (*this, string_compose
+					("No output samples generated with %1 leftover samples",
+					 leftover_samples));
 		}
 
 	} while (leftover_samples > samples);
diff --git a/libs/audiographer/wscript b/libs/audiographer/wscript
index 5d726d4d04..633bd239b7 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/wscript
+++ b/libs/audiographer/wscript
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@ def configure(conf):
     autowaf.check_pkg(conf, 'sndfile', uselib_store='SNDFILE', atleast_version='1.0.18', mandatory=False)
     autowaf.check_pkg(conf, 'fftw3f', uselib_store='FFTW3F', mandatory=True)
 
-    # Boost headers
-    autowaf.check_header(conf, 'cxx', 'boost/format.hpp')
-
 def build(bld):
 
     # Headers