
They’ve learned all the nuances of navigating this technology, and it shows. SoundSource just works, and that’s no surprise: as I noted, Rogue Amoeba is very well-versed in the inner-workings of macOS audio. I’ve been using SoundSource pretty heavily again recently, and all of the things I mention here–effects, enhancements, per-app control, volume keys–happen reliably, quickly, and without any fanfare or delays. Reliable Enhancements to your Mac’s Audio (Now I just need to remember not to reach anymore!). As if I needed another reason, this is the icing on the cake to ensure I keep SoundSource running and installed full-time. No longer! SoundSource’s Super Volume Keys allow my volume buttons (and even the volume knob on my Logitech keyboard) to control the output level of my speakers now. Yes, folks, I had to reach…like an animal. Because of this, I had been forced to use the separate volume knob on my Audioengine D1 that sits way over there. You know those volume keys you have on you Mac’s keyboard? They’re super-handy and work great with your Mac’s internal speakers, but they aren’t always able to adjust the volume for things like HDMI, DisplayPort, and external USB audio devices. Keyboard Volume Control for Finicky Audio Devices Good news: with SoundSource, you can not only route any app – like Podcasts – to your favorite speakers, you can also apply EQ and effects like a compressor to each app individually, tightening up the sound, all in real-time. Let’s face it, some podcasters have yet to start using Audio Hijack to make their shows sound great. SoundSource lets me set this once and it persists, even simultaneously allowing one app’s sounds to come from one place while a different app goes to another. The beauty is that I don’t have to go futzing with the sound output controls before and after every single different activity. For Hangouts, you could set Google Chrome to use the speakers on the display where you have your Hangouts, giving your sound some spatial focus while still letting system sounds come out of your main speakers. This means I could set Zoom to only use my headphones, but Music to play through my big speakers. SoundSource 4 adds a ton of functionality, but most important is that SoundSource 4 gives me the ability to decide what happens with audio on a per-app basis. SoundSource Gives You Per-App Audio Control Much more recently, Rogue Amoeba re-imagined SoundSource, and my reaction upon reinstalling it was, “crap! I’ve been needing this and haven’t even known it!” My guess is you’ll feel the same way. Of course, macOS added that feature and rendered SoundSource – the original version, anyway – unnecessary for most of us. I used it back in the day because it brought me much-needed functionality: the ability to switch audio devices from the menu bar. Without these critical tools, I’m not quite sure how I’d do what I do, and I know that’s true for most other Mac-based podcasters out there.īut I had ignored SoundSource for a while in recent years.
#Rogue amoeba audio hijack mac
I’m a regular (and long-time!) user of Audio Hijack, using that and Loopback as foundational parts of my Mac Geek Gab podcast workflow, both in the studio and on the road.

SoundSource is one of those apps that truly is for everyone, not just audio geeks, and for that reason it’s often overlooked. Please join me in thanking Rogue Amoeba, makers of SoundSource (and Loopback, and Audio Hijack, and more!) for sponsoring TMO here this week.
