The Audio Devices window provides powerful control over the audio devices available on your Mac, making it possible to change their settings. Access it from the Options (Gear) menu or by using keyboard shortcut Cmd-Shift-D.
The Audio Devices window is comprised of several sections. The sidebar lists each device recognized by the system, followed by a Preferred Device Order setting at the bottom of the sidebar. The main area of the window displays settings for whichever device is selected in the sidebar.
The sidebar can display multiple categories of audio devices, depending on the types of audio devices that are connected to your Mac. Each section lists the available devices, along with their icon.
Each device can be personalized with a custom name and icon.
Click the device's name to edit its Nickname, making it easier to identify in SoundSource's interface. Click the icon to open the Icon Picker and choose a visual symbol that represents the device's purpose or location.
The Input Devices section contains devices which only offer input channels.
Depending on the exact device, the Input tab may have settings for volume, preferred left and right channels, and sample rate. There will also be a level meter to monitor the input signal as you adjust or mute the device.
Global shortcuts for input devices allow you to quickly control a device from your keyboard.
Shortcuts can be configured for:
The Advanced tab provides global lock settings that prevent other applications from changing device settings you've configured in SoundSource.
The following input device settings can be locked:
When a lock is enabled, SoundSource actively prevents other applications from modifying that setting. This is useful when other software attempts to adjust your microphone levels or sample rate unexpectedly.
The Output Devices section contains devices which only offer output channels.
Some of the settings here are similar to input device options, with some notable additions:
Global shortcuts for output devices allow you to quickly control a device from your keyboard. Shortcuts can be configured for:
The Advanced tab for output devices offers audio processing controls and global lock settings.
Audio Processing: When enabled, SoundSource applies muting, volume adjustments, and audio effects to this device. If disabled, SoundSource can still direct audio to the device, but will not apply any processing. This can be useful for devices that handle their own audio processing or when you want to bypass SoundSource's effects chain entirely.
Force software volume control: Some output devices do not offer hardware volume controls. Enabling this option forces SoundSource to use software volume control, allowing you to adjust the volume even when the device itself does not support it.
The following output device settings can be locked:
When a lock is enabled, SoundSource actively prevents other applications from modifying that setting. This is particularly useful for maintaining consistent volume levels or preventing apps from changing your preferred audio configuration.
The Input/Output Devices section contains devices which offer both input and output channels. The same controls are offered here as with input–only and output–only devices, with separate tabs for Input and Output settings.
For Bluetooth audio devices that support both input and output, the Mode dropdown allows you to choose between Input & Output and Output Only modes.
Setting a Bluetooth device to Output Only can improve audio quality by using higher-quality audio codecs, but requires using a different microphone for input. This is ideal when you want the best listening experience and have an alternative input device available.
The AirPlay Speakers section contains any AirPlay-compatible devices available on your network.
AirPlay devices can be managed just like other audio devices in SoundSource, with options for volume control, audio effects, and more. Before connecting, the device will show an Awaiting Connection status.
When enabled, SoundSource will attempt to set the system’s default input or output based on preferred device order you configure here.
Options for inputs and outputs can be set independently, and the order can be adjusted by dragging devices up or down in the list. The first device in the list will be set as the default input or output device when SoundSource is launched.
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