Welcome to SoundSource

SoundSource puts powerful audio control at your command, right from your Mac’s menu bar. Effortlessly adjust the volume of each app, or sprinkle in some audio effects. You can even redirect sound to any device on your Mac, whether it’s connected directly to your Mac or wirelessly via AirPlay. Get easy access to your Mac’s audio settings, create device groups, and save a set of your favorite options as Quick Configs. With SoundSource, your Mac’s audio isn’t just managed—it’s mastered.

Getting Started

This manual provides you with a useful overview of the application, including an outline of its interface, as well as details on using the application. We recommend a quick read-through, since it’s designed to be an informative and cohesive guide, but you can also just dive in if you like. Refer back to this online manual for assistance at any time, right from SoundSource’s Options (Gear) menu.

Additional Assistance

The following resources can supplement the manual, and help you get more targeted answers you may need.

Information for Users of Previous Versions

If you’ve used SoundSource before, this information should prove helpful.

Purchasing a License

Quick Link: Visit our online store to buy a license key for SoundSource.

Why should I buy SoundSource?

Put simply, you should buy SoundSource because it isn't free. We provide a free trial, so you can test out the program and all its features before you buy it. It's like test driving a car, for as long as it takes you to decide.

During the trial, all of SoundSource's features are available to try, but it won't work for full-time use. While in trial mode, the quality of audio adjusted by SoundSource will be degraded after 20 minutes per launch.

If you use SoundSource and find you like it, please purchase a license key - support the software you use and love!

To purchase your license key, just visit https://rogueamoeba.com/store/.

What about upgrades?

If you purchased a license for SoundSource 5 (your license key will start with ZLAT-) or SoundSource 4 (your license key will start with TCAT-), you're eligible to upgrade to version 6 at a substantial discount.

Read about what's new in SoundSource 6 on our site, then use the upgrade form to purchase your discounted upgrade.

After Purchase

How do I unlock the full version?

The download of SoundSource from our site contains both a free trial of the software and the full version. To unlock the full, unlimited version, you just need a valid license key. When you purchase through our store, you'll immediately receive a license key in your browser as well as via email. Simply enter this key into SoundSource to unlock it.

What's your upgrade policy?

While we don't have a hard and fast upgrade policy, our philosophy regarding paid upgrades is simple: We try to do what's right for you and what's right for us. We've got a great track record, with many years of very satisfied customers.

For more details on free updates and paid upgrades, please see this page.

What's your refund policy?

All Rogue Amoeba products are available to try before you buy. We believe that no customer should have to buy software in order to find out how well it works. Our software can be fully evaluated with no limitations in capabilities, prior to purchase. Customers are strongly encouraged to take advantage of these trials prior to purchase. You may also seek any needed technical support from us - we answer support emails rapidly and responsively for current and potential customers alike.

If you would like a refund, please contact our support team within 14 days of your purchase. Because we cannot recover the license key that was sold, refunds are issued on a case-by-case basis.

Main Window

Main Window Overview

Accessing SoundSource

SoundSource lives in your menu bar, making it easily accessible from anywhere on your Mac. As a menu bar application, SoundSource’s app icon will not appear in your Dock or in the Cmd-Tab application switcher. Instead, it is accessed by clicking its menu bar icon.

When you click SoundSource’s menu bar icon, its main window will be shown. You can also pin the main window to float above other applications, or use a global keyboard shortcut to display it or hide it quickly.

Menu Bar Access

You can find SoundSource’s menu bar icon it in the upper-right corner of your screen, near the clock:

Wherever you are on your Mac, clicking SoundSource’s icon will reveal its main window.

Floating and Pinned Windows

SoundSource’s main window floats above others by default, but is attached to the menu bar. If you’d like to move the window position, you can pin its window so it will stay open and floating above other windows anywhere you want to move it. To pin the window, click the Pin button:

When you do, SoundSource will detach from the menu bar, enabling you to drag the window to your desired location on screen. For even faster placement, you can tear the window off by clicking and dragging it while attached, dropping it wherever you’d like. It will be pinned to the location you specify.

To close a pinned window, click the Pin button again to unpin it. It will disappear back into the menu bar for later access.

Standard and Compact Views

SoundSource’s main window provides access to many features for controlling system audio devices, as well as audio playback from applications. Above, you can see the main window in its Standard view. While SoundSource’s Standard view is already streamlined, you can slim things down further with the Compact view:

To switch between Standard and Compact views, click the toggle button in the upper left, next to the Pin icon.

If you wish to reduce SoundSource’s use of screen real estate on your Mac, opt for the Compact view.

Keyboard Access

SoundSource’s main window can be displayed and hidden using the keyboard, using a global keyboard shortcut. This can be configured in the Settings window and change the Show/Hide SoundSource option. When the keyboard shortcut is pressed, it will bring focus to SoundSource’s main window, so you can access your current settings and adjust them.

For a more comprehensive overview of SoundSource’s keyboard controls, be sure to read the Keyboard Controls page.

System Devices

At the top of SoundSource’s main window, you’ll find controls for your Mac’s default audio devices. Here, you can adjust settings for the default devices the system uses for audio output, audio input, and sound effects.

Output Device

By default, all audio on your Mac plays through the system’s selected output device. Using these controls in SoundSource, you can switch the specific device being used for output, and apply other adjustments.

The standard controls for the output device include the ability to adjust its volume level (including toggling its mute status), applying our Magic Boost effect, and switching the device being used.

Expanded Output Device Controls

Clicking the disclosure arrow at the right end of this section reveals additional output device controls. This includes sample rate settings, audio effects, a mute timer, and more.

The Options menu provides further controls:

• Show system output in menu bar: Displays the device icon in the menu bar, which can be clicked to mute and unmute.
• Meters: Toggle the output device’s level meter on or off. This will affect meters in the main window, as well as the menu bar, if enabled.
• Global Shortcuts: Assign keyboard shortcuts to quickly adjust the output device’s volume up, down, or mute/unmute.

Advanced options, including bypassing effects and resetting all settings to their defaults, can be found in the Advanced section.

Input Device

The system’s selected default input device is used to bring audio into your Mac’s apps. It will often be the Mac’s built-in microphone, but it can be set to an external microphone, or other external hardware featuring audio input ports. You can quickly set the device, adjust input volume, and mute the mic, all without expanding its settings:

Clicking the disclosure arrow at the right end reveals additional controls, allowing you to adjust the sample rate and other options.

Similar to the output device controls, the input device’s Options menu allows you to display the input device in the menu bar.

You can also control the display of the input meters. By default, SoundSource limits metering to a “Passive” state, which means levels will only display when the selected input device is actively being read by another application on the system. Other options include “Active” metering, which will check levels on the input whenever the main window (and/or menu bar item) is displayed, or “Disabled” for no level display at all. Any metering will cause the mic-in-use indicator for MacOS to appear.

There’s also support for quickly adjusting the input device’s volume level with multiple global keyboard shortcuts. And finally, there’s an option to reset any custom settings back to the defaults.

Sound Effects Device

Sound effects are a special type of audio played by applications on the Mac. They’re heard for events such as new emails arriving, messages being sent, and error warnings. You can opt to play sound effects through a secondary audio device, or match the system output.

This sound effects device offers similar controls as the default output device. In SoundSource, you can switch the specific device being used for sound effects, as well as its volume level and more.

Applications

The lower portion of SoundSource’s main window provides controls for audio playing in applications running on your Mac.

This area lists those applications that have been set as favorites, as well as any other apps which are actively producing audio. Applications that played audio within the last 60 seconds are also temporarily included in this list.

Application-Level Audio Controls

The basic controls displayed for each app include the level meter, as well as volume control (including mute toggle), plus the Magic Boost effect. You can also redirect audio from the default output, enabling an application to play audio through a particular output.

By expanding the settings for an application, you can also apply more audio effects to that app’s audio, and access other controls.

Each application gets two built-in effects added automatically: the Volume Overdrive and 10-Band EQ. The default settings make no change to audio, but you can quickly adjust these effects to increase the volume of that app or apply equalization. Beyond these two, the Add Effect pop up menu will provide other built-in effects as well as third-party Audio Unit plugins.

Details on audio effects are available on the Effects Overview page.

Favorites

In addition to showing applications which are actively playing audio, as well as those which recently did, you can add your favorite apps to the Applications list. Applications added to the favorites list will be kept above other active applications. By default, they are listed in the order they’ve been added, but you can click and drag the app name to reorder your list as you’d like.

When you first run SoundSource, several common audio-playing apps are added as favorites. If you find an app listed you don’t want, remove it by clicking the star icon next to its name and level meter.

You can also add applications as favorites area using the Add Favorite menu, which will open a file browser to go through your Applications folder. However, if applications are already producing audio, you can click the star next to the application’s name to keep it in the Applications list.

Quick Configs

Quick Configs in SoundSource enable you to save and quickly recall groups of audio settings for your Mac. They’re accessed via the Quick Configs button, located in the bottom-right corner of SoundSource's main window.

Using Quick Configs

Each saved quick config stores a wealth of settings within SoundSource, including your system device selections, volume levels, effects settings, per-application settings, and favorite applications. Once saved, switching between configurations will change settings throughout SoundSource.

To create a quick config, start by setting up SoundSource exactly as you want it: choose your system devices, change volume levels, add effects, and adjust app-specific settings. Then, open the Quick Configs menu and select Save As… (or press Cmd-Shift-S). Enter a name for your config and click Save.

To load a saved config, click its name in the Quick Configs menu. Your settings in SoundSource will be updated immediately. If you've assigned a keyboard shortcut to a config, you can press it at any time to load that configuration instantly.

After loading a config, you can modify settings and save your changes back to it. When you've made modifications, the menu will display a Save Changes to [name] option, listing the most recently loaded config. Click it (or press Cmd-S) to update the config with your latest settings.

Managing Quick Configs

You can customize your saved configurations by selecting the Manage Quick Configs… option from the Quick Configs menu. This will display a sheet where your configs are organized, allowing you to make changes.

Choosing Custom Icons

Each config can have a custom icon to help you visually distinguish between different configurations at a glance. Click the icon to the left of your config’s name to open the icon picker, which offers a variety of symbols to choose from. Select the icon that best represents your configuration's purpose.

Renaming Configs

To give a config a more descriptive name, click on the edit icon next to its name in the organizer. The name will become editable, allowing you to type a new one. Use the accept check button or Return key to save your changes. To cancel, use the Escape key or click the decline button.

Setting Keyboard Shortcuts

For even faster access to your configs, you can assign global keyboard shortcuts. Click the keyboard icon to the right of your config name, and press your desired key combination. The shortcut will be recorded and can be used at any time, even when SoundSource’s window isn’t visible.

To update or clear a shortcut, click the saved keyboard shortcut to edit it. Then, record a new shortcut or click the Delete button (x) to remove it.

Deleting Configs

If you no longer need a particular config, you can remove it by clicking the Delete button (x) next to it in the management sheet. After confirming, the config will be permanently deleted from your saved configurations.

Audio Effects

Effects Overview

SoundSource makes it easy to apply audio effects to any audio playing on your Mac. SoundSource includes several built-in audio effects, and includes support for Audio Unit plugins made by other developers.

On this page, you can get details on several facets of effects in SoundSource. The following two pages provide information on those audio effects.

Audio Effects Indicator

To see which of your audio sources are being adjusted through the use of audio effects, look for the helpful FX indicator on the Hide/Show Effects button:

In the example screenshot below, audio effects are being applied to the System Output device, and to Safari’s audio, while audio from Music is not being adjusted.

Effect Nicknames

In each audio effect’s popover, you’ll see the effect’s default name. Next to that name is an Edit pencil. When you click this, you’ll be able to modify the name of the effect.

In the image above, two identical effects have each been given nicknames, to help distinguish them from one another. Effect nicknames are very useful for keeping track of what each effect is doing.

Presets

At the bottom of effects popovers in SoundSource, you’ll see a section called Presets. Presets are a way to save settings for a particular effect, for later use. Presets are saved at the application level, which means they can be used in any instance of the effect in SoundSource.

A simple example of presets can be found in the 10-Band EQ. It comes with built-in presets for genres like “Rock” or “Jazz”, but you can also save custom presets. Tweak the settings to your liking, then select Save as Preset from the Presets menu. You’ll be able to name your preset, and even set an icon. It will remain accessible from the Presets menu.

In addition to the 10-Band EQ, Audio Unit effects also support saving presets. Once you configure presets, they’ll save you a tremendous amount of time.

Bypassing Effects

When the Bypass Effects option is enabled, effects processing will be disabled for the specified application or output device. This makes it possible to quickly toggle between an active or disabled effects configuration. Note that the On/Off state of each individual plugin will remain unchanged.

When Bypass Effects is turned on, a warning indicator will be shown to indicate that effects processing is disabled.

To access the Bypass Effects setting, expand the Advanced settings in the Options menu. The resulting contextual menu will include a Bypass Effects option which you can toggle on or off. In addition, when an application or the system’s output device is selected in SoundSource, pressing Option-Command-B will toggle this option.

Built-In Effects

SoundSource includes several powerful audio effects to help you improve the sound of your audio. We’ve worked to make these built-in effects simple to use, so anyone can get great-sounding audio.

Magic Boost

When you activate Magic Boost, you’ll get richer, fuller sound from any source. Magic Boost actively listens ahead several milliseconds for quieter passages of audio to give them a boost, while keeping louder audio from being overdriven. Whatever your audio source, Magic Boost will give you tremendous volume, all with a single click.

Magic Boost is available on both the system’s default output device and on individual applications. This makes it possible to use Magic Boost to improve the sound of your entire system, or just for specific apps.

10-Band Lagutin Equalizer

For over two decades, Rogue Amoeba’s renowned 10-band Lagutin equalizer has helped users get better sound.

From the EQ’s inline view, you can select from almost two dozen presets to improve your audio in an instant.

For more control, click to reveal the full popover. From here, you can configure the EQ bands and preamp gain manually.

Once you’ve found the right sound, you can even save your own custom equalizer settings. Adjust the equalizer to your liking, then select Save Preset As… from the Presets menu.

For full details on Presets, see the Presets section of our Effects Overview page.

Balance & Pan

SoundSource includes an effect for adjusting the stereo balance of audio, which can toggle between Balance and Pan modes.

The Balance effect adjusts the relative levels of audio between the left and right stereo channels. This is useful for correcting audio that is skewed to one side, or for compensating for hearing loss in one ear.

The Pan adjustment acts in a different fashion, setting the position of audio between the left and right stereo channels. This can be helpful when placing audio in a specific location within the stereo field.

This effect can be applied to individual app sources, as well as the system output.

Headphone Equalizer

Headphone EQ provides automatic calibrated equalization for headphones, powered by the well-known AutoEq project. Use it when playing audio to headphones to make them sound their very best.

Profiles are available for thousands of different headphone models. Select the appropriate model to apply audio adjustment tuned precisely to get the best out of your exact headphones.

Using custom-created EQ Profiles

It’s also possible to manually load custom EQ profiles into the Headphone EQ effect. For full details, see this support article.

Volume Overdrive

While Magic Boost will increase the level of quiet portions of audio, Volume Overdrive can assist in getting extra volume out of your speakers overall. It’s limited to individual applications, and can drive up their volume to 400%, making it possible to hear your audio even in loud environments.

Volume Overdrive improves the quality of overdriven audio, with limiting to prevent digital distortion. This works very well to amplify quiet audio, without blowing out sound that’s already loud. This does mean that when you’re listening to louder audio, you may not notice much boost when using Volume Overdrive.

Audio Unit Effects

SoundSource features support for Audio Unit effects, enabling you to adjust audio in countless ways to get the exact sound you want, from any application, or from your entire system.

SoundSource offers access to over a dozen Audio Units provided by Apple as part of MacOS. It also works with third-party Audio Units you’ve installed yourself.

Adding Audio Unit Effects

To add an Audio Unit effect, click the Add Effect button within the effects area of your output device or an application source.

SoundSource will find Audio Units in two locations:

• /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components
• ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components

When a compatible Audio Unit is installed in either of these locations, SoundSource will include it in the Add Effect pop up menus for the System Output device, or per-application adjustments.

Saving Audio Unit Presets

At the bottom of each Audio Unit, you’ll find a section called Presets. After configuring an Audio Unit, you can save your custom settings for later use. For full details, see the Effects Overview page’s Presets section.

SoundSource saves standard Audio Unit presets. That means that in addition to being used throughout SoundSource, saved Audio Unit presets can be read by other applications which support them. Likewise, SoundSource will read presets created by any other applications.

Audio Unit Search

SoundSource sorts Audio Units by their developer, using sub-menus to make it easier to locate the desired effect. If you have a large number of Audio Units, however, the Audio Unit Search should prove helpful.

The search field is available within the Add Effect pop up menu. Type a few characters of the name of your desired effect into this search field, and it should appear in the list for easy selection.

Favoriting Audio Units

If you have a large number of Audio Units, you may find it helpful to mark some as favorites. This will make them appear in a special Favorites section at the top of the Add Effect pop up menu.

To mark an Audio Unit as a favorite, simply hover over it in the Add Effect pop up menu, and click the star icon that appears to the left of its name. To remove an Audio Unit from the favorites list, click the star again.

Generic Interfaces for Audio Unit Effects

Many Audio Unit effects have custom interfaces, which can occasionally cause issues or crashes. SoundSource can optionally run these effects with a generic interface instead, providing access to all controls. This can be helpful in avoiding issues, as well as making effects simpler and more predictable to work with for VoiceOver users.

To toggle between the generic and custom interfaces, control-click on an effect and select Use Generic Audio Unit Interface or Use Custom Audio Unit Interface. To load the generic interface by default, hold the Shift key when adding the effect.

Additional Windows

Audio Devices

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.

Window Overview

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.

Device Customization

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.

Input Device Settings

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.

Shortcuts

Global shortcuts for input devices allow you to quickly control a device from your keyboard.

Shortcuts can be configured for:

• Set as System Input
• Toggle Mute
• Volume Down
• Volume Up

Advanced Settings

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:

• Volume
• Sample Rate
• Source
• Mute

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.

Output Device Settings

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:

• Max Volume: Adjusts the maximum volume level for the output device. This can be useful for preventing sudden loud audio when switching to a new output device, or overdriving audio devices with sensitive outputs.

Shortcuts

Global shortcuts for output devices allow you to quickly control a device from your keyboard. Shortcuts can be configured for:

• Set as System Output
• Toggle Mute
• Volume Down
• Volume Up

Advanced Settings

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.

Global Locks

The following output device settings can be locked:

• Volume
• Balance
• Sample Rate
• Source
• Mute

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.

Input/Output Device Settings

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.

“Output Only” Mode (Bluetooth Devices)

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.

AirPlay Speaker Settings

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.

Preferred Device Order

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.

Output Groups

Output groups in SoundSource enable you to route audio from an application or the system to multiple output devices simultaneously. Use it to play audio through both headphones and speakers simultaneously, or send audio to multiple external devices.

Device groups can contain a mix of any kind of output device: built-in outputs, external audio interfaces, Bluetooth devices, and even AirPlay devices.

Accessing Output Groups

Output groups are managed from the Output Devices window, which can be accessed by clicking the Options (Gear) menu in SoundSource’s main window, and choosing the Output Devices option. Alternatively, use keyboard shortcut Cmd-Shift-G.

Creating an Output Group

To create a new output group, click the + New Group button at the bottom of the sidebar in the Output Devices window. This will create a new output group with no devices selected.

Output groups can be renamed by clicking the edit icon next to the current group name at the top of the window. Additionally, you can choose a custom icon for the group to help quickly identify it within SoundSource.

Managing Devices in a Group

Any available output device will be listed for possible addition to an output group. Devices that are already included in another output group will be indicated with a checkmark next to their name.

To add a device to an output group, check the checkbox next to the device name. To remove a device from the group, uncheck the checkbox.

The volume of each device in the group can be adjusted independently, using the volume slider and mute toggle next to its name. This enables you to balance audio levels across multiple outputs.

Using Output Groups

Once an output group is created, it can be selected as an audio output destination for any individual application or the combined system audio. In SoundSource’s main window, click the output device selector next to an application or the system output, and choose the desired output group from the list.

From SoundSource’s main window, you can also adjust the volume within an output group. The device group offers an option to reveal volume sliders for each speaker in the group, which can each be adjusted independently.

When SoundSource is running, any output groups you make will be available throughout your system. Applications which offer audio device selectors can play to these groups, and they will be listed as virtual outputs in the Sound section of the System Settings app.

Settings

SoundSource’s settings can be accessed from the Options (Gear) menu in the upper-right corner of SoundSource’s main window, or with keyboard shortcut Cmd-,.

General Settings

Start SoundSource at Login: Turn this option on to have SoundSource run automatically when you login to your Mac. SoundSource will then be able to provide uninterrupted audio control. We strongly recommend turning this on!

Play feedback when volume is changed: Enable this option to hear an indication beep whenever the volume is adjusted. This MacOS setting is also available in the Sound section of the System Settings app. SoundSource mirrors it.

Global Shortcut

Show/Hide SoundSource: Use this setting to configure a global keyboard shortcut to immediately bring SoundSource to the foreground or hide it if the app is already focused. This makes it easy to adjust settings, right from your keyboard, and then get back to what you were doing.

Keyboard Volume Controls

Super Volume Keys: Activating this option will enable your keyboard volume keys to adjust the level of any audio device you set as the System Output, even if the device does not natively offer software-based volume controls.

For more details, please see this article.

Software Update

Automatically check for software updates: With this option activated, SoundSource checks for the most current version available from our server and alerts you when a new version is available. Leave this on, and SoundSource will help you stay up-to-date.

To initiate an update check manually, click the Check for Updates… button.

Appearance Settings

Theme Selector: This setting dictates SoundSource’s main color scheme. The default Match System setting follows the OS-wide Appearance setting for Light or Dark Mode. You can alternately force SoundSource to persistently use the Light or Dark theme, regardless of your system-wide settings.

Accent Color: By default, SoundSource’s appearance will follow the accent color configured in the “General” System Setting.

However, you can also choose to use a custom accent color for SoundSource. This will override the system setting, and apply the selected color to SoundSource’s interface.

Menu Bar Icon: By default, SoundSource’s menu bar icon will be a speaker. However, you can also choose a speaker icon that matches the Volume icon default to MacOS, or match the icon of the default output device as configured in the Audio Devices window.

Audio Settings

Audio Processing

Latency: This slider can be used to reduce latency while monitoring live audio. However, most users will not need to adjust it.

Setting this to Lower Latency can reduce or remove audio processing delay, which may be heard as a slight echo when monitoring live audio. However, this setting increases the chance of audio skips under high CPU load from added effects processing, or on slower computers.

Excluded Applications

Excluded Applications List: When an app is added to this list, SoundSource will no longer have any impact on its audio. This completely avoids the addition of latency, but also prevents SoundSource from adjusting the application’s volume control or applying audio effects to it.

Applications added to the Excluded Applications list will appear in a special Excluded section of SoundSource’s main window when they actively play audio or if they’re set as favorites. SoundSource will still show activity in a level meter. This does not impact the audio in any way.

The Excluded Applications list can help troubleshoot issues with audio effects, and avoid incompatibilities with latency-sensitive apps. While most users should not need it, if you find audio capture latency noticeable it will prove helpful.

Permissions

SoundSource’s Permissions window can be accessed from the SoundSource menu. This window lists permissions which allow SoundSource to run optimally.

Audio Routing Kit (ARK) [Required]

SoundSource uses the ARK Plugin to route audio on your Mac according to your settings. To use SoundSource, you must install ARK. This installation will require entering the administrator password for your Mac.

System Audio Access (for ARK) [Required]

Once installed, the ARK Plugin also needs system audio access to enable you to route audio on your Mac. This access is required for SoundSource to operate, and you’ll be prompted to grant permission the first time you launch the app.

Microphone Access (for ARK) [Required]

ARK also needs microphone access to enable you to route audio on your Mac. This access is required for SoundSource to operate, and you’ll be prompted to grant permission the first time you launch the app.

Accessibility Access [Optional]

SoundSource must have Accessibility access for the Super Volume Keys feature to work, and to enable access to AirPlay devices.

When Accessibility access has not yet been granted, the Audio tab of SoundSource’s Settings window will show this notice:

Local Network Access [Optional]

SoundSource needs local network access to discover and connect to AirPlay devices. If not yet allowed, SoundSource’s device selectors will show this note for AirPlay access:

Bluetooth Access [Optional]

When permission is granted, SoundSource can provide full control over Bluetooth audio devices connected to your Mac. Enable Bluetooth access for the best experience, including the ability to maintain a connection to devices and display information such as battery status. Before access is granted, Bluetooth devices will not be shown throughout SoundSource.

Click the Enable button in the Bluetooth Access section. You’ll then receive this prompt:

Click Allow to enable Bluetooth access for SoundSource, and you’ll be all set.

Alerts

SoundSource can optionally alert you when changes occur to your audio configuration, helping you stay informed about what’s happening with your Mac’s audio system. The Alerts window provides a centralized view of these notifications.

Accessing the Alerts window

Access the Alerts window by selecting Alerts from the Options (Gear) menu.

App Controls

Menu Bar Controls

Unlike more traditional applications, SoundSource lives entirely in your system’s menu bar. This page provides an overview of the various ways SoundSource interacts with the menu bar.

SoundSource’s Main Icon

When you click SoundSource’s icon in your menu bar, it will show the main SoundSource window.

Menu Bar Icon Options

By default, SoundSource’s menu bar icon is a simple speaker. This can be changed in the Appearance tab of the Settings window.

In addition to providing access to SoundSource’s main window, this icon offers two further functions.

Volume Indicator

SoundSource's menu bar icon will show a simple rough approximation of the current volume level for your default system output device. The “Speaker (System)” option is similar to the system's “Volume” menu bar icon, using waves to indicate volume level. The “Speaker (SoundSource)” and “Match Output Device” options use three vertical dots instead.

Alternate Menu

While a standard click on SoundSource menu bar icons shows SoundSource’s main window, Control-clicking its icon will reveal a convenient alternate menu.

Since this menu is a standard dropdown menu, it can provide simpler and faster access to some controls for the app.

Meters & Mute Controls

SoundSource can optionally provide metering and muting controls for audio devices and applications directly in your menu bar. This makes it easy to adjust your volume without needing to open SoundSource’s main window.

Adding an application or device to the menu bar is simple. From the Options menu of a source, enable the Show in menu bar toggle.

Once added, the source will display in your menu bar when actively playing audio (or at all times, in the case of the system output and system input devices. If meters are enabled, they will display current audio levels. To instantly mute a source or device, click its icon in the menu bar.

Keyboard Controls

To make lightning-fast adjustments to your audio, SoundSource can be controlled entirely from your keyboard. This page provides a comprehensive overview of the keyboard controls available in SoundSource.

Show/Hide SoundSource

With the Show/Hide SoundSource global keyboard shortcut, you can bring SoundSource forward from anywhere on your Mac, or hide it if it's already visible. Doing so will place focus on the SoundSource window, enabling you to view the current settings and use additional keyboard controls to adjust them.

This shortcut can be configured in SoundSource’s Settings window.

Global Keyboard Shortcuts for Audio Devices

You can also assign global keyboard shortcuts to control individual audio devices directly without directly interacting with SoundSource at all. These are configured per device in the Audio Devices window.

Input Device Global Keyboard Shortcut

For input devices (microphones, line inputs), you can assign global shortcuts for:

• Set as System Input: Make this device the Mac's default input
• Toggle Mute: Instantly mute or unmute the input device
• Volume Down: Decrease the input device volume
• Volume Up: Increase the input device volume

Output Device Global Keyboard Shortcuts

For output devices (speakers, headphones), you can assign global shortcuts for:

• Set as System Output: Make this device the Mac's default output
• Toggle Mute: Instantly mute or unmute the output device
• Volume Down: Decrease the output device volume
• Volume Up: Increase the output device volume

These device-specific global shortcuts work from anywhere on your Mac when SoundSource is running, making it easy to quickly switch devices or adjust their settings without interrupting your workflow.

Quick Config Global Keyboard Shortcuts

Each Quick Config can have its own global shortcut for instant switching between different audio configurations. Those shortcuts are configured in the Quick Configs organizer, allowing you to jump between different setups like “Work,” “Gaming,” or “Music Production” with a single keystroke.

General Navigation

When SoundSource's main window is in focus, several controls will work to navigate around the application's main window:

Cycle through visible controls	Tab, Shift-Tab
Adjust selected control	Space bar
Move selected slider (Standard increment)	←, →
Move selected slider (Large increment)	Shift-←, Shift-→
De-select current item	Escape (Esc)
Select default output device	Cmd-0
Select default input device	Cmd-Hyphen (-)
Select favorite application	Cmd-1 through Cmd-9

Item-Specific Navigation

When an individual item is selected in the top-level list, the following keyboard controls can also be used on it:

Increase volume	Cmd-↑
Decrease volume	Cmd-↓
Mute/Unmute	Shift-Cmd-↓
Open Effects area	→
Close Effects area	←
Remove selected effect	Cmd-Delete
Jump to Effects list	Cmd-E
Bypass Effects	Opt-Cmd-B
Toggle selected effect on/off	Cmd-B
Move selected item up in list	Option-↑
Move selected item down in list	Option-↓

Additional Keyboard Controls

Whenever SoundSource's main window is in focus, several additional shortcuts will also work.

Open Settings	Cmd-,
Open Audio Devices window	Cmd-Shift-D
Open Output Groups window	Cmd-Shift-G
Open Quick Configs organizer	Cmd-Shift-P
Close Window	Cmd-W
Quit SoundSource	Cmd-Q

Using Shortcuts with SoundSource

SoundSource provides a slew of actions for use with MacOS’s Shortcuts automation app. These allow you to automate many different things, including changing device volumes, setting effect presets, toggling effects processing, and much more.

Shortcuts Actions

With the Shortcuts actions included in SoundSource, it’s possible to integrate SoundSource into larger external workflows. This section provides a brief explanation for each of the included actions.

• Create an Output Group: Creates a new output group

• Delete Output Group: Deletes the specified output group

• Get Active Applications: Returns a list of all applications that are currently producing audio, or have done so in the past 60 seconds

• Get Device: Returns the chosen or supplied device

• Get Device List: Returns a list of all available devices for the system’s audio output or audio input

• Get Effect: Returns any effect available for the chosen or supplied source

• Get Output Group: Gets an output group from a selection

• Get Source: Returns the chosen or supplied Source object

• Get Source Device: Returns the device used by the chosen or supplied Source

• Get Source Effects: Returns all effects assigned to the targeted Source

• Open/Close Effect Window: Opens or closes the window for the selected effect within the specified Source

• Set All Effects Bypass: Sets the entire processing chain for the chosen or supplied Source(s) to “Active” or “Bypassed”, or toggles the chain’s state

• Set Device Mute: Sets the hardware mute for the chosen or supplied device(s) to “Muted” or “Unmuted” if supported by the device(s), or toggles the mute state

• Set Device Sample Rate: Sets the sample rate for the chosen or supplied audio device(s)

• Set Device Volume: Sets the hardware volume on the chosen or supplied audio device(s), if supported by the device(s), including an increase or decrease by a specific percentage.

• Set Effect Bypass: Sets the specified (via Magic Variable) audio effect to “Active” or “Bypassed”, or toggles the effect’s state

• Set Effect Parameter: Sets a specific parameter on a chosen audio effect

• Set Group Device Volume: Sets the volume for devices in the specified or chosen output group

• Set Magic Boost: Sets the “Magic Boost” feature for the chosen or supplied Source(s) to “Enabled” or “Disabled”, or toggles the feature’s state

• Set Metering: Sets the level meters animation for the chosen or supplied Source(s) to “Active” or “Bypassed”, or toggles animation’s state

• Set Output Group Devices: Sets the devices for the specified or chosen output group

• Set Quick Config: Applies the Quick Config to be used by SoundSource

• Set Source Device: Sets the device for the chosen or supplied Source

• Set Source Effect Bypass: Sets the chosen or supplied audio effect to “Active” or “Bypassed”, or toggles the effect’s state, for the chosen or supplied Source

• Set Source Effect Preset: Selects the selected preset for the chosen audio effect

• Set Source Mute: Sets the specified Source(s) to “Muted” or “Unmuted”

• Set Source Volume: Sets the volume level of the selected Source(s) to the specified value, including an increase or decrease by a specific percentage.

Example Shortcuts

Using Shortcuts, you can chain multiple actions together to create powerful changes that take effect automatically. Below, we’ve provided some examples.

Etcetera

Installing & Uninstalling

Installing SoundSource

For the easiest access to SoundSource after downloading the app, drag it from your Downloads folder to the Applications folder. Once you’ve moved the app file, double-click its icon to begin using it. SoundSource will guide you through the process of installing the audio handling plugin, and enabling necessary permissions. This installation will require the administrator password for your Mac.

Uninstalling SoundSource

If you wish to remove SoundSource from your Mac, you can use its built-in uninstaller. Click the Options (Gear) menu, then navigate to the Help sub-menu and select the Uninstall SoundSource… command. SoundSource will then initiate a process to remove its backend components from the system, which may require your administrator password.

Once this uninstall process completes, you will be prompted quit SoundSource, and you can move the application to the Trash.

If you have any feedback to share, know that we’ll be glad to hear it. Contact us directly to make a feature request, report a problem, or to get assistance. We’re always working to improve our products, so please don’t hesitate to let us know if it’s missing functionality you expected, or something didn’t work for you.

User License Terms

Disclaimer

SoundSource (“The Software”) is provided as is. Rogue Amoeba Software (“The Author”) is not responsible for any damage to the user's computer system or data and in no event will The Author, its officers, directors, employees or agents be responsible to the user for any consequential, incidental, or indirect damages (including damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, and the like) arising out of the use or inability to use the The Software, even if The Author has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Because some locations do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitations may not apply to you. Further, the consumer agrees that using this software in any way illegal, or even for the purposes of assessing its viability for illegal usage, is prohibited.

What that said:

Be safe when you use the software. Be aware that it's simply a tool designed to make your life better. Don't use it to do illegal or evil things. If you do, be ready to take responsibility for your own actions.

Distribution

Unless explicitly stated in writing, Rogue Amoeba Software does not grant permission to sell The Software. Non-profit distribution of The Software in its trial form is generally acceptable, provided that The Software is not modified in any way, the complete works of The Software are included in the distribution package, and Rogue Amoeba has been contacted for confirmation.

What that said:

Don't sell this software. If you wish to distribute it in its trial state, get in touch with us to confirm permission.

Acknowledgements

Portions of this Rogue Amoeba software may utilize the following copyrighted material, the use of which is hereby acknowledged.

audioOSD

Copyright © Perceval FARAMAZ

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

AutoEq

https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq

Copyright © Jaakko Pasanen

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

CARParser

Copyright © 2018 Alexandre Colucci, blog.timac.org

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

MediaRemote Adapter

https://github.com/ungive/mediaremote-adapter

Copyright © Jonas van den Berg and contributors

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

Sparkle

Copyright © Andy Matuschak

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.