Virtual Audio Drivers (Mac)

[bayswater]

What’s the state of the art? I used Soundflower for a long time, and it worked OK for me. But when people started reporting instability I started using BlackHole. But it seems to become unstable after 30 minutes or so. I tried GroundControl and the same thing happened. In both cases, it sounds like timing has deteriorated, and the signal becomes very distorted.

I’d rather not go back to Soundflower given it’s lack of support and updates.

I could try JackOS, but it seems pretty fussy.

Any others out there?

[cuttime]

Are you on v.0.5.0 of Blackhole yet? I wouldn’t even mess with Soundflower or Jack at this point.

[mikehalloran]

Soundflower is long depreciated but a few apps will not work with anything else—even over Ventura. Roxie is an example but they install Soundflower with Toast and other apps.

.I haven’t used any of my aggregate devices built with BlackHole. I’ll check for an update tomorrow and do some testing.

I bought Audio Hijack awhile ago but have yet to use it in anything. It has some interesting functionality including the ability to incorporate plug-ins in Core Audio. I have a couple ideas I’m looking to try out over the next few days and, if successful, I’ll post them here.

[bayswater]

I’ll have to check the BH version. Maybe look for updates.
Looking forward to any new info.

[primeevolutionary]

I've used Soundflower in the past and tried JackOS when trying to help someone set up the free Harrison DAW. JackOS is a total nightmare (especially on a PC).

Currently, I have everything other than DP going through Rogue Amoeba's Loopback 2.2.12. It's been pretty great. I have a 896mk3 Hybrid and I've been able to send sound to any of the analog outputs (it may work for digital too, but, I haven't tried it). I mainly use other applications' sound out to the 896's Main Outs and a duplicate signal to Analog 1 and 2 to my VU meter. On Loopback this is Channels 1 and 2 as the Main Out 1 and 2 and Channels 3 and 4 as Analog 1 and 2.

[bayswater]

I was using version .23 for Blackhole and updated that to V 0.50. So far that seems to be working OK. I also had been using GroundControl Square, but that seems to have been replaced with a paid app aimed at Podcasters. Will have a look at Rogue Loopback.

[bayswater]

Update for those looking at such things:

Looks like the Blackhole update has solved my immediate problem. It gives the basic ability to connect various audio sources and destinations, and is stable (for me). It has a 64 channel version, so you could use it to slave Logic to DP and use it as a huge outboard effects and instruments rack. Or you can just use the 2 channel version to record audio from a screen capture in Quicktime.

Rogue Amoeba does way more than I need. No doubt fine if you use everything it does, but not worth the price for my limited requirements for a basic audio driver not connected with a specific piece of hardware.

The additional thing I wanted was to be able to insert a plugin on the signal passing in or out of the virtual driver. Obviously you can do that with any DAW, but I wanted something simple that autostarts and keeps it’s settings, with no requirement to start a DAW to host the plugin. There are a lot of simple AU and VST hosts but most require a VI as an audio signal source and don’t autostart or keep settings.

I found there is a free version of the update to GroundControl Square, that works with the GroundControl or other virtual drivers. It’s from Ginger Audio and is called Caster. It has a lot of features useful to Podcasting, but can load any AU or VST plugin at the input or output stage, can autostart, and keep it settings across sessions without user intervention.. So this can be used to apply a little EQ or dynamics, e,g, using the Apple AU effect plugins, to system audio without any user intervention other than starting up the Mac.

For EQ, there is a simpler app called EQMac, but in the free version, it’s EQ setting are not that flexible.

After investigating these options, I had to wonder why macOS, which provides a system settings panel for audio, and a set of quite good audio plugins, hasn’t connected the two, and provided plugin inserts in Sound settings panel (or preference pane, depending on your OS version.).

[mikehalloran]

…
The additional thing I wanted was to be able to insert a plugin on the signal passing in or out of the virtual driver. Obviously you can do that with any DAW, but I wanted something simple that autostarts and keeps it’s settings, with no requirement to start a DAW to host the plugin.
…

That exactly.

Supposedly, Audio Hijack can do this but I can't make it work—unless I want to record the results and that's not what I want to do. I've tried a Manual setup without the Record module(s) but have not made it work. Since I have a license, I've reached out to Support.

Rogue Amoeba also has Soundsource for $39 that supposedly does what I want… perhaps, maybe… I might download the demo and see if I can make it work if I don't get a workable solution on AH.

Ginger Audio's $109 Room Control Pro should be able to do it plus a ton of other tasks I'll never need—like using a tourniquet on a hangnail. Their $79 Caster Live should be able to do it I think but, like Audio Hijack, that's not its stated purpose.

Thing is that I can see how to do it in Blackhole — if I want to spend a week setting it up in Terminal till I get it right… yea… No thanks.

After investigating these options, I had to wonder why macOS, which provides a system settings panel for audio, and a set of quite good audio plugins, hasn’t connected the two, and provided plugin inserts in Sound settings panel (or preference pane, depending on your OS version.).

My guess it's the same reason they hide users/(User)/Library by default. They just don't want us messing around at the OS level, a far cry from the prevailing attitude in 1986 when I bought my Mac Plus.

[bayswater]

Mike there is a free version of Caster that will let you apply plugins to system audio. I tried it out on two Macs and it worked consistently.

[mikehalloran]

Mike there is a free version of Caster that will let you apply plugins to system audio. I tried it out on two Macs and it worked consistently.

Here's the link.
https://gingeraudio.com/login/?mepr-una ... wnloads%2F

Apparently, there's a free version of Room, too. You have to sign up and log in first, no biggie, and the free versions are downloaded with the full. Ok, let's see what I can do with this.

Thanks for the heads up!

Audio Hijack won't be the only app I've bought but never used—yet?

I've been using Roxio's Live Screen Capture, included with Toast, for years to capture audio with video and it works quite well.

[James Steele]

I have the free version of Room and it appears to work okay. I was looking for a solution to have ARC3 running "system wide" so that I wouldn't have to remember to disable the plug-in on a bounce. However, I sort of found the extra layer between DP and the 828es unsettling and stopped using it. Not sure why... I think there was something else I don't remember.

That said, dabbling a little bit in Cubase, I really like the "Control Room" feature that essentially does much of what Room does... especially allowing you to keep ARC3 inline but only for monitoring without affecting bounce, etc.

[mikehalloran]

I have the free version of Room and it appears to work okay. I was looking for a solution to have ARC3 running "system wide" so that I wouldn't have to remember to disable the plug-in on a bounce. However, I sort of found the extra layer between DP and the 828es unsettling and stopped using it. Not sure why... I think there was something else I don't remember.
…

I made that work in the free version of Room.

First, the free version of Caster let me add plugins but called that a Pro (paid) feature if I wanted to actually hear them so nuts to that, downloaded and ran the Uninstaller.

Onto Room.

My setup is probably different than most and I'm certain that I've never described it. In short,

a) My monitor speakers are driven by the headphone out on my iMac Pro (Radial MC3, two pairs of speakers A/B, JBL Sub)

b) My headphones are driven by the interface I am using at the time (M•Audio AIR 192|14 today). Of course, all my tracking is done with 'phones.

With (a), there's no extra layer; DP outputs to Core Audio. I just wanted a way to insert ARC into this chain for the same reason you do. Also, I want to listen to Apple Music, Premiere, Finale, Logic (then I must) etc. Like Ron Popeil, I want to "Set it and forget it".

Having just gotten Slate's VSX Headphone system, I wanted to do the exact same thing through my interface (b) whenever I'm listening to headphones. Also, the recommendation is to listen to familiar tracks first so I really wanted to listen to AppleMusic through those phones with the plug-in nd not load them into DP first.

ROOM takes a little bit of switching on its own. I have to select (a) or (b) in the output column depending on what I want to hear on Playback. I also have to select which plug-in I want to use, ARC or VSX.

Core Audio now outputs to Room. If I don’t want ARC or VSX, I just turn plug-ins off in the ROOM control panel.

While tracking DP, I have to select my interface in Setup/Configure Audio System/Configure Hardware Driver and lose the VSX plug-in, so that works as before. When mixing, I now select ROOM, then (a) or (b) and either ARC or VSX plug-in.

I don't believe I'll be able to automate this without plunking down for ROOM Pro (and can I then?). We'll see how this works out.

Screenshot 2023-03-03 at 5.23.54 PM.png (102.73 KiB) Viewed 1707 times

Hmmm... I need to get rid of Microsoft Teams.

[James Steele]

You gotta let me know how you like VSX?

[mikehalloran]

You gotta let me know how you like VSX?

Will do. Now that I have it working as I want, I’m looking forward to giving it a shakedown cruise over the next few days.

I’m hoping that Zoom, Live Screen Capture and a few things I’ve built with BlackHole play nicely with ROOM. I’ll find out soon enough. “Tomorrow is another day.”

[bayswater]

Here's the link.
https://gingeraudio.com/login/?mepr-una ... wnloads%2F

Apparently, there's a free version of Room, too. You have to sign up and log in first, no biggie, and the free versions are downloaded with the full. Ok, let's see what I can do with this.

Yes, you actually need Room installed to use Caster