Virtual Audio Drivers (Mac)

[bayswater]

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.

?? I have a copy of Caster running on a Mac used only for voice with a copy of Apple’s Graphic EQ running, with a boost around 1,200. Works fine. What plugin did you add? Where did you add it? There are a load of routing options so it’s possible to add a plugin to one channel and the monitor from another so you don’t hear any effect.

[mikehalloran]

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.

?? I have a copy of Caster running on a Mac used only for voice with a copy of Apple’s Graphic EQ running, with a boost around 1,200. Works fine. What plugin did you add? Where did you add it? There are a load of routing options so it’s possible to add a plugin to one channel and the monitor from another so you don’t hear any effect.

I figured it out. It was a limitation of the free version but not the one I excpected.

CASTER (Free version) features:

One application source input (desktop audio by default).

The free version of ROOM still has more flexibility and lets me store input sources while the free version of CASTER has a cleaner interface and lets me store both plug-ins as presets. Both involve more actions than I would like as I move between Headphones and Speakers but if that was a big deal, I could use the 'phone output in my Radial MC3 for mixing and use the AIR for tracking only (and I might just do that anyway).

If I didn't have a hardware monitor controller, I'd use Room since it includes much of that functionality. For now, I'll try to live with CASTER.

I needed to make a couple of changes in a Multi-Output Device to accommodate Live Screen Capture but Zoom worked as before with no changes (whew!).

[bayswater]

Both apps look like they do a lot more in the paid version than I’d ever want or understand. I just wanted a simple way to apply a plugin like EQ or compression to system audio without having to set it up on every restart, and it does that. eqMac is even simpler, but it seems to time out after a couple of hours.

I still think that’s a simple thing macOS should do. But there it is. We learn to live with whatever they push out the shipping bay.

[mikehalloran]

Both apps look like they do a lot more in the paid version than I’d ever want or understand.

Yea. In my case, $79, $109 or $149 let me click between two inputs sources (CASTER) or plug-ins (ROOM) instead of selecting the same from a dropdown list. I’ll live with the drop-down..

I just wanted a simple way to apply a plugin like EQ or compression to system audio without having to set it up on every restart, and it does that

That it does. I want either room correction when listening to speakers or room modeling when listening through headphones. Not only do I get that but I can turn it off by clicking on a button. I’m good with that.

Audio Hijack promises it can do that and I own a license. No longer pursuing that, instead I’m declaring victory and getting back to work.

I still think that’s a simple thing macOS should do. But there it is. We learn to live with whatever they push out the shipping bay.

No argument there.

Update. Although I had CASTER set to feed VSX through my interface, I changed that. My Radial MC3 monitor controller turns out to have a superior headphone amp* so I’ve simplified the setup and taken the interface out of the loop. I can have DP feed the interface only while tracking and switch to CASTER while mixing, choosing VSX, ARC or nothing as needed.

*I was not expecting the MC3’s ‘phone amp to sound more detailed than the one in my M•Audio AIR. Listening to Steely Dan’s Black Cow, the Clavinette popped in a way that was noticeable using the same room emulation at the same volume on both devices.

I learned a few things today.