Rogue Amoeba's Loopback worth the price?

[Phil O]

First let me say that I posted in the DP usage forum because my main use for Loopback is getting system sound (including audio on web sites) to play through DP - both for listening and recording. Also inter-app audio (Finale to DP, etc.).

I've used various methods in the past for routing audio from the OS to DP and all have fallen short with recent OS updates. Soundflower worked for a while but is buggy and I didn't even bother try it with High Sierra (HS). I have an original Motu 828 that I've looped back using optical cable and assigned it as the sound output device in Audio MIDI setup (a technique that also worked well on my old cheese grater Mac Pro), but the default channels keep getting messed up when I switch from application to application in HS. Finally, after trying the demo, I bit the bullet and spent the $99 for Loopback. Too much IMO, but hey.

It works flawlessly. Nuff said.

Phil

[stubbsonic]

Yea, I reluctantly paid that price as well. It isn't something I need often, but when I do, I don't want to waste time with it.

As developers go, Rogue Amoeba is among the very best. They fix things that are broken and they respond quickly to support/feature requests.

[Michael Canavan]

Mixed feelings about it, they took over care taking of Soundflower, i.e. they had access to all that freeware code to develop Loopback. They swear they magically coded Loopback from the ground up differently than Soundflower, it's just hard to believe. I'm still miffed about it, that the price is pretty high for something I used for years as free software.

Then again, Rogue are a solid company, I've owned Audio Hijack since it first came out and upgrade prices have always been reasonable. So there's that. Maybe there was a huge developmental cost to making sure Loopback was going to survive Apple's upgrades, and that's part of it etc. Dunno. I'll buy it when I have a specific need for it, so far soundflower works under Sierra for what I us it for, tuning my room with Room EQ Wizard..

[cuttime]

Am I the only one who uses the MOTU FW interface option in CueMix-File>Mix 1 Return Includes Computer Output? Totally reliable for me. Does Loopback do anything else?

[stubbsonic]

I guess the main thing it will do is allow you to combine either streams from multiple applications, or from multiple audio devices.

Gives you a fair amount of control over lots of options.

As for the price, given that the other apps are much less expensive, there must have been some heavy lifting to get it to work right.

As an aside, here's a big shoutout to their Fission app which is my go to for rehearsal audio. Nice waveform display and nice tools for easy edits to existing mp3's without re-encoding. Nice file converter, too.

[bayswater]

I had some problems with Soundflower version 2.x, probably with the app that came with it, IIRC. But I've been using 1.66B without problems for a long time. The one with the 64 channel and 2 channel drivers, and no app.

[HCMarkus]

Am I the only one who uses the MOTU FW interface option in CueMix-File>Mix 1 Return Includes Computer Output? Totally reliable for me. Does Loopback do anything else?

I used to do that when I was running an 828mkII. Now, with the 828es, I route the Computer Output 1&2 back into the AVB Mixer to allow listening/recording of anything the Mac spits out. This setup also allows DP's Main Out to be routed back into DP to record mixes.

[labman]

We absolutely LOVE loopback. Solves so many problems when cutting into video from multiple apps cleanly for screencasts and for GoToMeeting for team stuff. Solid stuff

Also for getting clean feeds form other apps into DP easily. (Of course, that has already been discussed)

[Phil O]

I used to do that when I was running an 828mkII. Now, with the 828es, I route the Computer Output 1&2 back into the AVB Mixer to allow listening/recording of anything the Mac spits out. This setup also allows DP's Main Out to be routed back into DP to record mixes.

I've avoided this sort of setup because it requires a D/A-A/D conversion. I was looking for a signal path that keeps things in the digital domain. That would have been my next step if I hadn't found something like Loopback.

Phil

[HCMarkus]

I used to do that when I was running an 828mkII. Now, with the 828es, I route the Computer Output 1&2 back into the AVB Mixer to allow listening/recording of anything the Mac spits out. This setup also allows DP's Main Out to be routed back into DP to record mixes.

I've avoided this sort of setup because it requires a D/A-A/D conversion.

Phil

Phil, there is no conversion anywhere in that chain when using an 828es or the 828mkII.

[Phil O]

So what you referred to as Computer Output 1&2 is digital?

I'm using a 6,1 (Trashcan) now. I had thought that the audio output jack was analog only, but I just checked the specs and I see that it is a combined analog/digital mini jack. Confusing because in Audio/MIDI Setup the Built In Output lists source as Internal Speaker and doesn't list a separate output for that jack. I've never used this jack. I'll have to check into it.

Phil

[HCMarkus]

So what you referred to as Computer Output 1&2 is digital?

I'm using a 6,1 (Trashcan) now. I had thought that the audio output jack was analog only, but I just checked the specs and I see that it is a combined analog/digital mini jack. Confusing because in Audio/MIDI Setup the Built In Output lists source as Internal Speaker and doesn't list a separate output for that jack. I've never used this jack. I'll have to check into it.

Phil

When using the MOTU 828es, Comp 1&2 outputs are fed to the 828es via the USB or Thunderbolt connection. They can then be accessed via the 32 bit AVB mixer. This is completely separate from the hardware audio outputs on the Mac itself. Sorry for any confusion Phil.

Pretty sure it is the same for the 828mkII, but I cannot check as mine is no longer being used in my studio.

[Phil O]

Thanks for the clarification HC. I just found out that the jack on the back of my trash can doesn't show up in AudioMidi Setup unless there's something plugged into it. I still have a lot to learn.

Phil

[rentadrummer]

Am I the only one who uses the MOTU FW interface option in CueMix-File>Mix 1 Return Includes Computer Output? Totally reliable for me. Does Loopback do anything else?

Does this work for recording audio playing in Safari to DP, and if so, can you explain the internal routing? I was trying to do this a few weeks ago and gave up, thinking I would need something like Loopback. I have Mix 1 Return Includes Computer Output enabled but I'm not sure how that helps.

Thanks.

[HCMarkus]

Does this work for recording audio playing in Safari to DP, and if so, can you explain the internal routing? I was trying to do this a few weeks ago and gave up, thinking I would need something like Loopback. I have Mix 1 Return Includes Computer Output enabled but I'm not sure how that helps.

Thanks.

Definitely does what you need via AVB Mixer with the 828es when set up properly.

Not sure if it works the way you want with the 828mkII. AS I recall, the mkII would combine the output of DP and CueMix, but not Safari, when the Mix 1 Includes Computer Output was enabled. Cuttime?