Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

SoundSource 5 Brings a Streamlined Interface and More to the Powerful Mac Audio Control Utility

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
67,482
37,742


Longtime Mac developer Rogue Amoeba today announced the launch of SoundSource 5, the next-generation version of its software utility that gives you much greater control over audio on your Mac.

soundsource_5.jpg

For those unfamiliar with SoundSource, it lives right in the menu bar and gives you quick access to volume levels and input/output devices, as well as the ability to adjust volume levels and output devices on a per-app basis. Audio effects like equalizers can also be applied on a per-app basis.

SoundSource 5 brings a revamped interface with a streamlined main window that can optionally be made even slimmer with a Compact view, and there's a new menu bar icon that displays a rough gauge of the current volume level of your default output device.

With per-app audio controls, SoundSource 5 now automatically manages the apps displayed in the list, adding them whenever they are producing audio and removing them when they stop. Favorited apps will remain in the list permanently.

The new update also adds support for multiple menu meters, letting you optionally see activity for default input and output devices, as well as active apps. The meters also provide one-click access for quickly muting any of the sources.

soundsource_5_eq.jpg

Updates for audio effects include an optimized Magic Boost that uses less CPU to provide richer sound, a simplified default view for the pinnable 10-band equalizer, and more.

SoundSource 5 is available as a free full-featured trial, which degrades the quality of its audio adjustments after 20 minutes per launch. A full license is normally priced at $39, but there's a discounted $29 rate available through the end of the month. Owners of SoundSource 4 can upgrade for $19, or a complimentary upgrade if you purchased SoundSource 4 on or after May 1.

For those currently running the macOS Big Sur beta, it's important to note that SoundSource 5 is not yet compatible with the upcoming version of macOS. An update for SoundSource will be available prior to the public launch of Big Sur. SoundSource 5 is fully compatible macOS Catalina, Mojave, and High Sierra.

Article Link: SoundSource 5 Brings a Streamlined Interface and More to the Powerful Mac Audio Control Utility
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/08/05/soundsource-5-mac/
  • Like
Reactions: Sean2e
I’d been using version 4 on and off for a couple of years, and it’s a nicer idea than it is in practice most of the time.

It’s quite buggy at times, in terms of crashing randomly when I add plugins to different apps. But the main issue is the latency, particularly around video calls in Safari. For me this got worse over time. I contacted their support about it and I didn’t find them helpful at all. That’s the point at which I abandoned the app.

Personally I think it needed a good 4.x release rather than a new full version. I certainly wouldn’t pay for an upgrade.

MenuBus, the app/developer they acquired and discontinued, was far better than Soundsource.
 
I've been a happy user of SoundSource since version 3, now using 4. It's really flexible and I haven't had any stability problems. Downloaded version 5 to see if it warrants the $19 upgrade.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AppleFan78
MacRumors said:


Longtime Mac developer Rogue Amoeba today announced the launch of SoundSource 5, the next-generation version of its software utility that gives you much greater control over audio on your Mac.

soundsource_5.jpg

For those unfamiliar with SoundSource, it lives right in the menu bar and gives you quick access to volume levels and input/output devices, as well as the ability to adjust volume levels and output devices on a per-app basis. Audio effects like equalizers can also be applied on a per-app basis.

SoundSource 5 brings a revamped interface with a streamlined main window that can optionally be made even slimmer with a Compact view, and there's a new menu bar icon that displays a rough gauge of the current volume level of your default output device.

With per-app audio controls, SoundSource 5 now automatically manages the apps displayed in the list, adding them whenever they are producing audio and removing them when they stop. Favorited apps will remain in the list permanently.

The new update also adds support for multiple menu meters, letting you optionally see activity for default input and output devices, as well as active apps. The meters also provide one-click access for quickly muting any of the sources.

soundsource_5_eq.jpg


Article Link: SoundSource 5 Brings a Streamlined Interface and More to the Powerful Mac Audio Control Utility
Click to expand...
ShawnKing said:
The *vast* majority of press releases that get posted here and *many* other places are NOT paid for.
Click to expand...


Anyone know if it works with controlling two HomePods?
 
I've had SoundSource version 4. Really like it. No problems with it. Version 5 is $29 for a new license through the end of the month and $39 after.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CarlJ
would this fix the horrible Apple "feature" that renders my iTunes play/pause button useless when i switch focus to different browsers?
 
ambientdaw said:
would this fix the horrible Apple "feature" that renders my iTunes play/pause button useless when i switch focus to different browsers?
Click to expand...

If you are using Chrome, you can change settings to prevent it from high-jacking your media keys.

Does anyone know if this will enable me to control volume when connected to a speaker via AUX?
 
ambientdaw said:
would this fix the horrible Apple "feature" that renders my iTunes play/pause button useless when i switch focus to different browsers?
Click to expand...
Maybe. I don't have any problems with it. I'm using version 5 and play/pause works along side Chrome and Safari. Try the trial version.
 
I downloaded the trial of V.4 to give this a try, but deleted it about 30 minutes later because it doesn’t allow control of, streaming or switching from iTunes to Airplay devices like Homepods. That made the software useless to me.
 
WildCowboy said:
For the umpteenth time, we don't do paid articles.

Mac stuff tends to get overlooked in the age of the iPhone, so sometimes we like to give a little extra love to the Mac ecosystem and our roots. There's not much more to it than that.
Click to expand...
The simple fix for this is to put one sentence at the top of each of these things saying exactly that. Then you won't have to defend yourself for the umpteenth+1 time.
 
  • Like
  • Disagree
Reactions: Chazz08, CarlJ, Tofupunch and 1 other person
I'm just sad that developers are caring less and less about user interface "standard guidelines" that help to maintain a consistent, predictable interface. Dropbox is the latest casualty in this department for me. SoundSource is looking more like a wrapped web app than a native app.
 
Mick-Mac said:
The simple fix for this is to put one sentence at the top of each of these things saying exactly that. Then you won't have to defend yourself for the umpteenth+1 time.
Click to expand...
That isn't terribly feasible, disrupting each article from the start with a sort of reverse disclosure. On the relatively infrequent occasions where we've received something associated with an article, such as a product for review (reviews are about the only area where this happens), we disclose that at the bottom of the article. If there's no disclosure, it should be safely assumed there's no compensation.

The assumptions by readers of unethical behavior on our part really confuse me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tk421, justin.d, AppleFan78 and 5 others
I'm using SoundControl, which is... functional (and even 'good' when it works), although sometimes doesn't hook properly, especially with Plexamp. This appears to be more of an issue with the macOS sound driver, but might have to check this out to compare.
 
WildCowboy said:
That isn't terribly feasible, disrupting each article from the start with a sort of reverse disclosure. On the relatively infrequent occasions where we've received something associated with an article, such as a product for review (reviews are about the only area where this happens), we disclose that at the bottom of the article. If there's no disclosure, it should be safely assumed there's no compensation.

The assumptions by readers of unethical behavior on our part really confuse me.
Click to expand...

It's only been in the last year or so that you've disclosed that, despite doing so for years. And even now the disclosure isn't enough to meet the FTC guidelines.
 
I bought this app earlier today. Adjusting volume per app is really neat. Haven't played with the AU filters yet. But to be honest, I haven't missed that functionality so far.

Can you think of any use cases where this is a useful addition to the stock macOS sound controls?
 
Does anyone know if this will help with default audio devices?

I use a thunderbolt dock on my MBP and a DisplayPort monitor plugged into the dock. MacOS frequently wants to prioritize the audio out on the monitor instead of the dock where the speakers are actually plugged in (because MacOS won't do software volume adjustment on the monitor audio out).

Would this software allow me to force it to always prioritize the dock audio device if it's connected? The fact that this isn't baked into MacOS seems like an odd oversight, but whatever.
 
WildCowboy said:
The assumptions by readers of unethical behavior on our part really confuse me.
Click to expand...
You’re part of the media. There has unfortunately been a concerted effort in the past decade or so, by certain contingents, to train people to believe that the media are always out to screw them. Rather than looking for simpler answers first.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back