Loopback app emulation with just aggregate devices and Blackhole?

[Tiago Rocha]

It's still a bit confusing how the aggregate devices work, because there's aggregate device, there's multi output device, then some options on the sidebar allow things to Mute, but some options won't.

I was able to achieve what I want by using Loopback, but I was wondering if this is possible with just the Audio MIDI setup window and Blackhole?

Here's my simple configuration in Loopback; I just want to be able to connect different devices/apps to the 2 outputs (my interface and both he laptop speakers and headphones, and then mute whatever inputs/outputs I need to mute, depending on what I need to do:

Edited January 16 by Tiago Rocha

[loukash]

I don't have Loopback, but the Aggregate Device (AD) concept can usually handle anything I throw at it.

For example, to work around the dreaded iZotope RX "selected audio device cannot be opened" error which has become more frequent since Apple in its "infinite wisdom" separated the built-in MacBook speakers from the headphones output, I'm assigning a Blackhole-Headphones AD to RX whenever I need to do audio editing with headphones. Haven't seen the error message since.

But that makes Blackhole just a placeholder in my scenario.

Blackhole itself may usually work, but I have also noticed glitches and distortion from time to time when using e.g. with Logic and Zynaptiq Spectre. So for the latter usage, I actually prefer AUNetSend which seems to be rock solid in any audio app that supports it.

Edited January 16 by loukash

[Danny Wyatt]

Wrong account 

Edited January 19 by Danny Wyatt

[loukash]

2 minutes ago, Danny Wyatt said:

Loopback just makes it easy and fast (and convenient) to create new connections, mute, etc.

I'm sure it does. Rogue Amoeba products are excellent. I'm a very longtime Fission user for lossless editing of lossy audio files. Loopback is just a bit over my budget for what I would need it, hence I'm alright with the free solutions.

[Tiago Rocha]

On 1/16/2024 at 6:09 PM, loukash said:

I don't have Loopback, but the Aggregate Device (AD) concept can usually handle anything I throw at it.

For example, to work around the dreaded iZotope RX "selected audio device cannot be opened" error which has become more frequent since Apple in its "infinite wisdom" separated the built-in MacBook speakers from the headphones output, I'm assigning a Blackhole-Headphones AD to RX whenever I need to do audio editing with headphones. Haven't seen the error message since.

But that makes Blackhole just a placeholder in my scenario.

Blackhole itself may usually work, but I have also noticed glitches and distortion from time to time when using e.g. with Logic and Zynaptiq Spectre. So for the latter usage, I actually prefer AUNetSend which seems to be rock solid in any audio app that supports it.

Asking the same question in another forum the consensus is that Loopback just makes it easy and fast (and convenient) to create new connections, mute, etc. I have to agree with that. I wish Apple had a better workflow when it comes to that. 
 

thanks for your feedback 

Just now, loukash said:

I'm sure it does. Rogue Amoeba products are excellent. I'm a very longtime Fission user for lossless editing of lossy audio files. Loopback is just a bit over my budget for what I would need it, hence I'm alright with the free solutions.

Sorry for the double reply. That was another account I'm not using anymore but still logged in on my phone