Multiple sound outputs and/or cards

[Kosta88]

Hello,

 

This is a general question on how osx works.

Under windows, I would have a control panel with all my cards and outputs visible... And I would specify which card would be used by default. This is the same on the mac.

 

However, when looking in various apps, like spotify, vlc, itunes, none can be set to a specific audio output. Is it correct to assume that this works differently in osx?

 

And if yes why, and can I somehow decide which app goes to which output? Bear in mind, I would not want to use same sound device twice, like outputting to 1/2 and 3/4 simultaneously, but rather for instance have all music/video on one fader on my mixer (output for esi julia xte) and mac sounds, safari and all that to another fader and over integrated audio.

 

Under windows usually each app would have a selector for the output (winamp, vlc...).

 

Thanks

Kosta

[starobrno1]

If the program you are using allows you to choose soundcard you can do it on os x too and better.

 

I see no need for a mixer at all what ever you wanna do and if your soundcards have preamps for instruments/mic input if its live instruments or mics you wanna play back sound from youre good to go.

 

Besides that anything u play back like for example videos or music in safari Itunes etc etc you almost always got a volume slider in there to adjust your volume. You can also create an aggregate device of all your soundcards and/or use programs like Soundflower and LineIn. Any DAW would work as your mixer and Reaper is probably the cheapest and they also have a try before buy.

 

What I do when I broadcast live web tv on justintv or vaughnlive is I use Camtwist as my studio for my cams or if want to cast my desktop or video/cams either from my comps in my network or just the one Im casting from. I use Adobes Flash Media Live Encoder for the actual broadcast.

 

In FMLE I go for my M-Audio Delta 1010 or 44 soundcard which either I have hooked up to my computer. But the "main" card I choose for the rest of my apps is normally my Sapphire Pro 10 i/o (its broken at the moment though). This gives I can record music I make in Logic or Mixbus or any DAW I have using my Sapphire card and the sound that comes out from the output of it is routed over to the input on the delta card in to FMLE and out in the broadcast.

 

Anyway hope I did understand you right and that I didnt confuse you, good luck.

[Kosta88]

Alright, thanks for the answer. I only noticed that programs don't support the alternative outputs... For instance, vlc in windows allows for soundcard change, as does the winamp.

I wonder if there is a reason for this.

In general, I don't really need it, except when gaming, often listening to music, and need to be able to change the volume without getting out of the game. However I might keep the windows for gaming...

Bear in mind that it's much faster to get to the fader than to slide the slider in the program.