Apple is not immune to some problems in the audio management on your macOS systems. The anomalous behavior relating to the audio balance, encountered by many users, is proof of this. BlackHole is an audio loopback driver designed specifically for macOS which has as its primary objective to put a series of possibilities not foreseen by Apple in the hands of users.
And driver di loopback audio it is software that allows the routing of one or more sound flows from a source to a destination within a computer system. In essence, it creates a sort of “virtual loop” through which audio can be routed and reproduced o registered in real time.
What BlackHole is and how it works for macOS
A solution like BlackHole, distributed as open source software under a free license (GNU GPLv3), has quickly become an essential resource for a wide range of users, including digital content creators, audio professionals, podcasters, streamers and enthusiasts music.
The open license even allows you to integrate BlackHole into your own apps. These, however, must in turn be made available under the GNU GPLv3 license. Otherwise, you need to contact the developers of Existential Audiomain authors of the driver.
As mentioned above, BlackHole allows users to audio routing from one source to another within the macOS system. You can route audio from any source, such as an app, microphone, or external device, to another destination, such as a recording application or streaming service. The BlackHole driver offers a audio quality excellent, ensuring that the routed sound signal retains its original fidelity, without loss of quality. Furthermore, audio transfer occurs without any additional latency.
The software is available in versions capable of managing 2, 16, 64, 128 and 256 audio channels. The sampling frequencies they range from 8 kHz to 768 kHz.
Finally, the installation of BlackHole does not require modifications at the kernel level or changes to the system security configuration. Compatibility is also guaranteed on all versions of macOS (starting from 10.10 Yosemite), both on Mac systems based on Intel and Apple Silicon chips.
How to install BlackHole
The possible ways of installation of BlackHole are two: you can install the latest package from the official website, make sure to close all running applications that may be using audio and finally load the program.
Alternatively, also the well-known package manager Unofficial Homebrew allows you to install macOS on your system. In this case, the syntax to use is different depending on the number of channels desired:
- 2ch:
brew install blackhole-2ch - 16ch:
brew install blackhole-16ch - 64ch:
brew install blackhole-64ch
BlackHole does not appear in the folder Applications on macOS because it is a virtual driver. It can however be found in the settings Audio MIDI Setup or in the audio preferences (as seen in the screenshot published above).
Number of channels supported
The number of channels refers to the quantity of audio streams distinct that the driver can manage simultaneously. Essentially, it indicates how many audio channels there can be simultaneously routed through BlackHole.
For example, if you wanted to manage audio from multiple different sources in a sound recording application, such as Logic Pro X o GarageBand, you may need more channels to handle each audio source separately. In this case, you can opt for a version of BlackHole with a larger number of channels, such as 16, 64 or even 128 channels, depending on your specific needs.
You can set BlackHole as input device in an application and as a device output in another, allowing audio to pass between applications. The same system audioi.e. the sounds generated internally by macOS during the operation of the platform, can be managed as an input device.
Customization
The BlackHole loopback driver offers users the ability to tailor its operation to their specific needs. Whoever you prefer compile the driver starting from the source shared through the GitHub repository, it can modify various aspects such as the name of the driver itself, the bundleID (unique identifier used to refer to an application or software package on macOS), the associated icon, and more.
The parameter of latency however, it is adjustable using the parameter kLatency_Frame_Size– This is an approach that allows users to change how much time the driver has to process incoming and outgoing audio, which can be useful in situations where it is necessary sync the audio accurately or compensate for hardware delays.
Sample rates are also customizable using the directive kSampleRates. This way you can adapt BlackHole to the parameters used in applications and audio devices.
Logic Pro X, GarageBand e Reaper
In the presentation of BlackHole, there are references to software such as Logic Pro X, GarageBand and Reaper. Logic Pro X is a professional software for music production, audio editing and song creation. BlackHole can be used with Logic Pro processing.
GarageBand, a simpler and more accessible application than Logic Pro X, integrates multiple features for recording and music production. Another very popular music production software is Reaper: Consists of advanced features and a large user community.
Even in these last two cases, BlackHole can be used to convey the sound flow for audio processing and recording.
In conclusion
While being powerful, flexible and versatile, BlackHole is absolutely intuitive and easy to use. Users can quickly set up the routing audio without the need for advanced technical knowledge.
The driver also ensures a universal compatibility: can communicate seamlessly with a wide range of audio applications and hardware devices (think for example of audio recording apps, editing software, DAWs or Digital Audio Workstationvirtual musical instruments and much more).
Whether it’s music recordings, podcasts, live streaming or audiovisual productions, BlackHole stands out as a reliable media management solution.audio your macOS. The authors have long announced the arrival, in the future, of a version intended for systems Windows.