8 Must-Know Basics of Mac Sound Settings

Introduction

This guide is aimed at Mac users wishing to gain a better understanding and control of their sound options, devices, and routing capabilities. These essential topics will build your confidence in everyday tasks like media playback, voice recording (or dictation), and video calls, while also laying the foundation for more advanced multimedia projects such as live streaming, music production and content creation. In this article, we'll focus specifically on how your mac handles devices with audio capabilities.

1) The Mac's Gatekeeper Role with Audio Devices:

When you connect audio devices, your Mac acts as a gatekeeper. If it recognizes the devices as audio-capable, it allows them to appear in your Sound Settings. They will appear immediately and even complex devices will still be able to function at a basic capacity. This applies to your computer's built-in devices, external physical devices connected through HDMI, Thunderbolt, USB, and Headphone Jack, as well as virtual devices.

In Sound Settings, these devices will be listed in the Input or Output menus, or both, depending on their capabilities. For example a headset will show up on the output menu as headphones and its microphone will show up as external microphone under inputs.

Troubleshooting with Sound Settings:

A simple yet handy troubleshooting capability of accessing the sound settings is that it allows you to confirm all the input/output options are available, helping you identify if the devices are connected properly.

A personal example I've experienced was when connecting a headset (TRRS 3.5mm) to the headphone port of my M4 mac mini. I had plugged it in but only saw the headset available in output but it did not show up under the input menu. The reason for this was I had not plugged in the headset all the way through.

These are other specific situations where accessing sound settings can come in handy.

Inputs:

• Sometimes you might be recording from the wrong input and not know it. You might not always see the exact name of your device but you can check the "Name" and "Type" columns to verify the name given to your device and the connection type of the device

• You can check the input levels of the microphone or incoming signal of your selected device to confirm sound is coming in and if the signal strength is ok, too weak or too strong.

Outputs:

• Identify which devices you can control with your keyboard or slide bar. These controls are not available for all output devices. When selecting output devices from your sound settings you can confirm if the slide bar is enabled or disabled when switching between output devices. If enabled you are able to control volume through the speaker keys on your keyboard or slide bar easily. If it is disabled, take note where the physical volume control of your output device is located to avoid feedback loops or unexpected volume spikes or scares in environments working with other people.

• The Sound effects section in the sound settings allows you to select which output is used to play your mac's alerts or notifications. Maybe you would like to hear alerts on your computers speakers and not your headphones to avoid missing a call if you are walking around your office or home.

2) Understanding Input and Output Devices in Sound Settings

An input device on your Mac represents where sound is being captured or the signal you want to provide as a microphone. An output device represents where you want media or incoming sounds to be played. If a device has both input and output capabilities, it will still appear as two separate options in Sound Settings. This gives you control and flexibility over which device you select for input and which for output. Note that the devices you select here also become your system defaults.

Use case examples for selecting different inputs/outputs:

• You want to hear a call through your headset but have a great external USB microphone so you do not want to use the headset microphone.

• You want to use your headset as a microphone but want the meetings sound to be played on your screen's speakers so more people can hear.

• You have 2 audio interfaces connected to the computer one interface with the studio monitors and the other interface connected with special instrument inputs.

3) The "One Input and One Output" Rule for Mac.

When you set your input and output devices on your sound settings, your Mac uses these settings as the default system settings for your apps. It will always allow only one input and one output devices to be active at a time. While this rule at first can be perceived as limiting it is not. You are simply stating the default behavior you want your computer to have with all apps. You are still able to select multiple inputs and outputs just not in this section of the settings.

The majority of media, browser and voice conferencing softwares automatically follow and use these system defaults at the start, but the majority also allow to change within their own settings menu, as long as the devices appear on your sound settings menu.

Please note that the one input and one output rule in sound settings also applies to audio interfaces offering multiple I/O options, by default your input 1 and your outputs 1 & 2 are the ones that will be active.

How this can come in handy:

• You can have multiple audio devices connected at the same time yet still have control of everything. There is no need for constant plugging and unplugging each time helping you avoid wear and tear of your cables or ports and eliminates the risk of accidentally unplugging, other devices connected to your computer.

• If your system default devices stop working, they will switch to other devices available, this is an indication of a cable or battery issue has occurred.

• Troubleshooting Tip: In a moment of chaos with audio issues, prioritize the volume control for yourself first, the sound settings on the app second, your audio system settings third, avoid physical unplugging, closing apps or disabling computer settings like turning off bluetooth as you might end up unplugging headphones correctly but will also unplug your mouse and keyboard, touching computer can result in disconnecting a hard drive, ethernet or HDMI device, and closing software can result in loosing unsaved work or closing the meeting for everyone.

4) Quick Access To Your Sound Settings Through The Menu Bar

The Sound Menu Offers a faster way to switch audio devices without having to access and open your full Sound Settings. A single click on the speaker icon on the top right of your screen shows available outputs, and an Option-click reveals both inputs and outputs.

If you don't have the speaker icon on your menu bar of your Mac you can add it by clicking on the control centre and dragging the sound bar towards the menu bar. Adding this speaker icon to your menu bar makes these options immediately accessible.

5) Delay Caution With Wireless and Network Devices

Your Mac also works with wireless audio devices, bluetooth devices need to be paired beforehand while Airplay devices such as smart TVs or HomePods appear when on the same Wi-fi. These add convenience but can introduce a slight signal delays compared to wired options. Consider that possible signal delays or synching issues between with audio and video can occur.

6) Other Sound Options: Audio MIDI Setup

Audio MIDI Setup, found in Applications → Utilities, allows you to go beyond the one-in, one-out rule. You can combine input devices by creating "aggregate devices" or enable sound to go out of multiple outputs by creating a "multi-output device".

The Audio MIDI setup menu also provides options to adjust the sample rate and bit depth when a finer control is needed for each device.

Lastly, for prosumer or professional audio interface devices, this menu can help switch between the different outputs under the configure speakers button. Please note that some interfaces also bring their own software or have a physical switch button for audio routing.

7) Microphone permissions: The Microphone and Camera Indicators in the Menu Bar

Your Mac also acts as a gatekeeper for software. Any time an app wants to use the microphone for the first time, you must grant permission in System Settings. Output devices, by contrast, are always available to apps.

If a microphone or camera is being used by an app you will see it in the menu bar. MacOS displays a small indicator in the Menu Bar, orange for the mic, green for the camera. Clicking on these recording indicators allow you to access and enable additional features such as Voice Isolation for microphones or camera effects for webcams, which can further refine your sound during video calls.

Please note these indicators only appear when the microphone and camera is being used and it is not a feature you would want enabled everytime. For example if your input is meant to capture a voice through a high quality microphone, or capturing a singing voice or a musical instrument if the voice isolation feature is turned it will affect your recording on your DAW.

The same goes for the camera features, these are options that you might want to turn on during a video call, but you might want want to have disabled if using a more advanced camera on a set.Therefore I recommend you always check these each time you use your microphone and camera.

8) Virtual Audio Driver Softwares for macOS

Virtual Audio Driver Softwares allow for advanced routing options between applications on your Mac, they provide multiple routing for input and output options for multimedia projects. For example: they can enable to record audio from your system sound, send game or music audio through live streaming software among others. As it is an advanced topic I only wished to introduce readers to their existence and let you know that if you have one of these installed on your device, you will also see it as an input and output option in your Sound Settings

Conclusion

By understanding these basics, you gain a clear picture of how your Mac manages devices and sound. MacOS provides a balance of simplicity and flexibility with Core Audio working behind the scenes. All devices that show up on your sound menu are plug-and-play and ready to use. Knowing your Mac's role as both gatekeeper and middleman helps you stay in control of your audio setups with confidence.