Managing audio on a Mac is not generally difficult until you want to do something unusual. Something Internet DJ's don't find at all unusual is the need for a microphone at the same time as iTunes but any standard setup for audio will only let you use one or the other.
With Loopback from Rogue Amoeba, released today, the setup is easy to get an iTunes and a microphone channel combined and send the result to whichever application you like. For Internet DJ's on Mac, that will most likely be Nicecast, also from Rogue Amoeba, for Internet streaming and the input device for that stream becomes Loopback Audio, the aggregated channel created by the Loopback software.
The example shows selection of the Loopback Audio channel in Skype but it works just the same in Nicecast for selection of input audio:
Note the addition of the Loopback Audio channel which is virtual and you define how it's connected.
Here's the window for defining the connections for input to Loopback Audio:
Those connections will give me exactly what I need to be an Internet DJ because the stage mike is connected to USB Audio and this would let me go all-out karaoke if I should want to do it. (Fear not. I won't.)
That's it. The setup is as close to effortless as Rogue Amoeba could make it. The Loopback program does not need to be running constantly. After the virtual channel is created, you can shut it down and the new channel will remain accessible.
As with all the best Mac software, I have not looked at the manual nor have I needed it and the configuration was speedy.
Something I at first considered is why Loopback does not have controls for changing the audio levels for the input devices but that would a bit of a software creep. The function of the software is specifically managing the connections of the channels and not for any kind of audio 'sweetening' after the connections are made.
While I see how some may want that capability for adjusting levels, etc, I see why it is not there and, actually, I suspect there might be more problems in having the capability than come from its absence. For example, you may lower the level in Loopback and forget about it so you later have a devil of a time figuring out a problem.
The reputation of Rogue Amoeba is impeccable. Nicecast has been the preferred Internet audio streaming solution for the Galactic Peace Tour since 2006 and it has never failed. Updates come continuously and software support is excellent.
Audio Hijack is another of their offerings and that one is used every time Silas Scarborough records. There is some crossover in function with Loopback but Audio Hijack does more sophisticated things so there is an easy justification for both applications.
Loopback has an introductory price of $75 and this will go up to $99 after the product launch period.
Note specifically: Searching for Ithaka does not write for-pay articles. If we don't believe it, we don't write it.
With Loopback from Rogue Amoeba, released today, the setup is easy to get an iTunes and a microphone channel combined and send the result to whichever application you like. For Internet DJ's on Mac, that will most likely be Nicecast, also from Rogue Amoeba, for Internet streaming and the input device for that stream becomes Loopback Audio, the aggregated channel created by the Loopback software.
The example shows selection of the Loopback Audio channel in Skype but it works just the same in Nicecast for selection of input audio:
Note the addition of the Loopback Audio channel which is virtual and you define how it's connected.
Here's the window for defining the connections for input to Loopback Audio:
Those connections will give me exactly what I need to be an Internet DJ because the stage mike is connected to USB Audio and this would let me go all-out karaoke if I should want to do it. (Fear not. I won't.)
That's it. The setup is as close to effortless as Rogue Amoeba could make it. The Loopback program does not need to be running constantly. After the virtual channel is created, you can shut it down and the new channel will remain accessible.
As with all the best Mac software, I have not looked at the manual nor have I needed it and the configuration was speedy.
Something I at first considered is why Loopback does not have controls for changing the audio levels for the input devices but that would a bit of a software creep. The function of the software is specifically managing the connections of the channels and not for any kind of audio 'sweetening' after the connections are made.
While I see how some may want that capability for adjusting levels, etc, I see why it is not there and, actually, I suspect there might be more problems in having the capability than come from its absence. For example, you may lower the level in Loopback and forget about it so you later have a devil of a time figuring out a problem.
The reputation of Rogue Amoeba is impeccable. Nicecast has been the preferred Internet audio streaming solution for the Galactic Peace Tour since 2006 and it has never failed. Updates come continuously and software support is excellent.
Audio Hijack is another of their offerings and that one is used every time Silas Scarborough records. There is some crossover in function with Loopback but Audio Hijack does more sophisticated things so there is an easy justification for both applications.
Loopback has an introductory price of $75 and this will go up to $99 after the product launch period.
Note specifically: Searching for Ithaka does not write for-pay articles. If we don't believe it, we don't write it.
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