This guide shows you how to install Soundflower program configure AU Lab for the Mac OS X. One of the biggest gripe about the Mac OS is that it is not easy to install a software that will instantly enhance the audio of the computer. While it is true that the iTunes software comes with its own equalizer, the audio quality is a bit dry and lacks the bass, if you are watching movies and Youtube videos.
While it is true that you can purchase paid software to make things a whole lot easier, not everyone of us can afford to purchase a software for just one purpose and that is to improve the sound effects of the video you are watching.
- SoundFlower is an application that behaves like the audio device controller. It allows you to select and switch between multiple audio devices. Download SoundFlower and install. As simple as that.
- Soundflower is an open source kernel extension for MacOS, designed to create a virtual audio output device that can also act as an input. Initial development and maintenance of Soundflower was done by Cycling '74. In 2014, Cycling '74 passed stewardship of Soundflower to Rogue Amoeba, but we ultimately didn't have the time or resources to.
Let the Soundflower installer continue and enter your password if necessary. Next, download the SoundflowerBed utility (v2.0), mount the.dmg file, and drag the flower icon to your Applications.
After searching around, there is one obvious application that is free and is said to be able to boost the audio quality of the Mac OS X. I have tested it and it sort of works. When I mean sort of works, I mean the application worked and I was able to control the volume of the whole operating system. But the equalizer just don't seem to have any impact at all.
Perhaps, I was trying to make it work on a Hackintosh and therefore there is limited support for the audio hardware. But anyway, here's how to install Soundlower and configure AU Lab. Those who experience errors using Soundflower that states that the 'Soundflower kext is not installed', simply install the Soundflower 1.41 version attached below and it will work.
Step 1
Install AU Lab
It is said that the AU Lab is a software that you can install directly from the Mac OS X install disc. Simply insert the disc and you should be able to find the application Xcode.mpkg in the Optional Installs folder.
AU Lab is an application part of the Xcode installer, as long as you installed Xcode, you will have AU Lab installed. In order to run AU Labs, you will need to locate it in the Mac OS Snow Leopard drive, under the 'Developer' => 'Applications' => 'Audio' => AU Lab.
Step 2
Install SoundFlower
SoundFlower is an application that behaves like the audio device controller. It allows you to select and switch between multiple audio devices. Download SoundFlower and install. As simple as that. For those users who are experiencing issues such as SoundFlower kext not installed. Install the SoundFlower 1.41 dmg instead. It will work. After that, if you wish to install and upgrade to the latest version, it will work as per normal.
Step 3
Configurations
There are a whole bunch of settings to configure. Lets do them one by one.
Once you have installed both programs. Lets start with the Mac OS X audio settings first. Go to 'System Preferences' => 'Sound' and change it to use the Soundflower output instead
Run the SoundFlower app from the Applications folder, click on the SoundFlower icon at the top right of the screen and select 'Audio Setup'
Left click on the Soundflower and right click to select 'Use this device as sound output'.
After that, right click on the SoundFlower device and select 'Configure speakers'. You will have to specify the outputs by clicking on the area where the arrows are pointing. The default will be just a hash, and means it is not in use.
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Step 4
Configure AU Lab
Start the AU Lab application via the Finder by navigating to Developer' => 'Applications' => 'Audio' => AU Lab.
You will be given a few configuration pages asking you if you want to add Output etc. But just click on 'Next' all the way and you are done with the configuration of the first 2 pages.
There is a setting you need to change on the 3rd configuration page. You are required to change the output to a Sounflower output.
You will see a rectangular window opened and you are required to check additional settings. Double click on the 'output 1', and check if the device is selected to use Soundflower.
After that , click on 'Show Device Preferences' button and make sure it is also set to Soundflower.
Now we can configure the audio. Click on the 'Effects' option and choose 'AU Graphic EQ'. The equalizer will appear and you can configure to what you want. You can also click on the 'B' button and it will turn blue. But I don't know what that does. You have to click on the 'Audio Engine Stopped' button to start the processing.
At this point in time, all should be working and functioning. To check if the settings are set properly, click on the Soundflower icon at the top right corner, 'Audio Setup'. There are a bunch of volume controls. If the volume controls are able to react to your actions, it should be correct.
If after clicking the Soundflower icon, Audio Setup options, there is no reaction, check for a piano icon on the dock, close that program and restart the option again.
To be honest, the equalizer settings do not have any impact or changes to the music I am hearing. Perhaps, it is because my build is a Hackintosh and thus the hardware is different from a real Mac.
But this guide on how to Install Soundflower And Configure AU Lab procedure should be useful for all Mac users holding to a real Mac.
Attached Files
(Last Updated: June 18, 2020)Recording screen and audio (both system audio and audio from microphone) is commonly used in recording video demonstrations. Doing that on Windows with ActivePresenter 7 is a trivial task. However, in order to record system audio on macOS, you will need some additional simple steps. Let's get to know it.
Record System Audio on macOS with the Background Music software
This method applies for ActivePresenter 7.5 for macOS or later versions. The steps are quite simple:
- Download Background Music from our site, then double-click the downloaded file to install if you have not done it yet.
- Start Background Music by clicking Launchpad > Background Music. It also starts automatically right after installing. It is recommended to start any applications which play audio after starting Background Music.
- Click the Background Music icon on the top bar and make sure that the proper output device is selected so you can hear the system audio while recording it.
- Click the Speaker icon on the top bar and make sure the Background Music device is selected.
- Start ActivePrenseter and select Background Music in its audio device list.
Record System Audio on macOS with the Soundflower software
Once you have installed both programs. Lets start with the Mac OS X audio settings first. Go to 'System Preferences' => 'Sound' and change it to use the Soundflower output instead
Run the SoundFlower app from the Applications folder, click on the SoundFlower icon at the top right of the screen and select 'Audio Setup'
Left click on the Soundflower and right click to select 'Use this device as sound output'.
After that, right click on the SoundFlower device and select 'Configure speakers'. You will have to specify the outputs by clicking on the area where the arrows are pointing. The default will be just a hash, and means it is not in use.
Sponsored links
Step 4
Configure AU Lab
Start the AU Lab application via the Finder by navigating to Developer' => 'Applications' => 'Audio' => AU Lab.
You will be given a few configuration pages asking you if you want to add Output etc. But just click on 'Next' all the way and you are done with the configuration of the first 2 pages.
There is a setting you need to change on the 3rd configuration page. You are required to change the output to a Sounflower output.
You will see a rectangular window opened and you are required to check additional settings. Double click on the 'output 1', and check if the device is selected to use Soundflower.
After that , click on 'Show Device Preferences' button and make sure it is also set to Soundflower.
Now we can configure the audio. Click on the 'Effects' option and choose 'AU Graphic EQ'. The equalizer will appear and you can configure to what you want. You can also click on the 'B' button and it will turn blue. But I don't know what that does. You have to click on the 'Audio Engine Stopped' button to start the processing.
At this point in time, all should be working and functioning. To check if the settings are set properly, click on the Soundflower icon at the top right corner, 'Audio Setup'. There are a bunch of volume controls. If the volume controls are able to react to your actions, it should be correct.
If after clicking the Soundflower icon, Audio Setup options, there is no reaction, check for a piano icon on the dock, close that program and restart the option again.
To be honest, the equalizer settings do not have any impact or changes to the music I am hearing. Perhaps, it is because my build is a Hackintosh and thus the hardware is different from a real Mac.
But this guide on how to Install Soundflower And Configure AU Lab procedure should be useful for all Mac users holding to a real Mac.
Attached Files
(Last Updated: June 18, 2020)Recording screen and audio (both system audio and audio from microphone) is commonly used in recording video demonstrations. Doing that on Windows with ActivePresenter 7 is a trivial task. However, in order to record system audio on macOS, you will need some additional simple steps. Let's get to know it.
Record System Audio on macOS with the Background Music software
This method applies for ActivePresenter 7.5 for macOS or later versions. The steps are quite simple:
- Download Background Music from our site, then double-click the downloaded file to install if you have not done it yet.
- Start Background Music by clicking Launchpad > Background Music. It also starts automatically right after installing. It is recommended to start any applications which play audio after starting Background Music.
- Click the Background Music icon on the top bar and make sure that the proper output device is selected so you can hear the system audio while recording it.
- Click the Speaker icon on the top bar and make sure the Background Music device is selected.
- Start ActivePrenseter and select Background Music in its audio device list.
Record System Audio on macOS with the Soundflower software
This method applies for older versions of ActivePresenter. Although it also work for later versions but Soundflower is known as not stable on some systems. The steps are also quite complicated.
Download Soundflower
Soundflower Dmg Software
Soundflower is totally free and you can download it from here.
Install Soundflower
After downloading, it's time to install it on your Mac. To install Soundflower:
Step 1: Double-click the downloaded DMG file to mount it.
Soundflower-2-0b2.dmg
Step 2: In the DMG itself, double-click the PKG file.
Note: If you see a warning saying that Soundflower cannot be opened due to your Security Preferences, right-click or control-click over the PKG file and choose Open, then choose Open again.
Set up your macOS
In this phase, you need to configure your Mac to route the sound to Soundflower output device and speaker simultaneously.
Ind 560 manual. To do that, take the following steps:
Step 1: From the Finder, choose Utilities from the Go menu and open the Audio MIDI Setup application.
Step 2: Click the Add (+) button at the bottom-left corner in the Audio Devices window and select Create Multi-Output Device.
Step 3: Select the newly created device. After that, in the Use column of the list on the right of the window, select Built-in Output and Soundflower (2ch).
Step 4: Right-click the Multi-Output Device and select two following items in popup menu: Use this device for sound output and Play alerts and sound effects through this device.
Record system audio with ActivePresenter
After setting up with previous steps, the system sound now is routed to the Soundflower output. Soundflower in its turn routes the sound from Soundflower output to Soundflower input automatically.
Now, select the Record System Audio option. ActivePresenter will capture all sound from Soundflower input as a soundtrack.
Note: You can still record your voice from Microphone while recording system audio.
- In ActivePresenter 6:
- In ActivePresenter 7:
So, you know how to record system audio on macOS with ActivePresenter 7. Download the app today and start to create interesting projects with this feature. Contact us if you have any obstacle, we're here to help.
