Lena Torres
If you're looking to adjust the volume of individual applications on your MacBook, you may be disappointed to learn that macOS doesn't have a built-in volume mixer app or tool. This can be frustrating if you're used to the granular customization options offered by Windows devices. However, there are plenty of third-party alternatives available on the Mac App Store and elsewhere that can provide you with more control over your audio levels. These include SoundSource, Background Music, Easy Audio Mixer, Boom3D, Silenz, and Audacity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| macOS built-in volume mixer | No |
| Third-party volume mixer | Yes |
| Third-party examples | Boom3D, Silenz, SoundSource, Easy Audio Mixer, Audacity, Sound Control, eqMac |
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What You'll Learn
Volume Mixer alternatives for Mac
While macOS and MacBook do not have a built-in volume mixer app, there are several third-party alternatives available with similar functionalities.
Boom3D
Boom3D is a sound enhancer that allows you to access sound-boosting presets, customise your own sound using sliders, and enjoy patent-pending 3D Surround Sound through your earphones or speakers. It also offers an equalizer and sound presets to enhance your music, movies, and games.
SoundSource
SoundSource by Rogue Amoeba gives you granular control over per-application audio, output, and input sources, and even lets you add specific audio effects for certain apps. It has easy menu bar access and Shortcuts support for customisation.
Background Music
Background Music by MacUpdate is a simple audio utility that lets you record system audio, set per-app volume levels, and automatically pause your music. It has a simplistic and stripped-down interface that can be controlled through your menu bar.
EqMac
EqMac is a system audio equalizer and app volume mixer for macOS. It offers volume and balance support for HDMI, DisplayPort, and any other audio device, including built-in, Bluetooth, AirPlay 1, USB, and more. You can control eqMac through a HTTP API and from your iOS, iPadOS, or Android device while on the same local network.
Audacity
Audacity is a free app for mixing sounds from various sources, although it does not control the relative volume level of individual applications.
These alternatives to the built-in volume mixer on Mac can provide you with more granular control over your audio levels and enhance your listening experience.
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Sound recording and customisation
While macOS and MacBook hardware have impressive Dolby Atmos immersive audio quality, they do not have a built-in app or tool for granular audio customisation like a Volume Mixer. However, there are plenty of alternatives available on the App Store and online.
Sound Recording
To record sound on a Mac, you can use the built-in Voice Memos app, which saves recordings with the name of your location or "New Recording" if location-based naming is turned off. You can also use QuickTime Player, which allows you to pause and resume recordings, and save them with a custom name and location. Alternatively, you can use online tools such as Screencapture.com or desktop applications like Movavi Screen Recorder. These tools often offer additional features such as internal audio recording, video recording, and built-in editors for trimming and cutting recordings.
Customisation
If you require more advanced sound customisation options, there are several third-party applications available. Boom3D is a sound enhancer that provides access to sound-boosting presets, sliders for customising sound, and 3D Surround Sound. SoundSource by Rogue Amoeba gives you granular control over per-application audio, output, and input sources, and even lets you add specific audio effects for certain apps. Audacity is another app-based sound mixer that allows you to mix sounds from various sources. eqMac is another alternative that provides volume and balance support for various audio devices and can be controlled via an HTTP API or from your iOS, iPadOS, or Android device.
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Audacity and other sound mixer apps
While macOS and MacBooks do not have a built-in volume mixer app, there are several third-party alternatives available with similar functions. One such alternative is Audacity, a free, open-source audio recorder, editor, and mixer that supports all major audio formats. It allows users to record, play, import, and export audio files, as well as edit sounds using cut, copy, and paste functions, mix tracks, and apply various effects. Audacity also offers a built-in amplitude envelope editor, a customizable spectrogram mode, and a frequency analysis window for advanced audio analysis.
Another volume mixer alternative for Mac is Boom3D, which offers an equalizer, sound presets, and 3D surround sound to enhance music, movies, and games. It provides access to sound-boosting presets and allows users to customize their sound experience using sliders. SoundSource, developed by Rogue Amoeba, is another option that mimics Volume Mixer for macOS, offering granular control over per-application audio, output, and input sources. It also enables users to add specific audio effects for certain apps and provides easy menu bar access and Shortcuts support for a customizable experience.
For a simple and straightforward solution, MacUpdate's Background Music is an audio utility that lets users record system audio, set per-app volume levels, and automatically pause music. It provides a stripped-down approach to managing multiple audio sources through the menu bar. Additionally, eqMac is a system audio equalizer and app volume mixer for macOS that offers volume and balance support for various audio devices, including HDMI, DisplayPort, Bluetooth, and AirPlay. It can be controlled through a HTTP API and from iOS, iPadOS, or Android devices on the same local network.
These third-party apps fill the gap left by the absence of a built-in volume mixer on Mac, catering to users who need more granular control over their audio levels and sources.
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Mac's audio hardware and its potential
Macs are well-regarded in the professional audio scene, particularly for live performances, due to their stability and reduced likelihood of crashes. The limited amount of hardware that runs macOS makes it easier to find and fix bugs, and macOS updates are known to cause fewer issues with audio drivers than Windows.
However, one of the drawbacks of macOS is the lack of a built-in volume mixer. While there is only one way to control audio on a Mac, which is to increase or decrease it for the overall system, some users may need to manage multiple audio sources and control the volume of individual applications. This has led to the development of third-party volume mixer apps for macOS, such as SoundSource, Sound Control, and Audacity, which allow users to adjust the volume of specific apps and even add audio effects.
Macs have impressive Dolby Atmos immersive audio quality, and their hardware setup is further enhanced by the Apple silicon chip, which reduces latency and enables faster USB transfer speeds. This makes Macs particularly suitable for audio recording and production, as they can handle lower buffer sizes and minimize the delay between initiating and running audio transport.
While Macs have certain advantages in audio hardware and stability, the choice between Mac and Windows for audio production ultimately depends on personal preference and specific use cases. Windows offers a wider range of plugins and VSTs, and some users may prefer the customization options available on Windows. Additionally, PC offers the ability to game and is less likely to throttle, providing more flexibility for users with diverse needs.
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Equalizer and app volume mixer
While macOS and MacBook hardware do not have a built-in app or tool for granular audio customisation, there are several third-party apps that can provide this functionality.
One such app is eqMac, which acts as a system-wide audio equalizer and volume mixer for macOS. It supports all audio devices, including built-in, Bluetooth, AirPlay 1, USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, Aggregate, and MultiOutput. eqMac also allows users to boost the volume beyond 100% and control the app through a HTTP API or an iOS/iPadOS/Android device on the same local network.
Another option is SoundSource by Rogue Amoeba, which mimics Volume Mixer for macOS, giving users granular control over per-application audio, output, and input sources. It also allows users to add specific audio effects for certain apps and provides easy menu bar access and Shortcuts support for customisation.
For those looking for an equalizer-based tool, Boom3D is available on Setapp and offers an equalizer, sound presets, and 3D surround sound to enhance music, movies, and games. It allows users to access sound-boosting presets and customise their own sound through sliders.
Other alternatives include Audacity, a free app for mixing sounds from various sources, and MacUpdate's Background Music, a simple audio utility that lets users record system audio, set per-app volume levels, and automatically pause music.
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Frequently asked questions
No, macOS does not have a built-in sound volume mixer or a tool that allows you to control the audio levels of individual applications. However, there are several third-party alternatives available on the App Store.
Some third-party sound volume mixer apps for MacBook include SoundSource, Background Music, Easy Audio Mixer, Sound Control, and Boom3D.
Third-party sound volume mixer apps for MacBook often include features such as granular control over per-application audio, output and input sources, custom audio presets, equalizers, sound boosters, and the ability to add specific audio effects for certain apps.
