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SoundSource VS Background Music

Compare SoundSource VS Background Music and see what are their differences

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Contents:
  1. ยป Base Details
  2. ยป Videos
  3. ยป Reviews
  4. ยป Alternatives

SoundSource logo SoundSource

The sound control that should be built into MacOS

Background Music logo Background Music

Control the audio on your Mac apps from the menu bar
  • SoundSource Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-12
  • Background Music Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-02

SoundSource features and specs

  • Comprehensive Audio Control
    SoundSource offers detailed control over audio inputs, outputs, and effects, allowing users to finely tune their sound settings for various applications.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The software features an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, making it accessible even to those who are not tech-savvy.
  • Application-Specific Settings
    Users can apply unique audio settings and effects to individual applications, providing flexibility and customization.
  • Advanced Audio Effects
    Includes built-in audio effects such as EQ, volume boosting, and more, enriching the listening experience.
  • Menu Bar Access
    SoundSource exists as a menu bar app, providing quick and convenient access to audio settings without needing to open a full application.
  • High-Quality Audio
    SoundSource maintains audio quality, providing clear and distortion-free sound even after adjustments.

Possible disadvantages of SoundSource

  • Price
    SoundSource is a paid application, which can be a drawback for users looking for free solutions.
  • macOS Only
    The software is available exclusively for macOS, limiting its accessibility for Windows and Linux users.
  • Performance Overhead
    Some users may experience a slight performance overhead, especially on older machines, due to the processing power required for real-time audio adjustments.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, there can be a learning curve for new users to take full advantage of all features and settings.
  • Limited Trial Period
    The application offers a limited trial period, which may not be sufficient for some users to thoroughly evaluate all features before purchasing.

Background Music features and specs

  • Volume Control
    Background Music allows users to set per-application volume levels, giving them fine control over the audio balance of their system.
  • Audio Management
    It offers the ability to automatically pause music when other applications start playing audio, ensuring a seamless audio experience.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, users can contribute to the development, inspect the code base, and ensure transparency and trust in its functionality.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The application provides an intuitive interface that is easy to navigate, even for users who are not technically inclined.

Possible disadvantages of Background Music

  • MacOS Only
    Background Music is currently only available for MacOS, limiting its availability for users on other platforms like Windows or Linux.
  • Potential Stability Issues
    As with any software, users might encounter bugs or crashes, especially given its open-source nature and dependency on regular maintenance.
  • Limited Features
    While it provides core audio managing capabilities, users looking for more advanced audio processing features might find it lacking.
  • Installation Complexity
    Installation might be less straightforward for non-technical users, as it requires downloading from GitHub and may involve using command-line tools.

Analysis of SoundSource

Overall verdict

  • SoundSource is considered a good choice for Mac users who need advanced audio control and customization. Its features cater well to audiophiles, professionals, and anyone who requires precise audio management.

Why this product is good

  • SoundSource by Rogue Amoeba is often praised for its intuitive user interface and powerful audio management capabilities. It allows users to control per-application audio levels, apply audio effects, and improve sound quality on their Mac. Users appreciate the customization options and the ability to route audio between different output devices seamlessly.

Recommended for

  • Audiophiles looking for high-quality sound control.
  • Professionals requiring detailed audio management for various applications.
  • Users who frequently switch audio output devices and need a streamlined way of managing audio routing on their Mac.

SoundSource videos

+ Add

Using Rogue Amoeba's SoundSource to Control Audio on Your Mac - SoundSource Review

More videos:

  • Review - SoundSource Review for OS X

Background Music videos

+ Add

BACKGROUND MUSIC FOR YOUR VIDEOS

More videos:

  • Review - Christian Nanzell - Always Raining (Pewds Book review background music)
  • Review - Background Music YouTubers Use

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to SoundSource and Background Music)

SoundSource

Background Music

Note Taking
87 87%
Note Taking
13% 13
Focus Music
63 63%
Focus Music
37% 37
Audio
100 100%
Audio
0% 0
Audio & Music
0 0%
Audio & Music
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using SoundSource and Background Music. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SoundSource seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 127 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

SoundSource mentions (127)

  • Our Commitment to Windows Quality
    Per-app mixing on the first-level menu. I like SoundSource on macOS for the same reason: https://rogueamoeba.com/soundsource/. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Show HN: A macOS app to prevent sound quality degradation on AirPods
    Do I need this if I already use something like SoundSource[1] to manually set the input source that's not the AirPods microphone? [1] https://rogueamoeba.com/soundsource/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • 5 years ago Valve released Proton forever changing Linux gaming
    This is hilariously biased. This is HN, you're not talking to people who don't know what Linux is. Hell, a huge portion of us are linux engineers of various sorts. You're also in a thread literally about a linux app. Anyway. I would never, ever use Linux as a desktop environment over OSX after the experiences I've had with it over the last 20+ years. OSX GUI applications absolutely blow everything that Linux has... - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • Best EQ for Mac 2023
    Https://rogueamoeba.com/soundsource/ (this has parametric EQ but it's a bit buried IIRC. It also has built-in support for AutoEQ according to this page so you might have to do almost nothing if you like the Harman curve). Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Detailed audio device control?
    I've looked at https://rogueamoeba.com/soundsource/ and the features it has seems okay such as per-app volume levels. But I'd like it so when I connect a certain pair of headphones, then a pre-defined output and input device is set. So for Headphone A, the output might be set to this pair but the mic will be the build-in mic in my Macbook. And for Headphone B, both the output and input should be set to this... Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

Background Music mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Background Music yet. Tracking of Background Music recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing SoundSource and Background Music, you can also consider the following products

Sound Control - App-specific volume control

eqMac 2 - The open-source macOS audio optimizer ๐ŸŽ›๏ธ

Volume2 - Volume2 is an advanced Windows audio mixer, a complete replacement for the standard Volume Control.

Loopback by RogueAmoeba - Get all the power of a high-end studio mixing board, right inside your Mac!

EarTrumpet - Volume Control for Windows

Volumouse - From authors website:

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