Combining (aggregating) audio devices in OS X
How to get more inputs and outputs out of your Mac.
I discovered a feature in Mac OS X Snow Leopard that I have a feeling has been there for a while but I just never new about. It’s called aggregate audio.
Your Mac’s built-in audio hardware lets you record a single stereo track or two mono tracks at the same time. But the problem is that if you want to record from two separate audio devices (two USB mics, or two separate sound cards )there is no easy way to do this.
Well while poking around the Utilities \ Audio Midi Setup application on OS X Snow Leopard I found out that yes you can combine audio sources and create an “Aggregate” device. In the example below I took two USB mics (Samson CO1U and a Blue Snow Flake), and I created one aggregate input device out of the two discrete devices.
To get the rest of the story let me send you to the experts at Apple. There is an article called “How to Maximize Your Inputs with Aggregate Audio” by Joe Gore, and a follow up “Recording Your Aggregate Audio Device in GarageBand or Logic Pro”. (from the looks of this article this is not new to Snow Leopard).
Now this is NOT as easy as using software like WireTap Anywhere from Ambrosia (no this is not an ad), but it’s also not $129.00. Give it a try yourself and let me know how it works for you. I will be playing more with this for sure, and maybe we can get Don McAllister from Screencasts On Line to do a screencast for us.
Example
wow, that’s pretty cool – never knew that was there. Thank’s for sharing victor!
Comment by baldingnerd — October 27, 2009 @ 7:00 am
What a great find! I've heard so many Mac podcasters say using 2 USB mics can't be done, but there it is. Now, if I could just figure out how to hear my voice in my earphones while I'm hearing the music from an online karaoke site.
Comment by Todd McCann — October 27, 2009 @ 7:20 am
Hello Victor, I love your shows and your approach to podcasting. I have used this procedure many times in logic when recording projects. You do need an audio interface to make this happen. I use a moto828 firewire, interface and I still use the aggregate audio for each device (instrument.) I have always used an iMac for my basic editing, can't afford a MacPro. Thanks again for you good work and keep the podcast coming.
On a side note, I know very little about setting up a website and getting it hosted and picking a domain name. I notice that you can get a .us extension. Would you review this on one of your upcoming shows. If you have already covered, could you point me to the episode. Thanks again and keep up the great work.
Comment by Frank — October 29, 2009 @ 8:36 pm
Thank you so much for writing. Good point. I am using a MOTU UltraLite now and loving it. Yes we have talked about domains in the past but it's probably time to do so again.
Comment by typicalmacuser — October 30, 2009 @ 1:18 pm
No idea why this is, but I cannot create an aggregate device. It flashes briefly in the list and then disappears. I'm running 10.6.1 (I can personally confirm that this feature has been there for a while, at least from 10.4). It used to work for me in Leopard, but the upgrade to Snow Leopard seems to have broken it. Anybody have a solution for this?
Comment by Justin — November 8, 2009 @ 3:38 pm
No idea why this is, but I cannot create an aggregate device. It flashes briefly in the list and then disappears. I'm running 10.6.1 (I can personally confirm that this feature has been there for a while, at least from 10.4). It used to work for me in Leopard, but the upgrade to Snow Leopard seems to have broken it. Anybody have a solution for this?
Comment by Justin — November 8, 2009 @ 3:48 pm
No idea why this is, but I cannot create an aggregate device. It flashes briefly in the list and then disappears. I’m running 10.6.1 (I can personally confirm that this feature has been there for a while, at least from 10.4). It used to work for me in Leopard, but the upgrade to Snow Leopard seems to have broken it. Anybody have a solution for this?
Comment by Justin — November 8, 2009 @ 10:38 pm
No idea why this is, but I cannot create an aggregate device. It flashes briefly in the list and then disappears. I’m running 10.6.1 (I can personally confirm that this feature has been there for a while, at least from 10.4). It used to work for me in Leopard, but the upgrade to Snow Leopard seems to have broken it. Anybody have a solution for this?
Comment by Justin — November 8, 2009 @ 10:48 pm
[...] Brennan wrote in and told me that Victor Cajiao actually covered the same exact thing over at typicalmacuser.com but he had a totally different solution and it doesn’t cost a dime. The solution is to use a [...]
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