What Is a Virtual Audio Cable on Mac?
macOS does not include a built-in virtual audio cable. Third-party drivers fill this gap. The main options are LitLink (free, automatic setup), BlackHole (free, open-source, manual setup), and Loopback by Rogue Amoeba ($99, commercial). All create virtual audio devices that appear in System Settings and in any application's audio device list.
LitLink — The Recommended Free Virtual Audio Cable
Recommended: LitLink is a free virtual audio driver with built-in mic passthrough and automatic multi-output device creation. No manual Audio MIDI Setup required.
With BlackHole, users must manually open Audio MIDI Setup, create a multi-output device, configure drift correction, and manage sample rates. LitLink handles all of this automatically. The driver installs and works immediately with no additional configuration steps.
LitLink also includes mic passthrough, which means your real microphone audio is mixed with soundboard audio and sent to the receiving application as a single input. With BlackHole, you can only send soundboard audio or microphone audio to Discord, not both through the same input device without additional workarounds.
How Does BlackHole Compare to Loopback?
LitLink creates a multi-output device automatically and includes built-in mic passthrough. The one-toggle setup replaces the manual BlackHole and Audio MIDI Setup workflow entirely, routing audio to both headphones and the virtual cable simultaneously.
Loopback provides a drag-and-drop interface for routing specific application outputs to specific virtual devices. Loopback can capture audio from individual applications (only the soundboard, not the entire system) and route it to a custom virtual device. This level of control is useful for professional radio production or multi-application recording setups.
Which Virtual Audio Cable Should You Use with a Soundboard?
LitPads users route audio through LitLink to reach OBS, Discord, Zoom, or any application. The combined cost of LitPads Pro ($14.99) plus LitLink (free) is $14.99 total. The combined cost of Farrago ($29) plus Loopback ($99) is $128 total for a similar result with fewer soundboard features.
The audio routing on Mac covers both approaches in detail, including troubleshooting for common issues like sample rate mismatches and drift correction.
How Do You Test a Virtual Audio Cable on Mac?
- Set system output to the multi-output device System Settings > Sound > Output
- Select BlackHole 2ch as input in the receiving app OBS, Discord, or Zoom
- Trigger a pad in LitPads confirm the audio meter responds
If no audio appears, verify the multi-output device master clock is set to your physical headphones or speakers in Audio MIDI Setup.
Discord's voice settings page includes an input level meter that shows real-time audio levels. Trigger a pad in LitPads and confirm the meter responds. OBS shows audio levels in the mixer panel for each audio input capture source. Zoom shows a microphone test in Settings under Audio.
Common issues include Discord noise suppression filtering out soundboard audio (disable it), OBS not showing the BlackHole source (add it as Audio Input Capture), and no audio output (the multi-output device master clock is not set correctly in Audio MIDI Setup).
Does a Virtual Audio Cable Add Latency?
Loopback adds slightly more latency due to its routing engine, but the difference is imperceptible in real-time use. Neither tool adds enough latency to affect streaming, voice chat, or live performance.
The Mac soundboard software guide covers audio latency considerations across different soundboard apps and how the audio engine architecture affects trigger response time.
Marcel Iseli is an indie developer, DJ, and music producer with over 20 years behind the decks and in the studio. Rooted in hip hop culture, he collects drum machines, samplers, and vintage audio gear. LitPads grew out of that obsession: decades of triggering samples on hardware led him to build the software equivalent he always wanted.