What Is a Virtual Audio Device?

What Is a Virtual Audio Device?

macOS recognizes virtual audio devices at the system level. Once installed, the virtual device shows up in Sound preferences, in application audio menus, and in Audio MIDI Setup. Any application that can select an audio input or output can use the virtual device immediately.

Virtual audio devices solve one core problem: routing audio between applications. Without one, the audio output from a soundboard app stays inside your headphones. A virtual audio device captures that output and makes it available as an input source for OBS, Discord, Zoom, or any recording software. Three distinct types exist: virtual audio drivers, virtual audio cables, and virtual soundcards. Each type approaches the routing problem differently.

How Does a Virtual Audio Driver Work on Mac?

Modern macOS virtual audio drivers operate in user space through the HAL plugin system. The driver creates both an input endpoint and an output endpoint. When a soundboard sends audio to the output side, the driver copies those audio buffers to the input side. The receiving application reads the buffers as if they came from a physical microphone. Typical specifications include 32-bit float sample depth, 48 kHz sample rate, and latency measured in microseconds rather than milliseconds.

LitLink is a free virtual audio driver that automates this entire process. The driver installs at the HAL level, creates the virtual device, and configures a multi-output device automatically so you hear your own audio while the virtual device captures it for other applications. No manual Audio MIDI Setup configuration is required.

What Is the Difference Between a Virtual Audio Cable and a Virtual Soundcard?

On Windows, these categories are distinct products. On macOS, the lines blur because Core Audio already provides system-level mixing. A simple virtual audio cable on Mac can handle most routing scenarios that would require a full virtual soundcard on Windows. The macOS Audio MIDI Setup utility adds aggregate and multi-output device creation at no cost, which further reduces the need for a dedicated virtual soundcard product.

For most users, a virtual audio driver that creates a single virtual device is sufficient. The driver handles the routing, and macOS handles the mixing. Only professional audio production workflows with complex per-application routing typically require a full virtual soundcard solution.

Which Virtual Audio Devices Are Available on Mac?

LitLink and BlackHole both create HAL-level virtual audio devices. The key difference is automation. BlackHole requires opening Audio MIDI Setup, creating a multi-output device, selecting the correct devices, and configuring drift correction. LitLink performs all of these steps automatically on installation. LitLink also includes mic passthrough, which combines your real microphone with the virtual audio stream so both reach Discord or OBS as a single input.

Loopback targets professional users who need per-application audio capture. Loopback can route audio from a single application (not the entire system) to a custom virtual device. This is valuable for radio production, podcasting with multiple audio sources, and studio recording. For standard audio routing on Mac such as sending soundboard output to a streaming or voice chat application, LitLink or BlackHole covers the requirement at no cost.

What Are Common Use Cases for Virtual Audio Devices?

• Streaming with OBS or Streamlabs Route soundboard pads, music, and sound effects into your stream audio mix alongside your microphone
• Voice chat on Discord, Zoom, or Teams Share soundboard audio with call participants while keeping your microphone active through mic passthrough
• Internal audio recording Capture system audio or application output directly into a DAW, Audacity, or QuickTime without external cables
• Live performance and theater Route cue playback from a soundboard app to a PA system input while monitoring through headphones
• Podcasting and radio production Combine multiple audio sources from different applications into a single recording input

Every use case follows the same pattern. Application A outputs audio to the virtual audio device. Application B reads from the virtual audio device as its input source. The virtual device bridges the gap that macOS does not bridge natively. The LitPads feature set is designed around this workflow, with per-pad volume, EQ, and pitch controls feeding into the virtual audio output for precise control over what reaches the receiving application.