01
No Audio MIDI Setup required
BlackHole gives you a virtual device and leaves the wiring to you: multi-output devices, aggregate devices, and sample-rate matching in Audio MIDI Setup. SoundPipe does all of that from one window.
SoundPipe vs BlackHole
BlackHole is free. Here's what $10 adds.
BlackHole is an excellent open-source virtual audio driver, but it is only a driver. SoundPipe adds the app around it: a routing UI, volume control, monitoring, and a one-click install.
When to pick SoundPipe over BlackHole
02
Hear what you route
With BlackHole, monitoring your own routed audio means building a multi-output device by hand, and you lose volume-key control in the process. SoundPipe routes to your headphones or speakers directly.
03
Per-channel volume
BlackHole passes audio through at a fixed level. SoundPipe gives every channel its own volume control so you can balance sources without touching the apps producing them.
04
Sample rates handled for you
BlackHole requires every device in the chain to run at the same sample rate, and mismatches produce silence or distortion. SoundPipe works with any sample rate and keeps devices in sync automatically.
SoundPipe vs BlackHole: feature by feature
Full credit where due: BlackHole is free, open source, widely used, and rock solid. If you're comfortable configuring macOS audio by hand and don't need volume control, use it. This table shows what SoundPipe's $10 buys you on top.
The basics
| Feature | SoundPipe | BlackHole | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual audio devices | Yes | Yes | Both create virtual devices other apps can read and write. |
| Free and open source | No | Yes | BlackHole is GPL-licensed and free. SoundPipe costs $10. |
| One-click install | Yes | Partial | BlackHole ships an installer (the official download asks for your email; Homebrew avoids that), and all routing setup afterwards is manual. |
Devices and channels
| Feature | SoundPipe | BlackHole | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple virtual devices | Yes | Partial | SoundPipe creates up to 16 devices from the app, live. BlackHole is one device per installed build. |
| Change channel count without reinstalling | Yes | No | BlackHole's channel count is fixed per build (2ch, 16ch, 64ch are separate installers). SoundPipe devices resize from 2 to 64 channels live. |
| Rename devices | Yes | No | BlackHole devices keep their build name. SoundPipe names update live, no restarts. |
Routing and control
| Feature | SoundPipe | BlackHole | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphical routing UI | Yes | No | BlackHole has no UI at all; configuration happens in Audio MIDI Setup. |
| Per-channel volume | Yes | No | BlackHole passes audio at a fixed level. |
| Monitoring without multi-output workarounds | Yes | No | With BlackHole you build a multi-output device by hand to hear routed audio. |
| Automatic sample-rate handling | Yes | No | BlackHole needs every device manually set to the same rate. |
| Low latency | Yes | Yes | Both are fast. SoundPipe stays under 15 ms; BlackHole adds effectively zero latency as a passthrough driver. |
SoundPipe vs BlackHole FAQs
Should I just use BlackHole?
Maybe! If you need a plain virtual device, know your way around Audio MIDI Setup, and don't need volume control or easy monitoring, BlackHole is free and excellent. SoundPipe is for people who want the same result without the manual setup.
Is BlackHole safe to install?
Yes. BlackHole is open source, signed and notarized, and very widely used. The catch with any virtual audio driver isn't safety, it's setup: BlackHole leaves the multi-output devices and sample-rate matching to you. SoundPipe ships its own signed and notarized driver, installed and configured from the app.
BlackHole 2ch vs 16ch: which should I download?
2ch is stereo and right for most recording and routing; 16ch (and 64ch) exist for multichannel work. Each is a separate build with a fixed channel count, so changing your mind means another install. SoundPipe sidesteps the choice: create a device in the app and resize it from 2 to 64 channels whenever you like.
Does SoundPipe use BlackHole under the hood?
No. SoundPipe ships its own audio driver, installed with one click from the app.
Can I switch from BlackHole?
Yes, they can even coexist. Install SoundPipe, recreate your routes in its UI, and remove BlackHole whenever you're ready.
Skip the Audio MIDI Setup session.
Try SoundPipe free and see if the $10 is worth the saved fiddling. (We think it is.)