What Loopback brings to your live shows

Loopback works like a software control room: each virtual device groups one or more sources, visible as a microphone to the browser.

Music from an app

Capture Spotify, Apple Music, Logic, or VLC without changing the macOS system output.

Voice + background music

Combine a USB mic and an application in a single "Live Mix" device.

Jingles and effects

Add a second application (sampler, jingle player) as an extra source.

Built-in monitoring

Listen to the mix in headphones via the Monitors block, without Audio MIDI Setup workarounds.

Loopback or BlackHole?

LoopbackBlackHole
PricePaid (trial with watermark)Free, open source
InterfaceGraphical app, per-app sourcesVirtual driver + Audio MIDI Setup
Best forMulti-source, levels, monitoringSimple voice + stereo setup
Free alternative

For a first test with no budget, see the BlackHole guide. You can move to Loopback later if you need more control.

Prerequisites

  • macOS 11 Big Sur or later (Intel or Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3/M4)
  • Loopback license or trial from <a href="https://rogueamoeba.com/loopback/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rogueamoeba.com/loopback</a>
  • Administrator password (ARK plugin installation)
  • Up-to-date Chrome, Firefox, or Safari for Gniark Live

Install Loopback

  1. 1Download Loopback from Rogue Amoeba and drag the app to Applications.
  2. 2Launch Loopback. The setup wizard installs the Audio Routing Kit (ARK) plugin: enter your administrator password.
  3. 3Grant the requested permissions (see next section).
  4. 4On first launch, Loopback creates the default Loopback Audio device, already enabled.

macOS permissions (ARK)

  1. 1Open System Settings → Privacy & Security.
  2. 2Grant System Audio Access to the ARK / Loopback plugin (required to route audio).
  3. 3Grant Microphone access to ARK / Loopback (required to capture physical inputs).
  4. 4If needed, open the Permissions window from the Loopback menu to verify everything is green.

Create a device for Gniark Live

Recommended setup: voice + application

This setup fits most musical live shows: you speak on the mic and play a track in the background.

  1. 1In Loopback, click + New Virtual Device.
  2. 2Rename the device (e.g. Gniark Live Mix).
  3. 3In the Sources column, click + and add your Microphone (USB, interface, or built-in).
  4. 4Add an Application source and select your player (Spotify, Apple Music, VLC…). Launch the app if it does not appear yet.
  5. 5Verify the device is enabled (ON switch top left).
  6. 6Adjust each source level with the sliders in Loopback.

Pass-Thru option: an app sends to Loopback

Each new device includes a Pass-Thru source: the device also appears as an audio output in other applications.

  1. 1Create a dedicated device (e.g. Pass-Thru Live) with only the Pass-Thru source enabled.
  2. 2In your source app, set audio output to that Loopback device.
  3. 3In Gniark Live, select the same device as the microphone input.
Best practice

Rogue Amoeba recommends using a device either as pure Pass-Thru or as a multi-source mix, to avoid ambiguous routing.

Local monitoring

In the Monitors column, add your headphones or speakers to hear the mix. Use headphones to reduce echo picked up by the mic.

Select Loopback in Gniark Live

  1. 1Open your Gniark Live session and start the audio stream.
  2. 2Allow microphone access in the browser.
  3. 3In the device selector, choose your Loopback device (e.g. Gniark Live Mix).
  4. 4Speak and start playback in your source app: viewers should hear voice and music.
Pre-live test

Ask a teammate or open a second browser as a viewer to validate levels. Loopback adds negligible latency: perceived delay mostly comes from WebRTC networking.

Solution page

This guide covers technical setup. Explore the Gniark Live commercial offering for this use case.

View solution page — Remote AV studio workflows that scale with your shoots

Frequently asked questions

Is Loopback free?

No, it is paid software with a limited trial (watermark). See the BlackHole guide for a free alternative.

Apple Silicon compatible?

Yes, Loopback runs natively on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs (M1 and later).

Loopback device does not appear in Chrome.

Check the device is ON in Loopback, ARK has System permissions, then quit and reopen the browser.

Can I capture multiple apps at once?

Yes: add multiple Application sources in the same virtual device, or create several devices as needed.

Echo or feedback during the live.

Disable speaker monitoring, use headphones, or lower Monitors volume in Loopback.

Does Loopback work when the Loopback app is closed?

Yes, once ARK is installed and the device is enabled, routing continues in the background without keeping Loopback open.

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