SoundSource 5.7
It has been a year since Rogue Amoeba updated its SoundSource audio control utility, and the company has stuffed version 5.7 with a plethora of additions, improvements, and bug fixes to catch up to its other audio apps (like “Airfoil 5.12.3, Audio Hijack 4.4.4, and Piezo 1.9.4,” 14 September 2024). In addition to adding support for macOS 15 Sequoia, the update brings the Audio Routing Kit (ARK) audio capture backend (which can be set up quickly on a new Mac with no restarts or passwords required) and an updated Permissions window with a new System Audio Access option that enables you to record audio from applications you specify.
SoundSource 5.7 also adds a Text to Speech special source for capturing audio from apps that do not play text-to-speech audio via their own process, eradicates erroneous microphone-in-use indicators, tweaks the Siri special source to include sound effects in macOS 14 Sonoma correctly, properly identifies all models of the AirPods Pro 2, ensures Bluetooth devices no longer display old/stale names, alphabetizes the Sources menu using the on-disk name, ensures the Headphone EQ profile selection panel works as expected when running Default Folder X, properly tracks name changes to applications, and now requires macOS 14.5 Sonoma or later. ($39 new with a 20% discount for TidBITS members, free update, 41.8 MB, release notes, macOS 14.5+)
installed this update on my laptop running OS 14.6.1 and the process coreaudiod started using a solid 16% of the CPU (even with no audio playing) - quit soundsource and coreaudiod went back to only using 0% when no audio is playing and less than 6% with audio playing - - - - very odd
just updated to OS15.0 - problem persists - SoundSource uses 13% of CPU even with no audio being played or recorded
Let’s check with @paul1 — perhaps there’s a quick update coming soon.
The issue here is on Apple’s end, and some misbehavior in CoreAudio. Fortunately, MacOS 15.1 (in beta now) looks to include improvements, which reduce CPU usage substantially in our testing. We always urge caution when updating your OS, but 15.1 is a marked improvement over 15.0, and the public beta may be worth your time.
Otherwise, the official release of 15.1 is due next month.
If you need more, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Support team here: Rogue Amoeba | Support Form