Zoom Audio Device
Loopback for Mac
Voicemeeter for PC
The Zoom Audio Device
The Zoom Audio Device as the output for your apps is the cheapest and simplest but least convenient way to get app audio into Zoom. The first time you initiate a Screen Share, before proceeding to pick a view to share, look for the little checkbox in the lower left of the window “Share Computer Audio.” Zoom installs a little bridgeA song section type common in American Songbook tunes, usually containing a markedly different chord progression; commonly the "B" section of an AABA or ABA form. router (Zoom Audio Device) that operates in the background. It can be used to mix1. Collection of individual tracks or parts 2. The process of adjusting relative sound levels, processing and placement within a sonic realm 3. The result of sonic recording and processing whatever runs through the Zoom Audio Device with your mic signal.
To use it, you need to go into your app audio settings and select “Zoom Audio Device” as output. You have to remember to change it back after the Zoom session.
Loopback for Mac
Use Loopback. It’s easy to set up, and once you do that, you can forget about it, it just works and does what you need it to do.
Setting up Loopback
Loopback’s default configuration is a “Pass-Through” device. You’ll want to create an additional “Device,” rename it, delete the default “Pass Through” Source, then add your own “Sources,” which will include any audio app or interface you want to send out in a Zoom session.
The Rogue Amoeba manual page for this function is here.
How to Create a Device in Loopback
- Create a new device (left column +)
- In the “Source” column, select the next app or hardware source you want to add.
- Click the open triangle next to “Options” and uncheck “Mute when capturing” for each app.
- That’s it – you’re done configuring Loopback.
– Notea symbol used to represent a specific pitch and duration that you don’t need to add a monitor source – your signal will function normally and undisturbed through your usual playback device.
Name your device. Check the pencil icon next to the top title and write something you’ll recognize. This should be all you need.

In Zoom
Select your new Loopback Device (whatever you named it!) it in Zoom Preferences>Audio (or Settings>Audio, on Mac OS 11 and later) as the input device. Look for the dropdown next to the term “Microphone” in Zoom settings.
VoiceMeeter for PC
- VB-Audio VoiceMeeter: This is a versatile virtual audio mixer that allows you to route audio from different applications and microphones. It offers multiple versions, such as VoiceMeeter Banana and VoiceMeeter Potato, with increasing levels of functionality.
- VoiceMeeter Banana: Provides advanced routing and mixingthe process of balancing and blending individual tracks into a final master recording. capabilities, including virtual inputs and outputs.
- VoiceMeeter Potato: The most advanced version with additional inputs, outputs, and features for more complex setups.
- Virtual Audio Cable (VAC): This software allows you to create virtual audio devices to route audio between applications. It’s a bit more manual in setup compared to VoiceMeeter but provides high flexibility.
- Jack Audio Connection Kit (JACK): An open-source professional sound server daemon that provides low-latency audio routing. It can be more complex to set up but offers powerful routing capabilities.
- Voicemeeter Standard: This is the simplest version of Voicemeeter and can be a good starting point if you don’t need the advanced features of Banana or Potato.
Here’s a brief guide on setting up VoiceMeeter Banana for routing audio into Zoom:
- Install VoiceMeeter Banana from the linked website.
- Set Up Inputs and Outputs:
- Open VoiceMeeter Banana.
- Set your microphone as one of the Hardware Inputs.
- Set your DAWDigital Audio Workstation. Some are: Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro X, Cubase, Pro Tools, Studio One, Reason, Reaper, Digital Performer, Bitwig Studio, Samplitude Pro X, GarageBand (Mac), Cakewalk by BandLab, Presonus Studio One, Tracktion Waveform output to one of the Virtual Inputs (VoiceMeeter VAIO or AUXChannel strips in a DAW offering additonal in-out routing with support for additional plugins).
- Configure Zoom:
- Open Zoom and go to Settings > Audio.
- Set the microphone to VoiceMeeter Output (VB-Audio VoiceMeeter VAIO).
Routing Audio:
In VoiceMeeter, make sure your microphone and DAW audio are routed to the appropriate outputs that Zoom is using.
By using VoiceMeeter, you can combine your microphone and DAW audio seamlessly and route them into Zoom.
Audio Hijack
Rogue Amoeba also offers Audio Hijack, which is particularly useful for grabbing web audio for transcriptions – but can also serve as a device router to get audio into Zoom (when used in conjunction with Loopback) to mix audio from different sources. Note that for just simple Zoom (or other) VOIP applications, Loopback is the simpler, better option – unless you need to record your outgoing audio, or add signal processing or metering to your audio chain.
The Audio Hijack Session Window
Audio Hijack is a WYSIWYG router. It its “Session” window, you build a “pipeline” that runs from and through “Blocks,” which can be Input Devices, Output Devices, SystemA system is one line of connected staves across the page. Audio, your Audio Interface, along with plugins, effects, metering, and a recording device. Our objective is simple: Music & Talk In, Loopback out, and into monitoring of some kind.
In:
- Audio Interface input (your external mic)
- System Audio
- App Audio (DAW, notationA system of symbols used to write down music., editors etc)
Out:
All of those point to a block containing the Output Device with “Loopback” selected as the Output Device.
Coming out of Loopback, you may want to add metering, a recording block, and your Audio Interface output so you can hear it all through your headphones or monitor speakers that are plugged into your audio interface.
The App blocks have a number of options. The top option, choose the app. The middle option is “Select Device” radio buttons – we find that app routed to any device works fine. (The Default Output option may or may not work.) If all your music software outputs are pointed to your interface (the usual case), you could always select your interface as the device.
We’ve found that you can add up to six sources to the Loopback Output Device block. You need System Audio and your Audio Interface, so that leaves 4 possible other apps.
You can use “Auto Connection” for new blocks in the Session Editor. You see the connectors crawl around and change where they go until you find the right spot. Connecting six sources to a Loopback block can be challenging and fail with this method. In that case, on the lower part of the right sidebar, turn off “Auto Connections” and drag “cables” from an output on an app block ( ⊕ ) to the input ⊕ on the Loopback Output Device.
Also, be aware you’ll possibly run into failures with sample rate conflicts. Ideally, all app sample rates should be set the same, as well as the Session sample rate. If “Auto” is selected in the Session window, problems may come up as Audio Hijack appears to assume apps should open at 48kHz. If you’re using 48 everywhere, that’s not a problem. For simplicity, I set 44.1 everywhere, but am prepared to make that change mindfully if working with a Production session in Logic, Pro Tools or Premiere.
Be aware that when you start a Session containing App Audio in Audio Hijack, Audio Hijack will open all the apps connected in the Session. To prevent delay of audio start (embarrassing at Zoom session time), either have all the apps that appear in your session open before starting it – or use the Loopback Only solution mentioned in the second paragraph of this article.
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