A SoundSource alternative: Earmix vs SoundSource
Short answer: SoundSource from Rogue Amoeba is the most established per-app volume app for Mac, and if you have several Macs or want thousands of headphone profiles it's hard to beat. Earmix, which we make, is the alternative if you want per-tab volume, music that drops during calls, recording, or you're still on macOS 14 Sonoma, which SoundSource 6 no longer supports.
What both apps do
Both live in the menu bar and give every app its own volume slider, mute, 10-band EQ and output device. Both can send an app to AirPlay, run Audio Unit effects on one app or on everything, apply headphone correction from the open source AutoEq project, save setups and switch between them, and make the volume keys work on HDMI and DisplayPort screens. Both have Shortcuts actions.
For the everyday job, turning Spotify down while Zoom stays loud, either one works.
Earmix vs SoundSource at a glance
| Earmix | SoundSource 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $12.99 once, early bird ($49 regular) | $49 once ($25 upgrade from v4/v5) |
| Macs per licence | One at a time | All of one person's Macs |
| macOS | 14.2 Sonoma or later | 15 to 27 |
| Trial | 14 days, every feature | No time limit, noise after 20 minutes |
| Per-app boost | To 400%, with limiter | To 400% (Volume Overdrive), with limiting |
| Per-app EQ | 10-band, eight presets | 10-band with preamp |
| Headphone EQ | 52 models from AutoEq | Thousands of models from AutoEq, custom profiles |
| Per-app output | Yes, two outputs at once | Yes, Output Groups |
| Audio Units | Per app and system-wide | Per app and system-wide |
| Per-tab volume | Yes, with Earmix Tabs | Not listed |
| Lower other apps on calls | Yes | Not listed |
| Record an app or call | Yes | No (Audio Hijack or Piezo, sold separately) |
| Auto level and spike guard | Yes | Not listed |
| iPhone remote | Yes, TestFlight beta | Not listed |
| Volume keys on HDMI | Yes | Yes (Super Volume Keys) |
From each app's website, checked November 2026. "Not listed" means the website doesn't mention it, not that the app can't do it. All names belong to their owners.
Where SoundSource is better
- It's mature. Rogue Amoeba has made Mac audio software for a long time, and SoundSource is on version 6, with regular updates (6.1.6 in October 2026). Earmix is newer and comes from a smaller developer.
- One licence covers all your Macs. If you use a MacBook and an iMac, SoundSource's $49 covers both. An Earmix licence is one Mac at a time, so two Macs means two licences.
- More headphone models. SoundSource lists thousands of AutoEq models and lets you load custom profiles. Earmix has 52 popular models.
- More device controls. Per-device sample rate, input lock, per-app hotkeys and an AirPods output-only mode.
Who should pick SoundSource
Pick SoundSource if you're on macOS 15 or later, have more than one Mac, own headphones that aren't among the common models, or already use Audio Hijack or Loopback from the same developer. Its trial has no time limit, so you can try it properly before paying.
Where Earmix is different
- Volume per browser tab. The free Earmix Tabs extension gives each tab its own slider and mute, shown under its browser in Earmix. One YouTube tab can be quiet while a meeting tab is loud. The Chrome, Edge and Firefox store listings are coming soon, so for now it isn't in those stores yet. Safari's extension comes inside Earmix. See how to change the volume of one browser tab.
- Calls lower everything else. When an app starts using the microphone, every other app drops to 30% (you choose how far) and comes back when the call ends. See how to lower music during calls.
- Recording built in. Record in an app's options saves what it plays as an .m4a file in Music › Earmix Recordings. For a call, your voice is mixed in unless you turn off "With my mic". Check the law first: many places need everyone's consent to record a call. See how to record a Zoom call.
- Auto level and spike guard. Auto level keeps an app at an even loudness, so quiet videos come up and loud ads come down. Spike guard stops anything jumping more than 12 dB above what was playing.
- An iPhone remote. Earmix for iPhone shows every slider, and the iPhone's volume buttons turn the Mac up and down. It's free with Earmix but still a beta on TestFlight. See how to control your Mac's volume from an iPhone.
- Runs on macOS 14.2 Sonoma. SoundSource 6 needs macOS 15.
What they cost
SoundSource is $49, one time, for all of one person's Macs. Upgrading from version 4 or 5 is $25. The trial doesn't expire, but after 20 minutes it adds noise to audio it's adjusting until you relaunch it.
Earmix is $12.99 once at the early-bird price, regular price $49, for one Mac at a time. There's a 14-day free trial with every feature, no account or card, and a 14-day refund. Neither has a subscription.
To record with SoundSource you'd add Piezo ($29) or Audio Hijack ($69). Audio Hijack does far more than Earmix's recording, including local transcription.
Moving from SoundSource to Earmix
- Quit SoundSource from its menu, so only one app is adjusting your sound while you try Earmix.
- Open Earmix and allow System Audio Recording when macOS asks. Nothing is recorded unless you press Record.
- Set each app's volume, output and EQ again from the menu bar. Earmix remembers them for next time.
- Recreate your Quick Configs as Earmix profiles in the Profiles tab. You can have a profile applied automatically when a device, such as your AirPods, becomes the output.
- If you used SoundSource's headphone EQ, pick your model in Devices › Headphone EQ. If it isn't among the 52, Earmix can't match it yet.
Questions
Is there a cheaper alternative to SoundSource?
Yes. Earmix is $12.99 at its early-bird price, SoundDial is $14.99, and FineTune is free and open source. SoundSource's $49 does cover all your Macs, which the others don't say they do.
Does SoundSource work on macOS Sonoma?
SoundSource 6 needs macOS 15 or later, according to Rogue Amoeba's website. Earmix runs on macOS 14.2 Sonoma or later.
Can SoundSource control the volume of a browser tab?
Its website doesn't mention per-tab volume. Earmix does it with the free Earmix Tabs extension, with boost and tab recording in Chrome-based browsers only.
Can SoundSource record audio?
No. Rogue Amoeba sells Audio Hijack and Piezo for recording. Earmix can record any app or call itself, saved as .m4a.
Try Earmix free for 14 days
Every feature, with no account and no card. Then $12.99 once at the early-bird price (regularly $49), with a 14-day refund. For macOS 14.2 or later, on Apple silicon and Intel.
Download Earmix