Which macOS versions are supported?
Splitwave runs on macOS 13 Ventura and newer on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. System audio capture uses ScreenCaptureKit, which Apple introduced in macOS 13.
SplitwavemacOS 13+ GitHub ↗
Splitwave — Audio Routing for macOS
Pro-grade audio routing for your Mac.
Build a node graph of inputs, effects, and outputs. Process any audio source in real-time with a flexible processing pipeline.
Nineteen building blocks.
Drag one — the rest pull it back.
Simple Virtual devices
Create your own system-wide audio devices to route between apps, DAWs, or meeting tools
Inputs
- Microphone capture
- System audio
- Per-app audio
- WAV file playback
- Virtual device loopback
Effects
- 10-band EQ
- Compression with sidechain
- Noise gate
- Reverb & stereo delay
- Gain, balance, saturation
Outputs
- Audio interfaces
- WAV, FLAC, AIFF recording
- Opus, MP3, AAC export
- Virtual audio devices
- DAW loopback feed
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install a kernel extension?
No kernel extension and no System Integrity Protection workaround. Splitwave does install a small userspace audio driver to expose virtual devices — you will be asked for your macOS password once during install, and again every time you add or remove a virtual device, because macOS requires administrator approval for any change to the system audio configuration.
What permissions does Splitwave request?
Only the standard macOS permissions for the sources you actually use: microphone access for mic capture, screen recording for system or per-app audio capture, and disk access when you choose a recording destination.
Can I record while I route audio in real time?
Yes. Add a File Recording node anywhere in your pipeline and Splitwave will write a lossless WAV, FLAC, or AIFF file, or an encoded Opus, MP3, or AAC stream, while the rest of the graph keeps playing back to your speakers, headphones, or virtual outputs.
Does Splitwave work with my DAW?
Yes. Create a virtual output device in Splitwave and pick it as the input device in Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Reaper, GarageBand, or any other DAW. You can also route your DAW master back through Splitwave for live effects.
Is Splitwave free?
Splitwave is free and open source under the MIT license. Source code lives on GitHub — you can build it yourself, audit the audio path, or contribute back.