soundflower kernel extension (SOLVED)

[renowden]

Yes - you are correct, and I was not saying that the configuration was necessary, just convenient, and it should (and used to) work. I don't use Audacity as a recorder, only as an editor. For convenience I tend to set all applications that allow it to take input from Soundflower and send output to Soundflower and then use Soundflowerbed to route the final output to a real output device. That way I only have one switch to operate. Were I to use Audacity as a recorder then it would feedback unless I was careful. (Unfortunately Soundflowerbed does not work too well any more so I may have to change my technique anyway.)

To clarify - it should be perfectly acceptable for Audacity in playback mode to send to Soundflower to be picked up by some other application such as a recorder. I have done this sometimes where an alternative recorder offers desirable features. I have written a little about it here http://west-penwith.org.uk/blog/archives/838

[Gale Andrews]

To exonerate Audacity or not, Audacity > Quit Audacity in 2.0.5, then download and run Audacity 2.0.2.

If 2.0.2 does not have the playback stutter, then please try Audacity 2.0.3 and Audacity 2.0.4 and tell us in which version the playback stutter first appears. Be sure to quit Audacity before running another Audacity version.

As a specific, please say exactly what is the real output device that you are sending Soundflower output to with step by step to set it up. Please also say what recording application you are trying to send Audacity playback to.

Thanks,

Gale

[renowden]

Thanks for pursuing this Gale.

2.0.2 doesn't stutter (as stated in the original post).

I have downloaded 2.0.3 which is also ok.
I have downloaded 2.0.4 which stutters so it looks like the problem came in version 2.0.4.

2.0.4 and 2.0.5 do not stutter if the output is directed in Audacity using the speaker drop down menu to Built-in Line Out. Only if directed to Soundflower (2ch).

The real output device in both cases is Built-in Line out, in the latter case via Soundflowerbed - p.s. I was wrong in an earlier post to say that Soundflowerbed didn't work any more, I was thinking of something else).

The other recorder application is not relevant here as it is not running when the problem shows up (but for information it is usually Wave Corrector running on WIndows XP under VMware Fusion - but presumably it could be anything).

[Gale Andrews]

Thanks for pursuing this Gale.

2.0.2 doesn't stutter (as stated in the original post).

I have downloaded 2.0.3 which is also ok.
I have downloaded 2.0.4 which stutters so it looks like the problem came in version 2.0.4.

2.0.4 and 2.0.5 do not stutter if the output is directed in Audacity using the speaker drop down menu to Built-in Line Out. Only if directed to Soundflower (2ch).

The real output device in both cases is Built-in Line out, in the latter case via Soundflowerbed

OK I can reproduce this in 2.0.4 and later on my Mac Mini running Mavericks, playing a tone in Audacity, playback device in Device Toolbar is Soundflower 2ch, Soundflowerbed set to built-in output.

If I go Audacity > Preferences, choose "Recording" on the left then reduce "Audio to buffer" to 50ms, playback is OK. Changing the Soundflowerbed buffer setting made no difference. Does that solve it for you?


Gale

[renowden]

Yes - that's great. Fixes it a treat. Thanks very much.

p.s. I have remembered what the Soundflowerbed problem was now. The version shipped with Soundflower doesn't survive a system sleep. There is a modified fork here http://cycling74.com/forums/topic/modif ... e-control/ which addresses this issue.

[Gale Andrews]

I have remembered what the Soundflowerbed problem was now. The version shipped with Soundflower doesn't survive a system sleep. There is a modified fork here http://cycling74.com/forums/topic/modif ... e-control/ which addresses this issue.

Thanks for that. As that mod is on GitHub and has good feedback I have added a link to it on the Audacity Manual page about recording computer playback on Mac.


Gale