Tone vs SoundSource vs Background Music

A quieter browser during a call is a different requirement from an equalizer or system-audio recording. Before choosing a Mac audio utility, decide whether you need volume control, output routing, effects or recording.

Quits publishes Tone. This review compares documented capabilities, checked 16 October 2026, rather than results from a comparative listening or latency test.

Start with the controls you already have

Apple’s volume guide covers the Mac’s main volume and controls inside individual apps. If your music player and meeting app already have suitable sliders, try those first. A separate mixer becomes useful when an app lacks a convenient control or you want several controls together.

Choice	Main reason to consider it	Important distinction
Existing app controls	Your apps already provide the adjustments you need	Controls remain inside those apps
Tone	Per-app volume, mute and a separate output per app	macOS 14.4 or later; System Audio Recording permission
SoundSource	Per-app control plus a wider audio-effects workflow	Check its current OS requirements and trial terms
Background Music	Free, open-source per-app volume and auto-pause	Uses a virtual audio device; the project labels it alpha

Tone reviewed: everyday levels and outputs

Tone puts a slider and mute control for each app playing sound in the menu bar. It remembers levels when apps reopen and lets you send apps to different outputs. For example, you can separate a call in headphones from music on speakers, instead of changing the Mac’s system output whenever the task changes.

Tone uses Core Audio process taps, with no driver or system extension to install. macOS calls the required permission System Audio Recording; Tone does not record or save the sound. It supports Apple silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 14.4 or later.

The scope matters. The published catalog promises controls per app, not a separate slider for every browser tab. If that is your requirement, do not assume an app-level mixer solves it. Likewise, choose a tool with documented recording features if you need to create an audio file. Tone’s browser Demo shows its controls, not whether a particular audio interface will behave as expected on your Mac.

SoundSource: consider the effects workflow

Rogue Amoeba documents SoundSource with per-app volume and output routing, an effects workflow and AirPlay options, including an equalizer and Audio Unit support. Its current release lists macOS 15 through 27 and offers a limited trial before purchase. If effects or AirPlay are requirements, evaluate those features directly rather than treating every volume mixer as interchangeable. These are documented reasons to consider SoundSource; we have not benchmarked its audio engine against Tone.

Background Music: the free option to evaluate

Background Music’s README describes per-app volume, automatic music pausing and system-audio recording. It is open source, uses a virtual audio device and lists macOS 10.13 or later, while explicitly describing the project as alpha. That minimum version is not a guarantee for every newer Mac setup. It is worth evaluating when its free feature set fits and you are comfortable checking compatibility and setup.

Choose around the sound you need to manage

For music that is simply too loud, the player’s slider may be enough. For separate app levels and destinations in the menu bar, try Tone’s Demo. For an effects chain, investigate SoundSource; for automatic pausing or recording, inspect Background Music’s documented workflow.

Tone uses a one-time purchase; its current price and the House Rules are linked below. Our per-app volume setup guide explains the basic workflow. SoundSource and Background Music belong to their respective developers; Quits is not affiliated with them.