Loopback 2.4.1 Brings Key Bug Fixes

We’ve just released a small but important update to our cable-free audio routing tool, Loopback. The recent release of Loopback 2.4.0 featured a simplified setup process on MacOS 14.5 and up, powered by an overhauled audio capture backend. However, that change introduced several new problems we needed to correct. Today’s update brings critical fixes for those issues.
All Loopback users on MacOS 14.5 or higher should update to version 2.4.1 now. To do so, select the Check for Updates option in the Loopback menu to update to the latest version now.1
Transitioning to a New Audio Capture Backend
With the release of MacOS 11 in 2020, Apple made changes that negatively impacted the setup process for our apps. Getting the necessary audio capture system (known as “ACE”) working was painful, with Apple Silicon-based machines even requiring changes to the Mac’s “Startup Security Policy”. These hurdles were difficult for both users and us.

We wanted to provide a better experience, and that meant we needed to change the backend system Airfoil, Audio Hijack, Loopback, Piezo, and SoundSource use for audio capture. We began work on our new audio capture system (dubbed “ARK”) in late 2022. It’s been an immense undertaking, but after nearly two years, ARK is ready for real-world use.2
This spring, we began to transition our products away from using ACE for audio capture. We’ve aimed for the move to ARK to be invisible to existing users of our products, and updates to Audio Hijack, Piezo, and Airfoil were very successful in that regard.
Loopback 2.4.0 and 2.4.1

Loopback, however, fell a bit short of the goal of a completely seamless transition. It needed more substantial changes than our other apps, and that led to a few rough edges in the Loopback 2.4.0 release. After several weeks of effort, we’ve now smoothed those out in version 2.4.1, which includes:

A fix for distortion which could be heard when audio was routed through Loopback’s virtual devices
Improved audio capture of apps playing audio through a non-default output device
Substantial CPU performance improvements

To see the full list of improvements in Loopback 2.4.1, give the release notes a read.
Your Feedback Is Essential

Before every release, we do a substantial amount of testing to ensure the app is ready. Still, it’s impossible to test all potential scenarios, so user feedback is essential to us. Recent communications with Loopback users helped us rectify the issues mentioned above, and we’re very grateful for the assistance.
Our top-notch Support team is always here for you, listening to input and assisting with issues. Those conversations are a key part of our development process, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.
More Updates to Come
We expect to ship further updates with initial support for MacOS 15 (Sequoia) in the coming weeks. An update to our essential sound control utility SoundSource is also still in the works, and will complete our transition to the new audio capture backend. Watch for more later this summer.

Footnotes:

If you’re not yet on MacOS 14.5, you’ll continue to use Loopback 2.3.3, which does not need an update at this time. We now have two functionally equivalent variants of the app, based on your exact operating system version. You don’t need to do anything, however. The app’s built-in version checking handles this for you automatically. ↩︎

A brief marketing note: Our licenseable ARK-SDK, built on top of ARK, makes it easy to capture and process audio on MacOS. If you’re a MacOS software developer in need of audio capture or just a simplified way of dealing with audio, learn more about licensing. ↩︎