Two different problems
Mac audio apps look alike in a menu bar, but they solve different problems. Most of them change what happens to sound: per-app volume, routing, EQ, and effects. FlipMic solves a narrower problem: which microphone and speakers your Mac uses when devices come and go.
Short answer
If you want per-app volume, EQ, or effects, SoundSource or eqMac is the right tool. If you keep finding the wrong microphone or speakers selected after AirPods, a dock, or a USB mic connects, that’s FlipMic’s job. The two kinds of app can run together.
Side by side
| App | Best for | Price | Automatic device priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoundSource | Per-app volume and output routing, a 10-band EQ, Audio Unit effects, and device controls in the menu bar | $49 license; free trial with limits | No. You switch devices yourself or with Shortcuts |
| eqMac | System-wide equalizer; per-app mixer in Pro | Free; Pro from $3/month or $40 lifetime | No. Super Presets switch EQ presets when the output changes, not the device itself |
| Background Music | Per-app volume and auto-pausing your music player | Free, open source (alpha) | No. It sets itself as the default output while running |
| SwitchAudioSource | Switching devices from the command line or a hotkey script | Free, open source | No. It switches only when you run a command |
| FlipMic | Keeping your preferred mic and speakers selected as devices connect and disconnect | $12 once; 30-day refund | Yes. Separate ranked lists for input and output |
Prices and features are taken from each developer’s site as of October 2026.
When SoundSource is the better choice
SoundSource is the most capable app on this list. Choose it if you want any of these:
- Turn one app down without touching the others.
- Send music to your desk speakers while calls and alerts stay on headphones.
- EQ a pair of headphones or add Audio Unit effects.
- Play one app to several devices or over AirPlay.
None of those are things FlipMic does. FlipMic doesn’t touch volume, effects, or per-app routing.
When FlipMic is the better choice
Pick FlipMic if your frustration sounds like one of these:
- Your AirPods connect and suddenly they’re the microphone, so the call sounds terrible. See AirPods mic sounds muffled.
- You plug in your USB mic and still have to pick it in Sound settings. See keeping a USB mic as the default.
- Waking your dock sends sound to the monitor’s speakers. See output keeps changing.
The menu bar switchers in other apps make changing devices faster, but you still have to notice the problem first. FlipMic keeps a ranked list instead: when a device connects or disconnects, the highest-ranked connected one becomes the default, without you opening a menu.
Using FlipMic alongside SoundSource
The two apps divide the job cleanly. FlipMic decides the macOS system default microphone and speakers. Per-app routes you set in SoundSource send an app to a specific device, so they don’t depend on the system default.
One thing to know: if you change the system output in another app while FlipMic is guarding output, FlipMic restores your top-ranked connected device. To switch outputs by hand for a while, turn off the output guard from FlipMic’s menu bar panel, or re-rank the list.
Frequently asked questions
- Can SoundSource automatically switch to my preferred microphone when it connects?
- SoundSource’s product page describes controls for the system’s input and output devices and Shortcuts automation, but it doesn’t describe a priority list that switches devices automatically. FlipMic is built around that priority list.
- Is there a free alternative to SoundSource?
- For an equalizer, eqMac has a free tier. For per-app volume, Background Music is free and open source, though it’s still labeled alpha. Neither manages which microphone or speakers your Mac selects.
- Does FlipMic do per-app volume or EQ?
- No. FlipMic only changes which devices are the macOS system default. It doesn’t process audio, install a virtual audio device, or need microphone permission.
- Can I use FlipMic and SoundSource together?
- Yes. FlipMic manages the system default input and output; SoundSource’s per-app routes send specific apps to specific devices. If you change the system output by hand while FlipMic is guarding output, FlipMic restores your top-ranked device, so pause the guard when you want to switch manually.
One-time purchase
Rank your devices once.
FlipMic keeps your preferred microphone and speakers selected every time something connects.