Sending Audio Between Two Macs – How BlackHole and VBAN Work Together
Sending Audio Between Two Macs – How BlackHole and VBAN Work Together
All of my music production happens on my MacBook.
My iMac serves as a dedicated listening and monitoring station, connected to Neumann speakers through an Audient iD4 and IK Multimedia ARC Studio for room correction. I share a keyboard and mouse between both machines using a Sabrent USB-SW30 switch. I intentionally do not share the screen, as the latency between MacBook and iMac is noticeable—especially during detailed DAW editing.
To move audio seamlessly from the production machine to the monitoring machine, I rely on a combination of BlackHole and VBAN.
The Role of BlackHole (Internal)
BlackHole acts as a virtual audio cable inside a single Mac.
It creates an additional audio device that allows sound from one application to be routed into another application on the same computer.
Example on the MacBook:
- Logic, Ableton, or system audio → BlackHole 2ch
- Another app can then “listen” to that BlackHole signal
Important: BlackHole does not transmit audio over a network. It is purely local routing.
The Role of VBAN (External)
VBAN handles audio transport over an IP network.
It takes an audio source—such as BlackHole—and streams it via Thunderbolt, Ethernet, or Wi-Fi to another computer.
Example:
- VBAN Sender on the MacBook reads BlackHole
- VBAN Receptor on the iMac receives the stream
- The iMac outputs the sound through its audio interface and speakers
VBAN therefore provides network transport, but no internal audio cable.
How They Work Together in Practice
MacBook (Production)
- Music or system audio
- Output → BlackHole 2ch
- VBAN Sender reads BlackHole
- VBAN transmits audio over the network
iMac (Monitoring)
5. VBAN Receptor receives
6. Output → audio interface → speakers
BlackHole = tapping the source
VBAN = moving the sound
Do You Always Need Both?
No.
- BlackHole only: useful when everything stays on one Mac.
- VBAN only: possible if an application can directly send network audio.
- Both together: ideal when you want flexible routing between two Macs.
In a MacBook-to-iMac workflow, the combination provides clarity and control: BlackHole determines what audio is captured, while VBAN determines where it goes. This keeps production and monitoring cleanly separated while still allowing real-time listening.
