MacOS – separate Facetime audio from system audio

audiofacetimeheadphonesmacos

I have an iPhone 6 and MBP on OSX Yosemite. The new feature in OSX allowing me to take a call through my MBP is fantastic, but it's less practical than it could be because of how long it takes to switch the audio input/output settings to my headset. The sequence goes like this:

  1. My normal audio settings have output through Cinema display, input through display (or built-in, whatever)
  2. I'm listening to pandora
  3. Call comes in. Sweet! I can use my headset!
  4. Hold down ⌥ and click the speaker icon in the menu bar
  5. Select output to go through my headset.
  6. Repeat #4
  7. Select input to come through my headset
  8. Stop pandora so it doesn't interfere with the phone call
  9. Answer call just in time to hear someone say "call me back" or just hang up
  10. Make phone call on my phone, defeating the entire purpose

Steps 4-9 take way too long. The Google Hangouts plugin does this right, as does Skype (IIRC). Those steps:

  1. Normal audio settings
  2. Listening to pandora
  3. Call comes in, I grab headset
  4. I answer call, pandora is squelched somewhat, the headset is piped through to the call automatically

The second set is what's desirable. Is there a way to make Facetime on OSX do this?

Best Answer

Have you considered trying Sound Siphon or Audio Hijack Pro to control your audio?