Audio Input
The Audio Input dialog selects a capture device and channel, and turns audio capture on for audio-reactive effects and the Audio Spectrum panel.
Open the dialog from Edit > Inputs > Audio. It is non-modal, so it stays open while you keep working. In the dialog you select the one input that every audio feature listens to. The dialog also shows which features use that input, and you turn audio-reactive effects on and off here.
Controls
Audio Device lists the detected input devices. Pick Default to use the system default, or a named device to force a specific source. Auto Beat-Sync and audio-reactive effects both listen to this device.
The list updates within a couple of seconds when you plug in or unplug a device. If you unplug the device in use, capture stops with a "Device disconnected" status. Capture resumes on its own when the device returns. When the system default changes, Default follows it.
Channel appears when you pick a named device with more than one channel. Choose Mix all channels (the default, which averages every channel together) or a single channel by number. Switching channels does not interrupt capture.
If the list is empty, macOS does not give Spectralite access to any input device. Check system permissions (Settings > Privacy > Microphone on macOS).
Audio-reactive effects lets effects react to the input through the Audio Level, Audio Peak and Audio Bands nodes. Turning it on starts the input. Auto Beat-Sync starts the input on its own, so beat sync works with this setting off.
Status
Spectralite captures audio only while Auto Beat-Sync or audio-reactive effects need it.
During capture, the dialog names the device and the features that use it. An Input level meter sits below. The meter shows the level of the incoming signal. When the signal is too loud, the meter turns red and shows a CLIP warning, so you can set the source gain before it distorts.
If the dialog reports an error, macOS refused or dropped the stream. Fix the permission in macOS, then reopen the dialog. This usually restores capture.
How the audio is used
Spectralite analyzes the captured audio every frame and shares the result across the app.
- The Audio Spectrum panel draws it as a live frequency display.
- Audio-reactive input nodes (Audio Level, Audio Bands, Audio Spectrum, Audio Peak, Audio Waveform, and their Decay variants) sample the same data for use in effects.
The Decay variants hold each peak and then fall off gradually. On lights, this looks steadier than the raw signal.
Related
- Audio Spectrum Panel
- Input Nodes: audio-reactive nodes live here.
- Sending Audio to Lights