tl;dr

You can output your Macs audio to both a connected Bluetooth speaker/headphones and the headphone jack simultaneously using built-in settings.

  1. Open OSX’s built in Audio MIDI Setup application
  2. Click the plus icon (bottom left).
  3. Click “Create multi-output device”
  4. Check the different devices you wish to this new device.
  5. Select this as the new output in your Sound Prefrences.

--verbose

The other day my significant other and I were stuck in the purgatory of the airport lounge, waiting for our delayed flight.

It wasn’t all that bad we had our fill of tiny pastries, tea and wi-fi. We decided a movie would be a great way to pass the time. Each of us had a pair of headphones but both were over-ear. We couldn’t employ the traditional one earbud each trick. and we weren’t about to use the Mac’s speakers everyone hates that person.

I thought how hard could it be to have the audio be outputted through both the headphone jack and via Bluetooth. I thought id need the help of something like Soundflower. It turns out, however, everything you need it built right into OSX.

Follow these steps below:

  • Open up the Audio MIDI Setup application (located in the Applications/Utilities folder).

Audio Midi Setup in Spotlight

  • In the audio devices window that opens up, you’ll see a list of devices on the left and a little plus icon in the bottom left-hand corner. Click the plus icon.

Press Plus

  • Click Create multi-output device from the dropdown.

Create Multi Output Device

  • Check the devices you want to combine.

Check Outputs

  • Name your new combined output something sensible.

Rename

  • Select a Master Device, I go with the Bluetooth device. But to be honest I’m not entirely sure how this and the drift settings work.

Select Master Output

  • Head back to spotlight and open your Sound Preferences.

Sound In Spotlight

  • Select your newly created output from the list.

Select New Multi Output Device

  • Profit!