Ways to play audio on two or more devices at once
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To play the same audio on several headphones or speakers at once you can use SynchCast, VoiceMeeter, Virtual Audio Cable, Windows 11's Shared Audio, a hardware Bluetooth splitter, or the Mac's built-in Multi-Output Device. They suit different people, and the difference that matters most is whether the devices stay in sync.
SynchCast is a desktop app for Windows 10/11 and macOS 14.2 or later that plays your computer's audio on several Bluetooth and wired headphones and speakers at the same time, kept in sync. This page compares it honestly with the alternatives, including the free ones.
At a glance
| Works on | Install | Devices | Mix Bluetooth and wired | Corrects drift | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SynchCast | Windows 10/11, macOS 14.2+ (Mac in beta) | App, no driver, no admin | Up to about 5 | Yes, per-device delay | Yes, continuously | $10.99 one-time (₹299 in India), 30-day trial |
| VoiceMeeter | Windows | Virtual driver, admin, reboot | Several | Yes, manual delay | No | Donationware |
| Virtual Audio Cable | Windows | Virtual driver, admin | Several | Yes, with buffer tuning | No | Paid, about 30 US dollars |
| Windows 11 Shared Audio | Windows 11 on eligible recent hardware | Built in | 2 | No, Bluetooth only | No | Free |
| Bluetooth splitter (hardware) | Anything with a headphone jack or USB | Buy a device | Usually 2 | Bluetooth only | No | Hardware purchase |
| Mac Multi-Output Device | macOS | Built in (Audio MIDI Setup) | Several | Yes, but no per-device delay | Optional clock drift correction | Free |
Why "stays in sync" matters more than "plays on two devices"
Two different problems get confused. Latency is a fixed offset: Bluetooth has to encode, send and decode, which typically costs 100 to 300 milliseconds, while wired output is nearly instant. A delay setting fixes that. Drift is different: every audio device has its own clock and no two run at exactly the same speed, so the gap keeps growing and turns into an audible echo over a film. A fixed delay can't fix drift; something has to keep measuring and correcting it.
SynchCast
Built for exactly this job and nothing else. It plays whatever your computer plays on the devices you tick, corrects drift continuously, and gives each device its own volume and delay. No drivers or admin rights, on Windows or Mac. It doesn't mix microphones, route individual apps or create virtual devices. Setup guide · FAQ.
VoiceMeeter
A free virtual mixing desk for Windows. Powerful for streaming, recording, mixing a microphone with system audio and per-app routing. It installs a driver, needs admin rights and a reboot, and has a real learning curve. Its delay slider is fixed, so devices drift apart again over a long session. Pick it if you want a mixer.
Virtual Audio Cable
Low-level virtual cables for Windows, with an Audio Repeater that can feed several outputs. Precise and dependable for scripted setups, but you assemble the solution yourself and tune buffers, and buffers don't track drift. Paid. Pick it if you want audio plumbing.
Windows 11 Shared Audio
Built into supported Windows 11 builds: share audio to two Bluetooth devices from Quick Settings, free and with nothing to install. It needs eligible recent hardware, works with exactly two Bluetooth devices (no wired ones), and doesn't correct drift. If it appears in your Quick Settings, try it first.
Bluetooth splitter or dual-link transmitter
A small hardware transmitter that plugs into a headphone jack or USB port and connects to two Bluetooth headphones. It works with TVs and devices that can't run software, but it costs a hardware purchase, usually handles two headphones, and can't include wired speakers.
Mac: Multi-Output Device (Audio MIDI Setup)
macOS can combine outputs into a Multi-Output Device in the Audio MIDI Setup app, free and built in, with an optional drift-correction setting per device. The catches: there's no per-device delay, so a Bluetooth device sounds behind a wired one; the Mac's volume keys don't control a Multi-Output Device; and it's set up in Audio MIDI Setup rather than switched on and off from a menu. SynchCast for Mac adds per-device volume and delay, a sync test and a menu-bar switch.
Which should you use?
- Exactly two Bluetooth devices and eligible Windows 11 hardware: try Shared Audio first.
- Streaming, recording or complex routing: VoiceMeeter.
- No computer involved (a TV): a hardware Bluetooth splitter.
- Several devices, a mix of Bluetooth and wired, staying in sync through a whole film, on Windows or Mac: SynchCast, with a 30-day free trial.
More detail: SynchCast vs VoiceMeeter vs Virtual Audio Cable vs Windows 11 Shared Audio and how to play audio on two devices at once on Windows.