Guides · Bounce and AirDrop
MixOutpost vs bouncing to your phone
The classic phone check: bounce the mix, AirDrop it, walk away and listen, go back and change something, then do it all again. Streaming the live session to your iPhone removes the loop. Bouncing still has jobs it does better.
The bounce loop
Most of us check mixes on a phone because that's where a lot of people will hear them. The usual way goes like this:
- Bounce the mix (in real time, or offline and wait).
- AirDrop it, or send it through a messaging app or cloud folder.
- Find it on the phone, open it, listen.
- Hear the vocal is a touch low. Walk back, change it.
- Bounce again, with a new file name so you don't confuse versions.
Each lap takes a few minutes, and the files pile up in Downloads and on the phone. After a few rounds it's tempting to skip the phone check altogether, which is usually when a bass line vanishes on small speakers.
Streaming instead
With MixOutpost the phone hears the session itself. Insert the plugin last on the master bus, press Start Sharing, and tap Listen on the iPhone. Change the vocal level and the phone hears it on the next pass. Nothing is written to disk on the Mac, and there are no files to name, move or delete.
- Exact audio. At 48 kHz the stream is bit-exact. Your DAW's output isn't changed by the plugin, and offline bounces are skipped so they don't flood the phone.
- Checks on the phone. Flip to Mono or Side, read loudness against streaming targets, or use the diagnostic EQ, without going back to the desk.
- Walk around. Take the phone to the couch, the car park or the next room. It keeps playing with the screen locked and reconnects after Wi-Fi drops.
- Everyone in the room. Up to 8 phones can listen at once, each with its own volume and output. See multiple listeners.
- Compare with a reference. Bring in a second source as B, set the volumes to match, and switch. See stop bouncing references.
Setting it up once
The first time takes a couple of minutes: install the free Mac plugin, insert it on the master bus, and scan the QR code in the plugin window with the MixOutpost app or the iPhone Camera. That pairing covers every MixOutpost instance and the standalone app on that Mac, so after that you only press Start Sharing. Phones reconnect to the same source each session. If your DAW doesn't host plugins, the MixOutpost app can stream all Mac audio instead. See how it works.
Side by side
| Streaming with MixOutpost | Bounce and AirDrop | |
|---|---|---|
| Time per check | Press play | Bounce, transfer, open |
| Hear changes | Next playback | Bounce again |
| Audio quality | Bit-exact at 48 kHz | Depends on the file format |
| Mono, Side, loudness on the phone | Yes | No |
| Files to manage | None, unless you record | One per version |
| Listener outside the building | Not yet (local network only) | Yes |
| Listen offline, later | Record to phone | Yes |
| Fixed version for sign-off | Record to phone | Yes |
| Cost | Free core; one-time Pro planned | Free |
When bouncing is still the right call
Streaming is for the working loop. A file is still better when:
- Someone isn't in the room. MixOutpost works on your local network only. A client at home, a label contact or a band member on tour needs a file or an internet streaming tool. (Remote listening is planned for MixOutpost, but on hold.)
- You need a fixed version. Approvals, revision notes and "which one did we sign off?" need a file with a name and a date.
- You're delivering. Masters, stems and deliverables are files by definition.
- You want to hear the encode. If you want to know how a specific AAC or MP3 file sounds, listen to that file.
- You're on a long trip. For a drive or a flight, a file on the phone is simplest. MixOutpost's Record to phone can capture a bit-exact WAV of the stream for exactly this, without a separate bounce.
A practical split: stream while you mix, record or bounce when a version is ready to leave the room.
Questions
How do I send a mix to my phone without bouncing?
Stream it. Put the free MixOutpost plugin last on your master bus, press Start Sharing, pair your iPhone once with the QR code, and tap Listen. You hear the live session on the phone while it plays, and changes come through immediately.
Is a live stream as good as a bounced file?
At 48 kHz, MixOutpost is bit-exact: the phone gets the same samples your DAW outputs. Other session rates are converted with high-quality sample-rate conversion. A bounced WAV at the session rate is equally exact; an MP3 or AAC made for sharing isn't.
Can I keep a copy on the phone?
Yes. MixOutpost can record the stream to the phone as a bit-exact 32-bit float WAV, which you can play later, share or open in the Files app.
When should I still bounce?
When someone outside your local network needs to hear it, for approvals and records of a specific version, for delivery masters, and when you want to hear the exact encoded file a service or client will receive.
Hear your mix on your phone
Free Mac plugin (AU, VST3) and iPhone app. Lossless, bit-exact and encrypted.