A headset connects just before a call, and macOS switches the input microphone. The call may now be picking up the wrong room, or the wrong device altogether. SoundBuddy is aimed at that small but disruptive change: it puts microphone selection in the Mac menu bar and offers an optional way to keep a preferred input selected.
That is the central job. Keyboard sounds and Bluetooth device controls sit alongside it, but they do not turn SoundBuddy into a general audio mixer or call-management system. The useful question is whether keeping the Mac's input choice steady is enough to justify another menu bar app.
A preference that can change underneath you
In the installed app, microphone choice and Input Lock are in the Audio settings. The app lets you choose the macOS default input. With Input Lock enabled, SoundBuddy says it maintains that selection while the app is open. If the chosen microphone disconnects, the landing page says a fallback can be set.
This makes the tool most relevant to people who switch between a built-in microphone and a headset, or who have seen the system change inputs after connecting headphones. It is not a replacement for checking audio settings in a meeting app. Individual call apps can use their own microphone choice, and SoundBuddy's description specifically warns that those settings may take precedence. Its page also says active-call switching is not fully verified. If a call depends on a particular microphone, check the app itself rather than assuming the menu bar setting controls it.
There is another boundary in the “lock” idea: the app must remain open for it to maintain the choice. That is a practical limitation for anyone expecting a system-wide setting that persists independently of SoundBuddy.
Three jobs in one menu bar app
Microphone selection is the primary function. The other two features are smaller conveniences. Keyboard sounds can be switched on or off, with sound pack and volume controls. The page presents several styles, from clicky to softer sounds, but these are synthesized samples rather than recordings of physical keyboard switches. They will appeal to someone who wants audible typing feedback, not someone looking for a quiet typing environment.
For paired Bluetooth devices, SoundBuddy offers controls and a connection popup. Battery information depends on what the connected hardware exposes, so it should not be treated as a universal battery monitor. The page's device demonstration uses sample devices and is explicitly a simulation; it does not show the browser connecting to a reader's headphones. The description also frames these controls around paired Bluetooth devices, not every kind of device management.
Together, the features make sense as occasional, nearby controls for someone already working at a Mac. They are not evidence of deeper automation: the page says proximity automation, ear detection and Now Playing integration are not built. If those are the reason you are looking for a device utility, this is not that product.
The Mac and licence requirements matter
SoundBuddy runs on Apple silicon Macs with macOS 14 or later. That excludes Intel Macs and older macOS installations, so check the machine before considering the feature set. The developer describes it as a paid, one-time download for one Mac. Online licence checks are required, which means the purchase is not entirely independent of an internet connection.
The developer says the app is Developer ID signed and notarised. That describes its distribution credentials, but does not change the hardware and operating system requirements. The actual app settings are presented separately from the browser demonstrations, which include simulated devices and sample sounds. Those demonstrations can explain the intended flow, but they are not a live test of how SoundBuddy behaves with a particular headset or call app.
For someone who repeatedly corrects the Mac's input after connecting headphones, SoundBuddy offers a direct routine: choose the microphone, optionally enable Input Lock, and keep the app open. The extra keyboard and Bluetooth controls may be useful, but they are secondary. It is a reasonable fit for Apple silicon Mac users who want that input choice close at hand and accept checking call-app settings themselves. It is a poor fit for Intel Mac owners, people who need call-app control guaranteed, or anyone who wants a broader device automation tool. SoundBuddy is best understood as a focused menu bar utility, not a universal fix for Mac audio switching.
Mac microphone choice, keyboard sounds and Bluetooth controls