Monitor Profiles are Gridshift’s primary output selector. Each profile captures everything that defines a monitoring setup:
- Audio output device (interface + stereo channel pair)
- Hardware volume (restored per profile)
- Input and output gain in dB (pre- and post-plugin trim)
- One optional AU plugin on the listen bus (room correction, headphone calibration, reference meter, etc.)
Switching between Studio Monitors and Headphones swaps all of these atomically — the device changes, the plugin chain is rebuilt, and the remembered volume is applied to the hardware.
Where to Find Them
Open Settings → Audio → Monitor Profiles. A System Default profile is created automatically on first run and follows the macOS system output device.
Switching Outputs
| Action | How |
|---|
| Pick a profile | Command Palette (⌘K) → “Switch Output” |
| Follow macOS system output | The System Default profile auto-switches whenever you change the output in macOS Sound Settings |
| Activate from settings | Hover a row in the profile list and click Activate |
Profile Fields
Open the info button (ⓘ) on any profile row for the detail sheet.
| Field | Description |
|---|
| Name | Display name (e.g. “Beyerdynamic DT 900”, “Genelec 8030”). |
| Device | Audio interface or output. System Default follows macOS. |
| Output Channels | Stereo pair (e.g. 1-2, 3-4). Appears on devices with more than two outputs. |
| Device Volume | Hardware volume, stored per profile and restored on activation. Only appears if the device supports scalar volume. |
| Input Gain | dB trim applied before the plugin. Use to match calibration targets. |
| Output Gain | dB trim applied after the plugin. Use to compensate for plugin makeup gain. |
| Plugin | Optional AU. Add / remove directly in the detail sheet. |
| Level Meter | Horizontal stereo meter for monitoring the active profile’s signal. |
Multiple Profiles on One Interface
A common setup: Studio Monitors on channels 1-2 and Headphones on channels 3-4 of the same interface. Create two profiles, bind both to that interface, and set different Output Channels. Switching profiles re-routes the stereo pair instantly without interrupting playback.
The Monitor Plugin
Each profile has one optional plugin slot, designed for room / headphone correction:
- Add a plugin in the profile detail sheet, or use “Add Plugin to Monitor Profile” from the command palette.
- Plugin state is saved back into the profile on profile switch and on app quit — your settings persist across sessions.
- Run “Open Monitor Plugin” to pop the plugin’s AU window. The command is shortcut-bindable.
The plugin is audible through the listen bus (you hear it) but is excluded from bounces — your exported audio is never colored by a correction plugin.
iCloud Sync
Monitor Profiles sync via iCloud. The setups you configure on one machine appear on every other Mac signed into the same Apple account — handy if you have the same interface in more than one location. Last modified on April 14, 2026
