How can I make VLC output its sound through USB headphones?
Ask and you shall receive...
I logged this as a bug on VLC and they delivered within 2hrs!
https://trac.videolan.org/vlc/ticket/9231
VLC can't switch audio interfaces on-the-fly. You either have to stop playing media entirely, and go into the preferences and change it, then start playing your media again; or, the slightly easier way:
- Kill VLC
- Plug in headphones (and ensure they become the primary output sound device, hold option and click the sound icon in your menu bar, select usb headphones if necessary)
- Start VLC
Assuming VLCs preferences are still set to use the Default Audio Device for output, then it'll use them when you start playing content again.
Since you're getting iTunes and system sounds through the headset, it should be set as the default audio device, but check the the Sound Preferences pane to make sure. After this, try restarting VLC to get it to use the new default audio device. This should also work for Skype, however Skype should have options in the preferences menu that will let you choose the audio output/input device. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any similar option in VLC.