Microphone for MacPro

[Rare]

Hi all,

I am having trouble setting up my microphone on my Mac Pro and MacBook, it has a standard 3.5mm jack that fits in the socket next to the line-out audio output, however when I select it in the System Prefs. the volume measuring bar displays nothing.

The mic is definately working as I have tested on a friend's Windows PC.

Any thoughts?

 

[NATO]

The problem you're having is due to the fact the line-in socket on the Mac Pro is exactly that - It expects a signal at line-level voltage which your Microphone cannot generate. It's designed for connecting line-level equipment and not microphones.

To get your microphone working, you'll either have to purchase a microphone amplifier (the Griffin iMic seems to be recommended here from time to time), or purchase a USB Mic.

 

[akadmon]

To get your microphone working, you'll either have to purchase a microphone amplifier (the Griffin iMic seems to be recommended here from time to time), or purchase a USB Mic.

Don't forget that the external iSight has a built in microphone. So if you're thinking of getting a webcam for your Mac Pro, then the $149 iSight is not a bad option, given that if you go with a third party camera you will also need to buy a separate microphone. That might be still less expensive than the iSight, but for an extra 50 bucks I'd get the iSight any day. It's a high quality piece of hardware and it looks like it belongs with a Mac Pro.

 

[NATO]

Don't forget that the external iSight has a built in microphone. So if you're thinking of getting a webcam for your Mac Pro, then the $149 iSight is not a bad option, given that if you go with a third party camera you will also need to buy a separate microphone. That might be still less expensive than the iSight, but for an extra 50 bucks I'd get the iSight any day. It's a high quality piece of hardware and it looks like it belongs with a Mac Pro.

Doh! I don't know how I forgot to mention that myself, given that's exactly what I did recently (although I did have to source it from ebay as they're not on sale here in the UK at the moment). I agree with you akadmon, it's a really good piece of kit, and so tidy compared with a seperate 3rd-party mic and webcam.