USB Mic Not Working in Big Sur

[northjack]

I have two Macbooks, an older Air, and an early 2015 Pro. I have Big Sur 11.1 on the 2015 Pro.

I am trying to use an external USB microphone with Zoom and it does not work. I do know to switch mic inputs in System Preferences, and I can also switch within the Zoom app. This setup works fine on the MacBook Air, which is running Catalina.

In the System Preferences Sound section of Big Sur, when I switch to the USB mic, there is no volume control, and the volume gauge does not respond...it appears to be frozen, with the first three blocks lit up, and they don't respond to sounds. There is no way to grab the volume control slider...it is greyed out and stuck at the extreme left (in the Mute position.) There is a mute button on the microphone, but it is not activated.

Since this exact setup works in Catalina, I'm guessing it's a Big Sur issue? Anyone else having this issue?

 

[Honza1]

First thought: did you try to reboot? Just in case...
Second thought: may be Apple decided to remove driver which the USB microphone was using? May be manufacturer of the USB microphone could provide Big Sur driver?
Observation: my 2017 MBP seems to have superior built in microphone compared to more or less anything which my colleagues with PCs attach for our ZOOM/Blue Jeans/... meetings.

 

[fisherking]

does the mic show up in system preferences>security & privacy>privacy>microphone? (& is zoom checked there? it should be...).

you can also try resetting the nvram, and the smc (google for instructions).

 

[northjack]

Thanks for the responses.

Fisherking, the microphone shows up in System Preferences/Sound and Zoom is included in System Preferences/Security/Privacy/Microphone. (And the built-in microphone works fine.)
I will use Google to learn how to reset nvram and smc (and to find out what those are! 😉)

Yes, Honza1, this Macbook Pro has been rebooted several times since the Big Sur upgrades several weeks ago. (And I like the comment about the quality of the built-in mic. I'm not exactly unhappy with it, I just wanted a mic that provides a closer proximity, less-distant boomy sound.)

Since I posted the original question I remembered I had an old Zoom H2 Handy Recorder (nothing to do with the Zoom app) that could also be used as a USB external mic. Same results: when I choose the USB mic in System Preferences I get a brief popup that says there are no volume controls for that mic, and the visible volume gauge does not respond when speaking into the mic.) Both USB mics work without a problem on the older Catalina Macbook Air. (BTW, the brand of the new USB mic is ONN, the WalMart brand, I think. (I know, I know...don't start. I didn't want to spend a lot of money. 🤨)

Also, I have tried an external mic that uses the headset jack and it works without issue.

Thanks again for the responses. I am assuming neither of you have this USB external mic problem with Big Sure? I will head out to the internet in search of new USB drivers, I guess.

 

[lminano]

I have the same issue. Samson Go USB Mic is not recognized since I updated to Big Sur. I used it for Zoom and not recognized anymore.