Audio Line In on 13" MacBook Pro 2017

Cdemeo1 wrote:

Thanks again for taking the time to try and help solve this. I looked into the link you provided and it seems this one is also a mono input only according to the manufacturer.

Is it possible that the 3.5mm mini-Jack needs to be 4-pole to trigger the headphone out to switch to an input? Or is it a solid fact that the headphone out on these computers are now strictly output only?

At least since my MacBook Pro, which came out in 2012. I looked up the specs for my 2007 MacBook, which seems to state that is has a line in. It also has a mini-Toslink optical input, which some people found stuck in that mode where it wouldn't accept line level in or output line level out.

MacBook (13-inch, Late 2007) - Technical Specifications

Audio Built-in stereo speakers, built-in omnidirectional microphone, combined optical digital audio input/audio line in, combined optical digital audio output/headphone out

I know my iPad Mini 4 can use a headset, so Apple still knows how to do microphone in However, that's also a mono mic input where it's a typical 3 segment plug.

About the only thing I can find is that Griffin claims that their iMic does stereo line level in. It also has a manual switch to select between input and output. I guess it can't do both simultaneously.

https://griffintechnology.com/products/audio/imic-usb-audio-adapter

However, I'm not sure who sells them. Griffin says they're unavailable, and Amazon says they don't know when it's going to be available. Sounds like it's been discontinued. There are several for sale on eBay.

It would require a dedicated USB device with a line in. The jack is strictly for headphones now.

Something like this would work:

https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-CableCreation-External-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B075YFDJ4Q/

Cdemeo1 wrote:

Thanks for the reply! This one only supports mono. Is there anything that can do stereo? So disappointed in this situation.

I was checking away from home and all I had was an iPhone. For some reason there are almost no options for formatting on this forum when on an iPhone.

I checked what my mid-2012 non-Retina MacBook Pro has, and that's only a headphone jack. At work I use a gaming headset which basically has a USB device on one end like the adapter I mentioned. The mic is mono but the headphone portion is stereo.

I guess there aren't necessarily that many applications for stereo microphones. Most recordings are done in mono. I haven't heard of too many stereo mic setups except maybe for symphonic recordings. In a studio they seem to use mono microphones, then mix it for stereo effect.

This one seems to have a stereo line-in:

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Headphone-Microphone-Aluminum-Compatible/dp/B00NMXY2MO

It's USB-A though, so you would need an adapter or hub to connect to USB-C.

Probably. I’ll look up what available when I get home.