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User profile for user: glen charles
glen charles Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

which microhones can use the audio jack on my airbook.

which micr ohones can usethe audio jack on my airbook. I want to use a cardioid mic of some sort. I dont want to tie up the USB port.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Oct 21, 2020 12:40 PM

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User profile for user: Meg The Dog
Meg The Dog
User level: Level 6
13,573 points

Posted on Oct 22, 2020 10:50 AM

My Mid 2012 MacBook Air


accepts a microphone on the TRRS headphone jack:


There are a couple of variables here, but if the microphone you want to use has a TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) connector, you'll need to get an adapter (TRS to TRRS (tip-ring-ring-sleeve)) such as this one:


https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1048151-REG/rode_sc4_trs_to_trrs_adaptor.html?sts=pi&pim=Y


One of the variables to consider is if the microphone requires a separate power source to operate.


MtD

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User profile for user: Meg The Dog
Meg The Dog
User level: Level 6
13,573 points

Oct 22, 2020 10:50 AM in response to glen charles

My Mid 2012 MacBook Air


accepts a microphone on the TRRS headphone jack:


There are a couple of variables here, but if the microphone you want to use has a TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) connector, you'll need to get an adapter (TRS to TRRS (tip-ring-ring-sleeve)) such as this one:


https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1048151-REG/rode_sc4_trs_to_trrs_adaptor.html?sts=pi&pim=Y


One of the variables to consider is if the microphone requires a separate power source to operate.


MtD

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User profile for user: glen charles
glen charles Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Oct 22, 2020 10:19 AM in response to John Galt

I currently have an external microphone plugge into my MacBook air audio out this is an earphone with a built in mic and it works fine. The external Mic is listed in the sound input pulldown menu I haven't watched YouTube videos showing how to add external professional microphone to a MacBook this requires a splitter which changes the ARRS ? to an ARS for the microphone can you confirm this method for MacBook Air?

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User profile for user: Meg The Dog
Meg The Dog
User level: Level 6
13,573 points

Oct 22, 2020 11:06 AM in response to dialabrain

I'm not sure SoundFlower has much to do with it, as far as I know when Apple dropped the separate microphone in port on their laptops, they switched to a TRRS jack for the headphone port which supports a microphone input.

That change coincided with the widespread adoption of iPhone headsets with the TRRS connector that had both the headphone and microphone on one connector, which made it easy to use/compatible for the laptops as well.


MtD

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User profile for user: glen charles
glen charles Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Oct 24, 2020 7:06 AM in response to dialabrain

I am so glad that we have people in the community who are both aged and wise. This thread has been a big help for me. I have ordered the adapter and will report on how it works with my microphones wit TRS jack.

I an an electronics engineer form the 70s and have been buyting MACs since 1984 and now have a cupboard full of them, all but one is still working, from Mac OS 8.1 to Catalina. I am now 77 and its sometimes had to remember all the quirks of some fourteen macbooks with their different OS. I started with the Classic, even had a Lisa for a while but it took up too much space and I gave it away, silly me! I loved my 160, 180, 1400s, and upgraded my very fast Pismo, which I loved but it finally died,.

Thanks for all the help, I was feeling a bit lost on this audio problem.

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which microhones can use the audio jack on my airbook.

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