Macbook won't recognize mic or mixer

Question

Macbook won't recognize mic or mixer

I have a 2,26 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo Macbook with OS 10.7.1, which has one port for audio input and output.

I have a small 4-channel mixer and a nice microphone I used to use together on my old Powerbook to record with Garageband. That computer had two inputs.

Now with the macbook I've
a) plugged the mixer and mic in
b) selected "use audio port for: sound input" in system sound preferences.

I see no sound level in the sound prefs, no activity, i.e. no bars appear when I make noise in front of the mic.

Unsurprisingly there's no option for the mixer in garageband input options, only built-in ones.

Has anyone else had this problem? Know how to fix it? It's kinda weird seeing as I never had this problem with my old computer, and this should work. I've done everything right.

I posted this already in macbook but no one replied. I think people reading the garageband forum will be more inclined/qualified to answer this.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.7.1), For use in Garageband

Posted on Dec 7, 2011 4:29 AM

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Answer 1

HangTime

Level 9

53,853 points

Dec 7, 2011 4:36 AM in response to Mroksalmarer513

Godpork wrote:

b) selected "use audio port for: sound input" in system sound preferences.

http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/GBFAQ.html#recordlinein

(Let the page FULLY load. The link to your answer is at the top of your screen)

also note:

http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/GBFAQ.html#usecomputerspeakermacbookpro

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Answer 2

Dec 8, 2011 8:09 AM in response to HangTime

Thank you for the reply. It seems my mixer is working cause I was able to plug an electric guitar into it and it came through to the computer. For some reason though, there is still no response from the microphone (I also tried a second one to see if it was broken). I'm using a regular microphone cable, 3-ended wire to connect the mac's audio port to the Left and Right Main Out in the mixer, and all the volume's are turned up. But there are no bars in the system prefs monitoring thing. Any clues?

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Answer 3

Dec 9, 2011 2:14 AM in response to Mroksalmarer513

bump

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Answer 4

Dec 9, 2011 3:00 AM in response to Mroksalmarer513

If your setup works with a guitar, clearly the fault isn't with the computer or with the connection to your mixer. So you'll have to find out why the mixer doesn't send the mic's signal out - check the whole chain. Does the mixer have a meter so you can see if it registers the mic at all? Does the "nice mic" maybe need phantom power?

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Answer 5

Dec 9, 2011 3:25 AM in response to Christoph Drösser

Thanks for your reply! I tried with phantom power switched on and off, no difference.

Something new: on the 1st channel (the one my mic's plugged into) I turned the volume and the gain all the way. I also turned the main volume all the way up.

Now when I smack the mic I see one led light up on the mixer, and I see one bar of response in the sound preferences. I tried recording this in garageband but nothing. I only got static actually.

It's a 4-channel Eurorack UB1002, and I have a white and red wire (3-ended one) plugged into the L and R Main Out. I tried in Control Room Out as well.

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Answer 6

Dec 9, 2011 3:50 AM in response to Christoph Drösser

It's working now. I dunno what did it. It seems my number 2 mic isn't working after all, but the nice one is. I definitely tried with phantom power before so it's kinda odd. As long as it's working though I can begin recording. Thank you Hangtime and Christopher.

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