Playing an external device using line-in on Macbook over iTunes

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Playing an external device using line-in on Macbook over iTunes

What I need to achieve is to connect an external device either to the headphone / microphone input on my Macbook and be able to output the audio via iTunes. Is this possible, or do I need 3rd party software?

For completeness, the reason I want to do this is so that I can connect my NI Traktor Kontrol Z1 to the laptop as the audio output, so I can then use the iTunes functionality to Airplay to multiple devices in my house for a party.

I'm just trying to test this using an iPhone 3.5mm jack in the first instance. In System Preferences -> Sound there is definitely an input as it's visibly so with the volume meter. However the first obstacle is that even just selecting 'Internal Speakers' in Output, I don't hear anything and the volume meter is unaffected. So I still have a basic sound problem before we move onto using iTunes as the output for audio from an external device.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated here. I have a Bose Soundtouch system throughout my house (basically the BOSE equivalent of SONOS, but not as good). Problem being is that if I connect with a cable from my DJ mixer straight into the AUX port of the speaker, you can't then multi-room to the whole party around the house. Only way it seems possible is to hook the output from the mixer into the Macbook then throw it out over iTunes and Airplay to multiple devices.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.3)

Posted on Nov 27, 2014 2:28 PM

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Answer 1

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,684 points

Nov 27, 2014 2:47 PM in response to Subflow

I think I have understood what you want to do but your question is unclear.

See if Airfoil fits your needs…

http://www.macworld.com/article/1158912/airfoil_4_review.html

http://www.rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/mac/

It can send an input on the Mac to Airplay devices. As it stands iTunes does not support input from other sources, so it cannot be used as you describe. You may find latency issues, with parts of the stream being out of sync across multiple rooms, but is may be OK.

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Answer 2

Subflow Author

Level 1

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Nov 27, 2014 3:13 PM in response to Drew Reece

Thanks for taking the time to respond Drew. I think you have grasped the point of my ramble!! I'll check out Airfoil to see if that yields any success.

Certainly having confirmation that iTunes does not support input from other sources puts to bed the bulk of the query, and therefore leaves 3rd party installations as the key to this.

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