I have 2 Blue Ice USB microphones (soon to be 3, that I want to use to create a podcast), however, my mac mini will only see one no matter what I do or which one I plug in first, it will only see whatever one gets plugged in first. I have tried switching cables, going to a powered USB hub, going straight to the mac mini. No matter what I do in Audio/midi setup it will only see whichever one gets plugged in first. I appreciate any help anyone can give.
A Mac can only accept one usb audio device at a time, this is a hardware limitation. whether its the same make and model of mic or not.
To look at this another way, USB mics were specifically invented as a cheep and easy way to connect one mic to a computer for tasks like a podcast or as a voiceover for a home video.
Replace the USB mics with a set of analogue mics and a sound mixer with a set of mic inputs,
this example has 4 analogue mic level inputs at top left (click the image to enlarge):
The issue is that if you are using the same model usb mic's the Mac cannot tell the difference between the two and will only work with the first one connected. I was using 3 Blue Yeti mic's and ran into the same issue. The Mac is capable of using multiple audio interfaces via USB. In the end Blue is aware of this and offer to have you send the mic's in to have the USB identifier updated to be unique allowing you to use the two mic's together and be seen independently. This issue occurs using any USB microphone of the same brand and model.
If you go to System Preferences>Sounds>Input is only one identified as an option?
Are you trying to use more than one at the same time?
If you go to System Profiler under USB are all the mics identified at the same?
Also see:
How to combine multiple audio interfaces by creating an aggregate device - Apple Support
Illaass
Sorry for the late reply, thanks so far for your help. Here is where I am at:
1.) When I go to system preferences>sounds>input, there is only mic that shows up despite both being plugged in.
2.) I am wanting to use both of these pics and possibly a third as my friends and myself all have the same mic and we are looking to start a podcast.
3.)If I go to system profiler under usb, both mics show up under different usb bus headings, so I see that the system at least recognizes them as plugged in.
Did you try the suggestions in the links I provided in my last reply?
However, based on that information it may not be possible to use two of the same mics.
Problem with 2 of the same USB microphone
