Audio combojack to external low impedance microphone

Does anyone have a schematic so I can make a cable to connect a low impedance (Shure SM-58) microphone to the combojack on a Lenovo Thinkpad T420 and have windows7 recognize it and automatically switch to the external mic ? I already bought the 4-pole connector and XLR connector and shielded cable. Made up a cable and plugged it in but Windows7 does not switch to external mic. I see maybe I need a resistor to alter the impedance the combojack "sees". HELP !!! Please.

One possible option, you can down load '1-Click' for free from LaCie, the LaCie product Intego Backup Manager Pro, it is a comprehensive backup solution for Mac OS X, protecting you from data loss by systematically making copies of your documents, applications, and system files. Not only Mac version, if you move all audio files to rxternal drive by Intego Backup , you can use genie backup manager to read these files under Win32.

Similar Messages

Audio input through external microphone not 'heard' by computer

I can record audio with any app through the builtin mic. And I know the system 'hears' sound through the builtin mic when I go to SystemPreferences->Sound->Input.
I have an external microphone that I want to record through. I went to SystemPreferences->Sound->Input and chose 'Line In' and plugged in the microphone's lead into the 'in' jack. However the SystemPreferences->Sound->Input Input Level sensor/detector is dead -- it shows no audio input. Nor does iMovie pick up any audio input when the mic is plugged in.
I know the input jack works by plugging in the output pin from a cassette-player, choosing 'Line In', and playing a cassette. The Input Level sensor/detector comes on and the sound is available to apps.
I know the external microphone works by plugging it into the cassette-player and recording from it and tapping and rubbing on its pick-up. The sounds are captured on cassette tape.
So why is audio input through external microphone not 'heard' by the computer? Is there some trick to making it work?

There are a few possibilities, but the most likely is that your microphone does not produce enough signal to be "heard" through the Mac line input. Usually this is normal, with most microphones producing perhaps 1/100th of the signal needed, which would be called "mic level".
You cassette deck probably outputs "line level", much stronger and strong enough to register in the Mac Line input. Similarly, the cassette deck microphone input is probably "mic level" and much more sensitive than the Mac line input.
There are other possibilities, such as a powered microphone, but you have not provided any model numbers or specifications to analyze.
Try this: plug in the microphone like you did before, and make a really loud sound right in front of the mike, like clapping hands. You may see or hear a faint sound register on the Mac.
The usual cure is to buy a microphone preamplifer. You can also buy a new microphone with a built-in preamplifier. You can also buy a USB microphone or preamplifier device that bypasses the analog Line input entirely.

I have a macbook pro4.1 and the sound chip in it failed. My speakers and microphone no longer work. Does anyone know of an external speaker and microphone set that plugs into the USB port so I can continue to use both of these functions?

I have a macbook pro4.1 and the sound chip in it failed. My speakers and microphone no longer work. Does anyone know of an external speaker and microphone set that plugs into the USB port so I can continue to use both of these functions and not have to pay to have the entire main board replaced. Preferably something under $100.

I don't think you're likely to find a set of external speakers that come with a microphone and plug directly into a USB port. There are USB audio cards that look like tiny flash drives but have microphone and headphone ports in them, to which you can connect a typical two-plug Windows PC headset with a microphone, or else you can connect external speakers and a stand-alone microphone. Those adapters typically cost under $10. I don't know anything about the quality of sound that can be expected from them.
I have a Griffin iMic, which is much the same idea but larger, a bit more expensive (retail~$40), and perhaps delivers somewhat better sound quality (I hope so, but I don't know because I've never had occasion to try one of the little ones).
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari&q=usb+sound+ card&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=9618463009759678039&sa=X&ei=tgQoT5zYOMfZ0QHkiICw Ag&ved=0CHcQ8gIwAQ
http://compare.ebay.com/like/320779457703?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var =sbar

Running audio from an external drive question

HI there,
i am waiting the delivery of a high quality firewiredrive to run my audio tracks for my g5 imac.
I am a beginner at logic and i have logic express7.0 with logic pro 8 on its way.
In fact am a beginner at computer music. For the last 5 years i have been recording on an akai dps16 so this is a big learning curve right now, thought i have already made my 1st c.d. on logic express. Logic is awesome.
so
i am trying to get my head around running audio from an external drive as everyone recommends and instead of waiting for the new firewire drive to arrive i thought i'll learn this using my 500gig maxtor usb2.0 drive.
i have sussed out the record path business and all seems well. I have created 24 tracks of audio and i can see them in the audio folder in my logic project in my maxtor drive. So (i think) i have learned how to run audio from the maxtor, but what seems a bit odd to me is that when i run the exact same song from the internal drive ( I copied it from the maxtor drive) there doesnt seem to be any increase in the load of the system memory or the cpu as seen on activity monitor or logics audio performance meter.
I would have expected the identical song running from the internal drive to be more taxing on the computer.
Maybe i am doing something wrong but i dont think so.
Any help would be greatfully appreciated
Tom

The problem with internal drive is that is accessed by the OS and by Logic.
With a powerful Mac 24 tracks recorded at 16 bits and a sampling rate of 44100Khz are not n issue but increasing these values or the number of tracks the problem will appear and you will see the disk I/O meter going up very fast.
At that point you will begin to experiment audio hiccups before and a song stop later.
The same problem appears with drivers that have a reduced band (like USB 2.0) while firewire ones are faster, more stable and don't load the CPU.
cheers
rob

Hi I shoot on a canon 5d mk11 and I record my audio on an external device yet when I open up my footage in final cut pro x I can't find my external audio files only the ones attached to the clip which are off the camera mic

I shoot on a canon 5d mk11 and I record my audio on an external device yet when I open up my footage in final cut pro x I can't find my external audio files only the ones attached to the clip which are off the camera mic

What device?
What format?
How are you importing it?
Can you find the external audio with Finder?
Where is your destination file when you import it?
Andy

Audio Level Way Too Low On Movie

I just downloaded my first movie 'Mamma Mia' from iTunes and the audio level is dramatically lower than the hundreds of songs I have purchased.
Furthermore, the preamp, equalizer, sound check and sound enhancer functions in iTunes 8.02.20 don't seem to work on movie audio although they are fine on music. Bottom line, there is not enough audio level from my iPod Touch to drive parallel headphones on an airplane.
Does anyone know if all iTunes movies have this problem, and if so, what can be done about it? I am used to the normal variations in songs but this is ridiculous. iTunes customer service either doesn't know or won't tell me what is going on.
Thanks

"When the iPod is connected right click on the file (on the iPod) and click Properties."
Well, now it's right click on the file -> Get Info -> Options. And yes, both a volume adjustment and equalizer preset come up but neither is active in the window (not on songs either...) I tried changing several options under the iTunes preferences but wasn't able to activate these adjustments - probably not available on the iPod Touch.
Thanks for the idea, anyway!

It is very difficult to import audio files from extern drives (NAS) into the new garageband

it is very difficult to import audio files from extern drives (NAS) into the new garageband.

Are you trying to open an audio file in GarageBand or a GarageBand project?
To open an audio file drag it from your NAS to a real-instrument track in GarageBand.
If you are trying to open a GarageBand project - can you open the same project, if you copy it to your system drive?
Trying Google translate -
Bent u probeert om een audiobestand in GarageBand of een GarageBand-project te openen?
Om een audiobestand slepen uit uw NAS naar een real-instrument track in GarageBand openen.
Als u probeert een GarageBand-project te openen - kunt u hetzelfde project opent, als u het kopiëren naar uw systeem schijf?

Audio: voiceover volume very low; & can't permanently delete original audio

I'm finishing off a project started by a colleague. In a number of clips, the speed of the footage has been reduced to 25%. The original audio is still embedded in those clips, but is not used and has been muted. I want to record a voiceover, and am using a USB microphone on my iMac. The recording levels work fine when I test them in GarageBand, but when I record the voiceover in iMovie, it's extremely quiet. I've tried increasing the volume to 200%; I've tried turning ducking on and off; and I've even recorded the voiceover in GarageBand, exported it to iTunes, where it sounds fine. But the minute I import it into my project, the volume goes right down.
I've tried detaching and deleting the original audio track from the relevant clips, in case this is causing problems (because the speed of the audio track is also reduced to 25%). But even if I empty my trash, when I go back to the clips, I can still detach the audio, so it hasn't really been deleted.
So. Can anybody suggest a solution to the low volume, and whether this might have anything to do with the speed reduction on the originally embedded audio?

I booted into Windows XP on Bootcamp, and it seems to have the same problem. I also tried the backup of my Tiger system on my external hard drive, and again, the same problem. I tried resetting PMU, but it's still the same. Again, for some reason, my internal speakers are working fine, but when I plug in headphones, the volume is really low even when I turn the volume all the way up. I tried this on iTunes, youtube, and the click sound when you turn up the volume from the keyboard. I can't hear any of them unless I have the volume turned all the way up, and even then, I can barely hear the sound.

Guitar audio drop-out at lower volumes

I have tried out mainstage on a friends macbook pro, to check if it will be worth an investment into Logic over Garageband, mainly as an effects emulator for my guitar so I don't need to worry about amps in my small flat.   I connected through an Edirol UA-5 USB audio interface and while there were some issues with this interface anyway due to the fact I could only use input-1 rather than the Hi-Z Input-2 that I should use, I wanted to check some audio problems I had and see how to fix them.
Basically, at full volume on my guitar it seems to work fine, but as soon as I turn the guitar volume knob down there is literally no sustain anymore, I can hear a brief note and then it just cuts out, no gradual loss just stops.   If I only plug the interface in without mainstage then the monitor channel gives me the full volume control I expect and I tried my guitar on a proper external amp and it seemes to be fine so i've eliminated my guitar as the problem.
Anyone experienced this or have any suggestions to try to get it to work.
Also, if I use garage band I don't hear the output fromt he amp/effects simulators, only raw guitar and I only hear the final version if I record it and then play it back. Is there a way to get Garage band to act as a amp/fx simulator in a live mode like mainstage does or is the fact mainstage is playing back through the interface what might be causing the problems in some feedback loop??   Beginning to think an iRig would have been a better option......

CCTM wrote:
Djbungo wrote:
Basically, at full volume on my guitar it seems to work fine, but as soon as I turn the guitar volume knob down there is literally no sustain anymore, I can hear a brief note and then it just cuts out, no gradual loss just stops.
Hi
Sounds like you may have a Noise Gate in there somewhere?
CCT
yeah I thought of that but couldn't see anything, and think my knowledge of what a noise gate would do is slightly rusty since I assumed that at louder volumes it would clip and at lower volumes it would be fine....i'll have a play next time I am over my friends and see if I can spot anything.
Thanks for the quick reply.
MKS

Retina MBP isn't recognising external headset's microphone

I use a 13inch Retina MacBook Pro and I've got a pair of Razer Kraken Pro headsets that I want to use to skype with friends. The headsets use a 3.5mm jack for stereo audio and the microphone. In the sounds menu the only audio input is the built in mic, which is terrible when the fans are running loud, and the outputs are my headphones. As far as I know my Mac uses a combo jack like the iPhone. I've tested the mic on my iPhone 4S, an 09' iMac and an 11' MBA and it worked on all of them. Can anyone help me on this? Also please don't tell me to buy a USB headset.

I'm having the same problem: Dell 3007WFP -> Apple Dual Link DVI adapter -> Displayport -> new 15" Retina. It won't show resolutions just 'best resolution'. Applecare support initially told me that running an external display on the 15" retina (of any kind) is not supported while the lid is open, after some more runaround they suggested that I need to contact Nvidia for updated drivers, then finally that I need to take my 30" monitor and new laptop into an Apple store so the Genius could figure it out.
I did eventually get to a more Sr person who said he would file a bug report and said that in their call center they hadn't heard this issue yet -- but the day is young
Some data points that might help others:
   - I also have a 27" thunderbolt display, it works fine at full resolution with the retina's internal display open or closed (as expected).
   - I can use the thunderbolt and the DisplayPort adapter at the same time, with the retina display open (3 displays, what I expected when I ordered this thing) but the resolution on the 30" Dell display stays pinned at lo-res.
   - If I select 'scale to 1600x1000' the display turns to hash.
   - There is a thread on Macrumors.com about this same problem (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1387571 ); they suggest a utility called SwitchResX which I have yet to try.

External Logitech Desktop microphone

Hi there...
My external microphone is not recognized by my Mac Book Pro for months now.
Logitech says my mac already has the driver.
Tried 'Pepair permissions'.
The green light is on my mic - but I can't choose it in Preferences...have to use internal microphone..
Any suggestions...?
Thanks Guttig

First of all, you should find a better application to record videos rather then using Hypercam. You can directly record videos using the programs I mentioned. Such as inserting audio into the video on the fly and more. It has to do with the application accessing the mic and another program open at the same time. Its such a mess to explain.
*******DISCLAIMER********
I am not an employee of BBY in any shape or form. All information presented in my replies or postings is my own opinion. It is up to you , the end user to determine the ultimate validity of any information presented on these forums.

External iphone 4 microphone

Is anyone with an iPhone 4 using an external microphone that they like?
I want something for making family videos, as the built-in mics are worthless if the subjects are more than a few feet away.
As far as I know, the Blue Mikey still does not work with the new iPhone 4.
Thanks.
macl
Verizon iPhone 4

Hello everyone,
I just found this topic which seems to be related to my problem.
Firstly, I do not own an iPhone 4 like you but a 3Gs (doesn't really matter I guess).
I also bought an adapter from kvconnection : http://www.kvconnection.com/product-p/km-iphone-mic-a22.htm
My wish is to make phone calls using a microphone connected to my computer. I have some kind of a home-studio, and I would like to build a dock on which I could plug my iPhone, with the upper jack connected to my soundcard, on which my mic or my computer sound comes.
In simpler terms, I'm trying to use an external audio source than my iphone microphone during calls. But this adapter i bought doesn't seem to work.
Have you guys a piece of advice or any solution ? Maybe just some compassion sharing the same problem =)
Good holidays to all of you!

No Audio on built in camera and microphone

please help iMove has no audio every time i try to use the built in camera and microphone to record straight in.... there is NO AUDIO !!

SophiaSlater wrote: ... iMove ... record .... there is NO AUDIO !!
(0) Unless you are trying to use an old external (Firewire) iSight, there is no need to post in the iSight forum. Unlike external iSights, MacBook Pro built-in cameras don't have integrated mics. MBP's mic is a separate device from its inbuilt camera.
(1) Use iTunes, Safari, or QuickTime, etc. to verify audio OUTPUT is working on playback outside iMovie. If not, check your speaker volume and mute settings. If you use external speakers or headphones, check their connection, settings, and power switches.
(2) Record a short audio test using a non-iMovie app like Photo Booth or QuickTime X to see if it works. If iMovie is your only trouble, and if the following suggestions do not resolve your issue, you may need to reset iMovie preferences or even reinstall the iMovie app.
(3) If your audio trouble is ONLY in iMovie check iMovie's VoiceOver audio settings.
     • Verify you are using the correct "Record From:" audio input source.
       (Yours choices may differ from those shown in the image above.)
      • Also verify that your "Input Volume:" is set loud enough.
(4) If your trouble continues, also check your MBP's
      > System Preferences... > Sound > Input settings:
     • Verify you have selected the correct "sound input" device.
       (Yours choices may differ from those shown in the image above.)
     • Also verify that "Input volume:" is set loud enough so the
       "Input level" meter flickers when you speak.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac OSX 10.8.3

M-Audio FastTrack USB - very low signal level (line/guitar)

I've used FastTrack USB for a couple of years with a microphone through the XLR input with no problems. Now I am trying to connect a line output of a synthesizer to the line input of the FastTrack and the signal level is very low. There is no noise, it's just quiet, even with the track volume all the way up it's still no match for the rest of the tracks.
Any suggestions, except for trying all the knobs and switches on the face and back of the unit (tried that already)? Anybody has similar setup?
I use FastTrack for audio input, and built-in audio for output, it's connected through a hub (no problems for two years). In GB microphone is going to the Channel 1 (mono), and still works fine. Synthesizer goes to Channel 2 (mono) and is really quiet. I tried the syn with two different 1/4 cables with no difference. The headphones jack on the front of the FastTrack works fine with the normal level adjustment range, and if I plug in the headphones directly into the line out of my syn, I have sound, quiet (like you would get by connecting headphones to any line out, turntable even) but steady, so the syn must be fine.
Any thoughts?

No takers. Hm. OK. After some more research on the Net it appears to be that all the Fast Tracks suffer from the same problem, which makes me believe that it's not a bug, but a feature of an unexplainable kind. Oh, well, back to my old iMic noisemaker (this one works, it's just screened very poorly, so it picks up all the possible interference, and also makes its own little nasty hiss--this is why I switched to the Fast Track a while ago--so I will need to cut it out with an EQ, again). Hopefully, the EQ surgery will not affect the synthesizer's sound consistency as severely as it use to do with a microphone.

Low impedance mic with iMic = low volume?

Hi there
I just read HangTime's GB FAQ and I just wanted to clarify a point. I am using an XLR to 3.5mm jack adapter to connect a Shure SM57 to the iMic. From HangTime's FAQ, it would seem that I have an impedance mismatch which explains the low input volume in GB. Therefore I need to get an audio interface that has XLR inputs?
As a side question, even though the input volume in GB is minimal, the Sound Preferences Pane shows that the input volume falls about halfway along the meter. I thought that would give a reasonable input volume in GB.
Thank you for your time.
p53

I take it not all XLR - 3.5mm adapters are
transformers?
Right, an adaptor is just that.
BTW I was previously using a karaoke mic which uses
6.3mm. The input volume in GB was minimal. I assumed
this was because it was a low quality mic. But now I
wonder does using a 3.5mm to 6.5mm adapter result in
a significant impedance mismatch?
I'm not sure what a 6.3mm plug is. Would that perhaps be what I might call a 1/4" plug? If so, that should have been a problem as it was likely a high impedance Mic, so I'm not sure what the issue was there

Audio combojack to external low impedance microphone

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for