Two USB Mics at Once?

I would like to start a podcast using my MacBook and Garageband and was wondering if I could use two USB headsets with mics at once without needing anything extra?
Any help would be huge.

Yep, non-obvious but completely doable:
1. Plug in the two USB mics.
2. In the Applications > Utilities, launch Audio/MIDI Setup.
3. In the Audio menu of the Utility, select Open Aggregate Device Editor.
4. Click the plus sign to create an aggregate device.
5. In the lower box, select both USB mic AND the Built-In Audio.
6. Use the clock from the Built-In Audio, and check Resample next to both USB mics. This will synchronize all the clocks using the one associated with the internal audio.
7. Call the aggregate device whatever you want.
8. Now go to your System Preferences and select Sound.
9. Set the levels for each mic separately -- you can't set the levels using the aggregate.
10. Finally, in GarageBand, create a track for each mic, and select any Mono input (in the Track Info Details section) that happens to work.
I've occasionally had trouble where the signal gets static. Just make some changes in GarageBand, or unplug the mics to make it go away.

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Hook-up Two USB mics to iMac

Is there any easy way to hook two USB microphones into an iMac through USB ports? Particularly if you're an idiot?

just plug them in but using them at the same time is another matter
pretty sure the general system only support 1 at the time so it's up to the app to support more
in my sounds settings I have
Internal Microphone
line In
soundflower 16ch
soundflower 2ch
Nokia BH-503 (this is the mic in my bluetooth headset)
Logitech camera (this is the build in mic in my extre logitech usb webcam)
all can be used by the system but only 1 at the time
if you want support for more then one then I believe you have to depend on the music recording app supporting it

Mac won't recognize two USB mics simultaneously (iMac Intel - OS X 10.6.8)

Hi, I'm connecting two XLR mics to my Mac, each separately run through its own Blue Icicle and USB port. (2 mics, 2 blue icicles, 2 usb ports) When only one mic is connected, the computer recognizes. Each mic works individually in each USB port when it's the only mic connected. But when both mics are connected at the same time, only the first mic plugged in is recognized.
This is not a Garage Band-centric problem. I've gone to Audio MIDI Setup and still only the first mic plugged in appears, but not the second one.
Any help you can provide is much appreciated.
Cheers,
Matt

So I can't speak to the specifics on Icicles, but I would imagine it's identical the situation I just ran into with two Yetis. Bue Yetis have identical digitial footprints and therefore no matter how many you plug in, they will be recognized as a single device.
I contacted Blue and ultimately I was able to send one of my Yetis to them for reprogramming and now my Mac will recognize it along with another Yeti in order to create an aggregate device.
Fair warning, this process took over 2 weeks and I had to pay out of pocket shipping, they paid FedEx ground (signature required) back to me. Hope that helps anyone else.

Recording two USB mics at the same time

Is there any kind of special set up needed to record two usb microphones into Garageband at the same time – and so they record onto two different tracks.
Thanks,
Ray

Is that in System Preferences or is it an app in
Applications?
It's an App in /Applications/Utilities/
Can you give some more details?
Launch Audio MIDI Setup and check the Help.
I would not have ever thought to
look at MIDI settings to record vocals from a mic.
Well it is Audio MIDI Setup B-)>
guess I thought maybe I would be able to select each
mic just using GarageBand.
GarageBand only allows you to choose a single device for Input.
--HangTime [Will Compute for Food] B-|>

Two USB mics

I have two USB headset mics for podcasts, and I've set it up for both to record. However, only one set hears the audio and playback. Is there any way to set it up so both can hear the audio live and during playback?

I'm not sure if an Aggregate Device can really work as an output that sends signals to both devices. Have you checked the volume level in the Audio/Midi Utility? You also might want to look at this thread:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2559871?start=0&tstart=0

Another two usb mic/headset thread

Hi everyone, I have a question that I have almost found the answer to, but I need a little help. I have two logitech 350 usb mic/headsets that I bought (and opened) for podcasting with two people. Now, after 2 hours of fooling around, I got the mics to be recordable in Garageband, but the monitor out is either: not working, working in only 1 headset, or has a noticable delay. I find is very hard to believe that someone out there has not gotten the monitor out along with the mics to work, so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, if you have a good solution, I would love to know how to get this working.
Thanks!

There is nothing to do you can not choose two usb outputs.
Seeing that you will be sitting next to each other monitoring really shouldn't be to big a issue. You could monitor from two sets of Analog headphones or earbuds by using a 1/8" stereo splitter on your macs audio out.

Recognizing two USB ports in GarageBand

I've connected two USB mics to GarageBand and created an aggregate device with the two mics in Audio MIDI. The issue is GarageBand does not seem to pick up both USB ports. I need both mics for a two-person podcast setup.

So, basically, GB is only letting you choose one of your two mics for all of your tracks and the other just doesn't appear as an option when choosing a track input?

Two USB CAS Headsets with mics attached

I am trying to record a podcast for the first time. I bought to USB mics and I have figured out how to record from both at the same time. However, playback only occurs on one headset although I set the output up the same as the input.
Additionally, I would like to know if I could use the monitoring on one head set to hear the other track and not my own voice. Therefor me and my podcast partner hear each other in the headsets and not ourselves.
Can anyone assist?

Troy Evans wrote:
I have figured out how to record from both at the same time. However, playback only occurs on one headset
you can only create an aggregate device for input, AFAIK
could use the monitoring on one head set to hear the other track and not my own voice. Therefor me and my podcast partner hear each other in the headsets and not ourselves.
there is no routing of output, in GB. you can monitor one track, but even if you could create an aggregate device for output, you'd both hear the same single track.

Samson USB mic issue

Hi All,
I purchased a Samson USB mic C01U which is a pretty sweet mic. I used it USB once on my Mac Book Pro but only for a quick verse or two on a friends song.
I came back to my home MacMini and tried to get it worked and after setting up aggregate devices etc... got it going but after about 5-10 minutes the audio started to chatter and clip.
I fiddled with it alot. If I unplug it, plug it back in it works for another 5-10 then chatters.
So I figure its a driver or conflict problem.
Well the other day my new MacPro arrived. I installed Logic, setup the aggregate device and I suddenly have the same problem. No bad drivers or anything (trial software etc) But still I get 5 mins then chatter and clip.
Any thoughts? Anyone using USB mics with Logic Pro?
Thanks in advance.

I saw that thread albeit after I posted this. The thread address some technical issues but didn't give any opinions on the sound quality. I wouldn't expect too much from an $80.00 mic but I was wondering if it was at least a decent value.
I should have been more specific.

Independent recognition of two usb microphones (same make and model)

Hi Folks,
The issue described here was already nicely described in a different post during a response to a different question. I reproduce it here, since it seems to warrant some independent attention. The original post was from "Points East" and the link is:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=13127891&#13127891
Here is what was posted by "Points East":
"I'm trying to use two Blue Snowball usb mics for audio input to GarageBand. When I connect them I can see both in the System Profiler (one on each hub with different location ID's) but when I go to the Audio Midi Setup utility to create an Aggregate Device I only see one listed."
I, too, am having this same issue. Let me add more detail:
* I can plug the two BLUE Snowball microphones either into the two USB ports on my MacBook (running 10.6.7) or into two ports on a powered USB hub, which is then plugged into 1 of my USB ports on my MacBook
* I can see these listed as two separate USB devices in the System Profiler
* However, in "System Preferences"->"Sound" only one of the two microphones appears listed as a USB device and only one (the first one plugged in) is responsive when exposed to sound (tapping on the mic).
* Also, in the "Audio MIDI Setup" the microphone model is only listed once and seems to correspond only to one of the two plugged in microphones
* Separately plugging in one mic at a time shows that both independently work find and record sound. It is only when they are plugged in at the same time that one of them doesn't get listed in "System Preferences"->"Sound" or in "Audio MIDI Setup" and thus I cannot actually use both mics to record.
Is anyone else having this problem, and if so, has anyone either solved it or have some idea about where to begin testing?
Regards,
Steve

Just as further information about this issue, here is what appears for the two microphones in the System Profiler:
Blue Snowball :
Product ID: 0x0005
Vendor ID: 0x0d8c (C-MEDIA ELECTRONICS INC.)
Version: 1.00
Serial Number: 201011
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: BLUE MICROPHONE
Location ID: 0x06400000
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 100
Blue Snowball :
Product ID: 0x0005
Vendor ID: 0x0d8c (C-MEDIA ELECTRONICS INC.)
Version: 1.00
Serial Number: 201011
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: BLUE MICROPHONE
Location ID: 0x04100000
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 100
Steve

Using usb mic with logic output stops

using usb mic with logic output stops

Aggregate devices are setup in the Audio/Midi setup of OSX Utilities, (Not in Logic). It gives you a way of having for than one audio i/o device. Once you have set up your aggregated devices in Audio/Midi, when you start Logic you will need to go into Audio preferences and choose the Aggregate device.

USB mic/Audio MIDI setup help.

I'm going crazy and have spent two+ hours today trying to resolve what should be a simple issue, especially since I had it working at one time...
I'm looking to set up my USB mic in Logic (MXL USB.007, if it matters). First, in going to my System Prefs > Sound, I can see that it is indeed registering sound. Simple.
So I go to Audio MIDI Setup, as I've seen on the boards. Though the mic automatically shows up as "USB Audio Codec", I'm following the process to create an aggregate device (as shown here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1215). Since after doing this, it's not working, my newbie Logic 101 question is, then, what is the correct setup I'm looking for? My choices are USB Audio Codec In and Out, and Built-In Input, Output and Microphone (I'm assuming I should use USB Audio Codec In and Built-In Output).
After this I've gone to Logic's Audio Pref's and changed it to the Aggregate Device, but the mic produces no sound and the audio track monitor doesn't move.
I'm completely frustrated and would be very appreciative of some help. Thanks.

Okay, after much hair pulling, it had to do with my Bus setting on the track. (sigh) What do I know...I'm a singer-songwriter, not a producer.

USB Mic Not Recognised

Hi,
I'm having problems getting logic pro 8 to recognise my Behringer C-1U USB Mic. The Audio Device set-up sees the mic as soon as I plug it in, it allows me to select it as a device to record sound, but when I look in the Audio section of logic it only shows the default 'Built-In Microphone' and 'Built-In Input'. It works perfect in Garageband, but not in Logic! I'm confused and any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks
Phil

Phil,
There's two articles on making an Aggregate device.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1215
And the one previously posted.
http://www.apple.com/pro/techniques/aggregateaudio/
pancenter-

Help With Audition CS6: Adding windows sound to accompany USB Mic

Hey Guys,
I have a Blue Yeti USB microphone that I wil be using to create a podcast with a friend over skype. When I am setting up audition cs6 I cannot seem to get the USB mic AND skype audio to be recording at the same time. Is this because I do not have a dedicated sound card, or is there something else I am missing?
On a side note, when I set the multitrack to the stereo mix, it says that there are two different types of audio signals and wont record.
Thanks for your help!

dancalgary wrote:
I have been using Audition on this computer for the past few months now. The computer itself is an Alienware laptop, with the most optimal specifications we could get. So right away ram, disk space, disk writing speed, processor, and sound hardware should not be an issue at all.
I take it that you are using the internal sound hardware, then. If this is the case, then you could easily have problems with the sound device, because there isn't a single laptop made that has a decent sound system in it. For a start, none of them support ASIO - which is inherently what Audition uses to produce its output. What happens to get around this is that Audition has to provide an internal extra driver to drive the default sound driver, and this is at best a compromise. If you want decent sound from a laptop, then you need an external sound device with an ASIO driver.
As for W8, well I'm with Bob on this one. It's new, slightly weird, and as with all M$ operating systems, all bets are off until at least the first service pack is issued. If you have anti-virus software that's any more aggressive than AVG, then turn it off. The other common gotcha is wifi - some systems manage to give a massively high priority to wifi polling, and sometimes just turning it off completely is the only way to get any sort of performance at all. I must say though that lately this doesn't seem to have been anything like as much of an issue as it used to be back in the bad old days...
But, if you have badly stuttering playback, then it sounds as though your HD streaming isn't working as it should, and that something else is getting priority access to the drive - which is sometimes where virus scans can catch you out. You really do need to stop pretty much everything unnecessary running, one way or another. And get an external sound device that uses ASIO - this effectively bypasses most of the OS, and gives Audition pretty direct access to the device.

Observation made with USB mics and Audition CC on OSX and Windows

Hi all,
I have Audition CC installed on both my desktop (running Windows 7 pro x64) and my Macbook air (OSX Mavericks).
I noticed that when I use my USB microphone (Audio Technica AT2020) on the desktop, with latency set as low as possible, there is still a slight bit of lag when monitoring.
On the other hand, when I use the USB microphone with the Macbook Air, with i/o buffering at 32 samples [and sometimes higher], I get what seems like zero lag when monitoring.
Does this have to do with hardware or drivers differences between both machines?
Thanks!

Yeah.
One of the big drawbacks with most USB microphones is that most don't provide any monitoring--they rely on you using whatever is built into your computer. (There are a few USB mics that do include monitoring but they're fairly rare.)
In most cases, this'll just be whatever sound card is installed in the computer--and the standard ones on most PCs are a 65 cent chip designed for the simplest of playback duties and Skype calls, not recording. This would mean that the only way to monitor is for your signal to do a round trip via the computer which inevitably introduces some latency even with very low buffer settings.
Once you get to more specialist audio interfaces (even fairly basic ones) they have a feature called "direct hardware monitoring" which lets you create a monitor mix in the interface itself before the signal even goes into the computer. I'm not a Mac user but I have to assume that the audio hardware in your Apple provides some form of direct monitoring without the "round trip".

Two USB Mics at Once?

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