External microphone

[iryskel]

Hi

I just bought an external microphone for my mac and plugged it into the audio line-in port. To test if it was working, I went to system preferences>sound and selected "line in" under input device. Input volume was at the maximum level. I then spoke into the microphone but no sound was registered.

As I had just thrown away my old microphone because I thought it wasn't working, I am now wondering if it is the new mic that is also not working or if it is the audio line-in port on my powerbook that is faulty.

Just to double-check: I can use any generic microphone to plug into the audio-line in jack, right? Or do I have to get microphone with special features?

My powerbook specifications are as follows:
G4 powerbook
1.67 GHz PowerPC G4
1GB DDR SDRAM
mac os x, version 10.4.8.

thank you.

-iryskel

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

what make and model microphone have you bought ?

To quote Apple:

The port is a stereo 3.5 mini-phono jack, which does not provide power to a connected device, so you must use self-powered peripherals. Using a Toslink jack-to-miniplug adapter, you can use a Toslink cable to connect Digital Audio Tape (DAT) decks or digital instruments to input and mix your own music.

So in theory most microphones should work...

Let us know the model and we'll check for you.

What you have done is correct, ie System prefs !

regards

Ric

 

[iryskel]

It's a generic mic from the company FANCONG, model FC-230M

this is what it says on the packaging:

Microphone: 9x7/58+2dB
impedance: 32 Ohm (1 KHz)
sensitivity: 105dB/mW
frequency response: 70-16,000Hz

thanks!

 

[Kyomii]

You have to use a powered microphone that acts as a preamp, or a powered mic adapter (that also acts as a preamp) I'm afraid.

An adapter such as Griffin imic, or the Griffin imic 2

A powered microphone would come in the form of a USB microphone.

I had the same problem with my powerbook when I wanted to use Skype as the inbuilt mic gave poor results and people complained of echo no matter how much I changed settings.

Personally I thought it was annoying that such an expensive piece of equipment was not even capable of running a normal jack mic because of lack of amp power in the jack port - it is one area where the PC runs rings around the Mac, and I think it is one of the flaws of the Mac too.

If you already have a Mic, then the griffin may be the better option for you. Of course the other alternative is, if you have a Bluetooth phone headset (and your system has Bluetooth), you can use that - it is what I use for Skype.

 

[iryskel]

thanks, so i guess i'll see if i can exchange the mic i bought for another one. would the haedphones + mic contraption work when i plug it into the audio output, or not?

 

[Kyomii]

Hi iryskel,

If you are changing for another mic, you need to get a mac compatible USB microphone, in which case, this plugs into the USB port on your system and is powered from there.

If you decide to keep the mic you have, and buy the imic/imic2 device (much cheaper on ebay BTW), then you connect the imic/imic2 via usb and plug your microphone into the ports on the actual imic/imic2 device.

Personally, I would opt for the imic 2 device, because it can be cheaper than a USB headset, and offers more flexibility for connecting other line-in devices.

 

[iryskel]

thanks! i hope i can find the imic2 device here.

if not, i should be able to get the usb mic.

 

[iryskel]

hi.

i was wondering if any of you might have any comments on the bluetooth headsets?

is the sound quality good or would the imic2/mic option be better? i asked around at work today and some people said there is a lag in sound etc....

 

[searay345]

Hello iryskel!

I have a bluetooth headset for my Smartphone Treo 650 and it works awesome! I don't notice any lag at all. I have never tried one with a computer though. But I would think you would have the same result. I use a Motorola BT headset.

Searay

 

[Kyomii]

hi.

i was wondering if any of you might have any comments on the bluetooth headsets?

is the sound quality good or would the imic2/mic option be better? i asked around at work today and some people said there is a lag in sound etc....

I use Bluetooth for skype - it is my hubbies bluetooth headset that we bought for his samsung mobile - just a cheap one from Aldi. It works fine, but, in my honest opinion, the imic2 option would be better and probably give better results.

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

I have a Jabra one, it's made for the car really but it works really well...

Sometimes I use it as a speaker phone in the house !

No lag, echo crystal clear !

regards

Ric