You plug a microphone into the socket on your laptop and it doesn't work? This might help you fix it. See statusq.org/archives/2020/09/... for more info.
I've lost count of the amount of videos I've watched trying to figure this out and yours is the first video that actually resolved the issue for me. Thank you so much for your help and explaining how to fix it Quentin 😄👍🏻
I usually watch videos on TH-cam and rarely leave a comment, this was by far the most useful video on connecting an external mic to MacBook Pro and it even worked on my MacBook Air. Thank you so much for taking the time to create this video and sharing it with the world. Nice job.
I've lost counting the videos I've watched trying to figure this out! and YOUR Tutorial is the first video that actually resolved the issue for me. love your video and God Bless you!
Brilliant. ABSOLUTELY brilliant. THANK YOU. I have never commented on a video before but this problem-solving shows an incredible understanding of electronics. I've gone through many videos to find a solution for my 2014 MacBook. I went through a passive lav first to get the laptop to recognize the external mic. Now I can connect my RODE mic to teach my students!
Dear Sir You are not less than a scientist. You have done lot of research and discovered the solutions. And the best part of it is, you made this wonderful video to share with others. Sincere thanks.
I've been using basically this same swap-out trick for a while (I have a Sennhaiser PC-350 which is not detected directly by my Macbook Pro late-2013 as an external mic), and I thought I'd go ahead and get some TRRS pigtails to do experimentation on what exactly the MacBook is looking for. I measured the impedance of my Apple EarPods' mic, and another cheap Chinese mic which detects properly. The EarPod mic impedance is in the 1.7MOhm range, and the cheap mic is around 1kOhm (my non-working Sennheiser is 500kOhm). I tried applying various resistors to my TRRS pigtail to try to get it to detect as an external mic, and nothing worked, but as soon as I connect the mic and ground leads to either known-working mic and plug my pigtail in, it detects. Then I realized that if I measure the impedance of the EarPods with my multimeter leads reversed, it shows something around 5MOhm instead of 1.7MOhm! So I switched my multimeter to diode-testing mode, and discovered that both known-working mics have an inherent voltage bias of about 1.7V (voltage-drop forward is 0.8V, and backward is 2.5V), while the Sennheiser has none. That seems to be what the Mac is testing for: the voltage bias that is inherent in electret mics. So anything that's not an electret mic will fail to detect. I wonder if I could build a diode bridge to simulate that voltage-bias for my non-electret headset mic...?
Thank you!!! Key learnings for Macbook Pro's BEFORE 2016 with only one Headphone Jack. The key problem with those Macbooks before 2016 and without an Mic Jack is that they are expecting always headhones or headseats (like the Apple Earpod with a built in mic). So we need sto somehow trick the Macbook out by telling him: "Hey Headset is connected. Give out audio to the speakers and allow Mic Input from the external Mic.) 1) mpb 2015 usally only accepts headphones or headsets with a built in mic (they have their own "splitter" inside") 2) If you use a headphone jack splitter it has ot be one where it is a strict headphone and mic split. The Mic Split only must accept TRS Mics. 3) If you have a TRRS Mic (like the Rode Smartlav+) you need to convert it from TRRS to TRS first witht he shown adapter in order to plug it in into the mic jack of the headphone splitter. 4) if you have a TRS Mic you dont need to convert it with an adapter, you simply plug it in. Edit: IF you have a TRRS Mic (Like the Rode Smartlac+), then you can buy hte Rode SC6 adapter which is an audio slipitter as well, but with the speciality that it accepts TRRS Mics! So with that setup you dont need a TRRS to TRS adapter.
Thank you, this also resolved issue of capturing output from a boombox (old answering machine cassette tapes!) I had to use Audio Hijack instead of Quicktime, regardless it worked.
Thank you very much , I have been struggling all over TH-cam and web to find an explanation that makes sense …. You absolutely nailed it , really thank you 🙏🏻 , I am wondering now if it is possible to enforce Mac is to activate external mic regardless of connector type using some kind Linux command - I hope some Mac OS guru reads this comment and help 😁
Thanks a lot. You are a genius ! Your video is really great. Your explanations and trials are exhaustive and very clear ... Apple made it hard for us by not having a line in and I waisted a lot of time trying to figure this out.
This all sounds overly complicated for no reason. I've a new MacBook Pro 2020 M1 machine with the headphone/mic I/O and no Apple headphones that connect as the ones that came with my iPhone are the lightning connector so won't connect. If the port on the Mac book (yours and mine) is a TRRS, this is why the APple headphones work but your TRS mics won't. You're trying to plug TRS into TRRS so the TIPS/RINGS are out of sync/connection. I don't want to use wired Apple earphones with my MacBook as I have both powered lav mics and a RøDE Shotgun mic - all TRS. I've hopefully found a way around this by simply buying a Y-splitter connector cable that has a MALE TRRS end that will connect into my Macbook, and twin TRS FEMALE ends: One has a headphone TRS port, the other a TRS MIC inoput port, so I 'hoping' that the cable will convert the TRS to TRRS signal via the Y-Splitter to receive both headphone out AND Mic in. I'll be runing a video on this with links if anyone is interested or wishes to comment.
So did you watch the bit where I point out that a TRS connector won't work, and so I use a Y-splitter as you propose, and then explain why it still didn't work? 😊
(It's also possible that things work differently on newer laptops; I have an M1 now as well, and haven't experimented with that, so you may have more success.)
Brilliant video, best I've seen on the subject by far.... and I've watched a lot! Your MacBook Pro looks like it matches mine vintage-wise. But I wonder, my Lapel mic has a male TS plug, do you think your TRS to TRRS converter would work for that? And do you remember where you got it, all I can find online are a lot more an one-pound-fifty, more like Aus $10 - $20. Thanks....
Mmm. A two-wire mic is probably an electret, and I have less experience of those; I'm afraid you'll need to try things out. And I got the adapters from Amazon, but yes, they do seem to have become more expensive since I bought mine! Probably cheaper on eBay. You may need some more custom wiring for your mic -- this might help: ips.org.uk/encyclopedia/electret-wiring/ -- but unless it's a very good mic, you may end up spending more time and/or money than if you'd bought a different microphone! Best, Quentin
Gosh, never expected a reply that quickly! It's actually a local brand in Australia, but I'll look at that website anyway. There's an electronics shop here that are very good about letting one try things out so I'll see if they have one, now that I know what to ask for. Much appreciate your reply - speed and content! Cheers.... Peter
@@phumphry Electret's actually a type of microphone, rather than a brand -- more on Wikipedia -- and I may be wrong, but I think that's the most likely if it's just two wires. The power is fed down the same wire as the one the audio signal is returned on, so it may need some decoupling capacitors and things, and the ability to recognise the need for these may not be built into the Mac. The electronics isn't at all complicated or expensive, but I fear you may need more than just a simple adaptor that only modifies the physical arrangement of the wires, like mine.
Glad you liked it! Do see the update at the bottom of my blog post, though (linked in the description). There's a lot to be said for a cheap USB audio adapter!
@@quentinsfthanks, I might get that if the wireless receiver with 2 wireless lav mic set I'm getting from Amazon doesn't get detected. I guess there's no way to know till I buy it. I'm saving your video in a playlist to refer back to later. Thank you.
Awsome video! But I have rode videomicro mic and it hasn't battery inside. I tried every single option what you and all other youtubers said, and it still doesn't work... Any suggestion? Throw it in the wall? Haha
Thanks just came across your videos in a search. Just checking with you before I buy a mic/headphone splitter that I will need trrs on the 3.5 jack end of the splitter that goes into the mac input socket? Also as you got the external mic working did you get a chance to test if the sound works from the laptop through the headphone part of the splitter at the same time as an external microphone is connected to the mic input of the splitter? The reason I ask is I want to be able to send music out of the laptop to a mixing desk using the headphone side of the splitter and using the microphone side of the splitter send the music including any output from the mixing desk back into the laptop to record.
Hi Willie - Yes, you need TRRS going into the laptop - if you have a set of Apple (or other) headphones that include a mic, take a look at the plug. You just need three connections (TRS) for stereo headphones (ground, left & right), but there's an extra wire if you have a mic as well. Do see the comment at the bottom of my linked blog post (in the description) for another alternative, too, which can be simpler. I think what you've described should work, but you will need to think about the output from your mixing desk. If it's a line-level output, it may be too loud for something that is expecting a mic input, so you might need to attenuate it, unless your mixing desk offers different output levels. (If you're not familiar with this stuff, try searching for 'mic level and line level') Hope that helps a bit! Quentin
Brilliant! I have different channels on the mixer and can adjust the input volume. Hopefully it should all work out. I will let you know when I get the splitter cable and if it works for me. Thanks for your help.
You are a genius. Thank you so much!!!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 you are the only person I know who was smart enough to figure this out!!! this has been driving me crazy for years! THANK YOU SO INCREDIBLY MUCH SIR!!!
Hi , I think this problem exists with latest MacBooks also, I have a MacBook Air M1 , and I recently bought an Alvoxcon wireless mic. So when I am connecting the mic receiver at the mic port of 3.5 mm jack splitter , it doesn't recognise it as external mic. Whereas I tested the same in my Windows laptop , there it is able to see it as external mic. I don't have any passive mic to connect first and then do for active mic. Why apple can't fix this!!!
Hi Quentin, Great video, I've done everything right and have all the right leads but still can't get my back to say external mic!! can you help please? Clifton
This is wonderful, however one thing I'm curious about is whether it's possible to play audio from the laptop from the built-in speakers with the external mic plugged in. Perhaps because of the way in which Quentin's workaround is setup, when I look at my output all it says are "Headphones" with no other option. Which kinda sucks. I wish there was a way to use a clip-on mic but hear audio from the speakers as opposed to being forced to use headphones.
Yes, I think the only way to convince it that a mic is attached is also to convince it that headphones are attached, and they do seem to override the internal speakers, possibly at the electronic connection level, rather than in software...
@@quentinsf I appreciate the reply Quentin, and yes it's been confirmed that this is hardware (DAC) limitation. Looks like my only solution is a USB-C external microphone (or an external audio interface, which would be unnecessarily complicated and expensive).
I love you!!!! Thank you for explaining this! You are awesome! I had plans for today and this issue ruined it for me lol ETA: However, this solution does not work for me. I may need one of those USB to 3.5 jack converters...
Nope, the Rode will actually succeed on its own with the curly lead pushed in fully/ properly: with the splitter? It will only register on one channel. Take time to fiddle with the lead and determine which part of the 3.5mm Jack makes contact of some kind.
i thought i was being stupid not being able to figure it out! i got a splitter and it recognises it but the noise is just buzzy and not clear. any ideas?
just bought a new mic, right after purchase they tell me they dont sell parts, and they dont work with laptops or computers. not sure wtf this mic is for then lmaoo
I've lost count of the amount of videos I've watched trying to figure this out and yours is the first video that actually resolved the issue for me. Thank you so much for your help and explaining how to fix it Quentin 😄👍🏻
I really hope this works when my cables come in. I tried alot of other ways and no luck.
I usually watch videos on TH-cam and rarely leave a comment, this was by far the most useful video on connecting an external mic to MacBook Pro and it even worked on my MacBook Air. Thank you so much for taking the time to create this video and sharing it with the world. Nice job.
I've lost counting the videos I've watched trying to figure this out! and YOUR Tutorial is the first video that actually resolved the issue for me.
love your video and God Bless you!
Brilliant. ABSOLUTELY brilliant. THANK YOU. I have never commented on a video before but this problem-solving shows an incredible understanding of electronics. I've gone through many videos to find a solution for my 2014 MacBook. I went through a passive lav first to get the laptop to recognize the external mic. Now I can connect my RODE mic to teach my students!
4 years i am without external mic on my Imac and couldn't understand why? Thanks to your video finally understood and solved the problem....
Dear Sir
You are not less than a scientist. You have done lot of research and discovered the solutions. And the best part of it is, you made this wonderful video to share with others.
Sincere thanks.
Your video was the third I tried and the only one that worked. Thanks!
Brilliant! This is THE king of videos on this topic. Cheers!
Man you are great, you solve REAL PROBLEM!!! i couldn't find it anywhere. Thank you so much!!!!!
Really needed this video! Thanks a lot!
Thank you so much, this video is exactly what I was looking for! You just solved my problem!
Thank you so much for this video!!! Helped a lot! 🙏
Best tutorial ever , explained everything :)
Really useful and well reasoned out! Thanks!
thanks for that. saves me sooo much messing around. great explanation.
You need more subscribers Quentin. Thank you very much I will have to try this!
Fascinating. There’s a lot of info here, all very useful. TRS (Tip, Ring and Sleeve)… good to know
I've been using basically this same swap-out trick for a while (I have a Sennhaiser PC-350 which is not detected directly by my Macbook Pro late-2013 as an external mic), and I thought I'd go ahead and get some TRRS pigtails to do experimentation on what exactly the MacBook is looking for. I measured the impedance of my Apple EarPods' mic, and another cheap Chinese mic which detects properly. The EarPod mic impedance is in the 1.7MOhm range, and the cheap mic is around 1kOhm (my non-working Sennheiser is 500kOhm). I tried applying various resistors to my TRRS pigtail to try to get it to detect as an external mic, and nothing worked, but as soon as I connect the mic and ground leads to either known-working mic and plug my pigtail in, it detects. Then I realized that if I measure the impedance of the EarPods with my multimeter leads reversed, it shows something around 5MOhm instead of 1.7MOhm! So I switched my multimeter to diode-testing mode, and discovered that both known-working mics have an inherent voltage bias of about 1.7V (voltage-drop forward is 0.8V, and backward is 2.5V), while the Sennheiser has none. That seems to be what the Mac is testing for: the voltage bias that is inherent in electret mics. So anything that's not an electret mic will fail to detect. I wonder if I could build a diode bridge to simulate that voltage-bias for my non-electret headset mic...?
Hi Aaron - well investigated, and thanks for all that info! Would be interested to know if you come up with a simple solution!
thanks Quentin, works great now.
Thank you!!! Key learnings for Macbook Pro's BEFORE 2016 with only one Headphone Jack.
The key problem with those Macbooks before 2016 and without an Mic Jack is that they are expecting always headhones or headseats (like the Apple Earpod with a built in mic). So we need sto somehow trick the Macbook out by telling him: "Hey Headset is connected. Give out audio to the speakers and allow Mic Input from the external Mic.)
1) mpb 2015 usally only accepts headphones or headsets with a built in mic (they have their own "splitter" inside")
2) If you use a headphone jack splitter it has ot be one where it is a strict headphone and mic split. The Mic Split only must accept TRS Mics.
3) If you have a TRRS Mic (like the Rode Smartlav+) you need to convert it from TRRS to TRS first witht he shown adapter in order to plug it in into the mic jack of the headphone splitter.
4) if you have a TRS Mic you dont need to convert it with an adapter, you simply plug it in.
Edit: IF you have a TRRS Mic (Like the Rode Smartlac+), then you can buy hte Rode SC6 adapter which is an audio slipitter as well, but with the speciality that it accepts TRRS Mics! So with that setup you dont need a TRRS to TRS adapter.
Thank you, this also resolved issue of capturing output from a boombox (old answering machine cassette tapes!) I had to use Audio Hijack instead of Quicktime, regardless it worked.
Very usefull video. Thanks a lot!
Lol I love this - what this essentially means is that audio devices are not hot swappable on MacOS
Very useful, many thanks.
Perfect. This confirms my experiments
thanks . this was exactly what I needed. good video
Thank you very much , I have been struggling all over TH-cam and web to find an explanation that makes sense …. You absolutely nailed it , really thank you 🙏🏻 , I am wondering now if it is possible to enforce Mac is to activate external mic regardless of connector type using some kind Linux command - I hope some Mac OS guru reads this comment and help 😁
Thanks a lot. You are a genius ! Your video is really great. Your explanations and trials are exhaustive and very clear ... Apple made it hard for us by not having a line in and I waisted a lot of time trying to figure this out.
This all sounds overly complicated for no reason.
I've a new MacBook Pro 2020 M1 machine with the headphone/mic I/O and no Apple headphones that connect as the ones that came with my iPhone are the lightning connector so won't connect.
If the port on the Mac book (yours and mine) is a TRRS, this is why the APple headphones work but your TRS mics won't. You're trying to plug TRS into TRRS so the TIPS/RINGS are out of sync/connection.
I don't want to use wired Apple earphones with my MacBook as I have both powered lav mics and a RøDE Shotgun mic - all TRS.
I've hopefully found a way around this by simply buying a Y-splitter connector cable that has a MALE TRRS end that will connect into my Macbook, and twin TRS FEMALE ends: One has a headphone TRS port, the other a TRS MIC inoput port, so I 'hoping' that the cable will convert the TRS to TRRS signal via the Y-Splitter to receive both headphone out AND Mic in.
I'll be runing a video on this with links if anyone is interested or wishes to comment.
So did you watch the bit where I point out that a TRS connector won't work, and so I use a Y-splitter as you propose, and then explain why it still didn't work? 😊
(It's also possible that things work differently on newer laptops; I have an M1 now as well, and haven't experimented with that, so you may have more success.)
Brilliant video, best I've seen on the subject by far.... and I've watched a lot! Your MacBook Pro looks like it matches mine vintage-wise. But I wonder, my Lapel mic has a male TS plug, do you think your TRS to TRRS converter would work for that? And do you remember where you got it, all I can find online are a lot more an one-pound-fifty, more like Aus $10 - $20. Thanks....
Mmm. A two-wire mic is probably an electret, and I have less experience of those; I'm afraid you'll need to try things out. And I got the adapters from Amazon, but yes, they do seem to have become more expensive since I bought mine! Probably cheaper on eBay. You may need some more custom wiring for your mic -- this might help: ips.org.uk/encyclopedia/electret-wiring/ -- but unless it's a very good mic, you may end up spending more time and/or money than if you'd bought a different microphone! Best, Quentin
Gosh, never expected a reply that quickly! It's actually a local brand in Australia, but I'll look at that website anyway. There's an electronics shop here that are very good about letting one try things out so I'll see if they have one, now that I know what to ask for. Much appreciate your reply - speed and content! Cheers.... Peter
@@phumphry Electret's actually a type of microphone, rather than a brand -- more on Wikipedia -- and I may be wrong, but I think that's the most likely if it's just two wires. The power is fed down the same wire as the one the audio signal is returned on, so it may need some decoupling capacitors and things, and the ability to recognise the need for these may not be built into the Mac.
The electronics isn't at all complicated or expensive, but I fear you may need more than just a simple adaptor that only modifies the physical arrangement of the wires, like mine.
Also, this might help: www.electronicspoint.com/forums/threads/ts-to-trs-microphone.294058/
life saving video
Thanks Quentin, this is super helpful. I'll give it a go.
I honestly can't believe Apple made this so difficult for us!
Glad you liked it! Do see the update at the bottom of my blog post, though (linked in the description). There's a lot to be said for a cheap USB audio adapter!
@@quentinsfthanks, I might get that if the wireless receiver with 2 wireless lav mic set I'm getting from Amazon doesn't get detected. I guess there's no way to know till I buy it. I'm saving your video in a playlist to refer back to later. Thank you.
where can i find this cable please ?
Awsome video! But I have rode videomicro mic and it hasn't battery inside. I tried every single option what you and all other youtubers said, and it still doesn't work... Any suggestion? Throw it in the wall? Haha
Thanks just came across your videos in a search.
Just checking with you before I buy a mic/headphone splitter that I will need trrs on the 3.5 jack end of the splitter that goes into the mac input socket?
Also as you got the external mic working did you get a chance to test if the sound works from the laptop through the headphone part of the splitter at the same time as an external microphone is connected to the mic input of the splitter?
The reason I ask is I want to be able to send music out of the laptop to a mixing desk using the headphone side of the splitter and using the microphone side of the splitter send the music including any output from the mixing desk back into the laptop to record.
Hi Willie - Yes, you need TRRS going into the laptop - if you have a set of Apple (or other) headphones that include a mic, take a look at the plug. You just need three connections (TRS) for stereo headphones (ground, left & right), but there's an extra wire if you have a mic as well.
Do see the comment at the bottom of my linked blog post (in the description) for another alternative, too, which can be simpler.
I think what you've described should work, but you will need to think about the output from your mixing desk. If it's a line-level output, it may be too loud for something that is expecting a mic input, so you might need to attenuate it, unless your mixing desk offers different output levels. (If you're not familiar with this stuff, try searching for 'mic level and line level')
Hope that helps a bit!
Quentin
Brilliant!
I have different channels on the mixer and can adjust the input volume.
Hopefully it should all work out.
I will let you know when I get the splitter cable and if it works for me.
Thanks for your help.
cracked it thank you
You are a genius. Thank you so much!!!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 you are the only person I know who was smart enough to figure this out!!! this has been driving me crazy for years! THANK YOU SO INCREDIBLY MUCH SIR!!!
Can you use a TRRS to TRRS cable, without the adapter? I have a Boya M1 mic on iMac M1
thank you!
Hi , I think this problem exists with latest MacBooks also, I have a MacBook Air M1 , and I recently bought an Alvoxcon wireless mic. So when I am connecting the mic receiver at the mic port of 3.5 mm jack splitter , it doesn't recognise it as external mic. Whereas I tested the same in my Windows laptop , there it is able to see it as external mic. I don't have any passive mic to connect first and then do for active mic. Why apple can't fix this!!!
you the man quieten
THANK YOU!
Hi Quentin, Great video, I've done everything right and have all the right leads but still can't get my back to say external mic!! can you help please? Clifton
Goat
This is wonderful, however one thing I'm curious about is whether it's possible to play audio from the laptop from the built-in speakers with the external mic plugged in. Perhaps because of the way in which Quentin's workaround is setup, when I look at my output all it says are "Headphones" with no other option. Which kinda sucks. I wish there was a way to use a clip-on mic but hear audio from the speakers as opposed to being forced to use headphones.
Yes, I think the only way to convince it that a mic is attached is also to convince it that headphones are attached, and they do seem to override the internal speakers, possibly at the electronic connection level, rather than in software...
@@quentinsf I appreciate the reply Quentin, and yes it's been confirmed that this is hardware (DAC) limitation. Looks like my only solution is a USB-C external microphone (or an external audio interface, which would be unnecessarily complicated and expensive).
Thank you thank you thank you
Thank you
I love you!!!! Thank you for explaining this!
You are awesome!
I had plans for today and this issue ruined it for me lol
ETA: However, this solution does not work for me. I may need one of those USB to 3.5 jack converters...
Nope, the Rode will actually succeed on its own with the curly lead pushed in fully/ properly: with the splitter? It will only register on one channel. Take time to fiddle with the lead and determine which part of the 3.5mm Jack makes contact of some kind.
GENIO!!!
Thanks
Mine is weird, if I just keep re plugging it in, after the 5th-6th try it works
Appreciate your sharing the effort , however I believe there is a much simpler way to do this by using a USB converter with the TRRS cables output. 🙂
Yes, I agree - see the blog post I linked to in the description 😊
you can run a usb-c to usb-c to a MacBook connected to the main rode go unit and have a wireless mic setup
Yes, I gather you can now; that's a feature of the newer Wireless Go models which isn't in mine.
@@quentinsf got it, well thank you for the video, it helped get mine connected!
Which Macbookmodel do you have? From which year is it?
i thought i was being stupid not being able to figure it out! i got a splitter and it recognises it but the noise is just buzzy and not clear. any ideas?
Tape the end of an unused aux cable together and plug it into the headphone jack to reduce the noise of the splitter
Some dark engineering makes manufacturersc to design laptops with a single headset port instead without a separate mic port.
I couldn't get it to show up as an external microphone no matter what. It always shows up as headphones.
I did this today and it worked, you are a genius thank you but I have one word for you “Tripod” 😛
😊 yes, if I'd known when I started that it was going to be that long, I would have found one from the beginning 😊
Same thing for me. But what I can't figure out now is what if I want to use the built in speaker and external microphone. :(
Ah, I fear you’re going to be out of luck with that one! Time to get yourself a USB audio adapter!
@@quentinsf Sadly, yeah. Should've gotten a USB lavalier right at the start. Thanks for the response!
@@pgonzaga6681 Perhaps, but a USB audio adapter will only cost a few $/£/€ and give you more flexibility.
@@quentinsf You're right! Didn't think about it that way.
just bought a new mic, right after purchase they tell me they dont sell parts, and they dont work with laptops or computers. not sure wtf this mic is for then lmaoo
they should have just added a microphone jack to mac
They shouldn't remove it in the first place.
We don't understand anything of the cables you use. Need closeups, here impossible to understand something sorry to tell you that.
Why did Apple have to make it so difficult?
Pro tip: tripod 😉
Nice! (buy a tripod)
this was terrible. total confusion.