From gamers to professionals, we have a computer microphone for you If you want to edit or mix audio on your, the first step is getting some audio to edit. For most, that means recording live audio, music or speech with a microphone. Most use high-efficiency condenser pick-ups and are extremely easy to use. There are a wide variety of computer microphones available today from respected high-end manufacturers such as Seiren, Fifine, Kinobo, ModMic, as well as a host of unbranded and low-end models. Microphone Polarity When you are selecting a microphone, you need to make sure it is truly fit for the purposes you'll be putting it to. One of the most important aspects is the microphone's 'polarity', or the geometry of how it picks up sound.

The key is visualising where your subjects will be relative to the microphone, and choosing one whose sweet spot covers those you wish to record. 'Shotgun' type mics pick up sound best in a thin cone extending from the front of the instrument. Pick up sound equally well in nearly all directions. Cardioid mics pick up sound best in a 'heart-shaped' field projecting from the front and sides of the instrument. Studio-grade computer microphones If you are doing professional recording, you'll need high quality, studio-grade mics. These provide the best audio quality and least noise, the lowest noise ratios, and are really the bare minimum which should be used for voiceovers or professional audio recording. Studio-grade mics come in all types, from shotgun and boom mics to desktop models and clip-on or lavalier models.

Gaming or hobby-grade computer microphones For gaming or amateur use, you might not need a high-end model. Most gaming headsets plug into to your laptop or desktop via a USB port. Many headsets have built-in in-line mics which can do in a pinch. Many gamers and hobbyists do opt for high-end desktop microphones, though, and appreciate the higher audio quality that they provide.

The Mac mini's input is a line-level input, whereas the mic line on most analog headsets needs a mic-level input (to power the mic). The mini isn't giving the mic any power, so it's not going to work. You need something to pull the level of that mic line up to what's known as 'line level.' A lot of people use the iMic, others use audio mixers that will provide power to the mic (and other inputs) while providing a line-level output for the mini to accept.

Alternatively, you can pick up an inexpensive USB headset. Logitech and Plantronics both make very affordable USB-based solutions. Hope this helps. 'Silly' Fix Please excuse the title, but I didn't know what else to call it.

I just thought that I'd share with you and the rest of the online community how I fixed my problem with the microphone issue with the Mac mini. I realize it's been two years since anyone has posted anything in this forum on this particular topic, but allow me to share my input. Going from other tips I had attained from this article, I came to the realization that, like everything else with Macs, many of their ports are 'passive' ports and not what I'd call 'fully' operational. What I mean by that is, I've seen devices in the past that would not work when connected to the Mac, in certain places or instances. For example, Apple's keyboard has two USB ports when one can utilize the keyboard as an additonal 2-port hub for additional USB devices. But, I found out that these ports in the keyboard aren't energized by themselves. The keyboard takes the power of one port and switches it into two ports AND powers the keyboard.

In essence, USB devices that need a higher power current in order to work, will give you a 'USB low power notice' from Mac OS X. The same thing can be said about the addition of a firewire hub, and in THIS specific case; the MICROPHONE port. For some odd reason, one needs to connect a self-powered microphone to the Mac in order for it to work. Here's what I did: I had a personal tape recorder from when I was a kid (about 20 years ago.) It's the kind that kids like to use to record their voices onto a cassette tape.

Microphone For Mac

I pondered the thought that since this tape recorder uses its own power supply, maybe I could use a headphone extension cable, couple into the back of the Mac mini on one end, and the other end plug into the port of the tape recorder marked 'monitor.' This is why it made sense to me that the iMic device worked. It's powered by USB, and uses the USB power to amplify the power to the microphone, causing the microphone to work, like it's supposed to in the first place. It seemed so ridiculous, but I was getting desperate to utilize the ability to have a microphone with my Mac mini. It turns out: IT ACTUALLY WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not kidding. Here's what one must do for this silly method to work: 1. Find a tape recorder that has a built-in microphone, or attach a microphone to the tape recorder's microphone port. Use a (male-male) headphone extension cable to connect the tape recorder and the Mac mini together.

One end goes into the back of the Mac mini's microphone port, the other end goes into the port of the tape recorder marked 'monitor'. (not 'Mic'; that's for an external microphone to attach to the tape recorder, only.) 3. Make sure the tape recorder is plugged in or has batteries to power it, independently.

If you're ready to start talking, set the tape recorder to 'RECORD' by pressing the 'RECORD' button. Note: Some tape recorders won't allow you to press the 'RECORD' button unless there's a blank cassette in the deck. You can bypass this by looking for the dip switch inside the recorder's door, pressing it down with your finger and THEN hitting 'RECORD' to bypass the need to have a tape in its deck. Or, tape the dip switch down, use an empty cassette with all its film removed that still has the recording tab still set in the cassette. Talk/sing/or otherwise make noise into the microphone of the TAPE RECORDER. I did this today via a long conversation with my best friend.

He assures me that the reception sounded great. I called myself and left a voice mail on my cell phone using Skype, just to make sure. When I listened to myself, I was udderly surprised how great I sounded.

Who'd have thought, eh? The thing that's nice about this is, you can also use this method to input music/sounds from pre-recorded cassette tapes into your Mac. I used a program called 'CD Spin Doctor.' I put a tape into the tape deck, pressed 'PLAY', set the PROGRAM CD Spin Doctor to 'Record' and got a high-quality recording onto the computer.

I'm so happy, because I didn't have to spend a dime an expensive iMic or another solution that might have been more. I hope this helps people from now on on the Internet.

I know this is an old thread but I thought since Im having some issues I would post what I do know incase anyone stumbles across this. The Mini as a line in. It is not a mic in as it has no audio amplifier on it, you can NOT use a mic at all unless the mic is powered with line level outs. A microphone generates micro volts and a line level in millivolts, a factor of 100 difference. This is why when you plug in a mic it doesn't register any levels. This includes non-USB headsets. Also bluetooth is not ideal because there are still some permission errors.

For instance many speech recognition and dictation software including the latest version of Rosetta Stone get access violation errors if you tell them to use a bluetooth headset. I am working with Rosetta on the problem but they are VERY slow about this type of tech support.

I hear from them about once every two weeks. Please excuse the title, but I didn't know what else to call it.

I just thought that I'd share with you and the rest of the online community how I fixed my problem with the microphone issue with the Mac mini. I realize it's been two years since anyone has posted anything in this forum on this particular topic, but allow me to share my input. Going from other tips I had attained from this article, I came to the realization that, like everything else with Macs, many of their ports are 'passive' ports and not what I'd call 'fully' operational. What I mean by that is, I've seen devices in the past that would not work when connected to the Mac, in certain places or instances. For example, Apple's keyboard has two USB ports when one can utilize the keyboard as an additonal 2-port hub for additional USB devices. But, I found out that these ports in the keyboard aren't energized by themselves. The keyboard takes the power of one port and switches it into two ports AND powers the keyboard.

In essence, USB devices that need a higher power current in order to work, will give you a 'USB low power notice' from Mac OS X. The same thing can be said about the addition of a firewire hub, and in THIS specific case; the MICROPHONE port. For some odd reason, one needs to connect a self-powered microphone to the Mac in order for it to work. Here's what I did: I had a personal tape recorder from when I was a kid (about 20 years ago.) It's the kind that kids like to use to record their voices onto a cassette tape. I pondered the thought that since this tape recorder uses its own power supply, maybe I could use a headphone extension cable, couple into the back of the Mac mini on one end, and the other end plug into the port of the tape recorder marked 'monitor.'

External Mic For Mac

This is why it made sense to me that the iMic device worked. It's powered by USB, and uses the USB power to amplify the power to the microphone, causing the microphone to work, like it's supposed to in the first place. It seemed so ridiculous, but I was getting desperate to utilize the ability to have a microphone with my Mac mini. It turns out: IT ACTUALLY WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not kidding.

Here's what one must do for this silly method to work: 1. Find a tape recorder that has a built-in microphone, or attach a microphone to the tape recorder's microphone port. Use a (male-male) headphone extension cable to connect the tape recorder and the Mac mini together. One end goes into the back of the Mac mini's microphone port, the other end goes into the port of the tape recorder marked 'monitor'. (not 'Mic'; that's for an external microphone to attach to the tape recorder, only.) 3. Make sure the tape recorder is plugged in or has batteries to power it, independently. If you're ready to start talking, set the tape recorder to 'RECORD' by pressing the 'RECORD' button.

Note: Some tape recorders won't allow you to press the 'RECORD' button unless there's a blank cassette in the deck. You can bypass this by looking for the dip switch inside the recorder's door, pressing it down with your finger and THEN hitting 'RECORD' to bypass the need to have a tape in its deck. Or, tape the dip switch down, use an empty cassette with all its film removed that still has the recording tab still set in the cassette. Talk/sing/or otherwise make noise into the microphone of the TAPE RECORDER. I did this today via a long conversation with my best friend. He assures me that the reception sounded great. I called myself and left a voice mail on my cell phone using Skype, just to make sure.

When I listened to myself, I was udderly surprised how great I sounded. Who'd have thought, eh?

The thing that's nice about this is, you can also use this method to input music/sounds from pre-recorded cassette tapes into your Mac. I used a program called 'CD Spin Doctor.' I put a tape into the tape deck, pressed 'PLAY', set the PROGRAM CD Spin Doctor to 'Record' and got a high-quality recording onto the computer. I'm so happy, because I didn't have to spend a dime an expensive iMic or another solution that might have been more. I hope this helps people from now on on the Internet. Click to expand.I tried with my old tape recorder.

It didn't have a monitor jack. But a built in mic. I couldn't get it to work. Then I plugged in my iPod output to the line-in of the Mac mini using male-to-male stereophonic jack. Then tried to record on the mac mini and created a small video clip with sound from the line-in jack (sound from iPod). I was able to record what was playing on the iPod. But there was some noise.

Mini Flexible Usb Microphone Mic For Mac Mini

Don't know why there was noise. But the line-in works when you provide a analog audio signal.