Tip: use Macbook Pro to record, no additional hardware needed

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

I’ve been on the fence for a long time about getting a field recorder to record my synths, or jumping for a bigger mixer/portastudio, or waiting for Overbridge.

In the meantime, I found a great tip, that somehow I’d missed for years: the headphone jack on most Macbook Pro laptops can also be used to record stereo line-in !

You can connect a Digitone or other synth with half-inch-to-quarter-inch cable and record with Audacity or similar. (And even use the DN/DT’s input as a basic mixer for other synths).

Hope this helps someone :slight_smile:

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#2

Wait wat? Does this still work on current generation Macs?

#3

I revoke my comment - I also don’t see a dropdown.

I’m pretty sure TRRS headsets used to work on macs, but I haven’t used it in such a long time.

(Was it really stereo input, when it worked, or just mono?)

#4

I don’t see that option on my current-gen (late 2016 i7) 13" MBP. My old one could do that though, it was advertised as being able to IIRC.

It will take audio in through that port from the mic input of a TRRS headset or whatever, or a standalone mic with a 3.5mm plug. I just don’t think it can record stereo line in through that port anymore.

#5

Right so, further testing shows:

If I connect a normal TRS jack to the port on my MBP 2013, I see:

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However, if I connect my HyperX Cloud gaming headset thingo, which has a TRRS connector, I see:

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… and the microphone works. Albeit in mono (it’s a mono mic and possibly a mono mic input idk).

#6

It’s deeply annoying that this doesn’t work with my Macbook, but I’ve bought something similar to this which works fine for converting my audio out port into two discrete line in/out ports.

#7

Have you tested this? I’ve got a similar cable; when I attached it, my Mac didn’t recognise that there was a microphone attached. Could be that my splitter cable is crap of course…

If you’ve tested it : it’s a mono input, right? Or is it stereo?

#8

It’s a mono input. Standard headsets with mics meant for use with smartphones (eg wired Apple earbuds) will work with it. The product that @vaporlanes linked to will allow you to put any audio in via that input, but it will be mono, and it will probably sound crap.

If you’re buying a dongle anyway there should be loads of inexpensive USB adaptors that let you put a stereo line level input in. I had a Belkin one years ago I think. But that kind of defeats the object here. Basically, the new MBPs don’t have a switchable dual-use audio port like the old ones did.

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#9

wow… you got Soundflower running? Last time I tried this there was no way to run this on newer macOS…

#10

I didn’t check the one I linked too closely, but the dongle I use most definitely allows stereo input (with my stereo 1/8 cable) and I don’t notice any degraded sound quality. I can’t seem to find the name of what I have or a link to it.

#11

Yes! The problem was that the old kernel module wasn’t signed. However, Matt Ingalls revived it - https://github.com/mattingalls/Soundflower - there’s an installer and everything :slight_smile:

(The software (payware) “Loopback” by Rogue Amoeba is pretty good too, but at USD 118 it’s not worth it for me.)

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#12

Cheap and simples usb interface (dongle type) with audio in and out is a simple and more flexible fix for this

#13

Would you mind verifying that you’re getting two input channels? I thought there was Ground, Left, Right, and Microphone? idk tho https://www.cablechick.com.au/blog/understanding-trrs-and-audio-jacks/

#14

This is good news! I didn‘t like Loopback anyways …even when it was free. Thank you so much for letting me know!

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#15

Nevermind! Mine’s mono input.

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