Audio Out External Speakers not working

[Patth9]

I thought my Logitech speakers were not working, but this is not my problem.

I get a very low audio coming from the Mac Mini via internet without added speakers, and the Audio Out will not come through my speaker. I've made sure the speakers (2 types) work on an old G4 mac.

When I plug in either of the external speakers, the only sound I get is (VERY LOW). I can get a tiny bit of sound from the 2nd speaker the one that doesn't have the on and off switches.

Everything comes back to a audio out problem.

I've read and follow many ideas on the web, i.e., system presences = sound, even went into the Utility>Audio Mini setup, nothing there.

Below are three photos to show what I get from the Audio Devices (utility).

If I have to replace the audio board, here is a link I found. Advise please

Thanks for any help you can offer.
Patt

 

[Patth9]

Lots of viewers (thank you) but no answers. Perhaps it's because my question is not common or I didn't do a good job explaining. I'll try to be more clear.

I have a Mac Mini 2012 Late, using Mountain Lion.

The 'Audio Out' gives sound when there ISN'T an external speaker plugged into it, though the volume is low.

I have 2 different sets of external speakers, both are cheap, both work just fine on my old G4 Tower Mac.

As my speakers are cheap, all the wires from both speakers are connected permanently, thus not allowing me to plug in only one of the two speakers.

I can hear music etc., from Mac Mini's 'Audio Out' when connected to the speakers, however, only through the speaker that does NOT have the control knobs. I plugged in my headphones, on the external speaker that has the control knobs; it too is scratchy in one ear, but not in the other ear.

I found this on line from a person with my same problem. "I finally got around to taking my iMac to the apple store.
They replaced the audio out/in and it works"

Question: Where does one find an audio out/in board? I've been looking, but must not have a correct name.

There is NO RED LIGHT coming out of the Audio Out.

I hope this is better written.

Patt

 

[jpietrzak8]

Lots of viewers (thank you) but no answers. Perhaps it's because my question is not common or I didn't do a good job explaining. I'll try to be more clear.

Yeah, I was kinda nervous to respond, because I didn't really understand what was going on.

The first question I was going to ask was whether the external speakers were amplified (i.e., they draw power from their own power cord, rather than drawing power directly through the speaker wire). Most modern computers don't push a lot of power through the speaker port.

I see that you have headphones; could you try plugging the headphones directly into the computer, rather than into the speaker system? If you can get good audio through that, then the problem may be that the speakers just aren't designed well for use with the Mini.

On audio boards: Replacing faulty audio hardware on older Minis was relatively easy, as the audio hardware was housed on a separate daughterboard that could be replaced. I'm not at all sure how easy it would be on a 2012 model, though; Apple has been making life harder for people who want to do fixes of their own. (So yeah, if the problem is a bad board, it might be easier to just take it to an Apple shop.)

I've had the audio go out on two different Minis myself; but rather than mess around trying to fix the internal guts of the machine, I've just gone ahead and started using USB sound adapters when that happens. Something like this:

They're cheap, and work fine for most standard audio needs. And I can easily use them on other machines if I ever need to do so...

 

[Patth9]

Yeah, I was kinda nervous to respond, because I didn't really understand what was going on.

The first question I was going to ask was whether the external speakers were amplified (i.e., they draw power from their own power cord, rather than drawing power directly through the speaker wire). Most modern computers don't push a lot of power through the speaker port.

Both speakers have regular plugin to the wall outlet.

I see that you have headphones; could you try plugging the headphones directly into the computer, rather than into the speaker system? If you can get good audio through that, then the problem may be that the speakers just aren't designed well for use with the Mini.

This I did, same thing happened.

On audio boards: Replacing faulty audio hardware on older Minis was relatively easy, as the audio hardware was housed on a separate daughterboard that could be replaced. I'm not at all sure how easy it would be on a 2012 model, though; Apple has been making life harder for people who want to do fixes of their own. (So yeah, if the problem is a bad board, it might be easier to just take it to an Apple shop.)

I'm sure you are correct, it would be easier to take Mac Mini to the Apple shop. I have been keeping my Macs running since my first Mac back in 1995 at a time when Apple wouldn't have made it if there hadn't been loyal Mac users. Be that as it may, I have someone who understand soldering tiny connections, which often are the problems with many electrical products, a broken solder joint.

I've had the audio go out on two different Minis myself; but rather than mess around trying to fix the internal guts of the machine, I've just gone ahead and started using USB sound adapters when that happens. Something like this:

This item you shared with me really may do the trick. I appreciate your helping very much. I bought this mac mini 4.5 years ago, and hope to keep it running for a long time.

It's not really that I can't hear my audio, only that I can't get my external speakers to play the audio.

Again, many thanks, jpietrzak8
Patt

They're cheap, and work fine for most standard audio needs. And I can easily use them on other machines if I ever need to do so...

 

[Patth9]

Yeah, I was kinda nervous to respond, because I didn't really understand what was going on.

The first question I was going to ask was whether the external speakers were amplified (i.e., they draw power from their own power cord, rather than drawing power directly through the speaker wire). Most modern computers don't push a lot of power through the speaker port.

I see that you have headphones; could you try plugging the headphones directly into the computer, rather than into the speaker system? If you can get good audio through that, then the problem may be that the speakers just aren't designed well for use with the Mini.

On audio boards: Replacing faulty audio hardware on older Minis was relatively easy, as the audio hardware was housed on a separate daughterboard that could be replaced. I'm not at all sure how easy it would be on a 2012 model, though; Apple has been making life harder for people who want to do fixes of their own. (So yeah, if the problem is a bad board, it might be easier to just take it to an Apple shop.)

I've had the audio go out on two different Minis myself; but rather than mess around trying to fix the internal guts of the machine, I've just gone ahead and started using USB sound adapters when that happens. Something like this:

They're cheap, and work fine for most standard audio needs. And I can easily use them on other machines if I ever need to do so...

It's been so long since I first posted my problem, mostly my fault, but I did get the USB sound adapter ordered. Now I have 2 of them under the name of TROND (only ordered 1).

I plugged in the USB end using the body of the mini not an extension. Nothing happens. I can hear the music playing when there is no plug used from the external speakers. The speaker it's self works fine when plugged into my old G4 Tower. As far as the USB sound adapter goes, perhaps I just don't know how to make it work.

Many people have problems, but they can't get any sound from thier Mac Mini. I noticed that the Sound Preference has an option I don't remember, "Multi-Output Device. I've played around with Audio Devices from Utilities, but really don't have a clue what I am doing.

So, I'm still in my same quandary.

Still Here,
Patt

 

[jpietrzak8]

I plugged in the USB end using the body of the mini not an extension. Nothing happens. I can hear the music playing when there is no plug used from the external speakers. The speaker it's self works fine when plugged into my old G4 Tower. As far as the USB sound adapter goes, perhaps I just don't know how to make it work.

I've got one of the Sabrent ones. It's plugged into a USB hub, not directly into the Mini, and I've had no problems with that. In order to use it, though, I did have to select it in the "Output" pane of the "Sound" preferences panel. (The name it goes under is "C_Media USB Headphone Set", and its type is "USB". Hopefully, the Trond will at least have the same type.)

The Mini remembers which audio device I prefer, so I've only had to set it once.

 

[HDFan]

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see your sound preferences volume setting:

Also what program is producing the sound that you want to hear? What is it's volume settings?

 

[Patth9]

jpietrzak8 and HDFan
[URL='https://forums.macrumors.com/members/hdfan.113547/']I am one Happy, Happy, camper.
https://forums.macrumors.com/members/hdfan.113547/
Finally, I have my external speakers doing what they are told.
https://forums.macrumors.com/members/hdfan.113547/
jpietrzak8, I needed your directions. I didn't know what I know now, thanks to you.
https://forums.macrumors.com/members/hdfan.113547/
And HDFan, looking again at the Sound Preferences, I learned even more.
https://forums.macrumors.com/members/hdfan.113547/
It is such a relieve having my Mac Mini audio back again via external speakers.
https://forums.macrumors.com/members/hdfan.113547/
Thank you both VERY MUCH!

Patt
https://forums.macrumors.com/members/hdfan.113547/

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