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sajr

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 11, 2011
54
5
London
I have a great Mac mini from 2015 that I use to online radio broadcasts. I have a 3.5mm audio output from my mixer into the audio in port on my Mac mini and it works great. I am looking to upgrade the mini with an M2 mini but there is no audio input port on it. Can anyone advise on the best way to get round this? Perhaps using a device like iMac, but I am unsure that those are even still available. Thanks in advance.
 
I don’t think there are any Macs left with dual audio ports these days. The audio jack handles audio in and/or audio out. Most headphones have a built-in microphone. You’ll notice that the plug is divided into 3 sections to provide contacts for the microphone and two channels of stereo audio.

If you need another audio jack, as mentioned, there are usb c dongles that will accomplish that. There are also 2 in 1 headphone splitters that will combine microphone input with headphone output that will plug into either the audio jack or usb c port depending on the design.
 
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Get something decent:
 
Get something decent:
Thanks Fisherman. So just to clarify my mixer would have the standard phono connections our and they would go into the Scarlett and then that would connect via USB-C into the new Mac mini?
Also I spoke to someone in the Apple Store and they said the Headphone socket on the M1 Mac minis can eb used for sound input but it only provides a mono input.
 
If your mixer is decent enough you don't need anything with preamps. Just a USB to 3.5mm audio adapter.

Like the one you linked…with audio in and out.
Yeah that option is what I'll go for. Managed to get an M1 Mac mini on eBay for £360 so cheaper even than the refurb Minis from Apple
 
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