Mac Mini M1 - Need stereo line input options

[ndriver182]

On my Windows PC, there is a line-in that I was using to plug in a standard 3.5mm headphone jack so I could listen to a secondary input source at the same time as normal Windows audio.

I just got an M1 mini to use daily (Windows PC will be only for PC gaming now) and tried plugging in the same 3.5mm headphone jack connector as an input from my external source, but Mac OS doesn't recognize it. Headphone output from the jack is fine, but no input. Unfortunately I learned that this jack isn't a true line input so I can't use it how I originally thought.

Is there some kind of simple (not expensive) analog > USB converter that I can use and set as an input source in Mac OS control panel?
In addition, I'm not trying to record - my purpose is to simultaneously listen to an external source and Mac audio at the same time. In Windows, you can set the line-in to "listen" in order to do that. I don't know if Mac OS has this feature.

Thanks!

 

[chabig]

Amazon.com: usb audio input

Amazon.com: usb audio input

www.amazon.com

 

[ndriver182]

Amazon.com: usb audio input

Amazon.com: usb audio input

www.amazon.com

Thanks for the link. I'm currently living in Japan so the link re-routes to Amazon Japan. I'm not sure if the products you were linking are only available in the US.

To me, it looks like the majority are for USB>analog output and not input.

When I find something that looks like it's meant for input to the Mac, there seem to be a lot of disclaimers about Mac OS version and no mention of OS 11.0 or higher.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"my purpose is to simultaneously listen to an external source and Mac audio at the same time"

I'm wondering if the Mac OS will permit you to do this without first jumping through some hoops?
Or... perhaps requiring additional hardware, such as an audio interface.

Looking at the "sound" preference pane, it seems that one gets a choice of "either... or", but not "both", at any given moment.

Perhaps others will explain how to get around this.

 

[ndriver182]

OP wrote:
"my purpose is to simultaneously listen to an external source and Mac audio at the same time"

I'm wondering if the Mac OS will permit you to do this without first jumping through some hoops?
Or... perhaps requiring additional hardware, such as an audio interface.

Looking at the "sound" preference pane, it seems that one gets a choice of "either... or", but not "both", at any given moment.

Perhaps others will explain how to get around this.

In the meantime I've found an application called "Audio Hijack" that allows you to listen simultaneously, but not without jumping through hoops as you said. Also, they want $60 for it. The app does way more than just pass through simultaneous audio, but that's all I need.

It seems you can also use QuickTime to do an audio recording (without actually recording) to just listen in on an external source. I was able to test that with system audio + iPad connected to the Mac Mini via USB cable. Bonus - this way is free and not *too* many steps.

So, I think I may have found the software solution.

Hardware-wise, I am looking at something like this now. Behringer UCA222. It seems like people had success with this prior to Mac OS 11. If there's another inexpensive choice that would provide the same result, I'm all ears.

Behringer | Product | UCA222

www.behringer.com

I hate to say it, but this situation just seems much less painful via Windows.

 

[ndriver182]

Just an update to the situation if anyone is curious.

I was able to get line-in audio simultaneously with Mac OS (11.1) audio. As was considering above, my final solution was to use a Behringer UCA222 to bring in the analog signal via USB then use QuickTime Player to "create" a new audio recording. You simply select the Behringer UCA222 as "USB Audio CODEC" in QuickTime and turn up the Quicktime Playback volume mixer (you don't actually have to record).

I wish the process was a little simpler, but it's not too bad and works fine.

 

[Mistercharlie]

Have you tried looking around in Audio MIDI Setup, in the Utilities folder? It has some routing options, including something called “aggregate devices.”

 

[ndriver182]

Have you tried looking around in Audio MIDI Setup, in the Utilities folder? It has some routing options, including something called “aggregate devices.”

Thanks for the idea. I have never used this before so maybe I'm using it incorrectly. It seems like when I select my external dac and the USB Audio CODEC (with inputs), nothing happens when I listen to the aggregate device. I heard the normal system sound fine, but nothing comes from the USB input. If I open QuickTime Player as mentioned in my previous post - no problem.

So, either I'm doing something wrong with the Midi Setup app or the app just isn't capable of passing through the audio in the same way. I'm hoping it's my error because this seems like a more elegant solution.

I believe devices are as follows:

USB Audio CODEC 1 = Behringer outputs
USB Audio CODEC 2 = Behringer input (into the Mac I assume)
FiiO K5 Pro = External DAC
Unknown USB Audio Device = Logitech webcam mic

 

[ser_foxalot]

Thank you OP! I registered with Mac Rumors just to thank you, haha.

I've had a similar issue. I'm trying to run a game console audio through my Mac (it's a 2018 intel mini) so I can listen without switching my headphone input. Amazon has numerous USB dongles with a headphone jack and/or a mic jack, but I couldn't find anything with an actual line-in. I did try running my audio through a mic port, and while I could hear it, I got bad distortion and it wasn't a good solution.

Thanks again, going to order the UCA222 now. Looks like I'll also need a Y adapter to go from 3.5 mm to the red/white RCA jacks.

 

[InuNacho]

I have a UCA202 that I use a pass through for my MEGA BLASTER 2 FM device. I've been unable to find a suitable easy 1 click method of getting the audio in so I've been using VLC and using the capture audio option.
Works well but it is annoying to have to do this to get multiple audio playing at once.

I'll try the Quicktime method when later, I do like being a nerd and seeing the waveforms though lol.

 

[Camusrieux]

I have very similar needs and questions—new-ish M1 Mac mini, hoping to get a stereo signal in.

On the software side, however, I can attest that launching QuickTime and selecting "new audio recording" (and then not actually pressing record) always worked for me on my old Intel Mac mini to permit the line-in stereo to be transmitted along with whatever audio the Mac itself was playing. I'm reasonably confident that QuickTime will work in the same manner once one has the proper hardware to turn one of the USB ports into an audio line in. So I think this is strictly a hardware puzzle, not a software one.

 

[sparkso]

I'm trying to solve a similar problem. I am trying to connect my M1 Mac mini and my gaming PC to the same set of speakers with my Mac being the master output for the speaker (cos my mac is always on but gaming PC not always).
I can easily solve it if I let the pc be the one to have the output connected to the speaker but I just don't want it running 24 hours cos the gpu and cpu fans are noisy.

I had been looking at various products on amazon (sound cards and mixers). I am wondering if this might solve the my problem? https://amzn.eu/d/33s7EpK
It has 3.5mm line-in which seems great but will I be able to play line-in (from gaming PC) and audio from m1 mac mini concurrently?