Speaker icon shaded?

[danetello]

I turned on my computer today and noticed that the sound icon on the menu bar was shaded in. I thought that the speaker might be broken so I quickly opened up a song on itunes, but it was working perfectly . When I try to change the volume it shows that its not allowed (photos attached). Does anybody know whats going on?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

What does it say in System Preferences > Sound >> Output?
Do you see a red light inside the audio out port on your MBP?

 

[danetello]

What does it say in System Preferences > Sound >> Output?
Do you see a red light inside the audio out port on your MBP?

Im not sure where the red light would be, but this is what it shows in the output window.

 

[funwithamar]

happened to be once ... just plug in a pair of head phones and then take em out

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Im not sure where the red light would be, but this is what it shows in the output window.

The audio out port is the one you connect your headphones or other hifi devices to. It is located on the left side of the MBP and has a headphone symbol beside it.
In the following image it is labeled "Audio IN/OUT".

As you can see from your screenshot, you have enabled the "Aggregate" device to handle your output. Therefore you can't use the Mac's volume control (Menu Bar or dedicated F10, F11 and F12 keys on the MacBook pro's keyboard - see below).

To use those hardware keys or the Menu Bar icon, select the INTERNAL OUTPUT listed below that Aggregate device.

 

[danetello]

Thanks, that helped a lot

 

[gameface]

Im not sure where the red light would be, but this is what it shows in the output window.

Looks to me that your "aggregate-sound-device" locks out system control of your audio and keep it at 100%. My Matrox MXO2 LE did this, I had to adjust the volume via my mixer.

If you switched it to built in speaker I bet it would function as normal.

 

[Lijarock]

@funwithamar- thx so much! I thought I'd messed up my new Macbook Pro.