Microphone help

i got 21.5 inch imac yesterday, , excited video chatted cousin it. plugged microphone mic slot , well...it didn't seem work. changed audio in settings line in instead of internal speakers since they're sensitive noise, same skype, changed input line in, i'm still not getting sound mic. may might broken, no. plugged old windows laptop , working fine. me this? thanks!

 

what exact maker , model of microphone? if it's not powered mic line-level outputs, plugging audio-in jack won't work.

mac audio-in jack requires line-level inputs, approx 1 volt p-p. microphone without amplifier outputs few millivolts (called mic-level), 1000 times low level. it's whispering midfield in football stadium.

pcs have mic-level inputs (jack labeled mic) , separate line-level inputs (jack labeled line or line in). mic input has builtin amplifier stage can accept mic-level input.

suggest getting usb headset or usb microphone. cost less buying microphone pre-amp**.


** if you're handy soldering iron, there circuits freely available, google: mic preamp circuit.

 

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