# Audio Line In Not Working?



## noday16 (Jul 9, 2008)

I got a new MacBook a few weeks ago, and quickly found the internal microphone to be lackluster for my musical needs (I often record myself singing, as part of my voice training). So I got out my microphone that I routinely used on my PC, plugged it into the line in port, changed the appropriate settings, and it was good. After I was finished, I switched the default back to the internal mic. However, since that first time, the audio line in port has not worked correctly. If I go to the Sound preferences section, and select "Line In", it shows no input on the meter there, no matter  how much sound I'm making with the microphone. The meter works just fine showing sound being made into the built in mic when that's selected, but not for the line in option. Not surprisingly, neither GarageBand or Audacity is receiving any input (and the appropriate options are selected in the programs to draw from the line in port).

Is there some option I'm overlooking within the Mac, or is my line in port faulty? Thanks!


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## jlw92 (Jul 10, 2008)

A friend has the same issue, I couldn't work it out quickly but maybe a Archive and install of the operating system may fix, unless its faulty hardware... very strange, she has a macbook 1.6 ish with 10.5

I'll let you know if she figures it out.


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## Satcomer (Jul 10, 2008)

I gave up on that port long ago and went with USB microphones instead. The Line-in will NOT power microphones. The port is line-level and require the plugged-in devices to have their OWN power.  Sorry for that news.


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## HiQ (Jun 1, 2010)

Would you suggest why the line-in mic worked previously for me? My situation is very similar as stated in the above thread.

Thank you for your thoughts.

macbook 10.5.8


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## alt731 (Apr 9, 2011)

This _exact_ same thing happened to me. Basically, I had a mic that worked fine with my iMac (_without_ any external power!) and then I lost it. I got another mic that works fine with my PC but now for some reason it doesn't work on my mac. Same issue with the line in volume bar! Must be some kind of software problem.


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## kinnehora (Sep 12, 2011)

I have the same problem on MacBook Pro.  The audio in-line (microphone) used to work, now it doesn't.  They should find and fix what is almost certainly a software issue.


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## Satcomer (Sep 12, 2011)

Then try to Reset Your PRAM to see if that helps.


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## kinnehora (Sep 14, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestion on resetting PRAM, but that didn't work.  System preferences show two options for input - internal microphone or line in.  With mic plugged in (which used to work [although i'm only 83% sure now, since the internal mic is so sensitive]), there is no response when i select line-in. (and no response thru the external mike, of course, when internal is selected)


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## pragmatist1910 (Oct 10, 2011)

When i had this problem with sound-out and had tried the PRAM reset to no effect, then I went into the system pref sound control and just moved the slider to the output volume a tad -- sound-out worked right away. Maybe the same thing will work for line-in sound control.


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