Hi!
Yes, the input socket is a line-in standard and - unlike some Windows
sound cards - doesn't provide power either so you have some alternatives
at your disposal, I'll give you a link with more details at the bottom
of this eMail.
A microphone can be used with this socket but it needs to be of the
battery powered kind - in other words the microphone has to provide
amplification.
On the Mac Mini a microphone is usually connected via the output socket
believe it or not.
This doesn't make sense when you read it but when you think about it
connecting a microphone to the output socket makes perfect sense.
Suppose you have a set of Apple Earbuds or compatible headset with an
inline microphone or similar, all you have to do is to plug the headset
into the line-out/headphones socket and you have both your headphones
and microphone there.
I know that various adapters are available for this socket including one
which will allow the oconnection of the conventional two plug stereo
headset - one plug being for the headphones themselves and the other
being for the microphone on the headset -.
Some more information about the audio in and out on the Mac Mini before
we move on.
Both these jacks are capable of accepting digital signals which is handy
to know if you're connecting to speakers with a digital input,
connecting to a source such as a TV or similar for recording from a
digital output and so on.
Now if the microphone situation with the audio in and out sockets is
just far too annoying then the easiest way to get around all this is to
use one of the USB sockets for either a dedicated USB microphone or -
perhaps a better option in your firneds case - a USB adapter.
This adapter is affectively a USB Sound Card dongle which provides the
connections for a powered microphone - standard Windows PC type - or
other microphone so you'll have to do a little research here into what's
available.
So here ends my explanation and I hope you followed along <smile> and
here's the support link from the Apple site.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3331295?start=0
On 21/03/2017 5:52 AM, André van Deventer wrote:
Hi all
Firstly I know nothing about mac computers and do not have one. I am asking
this on behalf of a friend who has one.
He bought a mac mini a few days ago. Apparently there are two 3.5 mm
sockets on this machine. One is an output and one an input. The output is
enough to drive a pair of headphones but the input seems to only be line in.
His question is whether it is possible to switch between line in and
microphone input like most windows sound devices. Or is this socket line in
only? He is trying to use a headset that he already has. The sound comes
out fine on the output side but of course the input is completely dead.
Regards
André
