[Macpartners] headset use on a G4 powerbook

[Kerem B Limon]

Quoting Douglas Alan <nessus at MIT.EDU>:

> Kerem B Limon <k_limon at MIT.EDU> wrote:
> 
> > > If the Powerbook provides only one audio input, it will almost certainly
> > > be a line-level input, in which case you would have to plug an amplified
> > > line-level microphone into that input.  If they provide both a
> > > line-level input and a microphone input, you could either plug a
> > > line-level microphone into the line-level input, or a more typical
> > > microphone-level microphone into the microphone input.
> 
> > Hmmm...well then unless this particular G4 or newer G4s have changed
> > something (and that you have a newer, different desktop G4), there is
> > some confusion going on. All G3 PowerBooks, all G3 desktop Power Macs,
> > and most all Power Mac G4 desktops I have accept standard, unpowered
> > microphones. I've *never* had to use a powered mike with any Mac.
> 
> I just did a Usenet Google search, and you disagree with every
> discussion I found on the matter between the years 2000 and the present.
> Here is one such discussion:
> 
>   
>
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/comp.sys.mac.advocacy/browse_frm/thread/b4c698a634be2886/a24f94647ad22126?q=headset+mac+line-level&rnum=1&hl=en#a24f94647ad22126
> 

Hmm...thinking back, I now think I've mostly used Apple PlainTalk mikes with
Apple hardware, though I seem to recall distinctly at least once or twice using
a standard headset with unamplified mikes...

I have a *seemingly*-unpowered, Apple-branded, Apple-supplied I think
'PlainTalk', old beige G3 mike plugged into my G4 right now, and it picks up
quite fine with the mike volume set to barely 1/10th the max. Unless there's
some hidden power feed into it (or the Apple mike connector gets power from the
plug somehow and the mike does some amplification itself), what am I missing?

But, then just before sending this, I Google'd for "Apple microphone", yielding
this informative Shure page:

http://www.shure.com/support/technotes/app-soundcard.html#Macintosh

which confirms my recent suspicion about the "seemingly-unpowered" and "hidden
power feed" parts. Apparently, there is a built-in preamp in these beige
PlainTalk style Apple microphones, via power supplied through the custom
connector (even though the ports will accept regular mono/stereo plugs, too).

And if the info above is correct through current Mac models, you do need a
boosted, 100 mV signal: "This means that no standard professional microphone
can be connected to this input without the use of an active preamplifier to
boost the signal level."

I stand corrected and my stash of PlainTalk mikes might come ni handy after
all...How limiting, though. <rant>There's another reason I'll stick with my PC,
then, thanks very much. ;)</rant>

-Kerem


> Perhaps an unpowered microphone will work on a Mac if the microphone
> outputs a strong signal and you crank the gain on the input way up in
> the control panel.  Apple doesn't seem to recommend that way of doing
> things, though.  It certainly won't hurt to try using an unpowered
> microphone on a line-level input with the gain cranked.  At worst it
> won't work at all or the volume will be too low.  And if it doesn't
> work, you can always purchase a little powered microphone to line-level
> preamp box.  I'm sure Radio Shack sells them.
> 


-Kerem


> |>oug
> 


Kerem B. Limon
kerem.limon at mit.edu /e-mail