How to Connect XLR Mic To Computer (Mac or PC)

[@kettnercreative]

We'd love to see a photo of your setup! Tag @kettnercreative on KZbin, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc..

[@zacharyshort4747]

SUPER helpful. Watched a bunch of videos - never got a clear explanation on the phantom power situation - this finally gave me what I needed. THANK YOU!

[@James68W]

Condenser microphones require 48 volts of DC power to function. The usb solution is not capable of providing that

[@arrowhigh9376]

This video was BY FAR the best straightforward and to the point information video on connecting XLR microphones to my 2012 Macbook Pro.

[@roomnumber9music]

Excellent help! To The POINT! I can now shop around to get a USB audio interface with 48V so I can start recording vocals with my AKG Perception 120 mic. I am so glad I don't have to sell this mic!!!! Thank you so much! I hope I won't forget to come back and let you know if all my cables and purchases were successful using your advice! Thank you again!

[@BlackBeltBarrister]

Fantastic exclamation and very helpful, thank you very much. Subscribed!

[@Sebastian-zx5ei]

Great vid bro, I have an SM58 myself and will be using method no. 1 as it is the cheapest and still sounds good.

[@kettnercreative]

Nice 👍

[@bhavyajain638]

Is there a difference in sound quality in method 1 and 2 besides gain? Also in method 1, do we need pc with good sound card or it doesn't depend on it?

[@Ratyz1]

Thank you so much was looking for a video like this now I know if I get a xlr mic I know what to do :)

[@kettnercreative]

Glad I could help!

[@shshhshhh]

Omg I've been trying to make my xlr bluebird microphone on my macbook. I've been watching videos using xlr to headphone jack cables, then I needed some TRRS adapter blah blah.... basically I ended up spending money and ended up with 5 accessories that ended up not working. Also apparently I need to connect actual headphones at the same time, when I only own bluetooth headphones.. UGH! I found your video when I started wondering if usb port would work. Now I'm gonna order the xlr to usb cable, which makes a whole lot more sense. Thank you! and Apple should fix this issue.

[@steelnwooden6317]

damn, i'm in the exact same situation. how did it go?

[@michaelherr5469]

Thank you, I like how you show connecting the cable it's very helpful... not many channel show that part.

[@keithdewey]

Many thanks for the video. Just wondering how you were recording the video sound, because your microphone wasn't up real close, like the test microphones but the volume was still there?

[@antonwright1300]

If I have a usb port could I bypass the type-C converter and just plug in usb port to have a happy mic?

[@larrybari1389]

yes

[@Wolfxyloto]

Thank you! I'm currently shopping for a new mic, the Shure SM58 is what I currently have my eyes on but I was having a hard time finding what I'd need to go with it. If I were to use the XLR to USB cable plus a stand with the SM58 how close/far would the mic need to sit to me for preferred audio?

[@thelittledancingwolf863]

extremley helpful. Just whaty I needed. No BS. Thank you!!

[@cargocultpod]

the eye contact is really next level

[@KhaylaVillanueva]

is the sm58 a good mic for a noisy environment?

[@kettnercreative]

In my experience, it's one of the best.

[@gmtimothy]

They all sound very quiet. Compared to whatever you used for your video audio

[@BlackJacked]

Audio probably wasn't processed

[@MarketingProf.]

Awesome review with great suggestions for content creators :)

[@kettnercreative]

Thanks so much!

[@robertorourke6614]

YOU DONE A GREAT JOB & EASY TO LISTEN TO

[@Mychakramusic]

Very nice I appreciated👏👏👏

[@pshyeah1128]

what mic are you using in the video? And what camera? How do you connect those? Thanks!

[@ThiHaGadgets]

Usb condenser microphone should work nicely without any audio box or interface? What software to record a voice or song on Mac.

[@bilalmuhammad55]

Excellent video, thank you for the links!

[@kettnercreative]

No problem!

[@iga279]

very good explanation and thank you for that; If you don't mind what kind of site or app did you use to record this video ?? Much obliged !

[@diyfixguy8999]

Thank you. Just what needed to know.

[@JDOPost]

This was an awesome video. 👍🏻

[@Zweckhaft_Falle]

Hey could you help me I bought a Budget Microphone which has 3,5 but when i hook it up via a USB Audio Splitter it wont work and if i Connect it normally its also not detected except with the audio Splitter

[@nickyp310]

Your lav mic sounds better than them all.

[@EquineHannaSomatics]

Great video. The green light on my usb cable is flickering, and the SM58 isn't working/powering on at all. Any idea why or what I can do? I just bought it, and the cable is the Hosongin one you link to in your description... thanks!

[@BlackwidowGG]

Did you fix this yet? I have the same problem different XLR to USB (also one that should work though) sadly. From what I'm reading online it's customary to get an audio interface for the SM58. Do you have any confirmation on this @Kettner Creative?

[@EquineHannaSomatics]

@@BlackwidowGG No I haven't solved this yet - been busy! Gonna try it on a different laptop soon - mine is pretty old, so maybe that's it???

[@patricemarie8394]

great video , got straight to the point and gave good info.

[@kettnercreative]

Glad you liked it.

[@simplyspider4375]

Good vid. Only issue I got is. All of them sound like the headphone mic I have and just is too low. Which is why i am shopping for a mic. You should do a video on the actual mic for your video. Whether an camera mic or boom mic, or whatever. Your audio was great. All the offerings on display were bad. And now I am wondering if I even want to buy a mic. If they all sound low and give me the same problem, I am trying to solve. Thanks!

[@abrahimleawal9502]

Would this work the same with a 2018 MacBook Air?

[@zoladefirmian3248]

Thank you! Getting a clue, finally.

[@rubenleitao574]

Guys i have a doubt >( if you have a 250ohm headphone....if you connect to that audiobox...do you get boost in performance?....cant find info if...have or not dac amp inside....thank you great video.

[@mschwieger]

Thanks for this! Very helpful!

[@rickybartlet]

I have a Shure SM7B mic that I'm trying to connect to a Soundcraft GB8 mixer console. I have the Soundcraft GB8 connected to a Digigram UAX220v2 interface to connect to my Mac desktop. I can't get the mic to work. What an I doing wrong?

[@tykovain]

I'm trying to use a rode nt1-a and it won't pick up any volume at all, even with all of the usb to xlr gear. will the rodes just not work like the akg microphone?

[@consciensnesttv]

Awesome vid! Is it possible to just connect the XLR cable to the PC and the microphone without using no interface? Only asking this because interfaces are pretty costly..

[@kettnercreative]

We're going to make an updated version of this video shortly, but the quick answer is no. You'd spend roughly $20 for a XLR>USB Cable or a XLR>1/8" Cable and both of them work very poorly. You'd be much better spending an extra $50 to get an entry level audio interface (M-Audio M-Track Solo currentprice.io/mtrack_solo or Scarlett Solo currentprice.io/scarlett_solo ).

[@consciensnesttv]

@@kettnercreative thank you I appreciate it look forward to the update you're doing an amazing job with your channel keep up the great work

[@nyandreaa]

i have the sm58 that was just gifted to me, but it sounds really bad and i can barely hear it. Is it the usb to xlr cable? when I have it plugged in to garage band there is a slight delay and its really low, and there is a lot of fuzz :(

[@blackdiamond23]

Hi teacher, how can i connect my blue yeti x microphone to a UAC-232 USB audio converter?

[@bhaganiasaab5027]

Sir can you please make a detailed video on how to connect mv7+scarlet 2i2+cloudfilter+laptop windows Because i did everything and i am still confused I don’t know how to check my mic is working or not please reply me sir.

[@josephallencherril3198]

Very nice presentation. Informative and easy to understand. 👍👍

[@olegzaitzev9008]

Many thanks for information!

[@kettnercreative]

You are welcome!

[@seanmckinney5858]

Thanks for presentation on hooking up dynamic XRL mics to my MacBook Air. The only problem Is that I have to microphones listed in my Sound area--aggregate device and dual mics (aggregate device) even though I don't have these devices connected. I think they were from a sound arrangement I was trying to set up with USB computer mics. How do I get rid of them?

[@kettnercreative]

In your audio midi setup, select the aggregate device and then click the minus (-) button.

[@framedheart]

Thanks! How does the quality compare to using XLR to minijack adapters and using the headphone jack? (there is a KZbin video on that)

[@iamLordNFT]

Hi! Nice video but to listen in stereo on Mac? I only rec the sound in mono 😅😭

[@sumocupid8461]

Awesome tips and tricks! but one thing I would recommend is try and get more of a noise canceling environment. There is a slight echo of the room throughout the entire video

[@kettnercreative]

For sure, we used to film in an empty warehouse before we decided to take these videos more seriously. We're trying to improve the quality on each video. I appreciate the comment.

[@MaricelTabuan]

thank u for doing this helpful information sir

[@donaldshong]

Hi Can I connect Shure MV7 mic using its usb cable to computer for voice recording without using audio interface?

[@ChristopherMcLarenExperience]

You're a g man.

[@yuripucinski6083]

Hi Thank you for this video, unfortunately it didn`t resolve my issue... I am trying to plug in AKG p420 to Steinberg UR22 mk2 and to a laptop. Now I`ve used Steinberg for a while now for guitar, but this is the first MICROPHONE that I am trying to use. Got my +48V switch on, but I am not getting any signal... Sound Input on my laptop is set to receive the signal from Audio Interface, but there`s no signal when I test.. Do I need more power (get 5V DC)? Or am I missing something else?

[@kettnercreative]

The Steinberg is bus powered, so you shouldn't need additional power. if you're connected to your laptop But make sure that your power switch is correctly set.

[@yuripucinski6083]

@@kettnercreative Thank you so much for your reply, the issue was in the cable. I wasn`t aware that I needed XLR - XLR for phantom power. I was using XLR - TRS, hence why had no power to the mic.

[@grqmma]

fantastic video. it helped alot!

[@jehudaferry5716]

Can i directly connecting ipad with usb cable to usb mixer?

[@Res123-l1s]

thanks for this helpful video !!!

[@AnyBallOut]

Will the usb to xlr cable work with multiple XLR mics? Like using a 4 in 1 USB A hub

[@tomi210210210]

Which one would be better for a dynamic mic? An xlr to USB, or an XLR to aux?

[@kettnercreative]

Depends on the sound card on in your computer.

[@miguelbarajas9876]

would an XLR to USB cable work, if say, I want to connect the XLR to my handheld recorder and the usb to my laptop in order to record my laptops audio?

[@goldstrawberry15]

Hi I’m a total newbie and wondering if it’s possible to play karaoke track from iTunes while connecting SM58 to my Mac and sing along. ( I just purchased the USB cable at Amazon from your link. Thanks!)

[@mysticgoku6293]

Hey lad I have MacBook Pro 2019 and rode nt1a...I want to use the mic for streaming If I chose the Scarlett solo 2nd audio interface what wire would I need to connect them and use for stream

[@kettnercreative]

You'd need an XLR cable and USB Cable. That's it.

[@dillinfinator1386]

I have a phantom 48v power supply and my microphone isn’t activating I wanna know why

[@DaBo1]

what mic are you using? that lavalier

[@pn3363]

Thank you for this video. Question: I have a Shure5m7b and I was thinking about getting the Scarlet USB interface. Any thoughts?

[@kettnercreative]

You will likely need a cloudlifter with the Scarlett series. I recommend the SSL2+ and you don't need the cloudlifter.

[@pn3363]

@@kettnercreative This will mainly be used for Zoom, Skype and Teams online meetings. Thanks again! Great video

[@prakashchoksi3411]

Will this allow me mix voice with music the stream to my TV? Like doing karaoke?

[@johnfoth]

Do the two microphone channels appear as left and right or are they genuinely mixed? I ask, because a common usage for a USB interface is to use software such as Zoom where only a mono channel is needed.

[@kettnercreative]

What microphone are you trying to connect to your computer? What method are you going to try for XLR to Computer? Do you have any other questions?

[@LYNNEOCONNOR]

Kettner Creative oh and I’m also using a newer MXL Mics Condenser Microphone, 770 MIDNIGHT (MXL770MIDNIGHT) so I still need the phantom power feature.

[@kettnercreative]

@@LYNNEOCONNOR Yeah, you'll definitely want a USB audio mixer or Audio Interface then.

[@LYNNEOCONNOR]

Kettner Creative thank you !

[@chimpo6437]

@KettnerCreative i have a pre sonus interface and my windows 10 pc wont pick up the connection? literally just doesn't show up on the computer. Usb into the computer, to the interface, to the microphone with an xlr cable. plz help

[@kettnercreative]

@@chimpo6437 Have you installed the PreSonus drivers? Laptop up to date with current windows updates? Have you restarted your computer?

[@yapspooky]

why would it blink green while plugged in and mic not. work? Aston Element on Mac desktop

[@kettnercreative]

What interface are you using?

[@yapspooky]

@@kettnercreative none, determined bc of phantom power issue compatibility

[@queenofthebees7862]

Hi, one more question, how long of an XLR cable do you recommend? I'm planning to get a stand for my Shure sm7b :)

[@kettnercreative]

Whatever length you need. As long as you're under the theoretical limit of ~1000' you should be good.

[@queenofthebees7862]

@@kettnercreative got it! thanks!

[@rosscheeseman5272]

Hi man great vid, I’m doing everything the same with the shure sm58 & XLR to usb cable but getting a high pitched whining feedback sound whenever I play back any recorded audio in Logic Pro X? How do I stop this?

[@kettnercreative]

You might need a proper interface

[@rosscheeseman5272]

@@kettnercreative thought this might be the case, thanks 👍🏻

[@Rocklaz]

how tis the option of XLR to Aux cable compared to XlR to USB?? please comment there is lot of difference in price

[@andressoto3399]

Hi!! the usb wire that you connect into the interface minute 4:40, from where do you take it? it comes with the interface or it is just a normal separated usb wire? thanks please i will be waiting the response

[@cord11ful]

Most USB Interfaces come with the USB wire/cable. But check before you buy, as that might not be the case with ALL of them.

[@kerohenein6603]

Awesome video! When I connect my Audio interface and record, I can only hear the playback on the left stereo speaker. Why is that? Is that the same for all interfaces?

[@Equalenemy]

I'm having the same issue, joined a discord for producers, will pass on any info I get my dude unless you've figured it out and can help me 🤣

[@martincarmel9078]

@@Equalenemy link to the discord ?

[@connormcmullen8048]

I have an SM57 mic and am hoping to connect to my MacBook Pro, also usb-c, and have bought all of the same wires and connectors to fit and I instead get a blinking light when I select the usb mic. What am I doing wrong?? Thanks!

[@kettnercreative]

Blinking light on your XLR to USB cable? Not sure, you may need to check what that means with the manufacturer

[@queenofthebees7862]

Hi man, awesome video! I have a question (I'm new to XLR microphones). But what cable did you use to connect the audiobox to the PC/mac? Please respond!! 😊😊😊

[@kettnercreative]

I used a USBC to USB2.0 Cable. I believe it's linked in the description of the video.

[@queenofthebees7862]

@@kettnercreative ohh I must have missed it before. TYSM! 🥰

[@saschkalex]

Great Video! Thanks a lot!

[@kettnercreative]

Glad you liked it!

[@FrancoHikariMusic]

Hello I have a Nagra Standalone recording device. This of course has phantom power. Can I connect my Nagra to my Imac and connect a pair of XLR microphones with phantom power? I am afraid of damaging my Imac with the phantom power or don't I have to worry? ? I first wanted to buy a USB microphone, but if I can connect the Nagra directly to my Imac and record via Logic Pro, I don't have to buy a USB microphone. Can you answer me for a moment that there is no danger with regard to the phantom power supply of the Nagra Lb that I would then connect to my Imac?

[@kettnercreative]

Yeah, you can do that. The phantom power just goes out through XLR, it doesn't go out through 1/4" or USB>

[@FrancoHikariMusic]

@@kettnercreative Thank you so much for your quick replay! So you are sure that I cannot damage my Imac?

[@FrancoHikariMusic]

@@kettnercreative What do you mean with 1/4?

[@kettnercreative]

Check the manual to be sure, but I don't think you can damage your mac by using the included usb cable.

[@FrancoHikariMusic]

@@kettnercreative okay Thank you again for the quick response and for being so helpful. I hope your channel continues to grow! 😊

[@trancegotten3699]

thank you very much but one question what is the difference if i conect the microphone i have with xlr to 1/4 ?? is better ? or xlr to xlr ??

[@kettnercreative]

If you're using a mixer or interface XLR to XLR is best. You cannot use phantom power (+48v) over a XLR to 1/4" cable.

[@trancegotten3699]

@@kettnercreative thank you very much I didn't know about that and btw to connect my guitar my cable is tr I think not trs is ok because is guitar and not microphone right ?

[@kettnercreative]

@@trancegotten3699 Yep, you got it!

[@trancegotten3699]

@@kettnercreative thank you very much for your fast response I'll hope you have a nice day and happy new year!

[@Joe_hehn]

Great stuff, thank you.

[@kettnercreative]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@girolamoseghetti7630]

is it enough the usb power supply for the 48 v of the phantom?

[@kettnercreative]

An XLR to USB cable will not supply 48v.

[@sur_9014]

man, thanks. nice video!

[@kettnercreative]

Glad it helped!

[@myooo8721]

Can you connect dynamic mic to PC using a xlr to 3.5 mm cable?

[@kettnercreative]

Depends on the mic. You can, but you may not get enough output to be happy with the signal.

[@myooo8721]

@@kettnercreative ok, thanks :)

[@afghanloft1634]

Does the PreSonus interface have the XLR built-in?

[@kettnercreative]

Yes, the Audiobox has two XLR & 1/4" Combination Jacks.

[@afghanloft1634]

Kettner Creative, Thank you, and I'm assuming it also got the phantom power as well?

[@kettnercreative]

Afghan Loft That is correct.

[@afghanloft1634]

Kettner Creative Thank you, you've been accommodating!

[@joepulvirenti5728]

Can you plug it into a Galaxy Smart phone

[@faithite]

Hi all, urgent. Need help. I connected using method 1 but my audio sounds very soft and have this hissing or jet plane sound. when I try to turn up the mic volume, the noise goes up as well. Isit the low gain issue? Does that mean my XLR to USB cable is now useless because I need to get an audio interface?

[@cascadechoirs]

My USB to XLR cable light turns on but then starts blinking. I’m using the Neewer 1-Channel 48V Phantom Power Supply to connect the USB-XLR cable to a CAD M179 condenser mic. The laptop is recognizing that the USB is there but it is not picking up any sound. What am I doing wrong?

[@kettnercreative]

XLR to usb cables don’t play nice with things like phantom power supplies or condenser mics. You need an audio interface

[@VitorOliveira-i6n]

great stuff

[@lakshyasharma1940]

Can I connect this through sound card??

[@carter9155]

actual legend

[@kivsa85]

My XLR cable has an TRS connector, What do I do with that?

[@kettnercreative]

You're better off replacing it with a XLR to XLR cable. It will be better for connecting to an interface etc.

[@queenofthebees7862]

Hi, I just bought everything. I've connected the XLR cable to to the presonus audiobox, then the usb cable into my mac. But in settings says that "the selected device has no input controls". I'm unable to record anything, because apparently it's not working any ideas?

[@kettnercreative]

If you're looking on your Mac settings, you don't get any input controls on the Mac. It's locked out, you control everything on the AudioBox. Make sure your master volume, gain, and phantom power are all up.

[@queenofthebees7862]

@@kettnercreative HI, thank you! I've fixed the problem, but my shure sm7b seems to be picking up every little noise in the room, it's almost like a hum. Is there a setting I can do to fix this?

[@queenofthebees7862]

I'm just following up on this :))

[@harmonaddell1212]

@@queenofthebees7862 not sure what microphone you are using, dynamic mics like sm58 or sm7b are gain hungry meaning they require lots of gain. If you use a cloud lifter or fethead you can get clean gain and less noise. The other option is stronger preamp. If you are getting hiss or white noise it’s the preamp and microphone combination and can be resolved either way. I would recommend fethead by triton on Amazon for $89 since cloud lifter is $150 and requires a second xlr cable. If this doesn’t resolve your problem feel free to ask again. Hope this helps you.

[@Notesens]

NoteSens il y a 1 seconde old video, not sure if i'll get a reply.. but i bought an XLR condenser mic & scarlet 2i2 3rd gen.. pop filters etc.. and it sounds like poop. my boom mic on my seinnheiser sounds cleaner. how do i get rid of the background noise and crisp up the audio? .. also, is there a way to plug straight into the computer without adapting to usb? .. with some kind of pci-e card? i feel like im losing tons of sound quality and i feel like the interface doesnt power my mic enough

[@jrocktwo]

Hello. I recently bought a PYLE PMUX9 to power my DT990 Pros, and I wanted to add an xlr mic to go with it. I plug in my mic to the interface and everything is working fine, until I replay the audio back to myself through the pc, and found that it is picking up everything that my headphones can hear, so basically just playing it back through the mic input. So basically my whole entire computer can be heard through the mic + the mic itself. Any help? Thanks!

[@jrocktwo]

Also forgot to say I only want the mic to be outputted to the PC and not my entire pc audio^

[@Lita1]

Helpful video I liked this video yes!!!!👍😅

[@annahartman9496]

thanks bro! u r cool!!

[@chris5021]

This was incredibly helpful. It answered so many of my questions.

[@jaydencross7849]

I have my mic plugged but it dosent show up on my computer, what do I do?

[@HDSPRO-my5lt]

what about audio technica at2035?

[@kettnercreative]

That's a condenser mic so you will need an audio interface or an audio mixer with a usb to connect it to your computer.

[@HDSPRO-my5lt]

@@kettnercreative thank you

[@coderserabutan]

why your cable xlr to usb doesn't have noise? my cable has noise really loud. why?

[@christianlamb]

Thx so much!

[@kettnercreative]

No problem!

[@verbient6045]

Dude for connecting with Audio interface, that's not called a USB cable. What is it called ?

[@CreeCarnivore]

You didn't connect the Shure or discuss any issues with it. :(

[@kettnercreative]

3:13 and 6:13

[@onyx3185]

Do I need a mixer to use this mic

[@kettnercreative]

That is one of the ways.