Can't find I/O for USB mic

[unkJE]

The Manual

From this ‘Not secure’ site:
Pro Tools | First Help (avid.com)
http://apps.avid.com/proToolsFirstHelp/version12.0/enu/
I added an “s” to the prefix to get to the ‘secure’ site – so, quoting from this URL:

https://apps.avid.com/proToolsFirstH...rsion12.0/enu/


Optimizing the Playback Engine for Recording (avid.com)
https://apps.avid.com/proToolsFirstH...dio.20.02.html

To optimize the Playback Engine for Recording
(1) Choose Setup > Playback Engine
(2) Select the Optimize Engine for Recording option
(3) Click OK

[NoChops]

Audio midi setup window looks completely different on a Mac. Everything appears, though - EXCEPT the Mackie USB mic that's touted as great for Protools first (and provides download info). Does it have anything to do with Sunflower (something old I used with Logic) or the "aggregate" The mic - directly vonneted to the Mac - simply is NOT there.

[NoChops]

Went through all of the above- AND even had the mic replaced in case it was a dud.

Nope. USB mic doe NOT appear at an input or playback device. I's flat not there. At times I will plug n SM57 into the UR12 interface; but there are times when I need the specific pickup pattern of the usb mic. And from what I've read, it DOES work with ProTools first.

Still stumped. My only input devices are the UR12 and crappy built-in mic.

But again - does "soundflower" mess things up? I don't recll what it;s for, but am hesitant to remove it.

[its2loud]

Can you take a screen shot of your I/O settings Input page and post it on here with that mic setup as your playback engine?

[Top Jimmy]

There’s no mention that you built an aggregate device. You have to do this to use separate devices in a combined I/O scenario.

[NoChops]

I am just trying to record from ONE device - either the steinberg interface...which is working fine...*or* the Mackie USB mic, which came with ProTools first, but doesn't show up at all - anywhere.

I figured I can't use both the interface and mic at the same time - and I don't need to anyway. All I need is one or the other. But the mic is not showing up.

I'm not sure exactly what screen shot was meant, so I'm posting one of the hardware setup window; the playback engine; and of the inputs that appear when I click on I/O for an audio track (when only the mic is plugged in).

I still haven't found an explanation of what "playback engine" has to do with "inputs". It makes no sense. Where is the "input engine"??? As I said earlier, my background is multitrack tape - where inputs are inputs and outputs outputs. And there are no "engines". Or "aggregates". Neither term relating to anything I'm familiar with.

[Top Jimmy]

Originally Posted by NoChops

I am just trying to record from ONE device - either the steinberg interface...which is working fine...*or* the Mackie USB mic, which came with ProTools first, but doesn't show up at all - anywhere.

I figured I can't use both the interface and mic at the same time - and I don't need to anyway. All I need is one or the other. But the mic is not showing up.

I'm not sure exactly what screen shot was meant, so I'm posting one of the hardware setup window; the playback engine; and of the inputs that appear when I click on I/O for an audio track (when only the mic is plugged in).

I still haven't found an explanation of what "playback engine" has to do with "inputs". It makes no sense. Where is the "input engine"??? As I said earlier, my background is multitrack tape - where inputs are inputs and outputs outputs. And there are no "engines". Or "aggregates". Neither term relating to anything I'm familiar with.

Uninstall Soundflower. You’re only confusing yourself with it.

Pro Tools will only work with a single unified interface, not separate input and output devices. The way to work with that is to use the Pro Tools Aggregate I/O that shows up right there in the Mac’s audio devices window to aggregate two or more I/O devices to appear as one.

Google how to set up an aggregate device.

The Pro Tools Aggregate I/O then becomes the one to use as the playback engine.

[NoChops]

It's my understanding that soundflower is needed on the mac for purposes other than Protools, though - so I'm a little hesitant to delete it based on a misunderstanding.

To repeat - I'm NOT trying to hook up multiple devices at one time. I got the interface working. But with it essentially nonexistent - unplugged, stuck in a locked box in a garage (just tryin to make a point) the USB mic sold with Protools first DOES NOT SHOW UP. I've tried 4 cables and all 4 USB-C ports., rebooted the computer, returned the mic for another just in case.

I've read through setting up an aggregate device. It's confusing, but I think I understand it.

But how do I include a mic that is nonexistent in the "aggregate I/O"??

And why do I need an aggregte device hen I'll only be using one OR the other - not both? think about this - the macbook pro has FOUR usb-c ports.One for charging; one for the external monitor; one for a keyboard controller.

That laves ONE for an interface and USB mic, both of which require - according to Protools documentation - a dedicated port - NOT a powered hub (none of which work a *#%* for anything anyway).

So how can I create an aggregate device for a microphone using ONE port that doesn't show up ? And if I plug in the interface I can't plug in the mic.

See why it's confusing me?

And in documentation I videos I repeatedly read/hear to click the "I/O" menu in setup. But I can't find this - or a menu item that leads to it. Which is why my "inputs" look like they do in the previous screenshots.

[Top Jimmy]

Originally Posted by NoChops

It's my understanding that soundflower is needed on the mac for purposes other than Protools, though - so I'm a little hesitant to delete it based on a misunderstanding.

To repeat - I'm NOT trying to hook up multiple devices at one time. I got the interface working. But with it essentially nonexistent - unplugged, stuck in a locked box in a garage (just tryin to make a point) the USB mic sold with Protools first DOES NOT SHOW UP. I've tried 4 cables and all 4 USB-C ports., rebooted the computer, returned the mic for another just in case.

I've read through setting up an aggregate device. It's confusing, but I think I understand it.

But how do I include a mic that is nonexistent in the "aggregate I/O"??

And why do I need an aggregte device hen I'll only be using one OR the other - not both? think about this - the macbook pro has FOUR usb-c ports.One for charging; one for the external monitor; one for a keyboard controller.

That laves ONE for an interface and USB mic, both of which require - according to Protools documentation - a dedicated port - NOT a powered hub (none of which work a *#%* for anything anyway).

So how can I create an aggregate device for a microphone using ONE port that doesn't show up ? And if I plug in the interface I can't plug in the mic.

See why it's confusing me?

And in documentation I videos I repeatedly read/hear to click the "I/O" menu in setup. But I can't find this - or a menu item that leads to it. Which is why my "inputs" look like they do in the previous screenshots.

If you could choose the usb mic as your playback engine device, how are you going to hear anything back if it doesn’t have the capability of outputting audio?

Pro Tools does not address separate input and output devices. To get both, you need a device that does both.

You’re wanting to use a device that doesn’t do both. Hence, the need for using an aggregated device.

Aggregating in Coreaudio allows you to combine multiple I and O devices to appear as one device to whatever uses the aggregate interface.

So, you need to aggregate the usb mic with whatever you want to use as your output device and then use that aggregated device in the playback engine settings.

Caveats.

1). Your usb mic only does 48k. To get around this you can actually enable sample rate conversion for it in the aggregate device settings allowing you to use it at any sample rate in Pro Tools.
2). The usb mic is a mono input. It will only show as available on a mono track. You cannot use a mono input directly with a stereo track.

[NoChops]

Aggregating in Coreaudio allows you to combine multiple I and O devices to appear as one device to whatever uses the aggregate interface.

Ok, I'm trying to understand "aggregated" devices. But please try to remember that my only "operational" background is multitrack tape and studio recording ith engineers where all I did was play. I did a little fooling round with Garageband but none of this stuff was required. I plugged in a focusrite interface, plugged in my guitar, hit record and that was it.

As far as this setup:

I finally managed to delete soundflower.

But in Audio Midi setup, why, when I click "input", can't I set up the mic - and whatever output device Ill use for output when I click "output"?

There are selections for input...and for output. Why am I configuring a "playback engine" in ProTools for an input device? Where's the "input engine"???

But it's a moot point - Because to repeat ( for the third or fourth time!) I can't configure the Mackie USB mic as ANYTHING because it STILL isn't showing up - anywhere. No matter what port or cable I use.

And there is STLL no "I/O window" as shown in tutorials and videos.

How do I get te mic to appear in the Audio MIDI editor - *then* what do I do with it? Aggregate whatever is useless when there's nothing to "aggregate"!