# Hardware needed for using REW on mac book pro?



## raynist (Aug 16, 2011)

I have a 2009 macbook pro running lion.

I have REW loaded and it seems to take measurements with the built in mic but I am sure I need more than this.

I currently have a SMS-1 setup on one of my systems but would like to EQ my other subs in a cheaper manner.

I have the Behringer ECM8000 mic that came with my SMS-1 that I can use, but I am not sure what I need as the interface between the Mic and my mac. I am guessing I need an external sound card of some type that works with my mic.

Does anyone have a recommendation? I really don't want to spend too much on this sound card ($50ish).

I also have a Radio Shack analog SPL meter if that is a better and cheaper solution.

Thanks!
Ray Nist


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## EarlK (Jan 1, 2010)

You can use your computers built-in soundcard with REW .

You'll then need a little mixer with a microphone pre-amp ( that has phantom power for the test mic ) plugged into your Macs soundcard .

Something like the following works just fine ( with the proper adapters & cabling ) .



:sn:


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## LastButNotLeast (Sep 14, 2011)

raynist said:


> I also have a Radio Shack analog SPL meter if that is a better and cheaper solution.


As with most things:
Cheaper, yes. Better, no. 
Your call.


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## raynist (Aug 16, 2011)

EarlK said:


> You can use your computers built-in soundcard with REW .
> 
> You'll then need a little mixer with a microphone pre-amp ( that has phantom power for the test mic ) plugged into your Macs soundcard .
> 
> Something like the following works just fine ( with the proper adapters & cabling ) .


That looks awesome (and cheap)!

I am looking at my mac book pro and do not have any type of audio input. I guess I could get a little usb sound card with mic input and run this into it?

Maybe this?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Creativ...t=Creative - Sound Blaster X-Fi Go!&cp=1&lp=1


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## LastButNotLeast (Sep 14, 2011)

You have a mic input; that's where you connect the RS meter.
You can (and should) do a loopback test to check the internal sound card. It's probably good enough.
BTW, that Creative device doesn't have a mic pre-amp, so it wouldn't work with your ECM8000.


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## raynist (Aug 16, 2011)

LastButNotLeast said:


> You have a mic input; that's where you connect the RS meter.
> You can (and should) do a loopback test to check the internal sound card. It's probably good enough.
> BTW, that Creative device doesn't have a mic pre-amp, so it wouldn't work with your ECM8000.


There is no mic input on my laptop.

I was thinking I could use the mixer you linked along with the sound card I linked.

This may work too and is pretty cheap:

http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/302USB.aspx


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## EarlK (Jan 1, 2010)

Here's a review for the 2009 Mac Book Pro with 15" screen . This variant has a mic input . ( Click the pic )



You must have this model ( 13 inch screen ) ;





cultofmac said:


> One downside is *the audio ports have been combined into one*. The single jack now handles both audio in and audio out. So no recording and headphones at the same time. And while it supports both analog and digital out, there’s only analog in — no digital in. However, there are lots of inexpensive USB audio adapters on the market.


Yep, looks like you need to buy an inexpensive USB sound card .

Note ; the Behringer UCA202 will work with Lion only after you create an aggregate sound device profile for it ( as reported recently by another "shackster" ).

:sn:


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## EarlK (Jan 1, 2010)

raynist said:


> I am looking at my mac book pro and do not have any type of audio input. I guess I could get a little usb sound card with mic input and run this into it?
> 
> Maybe this?





CreativeLabs said:


> System Requirements Minimum System Requirements
> 
> Intel® Pentium® 4 1.6 GHz, AMD® Athlon XP 2000+ processor or faster (Pentium 4 2.2 GHz, AMD Athlon XP 2400+ processor or faster recommended)
> 
> Microsoft® Windows Vista™ 64-bit, Windows Vista 32-bit, Windows® XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2)


> Info from Creative * doesn't mention support for the Mac OS *( which is typical of CreativeLabs, in that their products are typically PC only ) .

> Make sure that when determining what card to buy , you "thoroughly" research its' particulars so that you *know it will run with Lion *.

:sn:


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## raynist (Aug 16, 2011)

EarlK said:


> > Info from Creative * doesn't mention support for the Mac OS *( which is typical of CreativeLabs, in that their products are typically PC only ) .
> 
> > Make sure that when determining what card to buy , you "thoroughly" research its' particulars so that you *know it will run with Lion *.
> 
> :sn:



Thanks 

I found some reviews that said it does in feed work with lion. 

I do have the 13 inch Mac book. 

If I go that route, I will buy it locally at best buy so I can easily return it if there is a problem.


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## raynist (Aug 16, 2011)

I do have a Toshiba laptop with Windows 7 on it that I can use. I just like using the Mac better, maybe in this case I should just use the Toshiba and be done with it.

I don't think the Toshiba has any inputs for audio, I will have to check.


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## kurt (Aug 2, 2007)

So does anyone have a good answer for which external sound card to run with lion? I need to figure out which one to order.


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## dozer95667 (Oct 28, 2012)

Hi sorry for reviving an old thread but I'm having struggles getting started with REW. I have a 15" macbook pro early 2011 with the two little 1/8" jacks as in the earlier photo in this thread. 

Does this mean I do NOT need to buy an external sound card?

I also have a RS analog SPL meter. 

So can I simply hook the SPL meter to the audio in on my macbook pro, and run a splitter wire with a 1/8 jack on one end and RCA Left+Right on the other end.. from the headphone out on my macbook pro to the aux input on my Pioneer AV receiver... and proceed?

Then I need ONE of these wires to be very long to stretch the mic from my listening position to the AV receiver. Maybe a long RCA extension from the laptop to the receiver is the right way.

Will this work? The splitters in the diagrams confuse me... I can't understand why they are both necessary if the soundcard in/outs each just have a single 1/8 jack.

Or maybe somebody can answer from scratch:

I have:
Macbook Pro with 1/8 in/out audio jacks
Old Analog Radio Shack SPL meter
Cheap Tripod
REW software

I don't have:
Any connecting cables for this stuff
any "mixer".


PS: I did also buy the soundblaster thing at Best Buy, without realizing that it does not represent mac support. I plan to return it today. Should I go to Frys for more external soundcard options, if indeed I DO need an external soundcard?


I just want to do my FR curve for my new subwoofer so I can figure out where to put my two PEQ settings... or decide I need a new receiver with Audyssey if it is too far gone to fix with two PEQ bands.


Thanks so much - I hope somebody can make this easy for me!


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

dozer95667 said:


> I have a 15" macbook pro early 2011 with the two little 1/8" jacks as in the earlier photo in this thread.
> 
> Does this mean I do NOT need to buy an external sound card?


Correct, the onboard audio of your macbook should be fine.



> I also have a RS analog SPL meter.
> 
> So can I simply hook the SPL meter to the audio in on my macbook pro, and run a splitter wire with a 1/8 jack on one end and RCA Left+Right on the other end.. from the headphone out on my macbook pro to the aux input on my Pioneer AV receiver... and proceed?


Yes.

The wiring gets slightly more complicated if a loopback connection is needed to provide a timing reference (e.g. to compare time alignments of drivers or speakers), but for room measurements all that is required is the connection from the RS meter to one input channel and from the audio out to the receiver. Remember to tell REW which input channel you are using, in the REW soundcard preferences.


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## dozer95667 (Oct 28, 2012)

Thanks I think I got it. I did several attempts where I was absolutley having fits... teh graph just ramped up absurdly from 40 hz to 80 and beyond... unrealistic results.

Then I kept messing around with my audio settings until something good happened (line in, mic in, etc,,,) and finally got a proper looking graph. Pretty cool thanks for your help!! I was about ready to just give up and get a receiver with audyssey X32 so I wouldn't have to figure this out. Now I just have to get some advice from teh guys at svs on how to take a 65hz hump, and whether to go after a smaller hump right at 80. otherwise pretty flattish to about 20 with nothing really crazy going on except those the 65 hz deal...

And I was completely on teh wrong track trying to do it manually with 3rd octave tones... so I'm glad I perservered.


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## Kevinz456 (Nov 8, 2012)

I'm sure the input and output can be separated with the right type of connector. I believe it's a 3.5mm TRRS. 
Headphones with a mic use that connector.


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## wes (Aug 19, 2009)

JohnM said:


> Correct, the onboard audio of your macbook should be fine.Yes.
> 
> The wiring gets slightly more complicated if a loopback connection is needed to provide a timing reference (e.g. to compare time alignments of drivers or speakers), but for room measurements all that is required is the connection from the RS meter to one input channel and from the audio out to the receiver. Remember to tell REW which input channel you are using, in the REW soundcard preferences.


So my Mac Book Pro Retina display doesnot have an output either! But I read that I could use HDMi will that work? :scratch:


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## musicguy (Nov 28, 2012)

Check out presonus audio box. This is a recording ad/da converter. 24 bit 96khz. USB connections. I bought the 22vsl audiobox works great with Mac book pro. Plus sounds way better than internal sound card. Price is 150 to 200. Phamton mike, recording software included.


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

wes said:


> So my Mac Book Pro Retina display does not have an output either!


The MacBook Pro's headphone socket is an audio output, using either a normal stereo jack for an analog connection or a mini-jack connector for an optical connection. It doesn't have a line level audio input though, so you'll need to either get a USB mic or a simple 2-channel USB soundcard.


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## wes (Aug 19, 2009)

JohnM said:


> The MacBook Pro's headphone socket is an audio output, using either a normal stereo jack for an analog connection or a mini-jack connector for an optical connection. It doesn't have a line level audio input though, so you'll need to either get a USB mic or a simple 2-channel USB soundcard.


Thank you, It sounds like I am better of buying a cheap PC with HDMi? Any recommendations, also will TEW work with Windows 8.0?


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

Buying another PC seems extreme when a simple, cheap 2-channel USB soundcard would let you run REW with OS X. REW works fine on Win 8.


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## wes (Aug 19, 2009)

JohnM said:


> The MacBook Pro's headphone socket is an audio output, using either a normal stereo jack for an analog connection or a mini-jack connector for an optical connection. It doesn't have a line level audio input though, so you'll need to either get a USB mic or a simple 2-channel USB soundcard.


So if I just buy a USB mic and a mini-jack connector I am all set!


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