Macbook pro distorted sound

[pastorpr]

I am having trouble connecting my macbook pro into our sound system. I want to put my macbook in the pulpit and use Keynote. I have the video connected but the audio is not cooperating.

I have 1/8 inch connector plugged into the headphones jack on the macbook. The other end of the cable is a xlr connection that plugs into a microphone jack on the stage. The sound is horribly distorted. It is not just poor, it is unusable.

Now here is the thing. I have plugged a PC in the exact same way and it works perfectly. So I don't think that the issue is the cable.

I have plugged headphones into the macbook and they worked fine. I don't think that it is an issue with the macbook.

Am I missing something here? Is there some sort of setting I need to change on my macbook? Is there some sort of converter that I may need to add? The signal is coming through. It is just distorted.

I am sorry, but sound is not my forte.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[Lucas]

You can try turning down the volume on the MacBook.
Otherwise, try using a DI, your unbalanced to balanced is a bit iffy. A DI (Direct Input) should clear things up, so to speak.

[cmchamp]

You'll need a DI, or had you used a -20dB pad button on the channel strip of the mixer before?

[pastorpr]

Originally Posted by cmchamp

You'll need a DI, or had you used a -20dB pad button on the channel strip of the mixer before?

Sound is not really my thing. I had not tried either of these things. I will look into a DI and see if that works. I think our praise team may have some of those. I will also ask my sound guys about the -20db button.

We had played with volume on the mixer and that was about it. Changing the volume had not worked.

[waynehoskins]

Yeah, sounds like it's hard clipping the input stage of the console, as it should if, before, it were set up for a microphone-level signal. Plug it in a DI and it should be good. Without a DI, you have two problems. Maybe three.

- Level mismatch (line vs mike)
- Balance (or lack of, on a long cable run)
- Stereo (into a mono balanced input)

How does your cable handle the stereo problem?

[pastorpr]

Hooked in the DI this morning. Sound is coming through without distortion now.

Only problem now is the the sound is creating some type of interference with video. Getting lines across the screen when I plug the cable in. When I pull the cable out, video is clear.

Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.

[waynehoskins]

Originally Posted by pastorpr

Only problem now is the the sound is creating some type of interference with video. Getting lines across the screen when I plug the cable in. When I pull the cable out, video is clear.

Try throwing the Ground Lift switch on the DI.