Mac Pro (late 2013) missing audio in

[jeffvisalia]

I've always bought MacPro machines. Last one was an early 2008 model. One feature that has won me over has been the audio in/out ports in back. I use the in port for my guitar and run guitar rig for amp and effects. I saw a pretty good deal on a MacPro "trashcan" late 2013 - 32 Ram - 2 TB drive and running Sonoma 14.5 really nicely .... HOWEVER they got rid of the audio in port. Had I noticed this it would have been a deal breaker. I have been researching how to possibly add an external device with audio capability and the closest I've found is a Focusrite Scarlett Solo but its not the same. It relies on headphones or separate monitor speakers which I've never needed in the past. Its always been guitar audio in and audio out to a pioneer stereo. I can't see why they ditched the audio support and added a half dozen thunderbolt ports.

Is there any hope? Please inform me of more needed info. Thank you.

 

[MacsBug]

Doing a quick search on Amazon, I found this device https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNVYBWX7. It looks like it will be able to do just what you want and is a lot cheaper than the Focusrite Scarlett Solo.

 

[JonathonPerry]

Adding an external audio interface like the Focusrite Scarlett Solo could be a solution, though I get that it's not quite the same as the built-in setup you're used to. Another option could be looking into Thunderbolt audio interfaces that might offer the necessary connectivity without sacrificing too much of the convenience. Oddly, Apple moved away from built-in audio ports in favor of more Thunderbolt ports. Maybe they assumed most users would prefer external devices for specialized needs? Hopefully, someone here might have more specific advice or solutions for your setup. Good luck with your search!