How to Connect USB 2.0 Audio Interface to MacBook Pro [My Story]

If you have a USB 2.0 audio interface that you want to connect to MacBook Pro or iMac then this article is going to be beneficial for you. In this article, I will show you how to connect your old USB 2.0 audio interface to MacBook Pro.

15 years back, when I had started audio recording, I had a USB 2.0 audio interface from M-Audio. Back to the present, I have this audio interface. But the problem is, that the USB-C port in my MacBook Pro does not support this audio interface.

However, it is a 96kHz/24Bit audio interface and the recording quality is also good. But, due to the lack of connectivity, I couldn’t use this with my MacBook.

So, I started researching how to connect the USB 2.0 audio interface to USB-C ports in MacBook. Unfortunately, there was not enough information about it on the internet.

But, the solution was there. That’s why I have written this article to help others connect USB 2.0 audio interface to a MacBook Pro or iMac.

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Well, without wasting any more time let’s jump into the solution.

Which Ports does MacBook Pro Have?

MacBook Pro has 2 ports, which support,

• Charging
• DisplayPort
• Thunderbolt 3 (up to 40 Gbps)
• USB 4 (up to 40Gbps)
• USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10 Gbps)

Here you can see, there is no support for USB 2.0 devices. The oldest supported port is USB 3.1 2nd generation. Which is the much higher version of USB 2.0.

Is MacBook Pro Compatible to USB 2.0 Audio Interfaces?

Now let’s see if MacBook Pro is compatible with USB 2.0 audio interfaces or not.

You can see on the official website of Apple, the oldest USB port MacBook Pro supports is USB 3.1. There is no room to connect a USB 2.0 device to a MacBook Pro directly.

So, what would you do?

In the next section, I will show you the solutions, so keep reading…

2 Ways to Connect USB 2.0 Audio Interface to MacBook Pro?

I have researched some hacks to connect the USB 2.0 audio interface to MacBook Pro and found that I can use adaptors to make my audio interface compatible with USB C or Thunderbolt ports.

Such as,

USB 3.0 to USB C Adaptor

I read in a forum that we can connect any USB 2.0 device to USB C ports by using USB 3.0 to USB C adaptors.

So, I ordered a USB 3.0 to USB-C adaptor and tested it with my old audio interface and MacBook Pro.

Surprisingly it worked.

So, the first way, you use a USB 3.0 to USB-C adaptor to connect USB 2.0 audio interface to MacBook Pro.

Here are my recommendations for USB 3.0 to USB C adaptor.

• Anker USB C to USB Adapter
• JSAUX USB Type C Male to USB 3.0 Female OTG Cable

Now let’s see the second option.

USB 2.0 to USB-C Hub

You can also use USB 3.0 to USB C Hub to connect USB 2.0 audio interface to MacBook Pro.

As you’ve seen above, MacBook Pro ports also support Thunderbolt, USB 3.1, etc, so USB 2.0 to USB USB C multi-port hub also works fine with MacBook Pro.

Here are my recommendations for USB 3.0 to Thunderbolt, USB-C multiport hub,

• CableCreation 7-IN-1 USB-C Hub Multiport Adapter
• QGeeM 7 in 1 Type C Hub

These hubs generally cost more than adaptors, however, they can be used for several other connectivity tasks, such as card readers, USB adaptors, thunderbolt adaptors etc.

Even you can use multiple devices simultaneously though these hubs.

So, as per your need, you can choose between an adaptor and Hub.

Summing Up: Connecting USB 2.0 audio interface to MacBook Pro

That’s how I connected my old USB 2.0 audio interface to MacBook Pro. My audio interface is working fine.

However, keep in mind that if your audio interface driver doesn’t support the latest Mac OS then it will not connect to your MacBook. So always keep the latest driver handy which supports the latest version of Mac.

Let me know in the comments, if your audio interface works with this arrangement, and don’t forget to mention the audio interface model along with the Mac version so that other people with the same audio interface get to know if that will work or not.

FAQ

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