Recording Ibook Audio Output, how to? Options

[bendblock]

I have a question regarding recording the audio output from my G4 12 in. iBook.

Is it possible to record the audio output of a Mac running OS X (particularly my G4 12 in. iBook) internally? What I mean is, to record the audio played by the soundcard “before” it is sent out to the speakers? Is there something that parallels the Audio> Recording dialogue box from the Windows system tray by which I can choose to record the audio output rather than the internal microphone input?

This may just be an issue with the soundcard which comes standard with the ibook, however, it was a simple matter to switch between recording “mic” input “line” “etc.” in windows. I forget the label they use for recording the audio whatever happens to be playing on the machine at the time (i.e. from soft synths, software drum machines etc,) but you get the idea.

This has been my first major frustration with my recent Mac. Please help me resolve this conflict with my new luminous white friend. Surely there is a simple method I’m overlooking. I’ve already checked the system preferences> Sound >Output screen but the only option it gives me is “internal microphone.”

I also tried running the headphone output back into my iMic (yeah, silly I know) just as an experiment to see if I could get a signal into my wav recording app (I’m using Audacity for now, that may very well be my problem). Not that that’s really a viable solution as I can’t here what I’m playing :)

Any advice?

bendblock