I searched and found a solution.
FIXED!!
My Cubase wasn’t ticked. Ticking Cubase enabled Microphone.
It’s interesting to note, it may be labelled “Microphone”, but it enabled “audio” from EVO 16 into the Mac. So what’s a better word than Microphone… Audio?
Apple / System Preferences / Security & Privacy / Privacy / scroll to Microphone and select / find Cubase in the right panel / enable by ticking Cubase 12.app.
A THOUSAND THANKS cubic13! Really stuck with me throughout – and the bleeding obvious st10ss cut through the fog. How can I thank you?