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MAC users, do you use optical out or just usb for dac - Page 2

post #16 of 71
1/20/08 at 5:17am
I'm using USB at the moment with my iMac and Lexicon Omega. Hope to get a Zhaolu or another budget DAC/amp combo soon to replace the Omega (which I'm just 'borrowing' from my recording setup) and I will most likely get one with an optical input. Might as well utilise it since the iMac has it, and free up a USB port.
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post #17 of 71
1/20/08 at 5:59am
FireWire with an Apogee Duet.
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post #18 of 71
1/20/08 at 3:31pm
Optical sounds great in my A/V setup.

See ya
Steve
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post #19 of 71
1/20/08 at 4:01pm
usb->Alien DAC. BIG difference. Detail, clarity, sound stage, separation, noise floor.. all better. And the Alien is just a simple DAC..
optical->receiver->speakers for H.T.. but hardly ever.
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post #20 of 71
1/20/08 at 7:23pm
usb w/the pico (obviously)
optical w/the air express (obviously)

given the choice, i used usb b/c it made it easier to switch between sound on headphones vs. mac by using soundsource. otherwise, i heard no difference b/n either output w/the da100
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post #21 of 71
2/6/08 at 12:50am
which cables are people using to get the optical audio out from their Mac?
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post #22 of 71
2/6/08 at 12:59am
the monoprice mini to toslink
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post #23 of 71
2/6/08 at 1:00am
I use Optical with me 06' MicroDAC but I could not tell a difference when switching back and forth between it and USB.
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post #24 of 71
2/6/08 at 12:07pm
USB to a U24 box, coax to a Bel Canto DAC2.
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post #25 of 71
2/6/08 at 1:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by melomaniac View Post
which cables are people using to get the optical audio out from their Mac?
I use a custom ordered Van den Hul - The Optocoupler MKII.
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post #26 of 71
2/6/08 at 8:58pm
1. USB when on the road with my Predator.
2. Firewire when recording/listening with the Apogee Duet.
3. Optical when attached to home system.
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post #27 of 71
2/8/08 at 5:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by OptionTrader View Post
1. USB when on the road with my Predator.
2. Firewire when recording/listening with the Apogee Duet.
3. Optical when attached to home system.
and which optical if you don't mind?
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post #28 of 71
2/8/08 at 6:27pm
I also use optical with the Van den Hul - The Optocoupler MKII. I set the Audio Midi setup to 96/24bit. Seems to open up the sound just a bit.
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post #29 of 71
2/8/08 at 8:49pm
With the airport express can you output 24/96 from the optical? I want to switch to an airport exp, but I don't want to lose that capability...
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post #30 of 71
2/8/08 at 9:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by n4k33n View Post
With the airport express can you output 24/96 from the optical? I want to switch to an airport exp, but I don't want to lose that capability...
Nope, it only does 16/44 but it still bit-perfect. If your DAC does upsampling, it shouldn't matter though.

I'm pretty sure my DAC doesn't upsample so I do hear a difference when I switch it. With it switched to 24/96, it sounds closer to the ECD1 I used to have. I'm using a DHA3000 amp/dac combo. The amp side of it more than makes up for an loss I have switching from the ECD1.

I've also been looking into jitter reduction but still not sure about it. There's a product from Empirical Audio, the off-ramp, that is supposed to offer great jitter reduction through USB. I've come across too many posts on other sites that question the designer on many topics so I have to wait to really hear this product.
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