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MacBook: USB v. Optical Out

post #1 of 10
8/31/08 at 8:29pm
Thread Starter 
Say I want to put a USB DAC/amp between my MacBook and my headphones. Does it matter whether I plug it in via the USB or via the optical port? The consensus seems to be that plugging an amp via the regular headphone jack is a bit pointless. Is this the case with the optical port too? If not, is it as simple as plugging a mini-to-mini from the optical to the amp?

It'd be good if using the optical port was as good as the USB and as simple. The MacBooks don't have many USB ports...
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post #2 of 10
8/31/08 at 10:19pm
it doesn't matter but you have to realize that you need a separate cable and such to transmit the optical signal. if you use a mini-mini cable you're not using the optical out.

so what you need to get is an optical cable and a toslink->mini toslink adaptor. also make sure that you have optical in on your dac/amp. it should be black, have a little plastic flap and be labelled as either digital in or optical in.

EDIT: the optical in might now be black actually... all the ones i've seen have been black though
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post #3 of 10
8/31/08 at 10:26pm
Thread Starter 
Oh, I see. I'll have to check how much cables cost. It'd be handy not to have to use the USB port, though.
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post #4 of 10
9/1/08 at 2:28am
yes and no.

usb audio only goes to 48 hz sample rate while the optical out does 96 hz. if you're one of those who feel the need for 96, well, you have your answer. really though, i sincerely doubt you'll be able to hear a difference.

my personal preference would be going through the optical out if possible. one can never have enough spare usb ports.
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post #5 of 10
9/1/08 at 2:30am
If you have the bucks get an Apogee Duet and don't look back.
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post #6 of 10
9/1/08 at 4:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sriracha View Post
usb audio only goes to 48 hz sample rate while the optical out does 96 hz.
My USB device does 96kHz Not that it matters in the least when I'm listening to CDs I've ripped...

You can get bit perfect digital output from the MacBook's optical port though, so it's nothing like amplifying the analog out of the onboard
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post #7 of 10
9/1/08 at 4:29am
Thread Starter 
Too late. Already bought the 2Move. Cheaper than the Duet. Heh.

Hmm, the 2Move doesn't have an optical in. Any way I can do an optical out (on the Mac side) to USB in (on the DAC side)?
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post #8 of 10
9/2/08 at 2:28pm
If you use iTunes lossless you will not be able to rip at 96kHz. Other than that, there are several users who claim that optical or coaxial inputs in some dacs produce better sound than usb. To my ears, there is no difference at all.
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post #9 of 10
9/2/08 at 5:37pm
Thread Starter 
It's not the sound, really. It's the lack of USB ports on MacBooks.
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post #10 of 10
9/2/08 at 6:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jonathanjong View Post

Any way I can do an optical out (on the Mac side) to USB in (on the DAC side)?
As far as I know, that's not possible.
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