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What's the highest sound quality output from a 2011 MacBook Pro?

post #1 of 8
6/28/11 at 2:18pm
Thread Starter 

What's the highest sound quality output from a 2011 MacBook Pro to a desktop DAC/headamp (assuming the DAC has USB, etc).

 

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post #2 of 8
6/28/11 at 7:11pm

In theory? Should be 32/96 as far as I know. At least, that's what my iMac is capable of so I would imagine the MBP would be equal to that at the very least.

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post #3 of 8
6/28/11 at 8:05pm
Thread Starter 

Trying to decide on whether to use USB or the digital output. Is one better than the other in terms of sound quality?

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post #4 of 8
6/28/11 at 10:58pm

Well that depends on your DAC, some are working supposedly better with USB and some with optical.

 

I am currently using my icon HDP at home with USB and my Fiio D3 with optical cables and the sound quality is so close, I doubt I could differentiate in a blind test. 

 

But there is one huge advantage in using optical: there is no electric connection between your audio gear and the MacBookPro, that makes a huge difference for some... no humming, buzzing, etc. with wrong grounding etc.

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post #5 of 8
6/29/11 at 4:26am

Actually I don't know but I read somewhere that it is 32/96 which is very good. I mean that's the main quality of MacBook Pro.

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post #6 of 8
6/29/11 at 5:15am

I use the digital out of my Mac (mini jack to optical toslink cable), frees up a USB port.

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post #7 of 8
6/29/11 at 10:38am

For my Macbook: USB cable > USB isolator > USB>S/PDIF convertor > BNC>BNC cable > DAC 

 

Supposedly I2S is better than S/PDIF but since my DAC can't handle that I'm unable to verify.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Edited by sesshin - 6/29/11 at 10:41am
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post #8 of 8
6/29/11 at 4:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sesshin View Post

For my Macbook: USB cable > USB isolator > USB>S/PDIF convertor > BNC>BNC cable > DAC 

 

Supposedly I2S is better than S/PDIF but since my DAC can't handle that I'm unable to verify.

 

 

 

Relevant, will it work?
 

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