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Adrian's Digital Basement G4 Cube Discussion

TheShortTimer

TheShortTimer

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Mar 27, 2017
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London, UK
The video is cued up to play at the relevant portion. :)


Opinions?

It came as a surprise to discover that the G4 Cube relies on an external USB DAC in order to provide audio. I wonder why Apple went with that choice for the Cube?
 
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In one word: Space

If you look the inside of the cube doesn't have that much space left for a good sound card, maybe the engineering team could have those integrated solutions but if you think in purely design choice like the other computers that Apple have done the sound it's through a complete solution (please someone correct me if I'm wrong about this) speaker+jack, and with the lack of space for a speaker (even a mono like in the G3 and G4 tower) they should come with a more way to charge for a computer (like Apple always does) and put the DAC+Harman Kardon speakers.
 
Apple should have gone for FW audio as the USB has to do a voltage trick to supply enough juice to the HK speakers and even then it is found a bit wanting. Plus the Cube only has two USB ports so with speakers and keyboard in you only have FW left for I/O or you can clutter your workspace with a hub.

LaCie did a set of FW speakers, designed by Neil Poulton, who went on to design a few external FW HDDs for them. I grabbed a pair for my Cube, which was missing the speakers but the performance was very underwhelming and they distort at higher volumes, so I can't recommend them.

I also grabbed the Griffin iFire without researching it too closely only to find that it is a FW powered mini-amp that provides a connection for the Apple Pro speakers but it has no internal DAC and only has a line in port, so it is useless for the Cube without another USB DAC. With that limitation in mind, the mind boggles as to why it now fetches the prices it does.
 
Would that make the Cube the only Mac to ship without onboard audio?
 
AphoticD said:
Would that make the Cube the only Mac to ship without onboard audio?
Click to expand...

There was the XServe, but that was a rackmounted server, so it doesn't really count.

I remember that the early titanium G4 PowerBooks didn't have line-in - you were supposed to use a USB audio stick. The laptop was popular with musicians, and my hunch is that most professionals had access to a Firewire audio interface, but this chap at Sound on Sound wished that it had audio input for quick-and-dirty recording of vocals.
 
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AshleyPomeroy said:
There was the XServe, but that was a rackmounted server, so it doesn't really count.

I remember that the early titanium G4 PowerBooks didn't have line-in - you were supposed to use a USB audio stick. The laptop was popular with musicians, and my hunch is that most professionals had access to a Firewire audio interface, but this chap at Sound on Sound wished that it had audio input for quick-and-dirty recording of vocals.
Click to expand...
The Power Mac G4 DA doesn't have an analog line in either. I need to get an FW audio interface so I can make it into a DAW machine. With any luck I could use that same interface with my MacBook and other Macs.
 
Very Cool channel. Love that desk & climate controlled basement setup (way more comfy than an uninsulated garage in winter anyhow :D) Definitely going to watch this guy.
 
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dextructor said:
In one word: Space

If you look the inside of the cube doesn't have that much space left for a good sound card, maybe the engineering team could have those integrated solutions but if you think in purely design choice like the other computers that Apple have done the sound it's through a complete solution (please someone correct me if I'm wrong about this) speaker+jack, and with the lack of space for a speaker (even a mono like in the G3 and G4 tower) they should come with a more way to charge for a computer (like Apple always does) and put the DAC+Harman Kardon speakers.
Click to expand...

The Mac Mini has even less space and yet Apple ensured that it provides onboard sound, an internal mono speaker and a headphone jack.

weckart said:
LaCie did a set of FW speakers, designed by Neil Poulton, who went on to design a few external FW HDDs for them.
Click to expand...

I've bought a couple of those Poulton designed LaCie's and I love the aesthetics - along with the engineering of course. ;)
 
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Thing is the Cube does have a DAC inside. I just recently hooked up the analog speaker pins for it and got no sound, but if you add in ground they work as left and right headphones so that's next to try. 20200404_161257.jpg20200408_183047.jpg
 
dextructor said:
In one word: Space

If you look the inside of the cube doesn't have that much space left for a good sound card, maybe the engineering team could have those integrated solutions but if you think in purely design choice like the other computers that Apple have done the sound it's through a complete solution (please someone correct me if I'm wrong about this) speaker+jack, and with the lack of space for a speaker (even a mono like in the G3 and G4 tower) they should come with a more way to charge for a computer (like Apple always does) and put the DAC+Harman Kardon speakers.
Click to expand...
There is a sound card in there. Prototypes had a speaker in there, there is still a connector on the board.
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thenebular said:
Thing is the Cube does have a DAC inside. I just recently hooked up the analog speaker pins for it and got no sound, but if you add in ground they work as left and right headphones so that's next to try.View attachment 904765View attachment 904766
Click to expand...
Great to see someone trying to make use of the DAC.
 
jmilan0302 said:
Great to see someone trying to make use of the DAC.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but unsuccessful. No sound at all, either as headphones or speaker.

Now my problem is while trying to install a Radeon 9000 so I can run my cinema display, I forgot it was plugged in and shorted a couple pins on the DC-DC connector and blew mosfet u33. It looks fine but drain and source measure open both ways.

Not easy to scrounge a replacement as most computers aren't dealing with a possible 30v and 10A.
 
I like the first gen USB SoundSticks for the Cube.

They work perfectly and look like they were made to go with it. They sound better than the official H-K Cube speakers(especially since the latter are almost impossible to find without rotten rubber) and there's no power issue since the SoundSticks have their own power supply.
 
bunnspecial said:
I like the first gen USB SoundSticks for the Cube.

They work perfectly and look like they were made to go with it. They sound better than the official H-K Cube speakers(especially since the latter are almost impossible to find without rotten rubber) and there's no power issue since the SoundSticks have their own power supply.
Click to expand...

I'd just like to get the startup chime. My USB audio adapter doesn't kick in until much later.

Man I was someone would leak a schematic for that motherboard.
 
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