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apple pro speakers to powerbook?...
- Thread starter krossfyter
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found the solution!
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/ifire/index.html
does the subwoofer for these pro speakers that comes with the cube work with this though? i havent had a chance to see for sure.
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/ifire/index.html
does the subwoofer for these pro speakers that comes with the cube work with this though? i havent had a chance to see for sure.
dammit, this is definitly one of those Murphy's law scenarios...
i had bought apple pro speakers on ebay (dirt cheap, like $15 plus shipping) not knowing that i couldn't plug them into my powerbook (dumbass me figured all speakers use mini jacks...)
so i sold em on half.com for $30
but dammit, i still gots no speakers, and these laptop speakers just don't cut it for me...
i had bought apple pro speakers on ebay (dirt cheap, like $15 plus shipping) not knowing that i couldn't plug them into my powerbook (dumbass me figured all speakers use mini jacks...)
so i sold em on half.com for $30
but dammit, i still gots no speakers, and these laptop speakers just don't cut it for me...
I use Griffin's iFire to hook up Apple Pro Speakers to my iBook all the time. It works great. And whatever anyone else says, I think the Apple Pro Speakers sound good and look nice. In typical Griffin style, the iFire also looks as good as something that came from Apple.
whats wrong with the pro speakers?
i thought i saw a sub type thing included with the apple pro speakers on them cubes. You know the cube?! Well they came with this semi cylindrical/rectangular box one part connected to the cube and the monitor while there were connections going from it to the speakers and of course a power outlet. i could be wrong but then it would raise the question of what that thing is.
hmmm i thought it was a sub.
well the pro speakers are good if you like ratting and blowing them with songs with bass, but thats just me, they dont hit hard and they are cheap, i prefer invaders or creatures if i was going to get computer speakers. the cube never came with a sub, it came with the pro speakers, actually that was the first time the pro speakers had been introduced. the only box that came with the cube was the power supply, it used an external power supply because the cube used convection cooling.
iJon
ahh i got it... that thing is an external amplifier. there are differences between the apple pro speakers for the g4 powermac cube vs the apple pro speakers of today... thats one difference. the apple pro speakers of today have an internal amplifier.
cool. so that begs the question will i be able to hook up the cubes apple pro speakers to my powermac by way of this ifire thing?
well it depends if you are sure which pro speakers you have. there have been 2 types of pro speakers over the yeras. there was the first generation pro speakers that came with the cube that connected via usb. the 2nd generation were the same, but connected via a digital audio port that shipped on all flat panel imacs and the latest powermacs from then on, which do you have?
iJon
well i dont have them connected to my powerbook because they are not with me. there in a school lab but they arent being used. i remember i had my powerbook with me and i tried to see if they would hook up to my powerbook but the connections werent right or something... cant remember the exact connection that was off.
If those are the USB Apple Cube Speakers, then be careful. I'm fairly certain that they required a special high-power 10-watt USB port that was standard on the Cube. If you plug them into a Mac with a standard USB port and crank the volume, you could fry the USB port or otherwise cause damage to the computer or the external amp. Basically, make sure you know what you're doing before you just plug the speakers in.
The iFire is designed as an external FireWire amp for the Apple Pro Speakers, not the USB-based Apple Cube Speakers.
The iFire is designed as an external FireWire amp for the Apple Pro Speakers, not the USB-based Apple Cube Speakers.
i didnt figure out that there was two different kinds of pro speakers untill later on after i made this thread.
so now im wondering if the ifire will be a good match for the old pro speakers and my powerbook. i know it will fit with the new pro speakers.
so now im wondering if the ifire will be a good match for the old pro speakers and my powerbook. i know it will fit with the new pro speakers.
oh really... well then if thats the case that settles it.
so there is no way to get them usb based apple cube speakers to work with any other mac other then the mac it belongs too? bummer... because its unfortunate that they are not being used.
Well, you could always sell them on eBay and get different ones.
In case anyone cares, here's some pictures of the iFire so you can see how it works. It's just a small amp powered via Firewire and connecting via the Stereo Mini (Audio Out) Port on the Mac. It comes with an unusual but nifty cable with Firewire and Stereo Mini plugs on both ends. When the amp is powered, there's a small red LED that lights up on top of the iFire. It's rather low-tech, but it does what it's designed to do, and it has the Apple hareware aesthetic.
yeah will if i sell them on ebay why would anyone buy them if it wont work for them?... because chances are that anyone with a powermac cube wont be looking for these speakers.... since they already have them.
im not sure the book is closed on this just yet... because i havent read anything, outside of what you said that is, that indicates these speakers work ONLY with the powermac cube and will never work with any other mac. although the book seems to be closing.
im not sure the book is closed on this just yet... because i havent read anything, outside of what you said that is, that indicates these speakers work ONLY with the powermac cube and will never work with any other mac. although the book seems to be closing.
I've seen the USB Apple Pro Speakers for the Cube go for $60-80 on eBay. A lot of sellers seem to be "parting out" their Cubes, and they're getting rewarded.
If a 10W USB port is key, maybe you can find a powered USB hub (a USB hub with its own power adapter) with that power rating on the ports.
I've connected my iBook to (non-USB) Apple Pro Speakers through the Griffin iFire, and the Harman Kardon iSub at the same time. It works beautifully. I think this setup sounds better than my Soundsticks.
If a 10W USB port is key, maybe you can find a powered USB hub (a USB hub with its own power adapter) with that power rating on the ports.
I've connected my iBook to (non-USB) Apple Pro Speakers through the Griffin iFire, and the Harman Kardon iSub at the same time. It works beautifully. I think this setup sounds better than my Soundsticks.