Apple Provides Details on Using High-Impedance Headphones With New MacBook Pros

[MacRumors]

Apple has published a new support document detailing the use of high-impedance headphones with the new MacBook Pro models.

As Apple mentioned when it unveiled the latest MacBook Pros, the 3.5mm headphone jack offers support for high-impedance headphones, which is good news for professionals who want to use the MacBook Pro with studio quality headphones.

As noted in the support document, the new MacBook Pros come with DC load detection, adaptive voltage output, and a built-in digital-to-analog converter. For some use cases, they may also remove the need for an external headphone amplifier.

The 3.5 mm headphone jack on the MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021) or MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021) features DC load detection and adaptive voltage output. Your Mac can detect the impedance of the connected device and will adapt its output for low- and high-impedance headphones, as well as for line-level audio devices.

When you connect headphones with an impedance of less than 150 ohms, the headphone jack provides up to 1.25 volts RMS. For headphones with an impedance of 150 to 1k ohms, the headphone jack delivers 3 volts RMS. This may remove the need for an external headphone amplifier.

With impedance detection, adaptive voltage output, and a built-in digital-to-analog converter that supports sample rates of up to 96 kHz, you can enjoy high-fidelity, full-resolution audio directly from the headphone jack on your MacBook Pro.

Apple's new MacBook Pro models are equipped with the "best audio system in a notebook," according to Apple, thanks to upgrades to both the headphone jack and the speaker system.

Article Link: Apple Provides Details on Using High-Impedance Headphones With New MacBook Pros

 

[Serban55]

impressive in a world that Apple itself started the remove the headphone jack trend
Thank you Apple

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

That is brilliant! I'm also glad the speaker of the new Macbook is on another level.

MacBook Pro does have the "best audio system in a notebook", Apple!

 

[djcerla]

detection for line-level devices, impedance detection, adaptive voltage output, and a built-in digital-to-analog converter that supports sample rates of up to 96 kHz,

Quality has to be tested, however, there may be no need for DA converters anymore for musicians on the go.

 

[macpot]

I've seen some high impedance headphones such as Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pros ($160) and Sennheiser HD800s ($1400 !!!), but I'm not a professional audio editor...

How is the sound quality for average users for watching movies and stuff like that? is it drastically better?

 

[Kylo83]

That is brilliant! I'm also glad the speaker of the new Macbook is on another level.

MacBook Pro does have the "best audio system in a notebook", Apple!

It’s good but the intel one has better highs and treble

 

[hoorayforhollywood]

This isn't really my field so any knowledge appreciated. They specify 'headphones' but presumably this means that any good free-standing speakers attached via the headphone jack (my current set up) would also be detected and benefit? Thanks in advance.

 

[haruhiko]

Is the AirPods Max “high impedance headphones”?

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

It’s good but the intel one has better highs and treble

I still would prefer nice bass and a good surrounding system like the 💻 than highs and treble.

 

[Kylo83]

But AirPods max still can’t play lossless

 

[hyperreal]

I've seen some high impedance headphones such as Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pros ($160) and Sennheiser HD800s ($1400 !!!), but I'm not a professional audio editor...

How is the sound quality for average users for watching movies and stuff like that? is it drastically better?

It's more of a technical/design factor than a sound quality issue. High-impedance phones require more power to achieve a certain volume level and they can safely be used with high-powered headphone amplifiers without blowing out the speakers. So, as a rough generalisation, high-impedance headphones are compatible with more devices.

This isn't really my field so any knowledge appreciated. They specify 'headphones' but presumably this means that any good free-standing speakers attached via the headphone jack (my current set up) would also be detected and benefit? Thanks in advance.

Yes, at least in theory, having line-level output from the headphone jack means that you don't need an external audio interface to achieve satisfactory volume levels without distortion.

 

[Kylo83]

I still would prefer nice bass and a good surrounding system like the ? than highs and treble

Still sounds better on older 16” more balanced the new ones sound flat

 

[streetsandtheatres]

Sennheiser HD800

I love my Sennheiser HD800s They sound astonishingly good. But I wouldn't be plugging them directly into a laptop. I have a (relatively) cheap portable DAC, and a desktop DAC for proper listening. The headphones sound phenomenal, but they are also open-backed with no sealing at all, so you can hear everything around you as well as the music. So a quiet room is essential.

Sample rates above CD quality make no difference at all for almost all situations and all listeners. 96 kHz stuff is all marketing.

 

[Tears Apart]

Tried my MrSpeakers AEON Flow planar headphones on the new M1 Pro 14-inch. These are not necessarily high-impedance headphones but they kinda suck without an amp/DAC. I must say I was positively impressed by how the MBP handled the sound – you can definitely tell there's some Apple magic going on – but once I plugged in my Chord Mojo into the MBP, the sound was audibly better. Still, great job by Apple I would say.

Audio quality rated for reference:
Old MBP/straight from iPhone: 5.5/10
New M1 Pro MBP: 7.5/10
M1 Pro MBP through Chord Mojo: 9/10

 

[nermal0]

and a built-in digital-to-analog converter

Oh wow! Just like every other laptop of the past 20 years

 

[Adamantoise]

I understand not everyone is an engineer; what I don't understand is getting excited about things you don't even understand.

High impedance =/= better sound. The two aren't necessarily related.

I mean, why is this even the default assumption?

 

[madoka]

I've got the Sennheiser HD800, HD700, HD650, and HD600 as well as the Beyerdynamic T1 and T5p.

Has anyone tried any of these on the new Macbooks yet?

 

[Serban55]

It’s good but the intel one has better highs and treble

int he world of audio you want the best balance and not the best bass or best highs etc
because otherwise some tracks/sounds will sound very weird

 

[hyperreal]

High impedance =/= better sound. The two aren't necessarily related.

I mean, why is this even the default assumption?

Because the hifi audio market is full of snake oil peddlers.

 

[Chancha]

I have had a bayerdynamic DT1990PRO for on the road monitoring purpose. In the past with any Mac I either need a AudioQuest DragonFly for amplifying, if not through an external audio interface and its jack there. Just tried plugging it directly to my base 14" and can report the volume is decent. Frequency response sounds flat (which is good, unlike the AirPods). Audio MIDI reports both the jack and internal speakers cap at 96kHz / 32bit float.

This makes life much easier, for semi-professional monitoring on the pinch.

 

[dieselmex]

I've seen some high impedance headphones such as Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pros ($160) and Sennheiser HD800s ($1400 !!!), but I'm not a professional audio editor...

How is the sound quality for average users for watching movies and stuff like that? is it drastically better?

If you're not an audio pro, stay with good headphones and forget about technicalities. I would recommend the SR series from Grado... stunning sound and detail for very little money. They crush basically anything you throw at them. And they last forever! I use the RS series to make records in the studio because they're light and open. If I want to get to extremely critical details in the highest highs or the lowest lows, I'll switch to our massive monitors. To watch a movie or listen to Spotify? Same thing!

 

[ivan86]

But I thought that pros are using wireless earphones... ?

*Dear Apple, just hook us up with USB-C on the iPhone Pro and bring back the 3,5 mm jack (or at least 2,5 mm).

 

[hyperreal]

int he world of audio you want the best balance and not the best bass or best highs etc
because otherwise some tracks/sounds will sound very weird

I think this is highly subjective and contextual. Neutrality and perfect balance are good for doing work. A slight bias and some character are nice if you're just blasting your favorite album in the living room.

 

[japanime]

If you're not an audio pro, stay with good headphones and forget about technicalities. I would recommend the SR series from Grado... stunning sound and detail for very little money. They crush basically anything you throw at them. And they last forever! I use the RS series to make records in the studio because they're light and open. If I want to get to extremely critical details in the highest highs or the lowest lows, I'll switch to our massive monitors. To watch a movie or listen to Spotify? Same thing!

Grados sound amazing and they are mostly affordable. However, the ear pads on their lower-cost models ear pads disintegrate in about a year, and if you don't replace them before they start to go bad, they literally crumble into bits and really mess up the circuitry.

 

[sinoka56]

Will Apple bring this "pro" features to the next iPad and iPhone pros?