Connecting to external speakers

[ShockerMan4x4]

I have a stock SR MBP ordered and will hopefully get here next week. This is my first experience owning the OSX platform.

I have a Logitech Z-5500 5.1 speaker system. I was wondering what the best way to plug my MBP to the speakers to get surround sound is. Apple sells this speaker system on the site, so there must be a way.

Currently, I have a Creative Audigy 2 Notebook card in my current laptop. This connects using a special cable that comes out of the card and has the 3 cables to plug directly into the speakers.

 

[ClemTiger0408]

So does no one know of a good way to do this?

 

[ale500]

I think that that model has optical input, IF it is the case, get a toslink cable to connect your MBP to the speakers. If it only has analog inputs... you are out of luck, for anything better than 2.1

 

[Santa Rosa]

Not sure about getting 5.1 out of the MBP, was reading a few posts about it and seems complicated although I could be totally wrong, open to corrections on that one.

A smart setup I have at my flat is to use an Airport Express with Airtunes, being able to play your tunes wirelessly is a nice touch, and that is also optical, not sure of the possibilities there.

Sorry not a great help but airtunes is pretty cool if your interested in that, wirelessly connecting up your system.

Hope you find a solution

 

[ClemTiger0408]

I think that that model has optical input, IF it is the case, get a toslink cable to connect your MBP to the speakers. If it only has analog inputs... you are out of luck, for anything better than 2.1

that speaker DOES have Optical input. So does this mean that the headphone jack on the MBP supports optical sound?

If so, is there a cable that does headphone jack to optical jack?

 

[Krevnik]

that speaker DOES have Optical input. So does this mean that the headphone jack on the MBP supports optical sound?

If so, is there a cable that does headphone jack to optical jack?

Yeah. Just look for a 'mini-TOSlink to TOSlink' cable. One end should look like a headphone connector, and the other will look like a normal optical cable. The headphone connector portion will have a small piece of fiber running to the tip, and so they aren't much more expensive than a normal optical cable.

You can also buy just the adaptor if you already have an optical cable. If you have a Best Buy, Fry's or CompUSA near you (in the US), they should carry at least something in the store. So will an Apple Store.