Could someone explain the difference betweent the apple pro speakers?

[Maxwell Smart]

Hi, I want to buy a pair of apple pro speakers for a second set up of mine because I really like the look. I would be using them with a powerbook G4. Now, I know they came in a minijack version that only works in certain G4s, but my question is that I recently have come across ones with a USB connector:

Would this work with any USB based mac? or is it limited to the cube etc. Thanks for the help.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Would this work with any USB based mac? or is it limited to the cube etc. Thanks for the help.

They will work with any USB Mac, but they won't produce quite as much volume as they would on a Cube.

The other version of these speakers, which came with the G4 iMac, are really only superficially similar. The jack on those speakers isn't standard. AFAIK, they can't be used on any other Mac.

 

[Maxwell Smart]

See, with posts like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140066161626

It's just hard to believe that people would limit their buyers market unless they really didn't know what they were talking about.

 

[ITASOR]

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58676/

The Apple USB (Universal Serial Bus) Speakers included with the Power Mac G4 Cube computer require more power to operate than is provided by a typical USB port.

I think IJ Reilly is correct, they will just be under powered.

 

[Maxwell Smart]

Awesome, now I can pick up a pair, thanks guys

 

[skunk]

The other version of these speakers, which came with the G4 iMac, are really only superficially similar. The jack on those speakers isn't standard. AFAIK, they can't be used on any other Mac.

They can if you bypass the chip which forms a yoke on the leads. It's a 2.5mm jack, for which you can get a £2 2.5-3.5mm adaptor. I've got a spare, if anyone's interested...

 

[Maxwell Smart]

But then I believe you need power, which is one of the reasons why Griffin's iFire is so expensive..haha

 

[IJ Reilly]

I think IJ Reilly is correct, they will just be under powered.

I think IJ Reilly is correct too, since he owns a pair of these speakers and has plugged them into another Mac on several occasions.

They can if you bypass the chip which forms a yoke on the leads. It's a 2.5mm jack, for which you can get a £2 2.5-3.5mm adaptor. I've got a spare, if anyone's interested...

Now, that's interesting. You've tried this?

 

[skunk]

Now, that's interesting. You've tried this?

I never got quite that far, but I read up on it extensively in preparation.

 

[Joony]

Sounds just like a iFire, except USB and digital audio...Wonder if the chips inside them are the same.

 

[skunk]

I've checked again: the modification requires removing the little junction with the apple on it and replacing the wiring with a *normal* stereo Y connector. The Apple junction actually contains a chip that acts as a gateway. If the expected signal is not received by the gateway chip, the audio signal is not allowed to pass through to the speakers.