Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Does Mini support optical and USB (to DAC) output simultaneously?
- Thread starter BeatCrazy
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Title asks the main question
I currently run optical out of my 2011 base mini to a pair of powered speakers. I'd like to run USB to a headphone DAC. Will the mini allow both to be active simultaneously?
i don think so. if you go in the sound pref's you can't select multiple outputs. That being said however, there may be a osx hack.
If all else fails you can do a bluetooth speaker set and then use the DAC output and the set in some apps like iTunes.
or if you don't want to spend the $$$$ on BT seekers you can buy a Airport express Base Station which will allow you to stream iTunes to it and have a mini jack connect to a speaker set. (i have that in my home for sound streaming to multiple floors and it seems to work well in terms of the sound synchronization between the AEBS connected speaker and the analog ones.
Good luck
Thanks for the input.
I already use a pair of Audyssey Lower East Side media speakers, and I use the optical output of the mini into them. I have a USB DAC that I want to use to power some headphones when I want to do some more seriously listening while at the computer.
So, I really don't want to drop any more $$, just trying to find the best way to incorporate the pieces I already have.
I already use a pair of Audyssey Lower East Side media speakers, and I use the optical output of the mini into them. I have a USB DAC that I want to use to power some headphones when I want to do some more seriously listening while at the computer.
So, I really don't want to drop any more $$, just trying to find the best way to incorporate the pieces I already have.
I did some testing today using an OPPO BDP-105 as a USB DAC to my mini. There is definitely no good/easy way to have both optical and USB->DAC audio simultaneously
i didn't think so
sorry mate, you may be able to do some creative coding into osx to be able to get it to work but that won't be easy if you are not familiar
but the other option that i suggested is not too bad... you can get a refurbished Airport express base station for 70 or so
OS X is pretty good with audio routing. You can use the built-in Audio Midi Setup utility to create a multi-output device, and you can add Soundflower for added flexibility.
Detailed instructions can be found here. Hope this helps!
Detailed instructions can be found here. Hope this helps!
Very interesting! Thanks for the suggestion and link, I will give it a shot in the upcoming days.
Don't know how important it would be for you, but I highly doubt that both outputs would be in sync, especially if one was going through a USB DAC.
Would not matter. Optical output would be connected to speakers, USB to DAC. Wouldn't listen to both at the same time.