Hi first post here. I have one of the new iMacs and would like to be able to play the wave and flac files I have on it on my Cambridge CXA60 amp without a drop in quality. I find the BT100 dongle a waste of time so want to connect via Toslink cable. I started by trying to run anOptical Mini TOSLINK Cable from the headphone jack to one of my Amps digital inputs. Despite checking all the connections etc I couldn’t get the Amp to play any music. I’ve since learned that the headphone jack is no longer an optical out which I guess explains a lot! Is there another way of streaming Hi Res music (Wav, Flac etc.) from my Mac to Amp? Hope someone can help.
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Getting Hi Res Audio out of my 2019 Mac
- Thread starter Bostonteax
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Your mac’s dac goes up to 24bits96Khz and can give that quality via audio-out, but you need a player app able to play at that res. level.
If you want more resolution you’ll need an external dac, connected to usb.
I use this with my iMac: Audirvana+ player app, giving digital audio to Audioquest Dragonfly Red dac, usb plugged. I get analogue audio from dac through standard 3.5 audio jack, and goes to my amp, etc.
Dragonfly goes just to 24/96, but I like the sound. I have another two small dacs with higher res. ability, but I prefer the Dragonfly.
Basically, if you want more quality than iMac‘s dac (which is quite good), you should choose between a small dongle dac, or a desktop dac. In both categories, different devices are capable of different resolution levels. But resolution is not the only important performance data, as the sound signature, distortion, etc. are related to dac chip quality and implementation made by maker.
You can find a decent hi-res dongle for around 50€.
If you want more resolution you’ll need an external dac, connected to usb.
I use this with my iMac: Audirvana+ player app, giving digital audio to Audioquest Dragonfly Red dac, usb plugged. I get analogue audio from dac through standard 3.5 audio jack, and goes to my amp, etc.
Dragonfly goes just to 24/96, but I like the sound. I have another two small dacs with higher res. ability, but I prefer the Dragonfly.
Basically, if you want more quality than iMac‘s dac (which is quite good), you should choose between a small dongle dac, or a desktop dac. In both categories, different devices are capable of different resolution levels. But resolution is not the only important performance data, as the sound signature, distortion, etc. are related to dac chip quality and implementation made by maker.
You can find a decent hi-res dongle for around 50€.
Do you have optical (TOSLINK) IN to your amplifier?
If so, then you need a way to convert USB audio out to optical.
Something like this:
www.sweetwater.com
If so, then you need a way to convert USB audio out to optical.
Something like this:
Behringer U-Control UCA202 USB Audio Interface
16-bit/48kHz, 2-channel USB Audio Interface with Optical Out
www.sweetwater.com
