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No Optical audio out on the new MBPs headphone jacks

Arthur75

Arthur75

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 9, 2015
465
301
paris, france
So there is no Optical audio out on the new MBPs headphone jacks :

http://www.macg.co/mac/2016/11/plus-de-sortie-audio-optique-sur-les-nouveaux-macbook-pro-maj-96174

Quite strange, as I explicitly asked the question on the Apple store chat before ordering a 13" TB, and the answer was that it was there, I even asked for another confirmation as it was not mentioned in the specs, and the answer was "yes I had it confirmed and it is there".

A bit pissed, as I use my current MBP 70% of the time closed and hooked up to my audio amp, will have to use somekind of USB card with optical audio out I guess ..
 
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Scary Spice said:
AKA a dongle!!!!
Click to expand...

Yes :) , below one :

315lrO%2BP1CL.jpg


Coupled to an additional USB C to USB A dongle should work ..
 
I could also use HDMI I guess, but possible to send just the sound over HDMI ?
(I'm no expert in these stuff, but need to use my MBP hooke up to a desktop display, that will be over USB C, and to my audio video amp for the sound, over HDMI will work ?)

And by the way didn't know about this Rube Goldberg thing, thanks for the pointer !
 
Last edited:
Arthur75 said:
So there is no Optical audio out on the new MBPs headphone jacks :

http://www.macg.co/mac/2016/11/plus-de-sortie-audio-optique-sur-les-nouveaux-macbook-pro-maj-96174

Quite strange, as I explicitly asked the question on the Apple store chat before ordering a 13" TB, and the answer was that it was there, I even asked for another confirmation as it was not mentioned in the specs, and the answer was "yes I had it confirmed and it is there".

A bit pissed, as I use my current MBP 70% of the time closed and hooked up to my audio amp, will have to use somekind of USB card with optical audio out I guess ..
Click to expand...


I have been using a S/PDIF optical connection to an external Filo DAC/Amp for music; I know I could use a USB port (MBP 13" Retina), but I like to keep those free.

However on the latest MBPs can (does?) Apple's implementation of the USB-3 port actually do digital audio out?
 
Confirming again the "pro" in Macbook Pro has about as much meaning as products sold on late night TV or at Big Lots with "bought at auction" defunct brand names on them. "Pro" means nothing if pro's can't use it. My associates in the audio world are beside themselves over this one. This is something that literally saved pennies in the build of a machine that costs north of 2 grand.
Pro Tip: True professionals both require (and are often the last people to use) legacy functions and protocols as well as being the first to adopt new ones.
 
Arthur75 said:
So there is no Optical audio out on the new MBPs headphone jacks :

http://www.macg.co/mac/2016/11/plus-de-sortie-audio-optique-sur-les-nouveaux-macbook-pro-maj-96174

Quite strange, as I explicitly asked the question on the Apple store chat before ordering a 13" TB, and the answer was that it was there, I even asked for another confirmation as it was not mentioned in the specs, and the answer was "yes I had it confirmed and it is there".

A bit pissed, as I use my current MBP 70% of the time closed and hooked up to my audio amp, will have to use somekind of USB card with optical audio out I guess ..
Click to expand...
Sucks big time!
 
I always thought optical was redundant, with USB. I'm not sure the details, but digital is digital. USB-C is digital, same as optical, or USB whatever.
 
Macalway said:
I always thought optical was redundant, with USB. I'm not sure the details, but digital is digital. USB-C is digital, same as optical, or USB whatever.
Click to expand...

It's really just a case of supporting older gear. And some newer gear. Most stuff has HDMI now or some other format, but some really high end audio gear even now still support optical audio. As you say, digital is digital; and Optical can do a lot! (I know folks still using FireWire audio gear! As in FireWire 400!)

Unlike computers, smartphones, and a lot of other "stuff", high end audio doesn't necessarily need updating all the time. Unless there's a specific feature you need, a 7 or 8 year old audio setup that lacks HDMI but has optical audio might be perfectly fine. And I don't mean in the "You can still use a word processor on a G4 PowerBook" sense, I mean in a "You can still run a professional studio with that audio equipment because it's still excellent" sense.

With optical audio in the headphone jack, you can just plug those devices straight in. Users with that gear will now need a USB-C to Optical connector of some sort. Another dongle.
 
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I can't believe we need to double dongle to get this. W T F !

If there are no other options things are getting rediculous. Btw they removed it from the apple tv 4 too, but thats not labelled as "Pro"
 
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