Wich DAC is in the T2 Macbooks?

[Xardas220]

Hi,

I'm an audiophile music listener and I realy want to know wich DAC/DACs Apple is using in their T2 machines. Because the T2 chip now handles all kind of sound and music. So is there any knowledge about it? I mean the 3,5mm output of course.
I am owning a 2016 MacBook Pro and the DAC and amplifiers are pretty good (with my DT 770 from Beyerdynamic). Not as good as my extern but for the holidays it's totally fine. Has anyone done a test or a comparison between T2 and before-T2 machines in terms of sound quality of the 3,5 mm output? I cannot find any in the internet.

Thanks!

Xardas

 

[Eee1111]

I don’t have an answer as to what is in it but tonight will be the first time I will use the usb-c to feed the dac and amp combo I have and to listen to my planar headphones.

I can at least let you know the comparison between the 2016 mbp and the new 16 inch mbp

 

[Xardas220]

I don’t have an answer as to what is in it but tonight will be the first time I will use the usb-c to feed the dac and amp combo I have and to listen to my planar headphones.

I can at least let you know the comparison between the 2016 mbp and the new 16 inch mbp

That would be awesome. This would make the decision easier to switch to the new 16 inch or not. 😁 But the 3,5 mm output, right? Because with the USB-C dac-amp combo the internal dac-amps aren't used.

 

[alphaod]

Always use an external DAC and a headphone amp.

Especially for a high resistance headphone like the DT770.

 

[Xardas220]

Always use an external DAC and a headphone amp.

Especially for a high resistance headphone like the DT770.

I know that, thanks. The internal is only used when I am not at home. It's an question of interest if the DAC-AMP config differs between T2 and non-T2. And if it's an argument to switch to the newer 16 inch one.

 

[Apple-is-Cool]

The 2019 Touch Bar MBP's use the Cirrus Logic CS42L83A - https://www.cirrus.com/products/cs42l42/

Not sure about the new 16" MBP

 

[Xardas220]

The 2019 Touch Bar MBP's use the Cirrus Logic CS42L83A - https://www.cirrus.com/products/cs42l42/

Not sure about the new 16" MBP

How do you know? Any source?

 

[Apple-is-Cool]

How do you know? Any source?

Step 4 - https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Touch+Bar+2019+Teardown/123653

 

[turbineseaplane]

It sounds like it's a DACrackle & Pop model

 

[alphaod]

I use IEMs and have always found the built-in DAC too noisy.

I believe Apple has been using Cirrus Logic for a while now.

 

[Xardas220]

Step 4 - https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Touch+Bar+2019+Teardown/123653

Thanks! Okay, then the 16 inch will be same I think. But in the teardown of it there's no Cirrus Logic mentioned even though the chip is there.

There's a comparison of the two logic boards. 16" is left, 15" 2019 is right. Mhhh... The chip is there but not mentioned.

 

[Xardas220]

I can at least let you know the comparison between the 2016 mbp and the new 16 inch mbp

Did you try it out? How‘s the sound in comparison?

 

[Eee1111]

Did you try it out? How‘s the sound in comparison?

I can't help you with the 3,5mm performance question.
I just don't have anything to test it with. Im using external dac/amp. XLR is the connections I have.

usb to usb is the same.....but you were not asking for that info.

 

[Fravin]

This will be simple to discover if you are running Windows from bootcamp.

Try to find someone running Windows in MBP 16".

You can find the driver that are been used by audio.

 

[rothn]

If anyone still cares, I just tested this on a 2017 15-inch MBP (last model pre-T2) and a 2019 15-inch MBP (has a T2) on a AKG K701 reference set. The 2017 definitely drives the headphones harder and the 2019 is clearly underpowered. The phase separation sounds the same at high and low frequencies to my untrained ear.