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DAC not visible when using optical from Macbook Pro

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Fallsy:
Hi all,

I have a 2009 Macbook Pro running MC22 connected to my Musical Fidelity DAC.  When connected via usb the dac is visible under Audio Output.  When i connect via optical, the dac does not show up and my only Audio Device option is Built In Output (core).  It still plays, but appears limited to 44.1 rather than 96.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Fallsy

Awesome Donkey:
I don't see how a DAC could be "detected" this way through an optical connection. I mean, connecting through optical this way means it's going through the onboard audio device instead of the DAC itself (and thus the sample rate limit).

You'll probably have to connect the DAC to the MacBook through USB regardless. Then from the DAC (assuming it has the output for it) you can output optical to amp/speakers/etc.

Fallsy:
Thanks Awesome Donkey, i'm confused, I assumed optical output would be pure digital to my dac which would then decode.  When i plug a transport into the dac via optical, the dac decodes....can you please clarify for me why the difference?

Thanks heaps

fallsy

blgentry:
With a modern DAC, USB and Optical should sound pretty similar.  Some would argue that USB is superior to optical at this point.  Mostly because of the opto circuits being sort of weird to work with in the digital domain.

Have you *listened* to your setup with the DAC connected via USB?  I would expect it to sound as good as that DAC can sound.

Good luck.

Brian.

Fallsy:
Hi Brian,

Yep, use usb normally, but we are having a party coming up and using both optical (for Macbook) and usb (for iPhone) and frustrated optical doesn't seem to allow MC22 to be able to recognise the dac. To be honest, I can't hear any difference between either, its more A frustration, that i don't seem to be able to utilise full optical capabilities.

Chers

Fallsy

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