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More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 22 for Mac => Topic started by: Fallsy on August 17, 2017, 04:13:19 am

Title: DAC not visible when using optical from Macbook Pro
Post by: Fallsy on August 17, 2017, 04:13:19 am

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

Title: Re: DAC not visible when using optical from Macbook Pro
Post by: Awesome Donkey on August 17, 2017, 04:29:25 am

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.

Title: Re: DAC not visible when using optical from Macbook Pro
Post by: Fallsy on August 17, 2017, 04:38:28 am

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

Title: Re: DAC not visible when using optical from Macbook Pro
Post by: blgentry on August 17, 2017, 06:42:04 am

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.

Title: Re: DAC not visible when using optical from Macbook Pro
Post by: Fallsy on August 17, 2017, 08:42:37 am

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

Title: Re: DAC not visible when using optical from Macbook Pro
Post by: Awesome Donkey on August 17, 2017, 08:56:38 am

Optical is just an output for the onboard audio (aka Built-In Output). When you plug it into the MacBook to the DAC via optical it means it's using the onboard audio to output the sound to the DAC, hence why it's likely limited to 44.1 kHz - doing it that way kinda defeats the purpose of having the DAC in the first place. Hence why it's better to bypass the onboard audio completely by connecting the DAC to the MacBook via USB (and selecting the DAC itself as the output in MC). Then use the DAC's output (whether it be red/white RCA connectors, XLR, optical, coaxial, etc.) to an speakers/amp/etc.

It's impossible to display the DAC if it's not connected to the MacBook via USB. If it's connected to the MacBook via the onboard audio/optical, you'll only see the onboard audio as the output.