I am looking at a now Mac Pro, but can I connect my Logitech Z906 speaker system to it? My current 2012 Mac Pro connects via Optical port (which the new Mac Pro apparently does not have). Has anyone connected this system via some other means?
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MP 7,1 Connecting Logitech Z906 Sound System
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Not done this, but I might be in the same position in future. I'd probably go for a TB3 dock with SPDIF out- the CalDigit TS3+ does, and officially supports 5.1 output. Alternatively, an HDMI audio extractor...
Unless things have changed with more recent CalDigit TS3+ docks, no, they do not support 5.1. They send a stereo signal out over the optical port. BTW I have three CalDigits here, and each of them say 2 in/2 out.
https://www.caldigit.com/my-surround-speakers-connecting-to-the-optical-port-are-not-working/ says surround does work & mentions the Z906 specifically.....
Just checked my Mac Pro...Audio MIDI Setup does not show anything other than 2-channel. As I recall when I got my Creative Inspire 5700 speakers a couple of years back, stereo worked straight away, and I spent ages trying to get 5.1 output to work by setting up a surround layout in the thing. No dice. If, on the other hand, you just set the sound preferences to the 5.1 system (not forgetting to make sure iTunes or whatever you're playing the content in has the right settings too...), the decoder will pick up the encoded data no problem. I think- and this is just a guess- that Audio MIDI Setup's surround options are aimed at 'pseudo-surround setups' like this one, and for those Mac users who are mixing and encoding movie soundtracks, with uncompressed 5.1 and the hardware to handle it, rather than watching them months and years later....
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