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Macbook+Hi-Fi
- Thread starter theMaccer
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I do this, and I THINK the cable you need is a 2 x RCA Audio Lead. I think. Basically it's an audio lead that has two male ends.
I beleive this cable would also work and deliver higher quality. http://www.xtrememac.com/audio/av_cables/toslink/
i think it's a bit overkill.
unless the HiFi uses optical digital it may not work.
just go with a standard 1/8" male stereo audio plug to two male RCA plugs. should be less than $5 at places like walmart, local stereo store, radio shack, etc.
this is the configuration you would probably need:
and you probably will not notice any difference whether you use standard or gold plated (5X the price)
and you probably will not notice any difference whether you use standard or gold plated (5X the price)
The HiFi has optical (toslink - the smaller kind) input and it DOES NOT use the male RCA. The Hi-Fi's input is the same kind of plug the iPod and MacBook use for output (and input for that matter).
The MacBook has optical output so for the highest quality, get the XtremeMac cable or a Radio Shack toslink cable.
Example:
Yeah, Lightwave is a good and fine thing. It's not going to pick up any RF and it'll stay true and pure, but what about the other end? What do you plug the cable into to convert that light back into electrical impulses making the signal usable again? I don't have anything in my gear, currently, with an optical input...
Then you'd be better upgrading your setup rather than buying an optical to phono converter - since phono is analogue, you'd not hear any difference at all between using your optical cable and not using it - if you want full performance from an optical cable, leave it in its digital format and use something that has a dedicated optical input.
Confusing responses...
You have two options for connecting your Macbook to an external receiver/amplifier.
1. Use a 1/8" to 2 RCA cable to connect your Macbook's headphone output to an input on your stereo system.
2. Use a Mini-TOSlink to TOSlink cable to connect the Macbooks's optical output (the same hole as the headphone output) to an Optical digital input on your stereo system.
Optical is a higher quality transmission. BUT, there is a question you need to ask yourself. How nice is your receiver?
If you have an older receiver that was considered very high quality say, 20 years ago, then I would NOT "upgrade" to a modern receiver with a digital input. If you have an old crappy receiver, then a nicer new one with digital inputs might be a nice upgrade if you wanted one.
However, I've got two main receivers. The first setup is an old Kenwood KA7100 receiver from the late 70s, and a Phase Linear 700-II amplifier from around the same time period, as well as some very nice old EAW speakers. Digital audio wasn't even invented when this stuff was made. However, it sounds incredible, and will beat ANY audio equipment you can purchase at Best Buy. You have to spend quite a lot, even today, to beat it on raw audio quality. If you have a nice old system like this, "upgrading" to a digital receiver would actually "downgrade" your total audio experience.
The second is a nice Pioneer modern HT receiver with optical inputs. I use this one for home theater. I do prefer to use the optical input when I'm plugging into it, since it makes sense to use the best input you have access to. But the Pioneer with optical doesn't sound better than the Kenwood/Phase Linear with analog input.
So anyway, thats probably more than you wanted to know, but you basically have two options, depending on the type of stereo you are connecting it to.
Peace,
Sam
You have two options for connecting your Macbook to an external receiver/amplifier.
1. Use a 1/8" to 2 RCA cable to connect your Macbook's headphone output to an input on your stereo system.
2. Use a Mini-TOSlink to TOSlink cable to connect the Macbooks's optical output (the same hole as the headphone output) to an Optical digital input on your stereo system.
Optical is a higher quality transmission. BUT, there is a question you need to ask yourself. How nice is your receiver?
If you have an older receiver that was considered very high quality say, 20 years ago, then I would NOT "upgrade" to a modern receiver with a digital input. If you have an old crappy receiver, then a nicer new one with digital inputs might be a nice upgrade if you wanted one.
However, I've got two main receivers. The first setup is an old Kenwood KA7100 receiver from the late 70s, and a Phase Linear 700-II amplifier from around the same time period, as well as some very nice old EAW speakers. Digital audio wasn't even invented when this stuff was made. However, it sounds incredible, and will beat ANY audio equipment you can purchase at Best Buy. You have to spend quite a lot, even today, to beat it on raw audio quality. If you have a nice old system like this, "upgrading" to a digital receiver would actually "downgrade" your total audio experience.
The second is a nice Pioneer modern HT receiver with optical inputs. I use this one for home theater. I do prefer to use the optical input when I'm plugging into it, since it makes sense to use the best input you have access to. But the Pioneer with optical doesn't sound better than the Kenwood/Phase Linear with analog input.
So anyway, thats probably more than you wanted to know, but you basically have two options, depending on the type of stereo you are connecting it to.
Peace,
Sam
Induldge me if you have a few minutes. Tell me exactly what brand/model of gear you're describing above. Also, for a bonus, if you've got the time, or anyone else for that matter, tell me how you could or IF you could take advantage of the digital out from the Mac in this environment: Currently I'm going out analog to the unbalanced quarter inch inputs (two channels) of a Mackie CR1604 16 channel mixer. The mixer then feeds singnal, balenced, in to two Mackie HR824 Studio Monitors. There isn't any advantage for me to go optical, is there?
I use an optical cable going from my MacBook Pro to my Surround System (consists of an amplifier, 5 speakers and a subwoofer).
Something like that - mine is slightly different.
Optical is digital and so is coaxial. Your mixer *might* have a coaxial input something like:
My battery is about to run out, so I'll post what I've said and finish it off later.
If you have a one of the high quality, but older receivers, you might be better off using the optical out from your computer into a professional D/A converter. I get noticeably better sound out of my system when I avoid the internal D/A converters in my Macbook Pro.
I go optical out from the laptop into a DAT recorder I had sitting around, then use the DAT to convert the digital signal to analog.
Then again, if all you're playing is AACs and MP3s, you're probably fine with the internal D/A. You'll only notice a difference when you're playing back lossless files.