MBAir 13" 2015 audio out - no toslink?

[Giuanniello]

Just wondering if my 2014-2015 (don't remember when did I get it but it's not the last bunch) audio out features only analog exit or the combo with optical/toslink one.

I tried to hook my freshly bought DAC through the optical cable and an adapter to fit into the audio out jack but the DAC was not featured among the audio devices and as such had to hook it through USB.

Any hint?

Grazie and buon Natale

 

[saulinpa]

I thought optical S/PDIF / TOSLINK was only on desktops? And even that was dropped with the latest mini.

 

[chabig]

I don’t think you have optical audio out.

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP714

 

[posguy99]

The Air does not have optical out.

 

[DeltaMac]

I think your only choice is to use what works: USB.
(Maybe something to adapt to the Thunderbolt connector? I don't know...)
The MBAir, as far as I know, has never had combined digital/analog audio out on any model.

 

[Giuanniello]

Yep, I found out the Air got no combo audio out, Minis do but the old 2006 one I wanted to delegate to audio server only runs iTunes (whose sound quality is meh even tho I converted FLACs into AACs) and the spinning fan noise bothers me, I will arrange a Raspberry Pi as a music transport and leave all the music either on the NAS or on a big USB flash drive.

Grazie and enjoy your xmas holidays

 

[posguy99]

(whose sound quality is meh even tho I converted FLACs into AACs)

I've got to speak to this. You converted a lossless format to a lossy format and expected quality to *improve*?

 

[Giuanniello]

I've got to speak to this. You converted a lossless format to a lossy format and expected quality to *improve*?

Nope, I converted do ALAC which is a lossless, it's iTunes that is good as a juke box but not to play music