Has anyone experimented with the optical out from the new MacBook Pro to a MX or MDA?

http://images.apple.com/macbookpro/images/specs_15display20080226.jpg

Simply fantastic!

You are still better off going RCA, which means outboard sound card...

Why a MacBook?

You are still better off going RCA, which means outboard sound card...

Why a MacBook?

Could you elaborate on that statement? My experience has been that there is lots of nasty stuff that can happen when hooking up a computer component
via analog jacks/RCAs as opposed to Toslink or Spdif. I've personally experienced electric shock from the _input_ of a receiver (hooked up via analog jacks)

There is also the risk of EMI & static electricity, various ground problems et al.

I personally would not risk subjecting an expensive component to this.

MB Pro is mobile and quite.

I don't know what sound card Apple used in MB Pro, but I am sure that McIntosh should do a better good at processing the digital signal. I don't understand the benefits of going mini R/L analog as oppose to optical. Perhaps USB to MX or MDA may be better, but McIntosh doesn't make anything with a USB in, to date.

MB Pro is mobile and quite.

I don't know what sound card Apple used in MB Pro, but I am sure that McIntosh should do a better good at processing the digital signal. I don't understand the benefits of going mini R/L analog as oppose to optical. Perhaps USB to MX or MDA may be better, but McIntosh doesn't make anything with a USB in, to date.

I agree. Especially if there is an MDA in the equation... it makes no sense to send it an analog signal. Stick with optical out of the MacBook Pro.

If you don't already own your MacBook Pro, consider waiting a few weeks if you can... they are due for a major overhaul in August.

I agree. Especially if there is an MDA in the equation... it makes no sense to send it an analog signal. Stick with optical out of the MacBook Pro.

If you don't already own your MacBook Pro, consider waiting a few weeks if you can... they are due for a major overhaul in August.

Hum... current iteration of MacBook Pros were released in Feb /08. Apple does seem to revise every 6 months. So who knows. My money would be on a MacBook touch. At any rate I think you are best of using the digital out from your MBP into the MDA1000

I ordered a MacBook Pro (2.4Ghz Core2) yesterday. I read that a MacTablet is on the way not a MacBook Pro. Any have more info?

I should have clarified: RCA/SPDIF... Not analog... Duh!!!! Especially into an MDA1K. Never been a fan of optical/toslink.

Just got a little Dell XPSM1330 going to a HagUSB to RCA dig out to the MDA5000 in the car... Pics + review to follow in a week or so (Vegas trip getting in the way, but I'll still make it happen!). I should also re-clarify: I dislike M$ (especially with ME revision 2, aka Vista), and the typical cheapo Dell equip, but I put some effort into putting together a fairly stellar mobile media server (2.6ghz C2Duo, 4gb ram, 320gb 7200rpm drive - all @ 4lbs w/ 9-cell battery, HagUSB for the car, and Sennheiser PXC450's when traveling), but I dislike the monkey-paw single mouse button and general slouchyness of OSX, until you put me into the command line - when my *nix roots come to life. :D

I still need an MDA1K for the home setup, but the little Denon AVR has AL24 processing and can handle a 96khz upconverted input digitally, so its quite nice, especially with the Audessey EQ.

It's all just rumors, but you never know. Apple might come out with a redesigned MacBook Pro. If you are not in a hurry, I also suggest waiting for a month or 2.

Btw, MacBook Pro doesn't have a standard toslink port does it? I believe you have to buy a mini-toslink to toslink adapter in order to connect to the MDA.

I should have clarified: RCA/SPDIF... Not analog... Duh!!!! Especially into an MDA1K. Never been a fan of optical/toslink.
They sound very close but I actually think the optical cable sounds better from my MS750 to MDA1000. This is as long as you are using a "glass" optical cable, I'm using the Audioquest Optilink 5. With the Optilink 5 cable I hear just a tiny bit more detail.

Many have said that they like to see USB inputs on future MX or MDA. Is USB better at transferring digital signal than Toslink (standard on most high-end laptops).

This is what I will need to MDA or MX. Does Audioquest or Monster make a better version?

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31RZ7KZH93L._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Van den Hul Opticoupler is the best from what I've heard, as it has a mini-toslink built in and is glass. Although a jitter reduction device may be a better solution to convert to RCA (such as Empirical Audio or Monarch DIP).:yes: Have fun with the Macbook Pro. My macbook is an essential part of my system now.

The only Monster that I know of that goes from Mini to Regular TOS is the ILS100 series... No doubt it works, but if you are a cable fanatic you'd probably want to look elsewhere.

I agree, digital coax sounds better in my rig than optical. Otherwise I use a windows based music server and don't have anymore input.

I have a closet full of DAC's and various interfaces - USB, Firewire, I2s, digital coax, wireless, etc.

I have ended up using optical cable from my Mac Pro to MDA1000. It sounds incredible.

You will love using the MacBook into the MDA1000!!

Well, I canceled my MacBook order. Thank god it hasn't shipped yet. I did find more info on the new MacBook Pro due in a few weeks. Better, faster, and for less money!

How about the Macbook Air? I can't see any sort of digital output on mine. :no:

The monster is not bad.

There will probably not be another apple announcement until MacWorld in Jan, right after CES. They tend to do their major product announcements at their WWDC (world wide developer conference) in summer and MacWorld at the beginning of the year.

I've been hearing it's going to be a larger mac book air....

The monster is not bad.

There will probably not be another apple announcement until MacWorld in Jan, right after CES. They tend to do their major product announcements at their WWDC (world wide developer conference) in summer and MacWorld at the beginning of the year.

I've been hearing it's going to be a larger mac book air....

Looking at Apple's 05' 06' & history, Oct. was when they upgraded the MacBook. I hope they will keep the optical out.

Will it be dedicated to the system or will you use it as a computer? If its dedicated, there is no reason to go Macbook Pro. You could just get a Macbook, upgrade the RAM to 4gig and put an SSD hard drive in. There is also a place that will make your mac a touchscreen, which could be really sexy. Imagine an Imac with a touchscreen running coverflow on itunes.

As far as I know a pre-made mini-Toslink to Toslink glass fiber cable does not exist. I looked long and hard. The VandenHul one, last I checked, was not glass fiber, but did have the mini-to-Toslink pre-made.

All the others come with a little snap-on adapter.

The glass fiber toslink that came highly recommended and that I ended up getting was from Stuart Cobb via Audiogon. $35.

Hi Cornfeded,

Not sure whether you are still looking at this, but I am curious whether you have tried this and have noticed a difference; firewire into AES/EBU into MDA1000.

On another thread I mentioned the following:

Lately I have been experimenting with Firewire to AES/EBU from the Mac Mini with tasty results. On paper and when reading the various articles this seems to be the connection with the least jitter and optimal connection unless you have a PCIe slot and can use e.g. a Lynx AES16 card.

There was an Absolute Sound magazine article lately that was quite negative about Toslink and USB for DAC connection usage. He still liked Coax the best and wrote that there are no firewire DACs. The author of that article is mistaken, but you have to look at the Pro-Audio world for firewire DACs.

Lynx Audio has an Aurora that allows you to connect to your Mac Mini using firewire. It has a good DAC in its own right, but you can also connect via AES/EBU to another DAC such as the MDA1000.

The Aurora is a bit of overkill for a Firewire to AES converter. There are other options I have read about but not listened to such as M-Audio, Focusrite, www.bluecircle.com that are a little cheaper.

Cheers!