DAC / Imac Question

[kumachan]

Minijack headphone or mini-toslink optical only from the iMac headphone out.

So if you're thinking going optical from there to the Rega you'll either need a mini-toslink adaptor, or an optical cable with mini on one end and and standard toslink connector on the other end.

 

[Strictly Stereo]

The headphone output doubles as optical S/PDIF. You can use one of these...

http://www.chord.co.uk/product/chord-optichord-minijack-to-toslink-digital-optical-interconnect/

Maplin's also have some cheaper alternatives. USB is a better bet than either of these though. The iMac doesn't have a digital coax output.

 

[ItemAudio]

From my experience with the Rega - and I'm often stereotyped as a big fan of Ü$8 - I'd actually steer you away from the interface that dare not speak its name here.

I've found that a good SPDIF converter is the only way to unlock its full potential. Its best-sounding input is coaxial SPDIF, and it's the only one to accept 24/192.

The cheapest route is definitely optical from the Mac with the cable you initially referenced, but if you want to take a step up sonically, try a few SPDIF converters on a home loan and see which - if any - justify the additional cost. Everyone will have an opinion on this, but the only way to be sure is to try before you buy.

 

[raysablade]

My rDAC plays very happily with my iMac.

The sight of a; daft, lower case, leading letter at the other end of the cable keeps the bits; smiling, relaxed and jitter free.

 

[garyi]

I got a couple of these which are good for the money.

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=370897399377

 

[ItemAudio]

Can you point me to a Coaxial SPDIF that will work with Imac to DAC ?

Sorry for not picking up on this earlier, but it's important that you don't pay attention to any of the above replies . . .

The Mac does not have a coaxial SPDIF output, and there is no single cable suitable for that purpose - other than a ü$d or the optical SPDIF to which you linked at the top of the thread.

If you use an SPDIF converter, then you would use such a cable from the converter into the DAC. Performance of converters and cables vary, but good ones need not be expensive.

 

[mudlark]

There's little wrong with the you ess bee input on the Rega.

 

[ItemAudio]

Try them all - let us know how you get on . . .

 

[garysan]

There's a heated debate about whether or not all USB cables sound the same. One thing's for sure - all cable debates are the same.

Sounds like a quote Morpheus would have made in the Matrix films….