[LagunaSol]

Does anyone have any information on the audio chip being used in the new Intel iMacs? For me, onboard audio has always been an achilles heel of the Mac platform, as PCs typically came with better sound off-the-shelf. Even onboard chips (Nvidia-chip motherboards, for example) in build-it-yourself PCs can be great, no sound card needed.

Macs way-back-when were able to brag about having onboard stereo sound standard, but PCs soon left them in the dust.

Is this still the case? I'm glad to see optical output on the new iMacs, but are these full-blown surround-sound-capable chips?

[rparke1]

wondering the same thing. having to buy a seperate sound card to run my 5.1 was annoying, PLUS it takes up a usb port.

[harrisjamieh]

System Profiler on my new intel imac shows:

Intel High Definition Audio:

Available Devices:
Line Out:
Connection: 1/8 inch Jack
Microphone:
Connection: Internal
Speaker:
Connection: Internal
Line In:
Connection: 1/8 inch Jack
S/P-DIF Out:
Connection: Optical


Dont know if thats any help

[LagunaSol]

Originally Posted by harrisjamieh

System Profiler on my new intel imac shows:

Intel High Definition Audio:

Available Devices:
Line Out:
Connection: 1/8 inch Jack
Microphone:
Connection: Internal
Speaker:
Connection: Internal
Line In:
Connection: 1/8 inch Jack
S/P-DIF Out:
Connection: Optical


Dont know if thats any help

That's definitely a start, thanks. The Intel website goes into some detail on this chip here:

http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/hdaudio.htm

But how do we know that Apple has implemented all its features?

I hope so...

[jaquarat]

*bump*

i'm really curious about this, especially if it supports 24 bit, 192khz

[goofticket]

If you want stellar audio, get the MIDI interface. You'll be able to manage any audio scenario you can think up.

[the_glassman]

I use full blown surround sound on my iMac G5 via the optical out, I don't see why it wouldn't work on the new iMacs.

[mduell]

Originally Posted by jaquarat

*bump*

i'm really curious about this, especially if it supports 24 bit, 192khz

One byte better:
Intel HD Audio hardware is capable of delivering the support and sound quality for up to eight channels at 192 kHz/32-bit quality...

[Rumz]

What software would you need to use to take advantage of that capability? Just the standard DVD software, by chance?

And is the iMac the lowest grade Mac to have optical out? (ie the Mac Mini currently does not have optical out, correct?)

[P]

Only the G5s and Core Duos have optical out, so no for the Mac mini.

[mjames]

Interesting info, thanks. I have a 20" iMac Core Duo and some Sennheiser HD-280 Pro headphones. I notice a hiss on the headphones when playing nothing and want to get rid of this. Do I need some kind of USB soundcard? I don't need surround sound as I only have 2.1 speakers.