[dmgraph]

I am moving up from my old G4 to a new Mac Pro. Have used an M-Audio card in the G4 a long time. I see that there's optical in and out on the Pros. I'm pretty sure I can hook up to my audio amp this way. How about input? I want to avoid a pricy USB or Firewire input box. My needs are simple, I have all the mic preamps and whatever, never need more than to get analog stereo in. Is there a simple solution to use the optical inputs? And, I'm not seeing any PCI Express audio cards offered for the Mac Pro--is that an obsolete solution? As always, I assume the analog inputs on any computer do not provide good A/D conversion--or is it a different world now?

[Todd Madson]

The SP/DIF in/outs produce good quality audio but I should ask what resolution you are recording at?

[dmgraph]

Originally Posted by Todd Madson 

The SP/DIF in/outs produce good quality audio but I should ask what resolution you are recording at?

I've always found 16 bit, 44.1 kHz sample rate to be sufficient.

I assume you're referring to the TOSLINK ports? I've found this cable, which I think I'll be using for output:

http://macaudiopro.digitalmedianet.c...e.jsp?id=47126

[Leonard]

The cable has the right ends (without the mini adapter) - that's the right type of cable. I use a similar Toslink cable to hook my speakers to my PowerMac G5 which has optical audio out.

[booboo]

Yes you can use the Mac's optical S/Pdif output to connect to your (presumably A/V Reciever) hi-fi.

But how could you make use of the optical in? Do you have an external A/D converter?

If you need analogue stereo in, use the Mac's analogue stereo in.

If you think the Mac's analogue input isn't good enough, then you'll need some other way of A/D conversion. These days FireWire and USB audio interfaces start vey inexpensively, a drop in the ocean compared with the price of a new Mac Pro. . . . consider the FireWire Behringer FCA202 at £79, the Presonus Inspire at around $199 or one of the many cheap M•Audio boxes (USB from around $89)

PCIe cards include those from Apogee, Digidesign, MOTU and forthcoming from RME. They're not obselete, they just occupy the more niche 'pro' end of the the Mac audio market.

EDIT: I see you consider 16-bit/44.1K sufficient, in which case I suggest the Mac's built in audio - which is capable of 24-bit/96K- will be more than adequate.

[dmgraph]

I guess I just balk at an input interface because I don't need mic preamps, etc.--heck, a cheap M-Audio I see even has guitar effects. I just want to get line level stereo in! With earlier Macs I needed a card to even do that. Back in the day, everyone claimed Mac audio inputs were to be scorned due to substandard A/D, so up to the G4 I always used other means. Does any audiophile source say that the Mac Pro's analog in is really sufficient for quality 16 bit, 44.1 kHz? I know some people will say that that isn't "quality", but I work for CD, and that's where it's all going, so...

Thanks guys...

[mduell]

Originally Posted by dmgraph 

I guess I just balk at an input interface because I don't need mic preamps, etc.--heck, a cheap M-Audio I see even has guitar effects. I just want to get line level stereo in! With earlier Macs I needed a card to even do that. Back in the day, everyone claimed Mac audio inputs were to be scorned due to substandard A/D, so up to the G4 I always used other means. Does any audiophile source say that the Mac Pro's analog in is really sufficient for quality 16 bit, 44.1 kHz? I know some people will say that that isn't "quality", but I work for CD, and that's where it's all going, so...

AFAIK The Mac Pro uses the Intel HD audio chipset, but I'm not sure which A/D they've paired it with. Two different options are benchmarked here.