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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > New Mac Pro 5.1/7.1 SS

New Mac Pro 5.1/7.1 SS
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cnlevo
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Join Date: Feb 2008
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Feb 3, 2008, 12:48 AM
 
I am ordering a Mac Pro (the 8 core system).

My problem is that I'm coming from windows and the main reason I am really wanting a mac (other then i HATE windows with the fierce and fury of the four horseman of the apocalypse) is for video and audio editing...as well as watching movies and all the other stuff i do on a computer (i'm a computer programming major and I spend about 5-6 personal hours on a computer, not to mention work and school hours).

Anyways, my real problem is that it doesn't support sound with the speakers I have. I have the 3 wires that plug into my sound card on my windows box. I spent a little over $300 on these speakers and really dont want to spend more.

Is there an adapter that will allow me to plug the wires into the adapter and then goto either USB or the other port (i am drawing a blank beause it's late and i just got done doing taxes).

Anyways, can someone help with this. I was going to purchase a new sound card, but PCI wont work...only PCI-E.
     
Leonard
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Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Feb 3, 2008, 01:38 AM
 
There are 2 products that you can use.

The Sonica Theatre:
M-AUDIO Sonica Theater Review
if you can still find one. M-Audio discontinued it.

The Griffin Firewave:
Griffin Technology: FireWave

You may want to search the forums for comments on them. I've heard a few negative comments on the Firewave.
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jamil5454
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Downtown Austin, TX
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Feb 3, 2008, 02:53 PM
 
This will do the trick very nicely. What you need is not another sound card, but a digital decoder that will take an optical or coaxial input and decode to the triple-connector analog output. I have one of these and it works great... comes with remote and everything. I don't need it anymore (bought a $500 home audio system) so I'll sell it to you for a bargain. Just send me a PM if you're interested.
     
Leonard
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Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Feb 5, 2008, 02:20 PM
 
In response to cnlevo on how to hook these up, you just hook your 3 jacks to the 3 analog out ports on the devices, then, for the:

1) Sonica, hooks to the computer via USB
2) Firewave, hooks to the computer via Firewire
3) Creative Decoder DTS-DDTS-100, hooks to the Mac Pro via optical digital out with a Toslink cable.

Thanks, jamil5454, for mentioning the Creative Decoder, I knew I had heard of something like that, but I couldn't find it.

I think the Creative decoder is the better option, if like Jamil5454 says it works with the Mac Pro (don't see why not), since the Sonica Theatre has been discontinued. You can find the Sonica at some retailers sometimes, but M-Audio stop making them.
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