A present I have a Mid 2010 Mac Pro and I use surround 5.1 sound optical-digital audio a lot.
I need a new 2020 Mac Pro or a 2020 iMac Pro but how can i get my surround 5.1 sound optical-digital audio into the new macs as I hear Apple have stupidly removed the input for optical-digital audio on new macs?
Mac Pros are my computer of choice... well the Mid 2010 Mac Pro was as its epic
Maybe I can help, KainsTorment.....
Yes, you are quite right. Apple have removed the input and the output for optical-digital audio from all Macs from about 2011 or later. You'd need something with a USB-A output or a usb-C output. maybe something from Focusrite,behringer, Zoom ??,,, RME... Unfortunately, things with a thunderbolt/usb-C interface are going to be much more expensive, then ones with a a USB interface. 'tis the nature of the beast, alas. If you wanted surround sound output, that might be a bit easier to achieve, but not by a lot. The 2019 Mac Pro is still very very new, so new that support for it at your local Apple store (closed due to ongoing difficulties.... is sparse, slim, hard to find) . As for the 2019-2020 iMac Pro, it offers USB-C (thunderbolt) and USB 3.0 ports, and that's it....
Oh, and apparently, you can put PCI-E cards in the new Mac Pro. RME does make such a card, others might, I dunno for sure..... and installing it is super easy. Even easier than the older Mac Pro, the "cheese grater" model, like the one I and you, and many others have. there are 4 free PCI-E slots in it. not gonna be cheap though whichever way you want to do......
well, good luck to you
john b
Maybe I can help, KainsTorment.....
Yes, you are quite right. Apple have removed the input and the output for optical-digital audio from all Macs from about 2011 or later. You'd need something with a USB-A output or a usb-C output. maybe something from Focusrite,behringer, Zoom ??,,, RME... Unfortunately, things with a thunderbolt/usb-C interface are going to be much more expensive, then ones with a a USB interface. 'tis the nature of the beast, alas. If you wanted surround sound output, that might be a bit easier to achieve, but not by a lot. The 2019 Mac Pro is still very very new, so new that support for it at your local Apple store (closed due to ongoing difficulties.... is sparse, slim, hard to find) . As for the 2019-2020 iMac Pro, it offers USB-C (thunderbolt) and USB 3.0 ports, and that's it....
Oh, and apparently, you can put PCI-E cards in the new Mac Pro. RME does make such a card, others might, I dunno for sure..... and installing it is super easy. Even easier than the older Mac Pro, the "cheese grater" model, like the one I and you, and many others have. there are 4 free PCI-E slots in it. not gonna be cheap though whichever way you want to do......
well, good luck to you
john b
Hmmm....good question, KainsTorment.
sweetwater sound has something internal , but it's $600 plus shipping (the RME Hammerfall). you may also be able to buy an external USB sound card, and using either the USB-A or USB-C sockets on your new Mac Pro (you lucky dog, you !!) get your surround optical-digital Toslink. Creative makes an external USB sound card that works with Mac, I think....the X3, which does have an optical out... and there's the Omni surround which works with Mac as well. should run you about $120 for the Creative.
The problem is not that there aren't any PCI-E cards for audio, there are, but that none of them, apart from the RME, support Mac OS X. It's all Windows stuff....
john b
Hi John its me again, I've just spoke you Apple and you're right I need a PCIe Card for my surround 5.1 sound optical-digital audio Toslink.
Do you know where I can buy one as I have no idea ha ha.
I'll be biying this Mac Pro 2019…
thanks John for your help I'll look in to it.
To be honest I love my Mid 2010 Mac Pro the "cheese grater" model and the only reason I'm looking for a new Mac is because my Mac OS cant upgrade past Mac OS 10.14.3.... Is that any way to get the new Mac OS 10.15 onto my mac?
I bought the EVGA NU Audio card to add music to my brand new 16 core Mac Pro but it did not come with a SATA to PCIe connector and since there are both 6 pin and 8 pin Molex connections available I am trying to figure out what connector to buy. The EVGA site has no hints, I put a note in Tech Support to EVGA and am awaiting a reply. Everything I read about the NU Audio card 'sounds' great, I just have not connected it yet. Any insights from you guys on what connector may be needed?
There is, we can't post the links here, & I hear many are quite disappointed in it's performance on our cheesegrators.
Well. just got back technical support from EVGA and this PCIe card will not work with new Mac Pro, looking for alternatives (external now), any sugestions?
It's possible and very easy. Runs great on mine.
What connector did you use? I chatted with EVGA Tech Support and they said it would not work, I sent the card back and ended up buying a Schiit Modi 3 external DAC that works great.
in the end a mate reminded me of Jigsaw :)
Mac Pro 2020 Surround 5.1 optical-digital audio
