drhoderick

Q: How to get the Mac Mini Digital Audio output at 192kHz?

I have a mid 2011 Mac Mini (and love it). According to http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4806, "The headphone / line output port accommodates digital optical audio output, analog audio output with a 24-bit, 44.1-192 kHz D/A converter, digital audio output up to 24-bit stereo and 44.1-192 kHz sampling rate and supporting encoded digital audio output (AC3 and DTS)."

 

So there is digital audio output to 192 kHz but how do you configure it to work? Using the Audio Midi Setup Utility, I can set the sample rate to 96000 Hz -- but it won't go higher to 192kHz. Anyone know how to do this?

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.7.2), Outputting to an external DAC that

Posted on Dec 13, 2011 7:23 PM

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Q: How to get the Mac Mini Digital Audio output at 192kHz?

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  • by woodmeister50,Solvedanswer

    woodmeister50 woodmeister50 Dec 14, 2011 3:24 AM in response to drhoderick
    Level 5 (5,510 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 14, 2011 3:24 AM in response to drhoderick

    That is in some ways confusing.  For the analog output, the

    internal DAC can support 24 bit/192Khz audio data.  It does

    require an application that has the capability of playing back

    such material.

     

    The TOSLINK optical standard does not support this data rate.

    It has nothing to do with the Mini, it is the standard itself.  The

    TOSLINK optical spec is 96 kHz, 24 bit stereo (uncompressed).

     

    The mini will however support multichannel, 24 bit, 192 kHz

    (uncompressed) via the HDMI interface.  Also, again,

    the playback software needs to support it.

     

    Just as a final note, unless the source material has the

    higher sample rate format, there is no benifit to outputing

    at the higher sample rate, especially if the source some

    lossy comporessed format (mp3, aac, Dollby and DTS

    non-HD formats).

  • by drhoderick,

    drhoderick drhoderick Dec 15, 2011 7:12 PM in response to woodmeister50
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 15, 2011 7:12 PM in response to woodmeister50

    Thanks very much, woodmeister50.

     

    FYI I am looking to buy, convert (using XLD) and play Linn 192KHz FLAC STUDIO MASTERS, Gimell Stereo Studio Master Downloads at 176.4kHz and 192kHz, and also some DVD-Audios that are at 192 KHZ/24-bit.

     

    How would one listen to these formats on a Mac Mini? Specifically what additional hardware, connectors, hardware converters, software conversions (FLAC to ALAC?) and playback software would be required?

     

    Many thanks in advance

  • by woodmeister50,

    woodmeister50 woodmeister50 Dec 16, 2011 4:26 AM in response to drhoderick
    Level 5 (5,510 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 16, 2011 4:26 AM in response to drhoderick

    Here's a good place to start:

     

    http://www.computeraudiophile.com/

     

    For the most part, the only limitation is your wallet.

  • by forkings,

    forkings forkings Apr 26, 2016 10:30 AM in response to woodmeister50
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apr 26, 2016 10:30 AM in response to woodmeister50

    According to Apple (see Play high sample rate digital audio on Mac computers - Apple Support ) it is possible to output 192 kHz audio data via the Toslink output of some Macs. Is this claim wrong?