Tech Specs state, "support for audio line out"; meaning no optical out on the new Retina? As in some sort of adapter may come out for it? This is a rather huge selling point for me, between new Retina and going hi-res antiglare 15" with optical out.
Thanks!!
MacBook Pro
Is there actually no digital out? I saw that and I don't want to believe it because that makes a huge difference.
Just one word: Thunderbolt
I just spoke to one of the online chat technicians and they informed me that the new MBP w/ retina display does support digital audio in/out.
The technical specs also going super-slim ... no optical drive.
Seems you have a choice: Pretty picture and flash-based and thinner or optical drive and more audio options.
Also the retina unit is 1 lb lighter than the non-retina unit, and has quad-core i7 ... the long-awaited quad-core MacbookAir.
New options.
It could be that they are referring to HDMI as digital out, HDMI carries audio and video.
Now this is interesting. I just had the following reply from Apple's support chat:
Just another minute.
We don't offer an optical port,
because today's technology would do that wirelessly.
No need to downgrade the sound with cables.
I have however found a future solution for me as I just discovered the AirPort Express base station offers the good 'ol audio minijack with both analog/optical outputs. From what friends have told me in the past, the support staff receives their detailed information on new products day of release, so perhaps there is still some confusion on their end over whether or not the headphone minijack is both analog/digital. Looks like i'll just have to purchase the Retina and report back 😉
Yes I believe that the person I was chating with thought I was simply asking about any digital out rather than specifically toslink connection and in that case they could consider HDMI as counting.
I asked again and this person told me that there is definitely no toslink connection on the new macbook pro with retina. I hope its not true...
Depending on your needs there are breakout cables and boxes available for HDMI that will expose a to slink port to you. They just aren't as nice and tiny as the adaptor that goes into the old headphone port. If you are using this with a dac to play music then it's probably fine, just add the breakout box to the rack of audio gear and run an HDMI Cale instead of the optical. Search HDMIto Toslink and you will rid plenty of options.
Came across this link today:
http://www.tuaw.com/2012/06/14/attention-world-the-macbook-pro-with-retina-displ ay-does-have-o/
Good news!
THANK YOU!! Coudn't wait to receive my Pro Retina either way, but i'm all the more excited for it!
For the extremely official record:
MacBook Pro (Retina, Late 2013): Using 192 kHz sample rate digital audio
New MBP Retina Audio out
