Mac audio jack to 5.1 Creative speakers

Question

Level 1

8 points

Mac audio jack to 5.1 Creative speakers

Good day every one,

I'm going to make a transition from PC to Mac soon, but now I have my Creative 5.1 sound speaker system (with 3 lines of output, 1 for rears, front+center and the sub-woofer). The iMac only comes with a single optical audio output (Realtek HD?), I wonder if there is any hub-like device or so that allows me to fuse/connect physically the 3 lines in my 5.1 Creative system so that I will have a single line to transmit sound from my iMac to my set of speakers without compromising the 5.1 environment (6 speakers in full working working potential).

iMac 20in Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Nov 25, 2006 10:34 AM

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Answer 1

Dah•veed

Level 9

66,565 points

Nov 25, 2006 4:23 PM in response to Tadat

It is my understanding that that isn't the purpose of the Firewave. It assists you in getting the 5.1 digital, surround signal from your Mac, by way of the Firewire port, to your 3-wire, analog, surround sound speaker system at a line-out volume level. It doesn't process any enhancement to the sound. Any sound enhancement would happen at the app providing audio and/or your speaker system.

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Answer 2

GautamK

Level 1

0 points

Nov 26, 2006 5:58 PM in response to Reine Alwin1

since the imac has spdif, use that to connect to a decoder. i m using creative ddts 100.
connect your speakers to the decoder and u have your thing up and running.

hope that helps

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Answer 3

Dah•veed

Level 9

66,565 points

Nov 25, 2006 11:13 AM in response to Tadat

Just what the doctor ordered;
The Griffin Firewave.

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Answer 4

Nov 25, 2006 11:23 AM in response to Tadat

And yes the doctors order is great!

Just want to add that the three lines you have is most likely "stereo" mini jacks, which means that they have two channels each, left, right, center, left sur, right sur and finally sub. Don't know if there is a standard for how to group the different channels, two by two (you might need some soldering in the cables, or some kind of switching cable, but that might not be necessary)

/Reine

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Answer 5

Tadat Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 25, 2006 5:00 PM in response to Dah•veed

As I looked around the net for an alternative, I found a Creative with similar function yet connect through USB 2, not FireWire as the FireWave offers. Which would you recommend? The Griffin with Firewire or Creative with USB. As of my preference, I would mostly likely to pick the Creative for its sound quality reputation but worry that it will take away one of my USB port (iMac comes with only 3, 1-2 will be occupied by my keyboard/mouse and 2 printers interchangeably).

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Answer 6

Tadat Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 25, 2006 2:44 PM in response to Dah•veed

So, the box will most likely to override the audio coming out from the Mac and re-process the quality? By the way, does Griffin has good audio processing quality?

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Answer 7

_Kevlar

Level 2

180 points

Nov 25, 2006 5:31 PM in response to Tadat

I'm not sure how good Creative's sound cards are but I'd look at the specs of your speakers for sound quality. Start with those and go from there.

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