Audio from an Apple Computer

I just swapped my Outlaw 990 for the Onkyo PR-SC886. Nice to have the HDMI inputs.

However, I have two questions.

One, what is the best way to get audio from a Mac? I have the monitor output from the Mac converted to HDMI, but of course that does not carry audio. USB DAC seems to be the way? To optical? I assume I can assign that to the HDMI input that the Mac Mini is using?

Also the analog input config is a little confusing. Can I only have ONE analog input on this system? This is how it appears with the input menu.

Thanks.

It may depend on what Mac we are talking about. I have an iMac and I'm using an Apple Airport Express to feed my 990 with a digital optical signal for iTunes playback. For combined audio/video it sounds like you've figured out the video. I'd use the digital optical (same jack as the headphone) output on the iMac to feed the Onkyo with digital audio. I have no idea how those two signals would sync up but that might be a solution.

A USB DAC will output an analog signal. If the Mac has an optical output, you could use that.


No, you can use multiple stereo analog inputs. Each source has a stereo analog input that it can use. There are some separate menu items for the 7.1 analog input (there's only one of those) and the XLR stereo analog input (there's only one of those, as well), but those are special cases.

Thanks. Actually, somewhat embarrased to have asked the Apple question. I realized that on the Mac Minis (one of which I'm using for iTunes and to play video content thru the Onkyo) and MacBook Pros, the mini audio output actually doubles as an optical output with the right adaptor on a Toslink.

Never knew that.

FYI, that optical cable that works in the headphone jack is very expensive at Apple. Monoprice has it much cheaper.

If you already have optical cales laying about, you can also get a toslink/minitoslink adapter for as little as a few dollars.

It might help if you told us what kind of output the Mac has for audio.