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How would you connect up an iMac, an amp/dac combo and this dac so I can use its equalizer??

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raw0625
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Jun 21, 2023
Does your imac have an optical out or 3.5mm jack?
Hello Gentlemen. You can not connect a 3.5mm analogue output on a Mac to the digital coax input on this DAC since the Mac has already converted the signal to analogue when using 3.5mm output. I spent a few minutes online looking for a cable or converter that would go from the Mac's digital USB output into the DAC's digital input, but could find none. I believe this DAC is meant to be used with a CD player or CD transport - not a computer - and therefore will not work with your setup. If you are looking to employ an equalizer with your Mac, the least expensive option might be purchasing a 3.5mm (male) to stereo RCA cable, connecting the RCA output of this cable to an inexpensive equalizer like Schiit Audio's Loki Mini+ four band equalizer and then connecting that to the RCA input of your amp/DAC combo, assuming your amp/DAC combo has an RCA input. Another alternative, if you want to bypass your Mac's cheap DAC and get better sound, is purchasing an inexpensive outboard DAC with a USB-B input (Drop's XDUOO MU-604 DAC is on sale and would probably be fine), get a cable with USB-A or USB-C (depending on which your Mac has) to a USB-B termination to connect your Mac (USB-A or C) to the outboard DAC (USB-B) (Audioquest makes fine USB-A to USB-B and USB-C to USB-B cables) then connect the DAC's RCA stereo analogue output into the Schiit Audio Loki Mini+ and connect the Mini's RCA output to the RCA input of your amp/DAC combo, assuming your amp/DAC combo has one.
Hello Sir. I believe I initially sent this to the wrong Dropper. You can not connect a 3.5mm analogue output on a Mac to the digital coax input on this DAC since the Mac has already converted the signal to analogue when using 3.5mm output. I spent a few minutes online looking for a cable or converter that would go from the Mac's digital USB output into the DAC's digital input, but could find none. I believe this DAC is meant to be used with a CD player or CD transport - not a computer - and therefore will not work with your setup. If you are looking to employ an equalizer with your Mac, the least expensive option might be purchasing a 3.5mm (male) to stereo analogue RCA cable, connecting the analogue RCA output of this cable to an inexpensive equalizer like Schiit Audio's Loki Mini+ four band equalizer and then connecting that to the analogue RCA input of your amp/DAC combo, assuming your amp/DAC combo has an analogue RCA input. Another alternative, if you want to bypass your Mac's cheap DAC and get better sound, is purchasing an inexpensive outboard DAC with a USB-B input (Drop's XDUOO MU-604 DAC is on sale and would probably be fine), get a cable with USB-A or USB-C (depending on which your Mac has) to a USB-B termination to connect your Mac (USB-A or C) to the outboard DAC (USB-B) (Audioquest makes fine USB-A to USB-B and USB-C to USB-B cables) then connect the DAC's RCA stereo analogue output into the Schiit Audio Loki Mini+ and connect the Mini's analogue RCA output to the RCA analogue input of your amp/DAC combo, assuming your amp/DAC combo has one.
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