dbfreq

The spec page for the new Mac Pro says that it supports multi-channel audio over the mini DisplayPorts. I have a $6.95 miniDP-to-HDMI cable that says it passes audio. Maybe that's the best I can do for now? Maybe the answer is to use that for multi-channel and an AES16e for two channel as a separate input?

I know the Mac doesn't handle 7.1 (I think the latest ffmpeg supports it, but, I'm not sure whether the OS will allow it to happen). I guess I'd just like to get the audio into the Anthem with as little quality loss as possible so it can do the surround sound decoding. I only have 5.2 channels, anyway, so, not being able to pass True HD, etc. is no loss.

Thanks for the response. Excuse my ignorance, but, does this mean that the AES16e will pass 5.1 or 7.1 channels over a single cable? I'd like to use Amarra + iTunes for music, but, I'd also like to play back DVD and BluRay rips with surround sound. The AES16e page says that it supports 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound, but, it also says eight stereo inputs and eight stereo outputs... I'd love to stay with Lynx, but, before I order the new card I'd like to know for certain that it's going to pass multi-channel LPCM over a single cable... So, to cure me of my ignorance, are all single-wire AES cables capable of passing full, multi-channel LPCM over a single cable? If not all, is the Lynx AES16e? Also, will the sample rate conversion model benefit me at all? The Statement D2v upsamples everything to 24/192 anyway. Thanks again. Brad

Hi, I'm the proud owner of a shiny new Mac Pro. I was disappointed to learn that my Lynx Two-B will not fit in the Mac Pro's PCI-e slots... From what I can tell, the AES-16e does not offer LPCM over a single XLR output. So, I'm looking for the best way to get multi-channel LPCM out of the Mac Pro and into an Anthem Statement D2v 's AES/EBU input. Based on my limited knowledge, I'm leaning towards a Weiss Vesta. I'm a little hesitant bc it seems like the USB 2.0 audio interface is the new hotness and the Vesta is firewire. I'd rather not do an unnecessary D-to-A then A-to-D conversion and it needs to support at least 5.1-channel. Should I be looking at the Wavelength Wavelink? A Teradak TeraLink X2? Thanks in advance. Brad

Hi, I've seen a lot of discussion about the AES16, but not much on the Lynx Two-B. Are the Lynx AES16's AES/EBU outputs somehow superior to the Two-B's? Thanks.

Hard drive speed doesn't really matter in what sense? It certainly does matter when you're talking about writing to the hard drive, seeking and accessing data. So does the drive's cache size. The drive I posted will have a 16MB cache, whereas most of the other drives for the Mac Mini only have a 8MB cache. Seagate drives also tend to be quieter and have a longer MTBF than other drives. How can you say that 500GB should be fine for any modern computer??? That really depends on how much data you want to store.

If you can hold off for a couple of weeks, Seagate will be releasing a 7200 rpm, 500GB SATA drive that will work well in the Mini: http://eshop.macsales.com/Search/Search.cfm?Ne=5000&Ntt=2.5++hard+Drive&Ntk=Primary&Ns=P_Popularity%7c1&N=6892

I've got a new Mac Mini and I'd like to connect it to an Anthem Statement D2, hopefully via AES/EBU. I'd like movies to benefit from the sound card goodness, as well as iTunes music. Unfortunately, no PCI slots mean that I won't be able to use my LynxTwo-B card. Is there a card of similar quality that will transmit multi-channel AES3 from a firewire or USB port? I really don't need DACs -- the D2's are sufficient. Thanks in advance. Brad