Hi there,
I have recently bought a Cambridge Audio 651A (maybe not audiophile but better than what i am used to) and I want to set up a music server, perhaps using a Mac Mini. The 651A has a USB connection, and what is described as a USB DAC. To test the setup, before I go out and buy a Mac Mini, I plugged my Macbook Pro (4 years old now but with all system software up to date) into the USB port. To get any sound I have to go into Sound Preferences and choose USB. It works and I get pretty good audio out of the 651A. It sounds good.
My question is this: I had the impression that this was a digital signal out of the Mac and into the 651A, bypassing the Mac sound card blah blah blah.... But I find that I can adjust the volume and balance using the Mac sound controls. I had thought that if it was really a digital signal out of the Mac then I wouldn't be able to do this. So am I really outputting a digital signal out of the Mac?
Chris
