Beo-Mac

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

stefan — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:57:07 GMT

No, I didn`t try the headphone amp with Beoport, but should work. Just connect the output - output level is adjustable - with the Beoport input.

Stefan

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

Jan Lynge Jakobsen — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:57:50 GMT

Hi Stefan

Thx!

Well, they sure look interesting. Have you tried them with a Beoport?

Best regards Jan

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

stefan — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 09:36:42 GMT

What about a Philips HD 1500? Actually it`s a "Surround-Headphone amp" that accepts digital in PCM stereo, DD 5.1 and DTS. It converts to analog stereo and the digital input signal will be passed through - simultaneously, without switching anything. I used it when I had a mac mini connected to my BV7-40 MKIII and it worked great. I got the Philips HD 1500 second hand for about 70 Euros.

Maybe that helps.

Stefan

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

Jan Lynge Jakobsen — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 05:00:51 GMT

Hi Rob

Thank you very much for posting your experience with the DacMagic. I've been looking into it and it does seem to be a possible solution. The only thing I can't figure out is whether it is possible to have analog AND digital sound out at the same time.

I've looked in several forums and in the DACMagic manual but I'm still a bit confused

In the manuel it says that it can't transport 5.1 digital sound - do you have any experience with that?

Is your setup B&O only? The challenge for me is the non-B&O equipment in our living room. I would still like to have Digital 5.1 sound from the Mac Mini (via the DACMagic) into my audioreceiver without having to switch cables etc.

£115?!? Hmm guess I should consider moving out of Denmark - here it is 2.000 Danish Crowns

Best regards

Jan

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

RobN — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:03:34 GMT

Hi Jan,

I have a DACMagic from Cambridge Audio which sits between my MACMini and the BeoPort and I have to say the results are very good indeed. The sound is brighter, has more depth and much better image separation. I use the BeoPort to distribute sound around my house via a MasterLink cable to all my B&O devices.

I've been using it for 6 months now and still enjoy the improvement in quality of sound.

Best £115 I ever spent

Best regards,

Rob

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

Jan Lynge Jakobsen — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 08:02:28 GMT

Hi "elephant"

Thanks a lot for the post. It sure looks like something I should take a closer look at. Various posts in different forums surely speeks highly of it. I will try to get a confirmation that it can produce analog as well as digital output at the same time from a digital input.

Again - thx a lot!

Best regards

Jan

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

elephant — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:25:11 GMT

On other threads a number of members have "spoken" positively about the Cambridge DACMagic as a better converter of digital to analogue than the Mac's own sound card.

Looking at the product it has:

-- digital in

-- digital out

-- analogue out

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/summary.php?PID=320

Perhaps you could use this to split the Mac output, send pure digital to the non-B&O receiver, and send superior analogue to the BeoPort ?

I am *not* an expert in these things, so please check and ask questions before going down this path ...

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

Jan Lynge Jakobsen — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:27:15 GMT

Hmm, I'll have a look around to see if there could be a hardware solution for this (other than buying a complete "B&O livingroom set" ).

Thanks for the replies!

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

PhilLondon — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:09:17 GMT

Sound from one software can only direct to one sound card... but maybe you could experience with sound card aggregation in the Audio Midi setup utility. Or find a hardware solution.

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

madskp — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:02:51 GMT

I am not quite sure if this will work but maybe you can get a USB sound card for the mini and use that for the analog sound and then still be using the optical out. For one the soundcard has to be apple compatible.

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

Jan Lynge Jakobsen — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:57:48 GMT

@Phil: I won't be using sound in, in the Mac mini - blame it on my dubious english

I am using digital out from the 3,5 mini jack (optical in the other end).

I would like to keep the digital out from the macmini...any suggestions?

TIA

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

madskp — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:28:42 GMT

Only problem making the split is if you use digital out from the Mini today (it has a combined Optical digital sound and analog 3,5 mini jack connector)

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

PhilLondon — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:24:01 GMT

You need to split the sound output of the mac mini, half goes to the Scart, half goes to the Beoport.

Why do you think you'll use sound input on the Mac mini?

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

Jan Lynge Jakobsen — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:04:28 GMT

Hi Phil

Sounds great! Believe me, I've been reading all I can find about your software - it's really fantastic that you are doing this!

Okay, I think I'll try it out very soon, so I better get a Beoport.

Could you or anyone else please clarify for me...how do I handle the sound connection from the Macmini to the Beoport and my AV receiver? I ask because as far as I can see, there is only one sound input on the Beoport (and only one sound output from the Macmini).

I would like to be able to get sound from the Macmini in - say the office on the BS3000 - but still be able to get the sound through my AV receiver in the living room, when for example watching a movie with Digital Surround Sound without having to switch cable or connection...

EDIT: Sorry! Just realized that the Beoport has audio in AND out. But is it only analog sound?

/JJ

Re: Beoport Mac setup advice before buying

PhilLondon — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:00:06 GMT

You'll probably be able to do most of this with a Beoport and software I am currently developing:

http://web.me.com/philrobin/LinkPlayer