Re: Mac compatible 5.1 audio sound cards
Re: Mac compatible 5.1 audio sound cards
- Subject: Re: Mac compatible 5.1 audio sound cards
- From: Mike Stoddard <email@hidden>
- Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:35:33 -0700
- Organization: Stoddard Web Narratives
Bob, if you consider a PCI-buss card solution, be
very careful about buss compatibility. Apple's PCI
designs evolved through many hybrid versions of the
PCI standard, starting with old 5-volt V.2.0 in G4's,
then evolving to 3-volt PCI-X, and then on to PCI-E.
Many card manufacturers (M-Audio being one) failed
to design correctly for this evolution, and their
cards will work in some Macs and not others. MOTU
by comparison seems to have done the right things,
and their PCI card (I think they have only one)
adapts itself to all the various voltages, etc.,
and works across all PCI and PCI-X busses. Sadly,
my G5 PM is one of the weird Macs that most PCI
cards will not work in.
My solution was to stick with FireWire interfaces.
Good luck,
-Mike Stoddard
Bob Lang wrote:
Hi everyone
Sorry if this question is a bit off-topic but I'm sure that the people
here will know the answer.
I'm considering a project which will require a Mac compatible 5.1 sound
card for output. Currently I own a Griffin FireWave but I'm sad to say
that this great piece of kit is being discontinued. I've done some web
searching and found that there are a number of 5.1 sound cards
available: internal cards using PCI, and external interfaces mainly
using USB but some with FireWire, plus a collection of higher spec
interfaces offering 8, 10 or more channels. Some of these cards claim
to be OS X compatible, but most are silent on this issue; however, in my
searching I've found some comments stating that you can plug any USB 5.1
sound card into a Mac and it work (despite the manufacturer's silence)
whilst other comments complain that some of these cards some don't work
correctly despite appearing as 5.1 devices in Audio/Midi Setup (e.g.
Creative SB XFi Surround 5.1 is allegedly one such culprit).
I'm completely confused. What is the state of play with Macs and the
range of surround cards etc now on the market? Can I plug in any PCI
and expect the Mac to use it? Likewise for any USB or FireWire device?
Clearly there's no point embarking on a project which inherently
requires a 5.1 card/interface if there are no longer any usable purchase
options for prospective users! Can anyone shed any light on this
confused situation?
Perhaps I should mention that my project is output only - there's no
sound capture required.
Many thanks in advance.
Bob
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