Connecting Tranquility DAC to Mac Mini

[Bigfish]

Guys:

 

I received my Mac Mini this week and removed the original internal hard drive with a new SS Drive. The operation was successful and the computer is again working fine. I have all my music files on a fire wire external drive in .aiff files and ITunes seems to be working fine.

 

I have a Tranquility USB DAC and I need help to send music through it to my system. I have power to the DAC and the USB cable plugged into the MAC. I see no indication that I have connected a USB apparatus. Would you please help me by providing instruction as to what I need to do now?

 

Thanks in advance and I must comment that it feels terrible to be such a green newbie with the Mac.

 

Ken

 

[ted_b]

I assume the DAC has USB drivers, have you loaded them? What does it show in Audio Midi?

 

[wgscott]

There are two places to look and tweak:

 

1. System Preferences (access from the Apple menu upper left corner) > Sound. You want the "Output" tab. Ideally it should be showing up there, and you may need to select it. If it doesn't show up, try turning the DAC off and then on again.

 

2. If that doesn't work, go back to the Apple Menu, and select the first item, called "About this Mac" and hit the "more info" button. This will show you all USB devices connected.

 

If it still isn't showing up anywhere, you may have a problem. Did it work before you swapped out the drive? If you send the thing back for service, make sure you put the original drive in first. I had Apple repair claim a hard drive failed because I put third-party memory in a laptop once.

 

If it does show up, /Applications/Utilities/Audio Midi.app permits you to tweak further. It might be worth messing around with this anyway, just in case it triggers something.

 

[wgscott]

Looks like they sell a voodoo USB cable. I wonder if they rigged it so it only works with that?

 

[Bigfish]

Thanks for the instructions! The DAC was there and I selected it. I will now connect it to my system to determine if I generate any sound from my system.

 

I will give Eric a call for further tweaks and oh, I have the Tranquility USB Cable.

 

Ken

 

[Bigfish]

Guys:

 

The comments you provided to my original post got me up and running - thanks again! I am posting this morning to comment on the excellent support/customer service provided to me yesterday by Eric Heider of DB Audio Labs. Eric spent approximately an hour on the telephone with me optimizing the setting on my Mac Mini to maximize the audio performance with The Tranquility DAC. I feel he provided me with execptional service, far beyond the norm, and I wanted make you guys aware of the level of service Eric provides his customers.

 

Initially, with the system out of the box, I am impressed with the sound from my system with the Mini/Tranquility. Other Tranquility owners and Eric comment that the sound will only get better as I get achieve more break-in time.

 

Ken

 

[ted_b]

Were drivers an issue or something else?

 

[Bigfish]

What was the main culprit of "no sound" though?

 

The culprit was me having no experience with a Mac Computer and not knowing about Audio Midi! It is hard being a Mac Newbie but I am learning, thanks to Eric and you guys!

 

Ken

 

[wgscott]