I will soon be upgrading from a 2014 Mac Mini to an iMac Pro. I am a little surprised to discover that the iMac Pro does not have a digital optical audio input (TOSLINK/SPDIF), which is something I've been relying on with the Mini for audio capture, for I have a piece of home studio equipment that only has an optical digital output.
I thought there might be an external USB-C audio capture device on the market instead, but a look through online stores doesn't offer any hobbyist-level solution (there is high-end pro audio gear that is way beyond my price bracket or needs). A few devices do analogue input (such as the Griffin iMic and the Behringer Uca202), but that's not what I'm after; neither can do optical/digital input.
The search is hindered by all the output devices showing up from the same query, so perhaps I missed something. It seems like an obvious device to offer.
Has anyone solved this problem? What are my options?
Best Answer
I found a USB device that captures optical input. I'm using a miniDSP USBstreamer B, and with the TOSLINK firmware installed it is doing the job perfectly with a clear signal and low latency.