iMac to DAC via 3.5 mini-phono jack/RCA IC?

The digital output on the Mac 3.5mm mini jack is ONLY via optical - so no way around toslink (unless you go the USB route). If you us a mini to RCA cable it will only carry an analog signal from the mini output.

I did not know it was only optical. Thanks.

No USB DAC for me. Been there, done that. Didn't like it. My current source is iTransport. Looking for more remote freedom, larger screen, w/ iTunes.

I compared the optical out to the USB output using the Benchmark DAC1USB
and USB was better by quite a bit. I would prefer USB anytime based on that.
Of course, on many DACs the USB input is just implemented as a second
thought - not sure what USB DAC you listened to.

Also I guess the iTransport has a SPDIF/RCA out, no?

restock - the output on the mac can be for analog or digital. if you buy the cheap mini-to-rca cable from monster, you will get analog. if you get a quality toslink cable and buy the mini adapter for it, you will then have a digital cable. what happens is this mini-toslink adapter is a little longer and allows the digital signal to come thru. i use this method in my setups. the mini to rca sounds terrible.

its interesting that you think benchmark dac w/usb was far better using the usb connection. all the reviews indicated that the usb connection was inferior to the coax and toslink connections. i also listened to the benchmark and the bel canto dacs with usb connections and they were inferior to the coax and toslink connections. i preferred the bel canto over the benchmark. but i also preferred other dacs over the benchmark but they cost much more. also, these more expensive dacs only use glass,coax,toslink, and bnc, no usb with good reason.

if you want a quality dac using usb, check out the new audio research or ps audio dacs. i heard the ar at rmaf and it sounded very nice. did not do any comparisons with the other connections but the rep told me that they designed the dac to make the usb connection every bit as good as the other connections, something that the prior vendors didn't do. i also talked to ps audio at rmaf and they were working on their latest usb dac.

restock - the output on the mac can be for analog or digital. if you buy the cheap mini-to-rca cable from monster, you will get analog. if you get a quality toslink cable and buy the mini adapter for it, you will then have a digital cable. what happens is this mini-toslink adapter is a little longer and allows the digital signal to come thru. i use this method in my setups. the mini to rca sounds terrible.

I completely agree and I did state above that you get analog and digital out of the mini connector. However, you do NOT get a DIGITAL S/PDIF signal with a mini to RCA cable.

its interesting that you think benchmark dac w/usb was far better using the usb connection. all the reviews indicated that the usb connection was inferior to the coax and toslink connections. i also listened to the benchmark and the bel canto dacs with usb connections and they were inferior to the coax and toslink connections. i preferred the bel canto over the benchmark. but i also preferred other dacs over the benchmark but they cost much more. also, these more expensive dacs only use glass,coax,toslink, and bnc, no usb with good reason.

Most reviews I read state that USB on the Benchmark/Mac combo is superior to the optical out. Only stereophile made a mistake in the use of the Audio MIDI controller on the Mac which resulted in worse measurements and was corrected in the later issue. Which other review indicated that USB was inferior on the DAC1USB? I did a blind comparison with some friends (slim transporter vs. toslink vs. usb) and the preferred one was unanonymously the USB out of the Mac Mini.

In contrast, and as far as I read, the USB implementation on the Bel Canto is only an afterthought and not well implemented. So far the only companies that paid attention to USB implementation were Benchmark and Wavelength. Good to hear PS Audio may be improving that as well. Also, Ayre is coming out with a new DAC with a USB interface designed by Wavelength.