High impedance headphone jack on new M1 Max 16 inch MacBook Pro

[raistlin65]

Anybody find a setting in their MacBook Pro to disengage the low impedance gain mode?

Thinking of how some low impedance, low sensitivity headphones would benefit from more output.

 

[staticV3]

You could try tricking the impedance sensing with this.
First, plug the adapter into your MacBook, then your headphones into the adapter.
Works great with CS43131 devices and Apple uses Cirrus chips as well.

 

[raistlin65]

You could try tricking the impedance sensing with this.
First, plug the adapter into your MacBook, then your headphones into the adapter.
Works great with CS43131 devices and Apple uses Cirrus chips as well.

I don't have a MacBook to try it with.

But people do sometimes mention that they have a new MacBook Pro over at r/headphoneadvice. So would be nice to tell them what ways there are to bypass the low gain mode when trying to help them with headphones.

 

[Tokyo_John]

I am actually sending mine to Amirm. Might take a while though cause I am all the way on the east coast.

Did he get around to it? I couldn't find anything recently via search of this site.

I've gone back to externals with a new (larger) desk...a D90/A90 stack, but very happy that I don't have to take any external DAC/amp while traveling.

 

[Nickerz]

Can users who are more skilled at reading this tell me how good these numbers are? Where does it sit on the list of DACs?

 

[staticV3]

@Nickerz the MacBook Pro sits here in the rankings:

98dB SINAD
125.5dB DR (no-wt), 128dB (A-wt)
95dB 50mV SNR

In typical Apple fashion, they've focused on the things that matter (noise, power, transparent enough) and none of the things that don't (120dB+ SINAD).

 

[Peluvius]

Can users who are more skilled at reading this tell me how good these numbers are? Where does it sit on the list of DACs?

It sits in the realm of being good enough. You will not be able to hear the difference between this and one measuring better.

 

[cosmom3]

For posterity - both the 14" and 16" MacBook Pros (regardless of CPU) have the same DAC/AMP.

These Mac computers support high-impedence headphones with the built-in headphone jack:

• MacBook Air (M2, 2022)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022)
• MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021)
• MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)
• Mac Studio (2022)

 

[staticV3]

These Mac computers support high-impedence headphones

Typical Apple marketing..
Every headphone Amp supports high-impedance headphones.
Even the crappiest headphone jack inside your Kindle eReader will happily drive headphones with 5kΩ impedance and more.

 

[tmtomh]

Typical Apple marketing..
Every headphone Amp supports high-impedance headphones.
Even the crappiest headphone jack inside your Kindle eReader will happily drive headphones with 5kΩ impedance and more.

No, not typical Apple marketing. Those newer laptop models can drive more headphones to decent volume levels without the need for an external headphone amp - the Sennheiser HD650 for example.

"High impedance" is clearly shorthand, since impedance is not the only factor that determines whether a headphone is hard to drive. And of course the measured performance of the headphone amplification inside those Macs might not be as good as a good external headphone amp.

But this is not a case of a fake or made-up feature. It's an actual change that results in an easily verified increase in the capability of the built-in headphone subsystem of those machines compared to prior models.

 

[staticV3]

Yes, I'm well aware of the performance improvements behind Apple's new "high impedance supporting" headphone jacks.

If it sounded like I was claiming that Apple just invented a new name for old, unchanged tech, then I'm sorry. That was not my intention.

I'm criticizing that Apple had to simplify a technological concept so much for their inept customers that they ended up obfuscating it more than anything else. Just like their ridiculous "+120% Relative Performance" WWDC slides.

Apple did not "add support for high impedance headphones".
They just increased the output voltage.

 

[Nickerz]

@Nickerz the MacBook Pro sits here in the rankings:
View attachment 234840
98dB SINAD
125.5dB DR (no-wt), 128dB (A-wt)
95dB 50mV SNR

In typical Apple fashion, they've focused on the things that matter (noise, power, transparent enough) and none of the things that don't (120dB+ SINAD).

Then why are we using SINAD to measure the "best" DACs? I'm just trying to figure this out without having to become an audio scientist.

 

[staticV3]

Because it's an easy metric to compare and because it's exciting to see tech get ever closer to theoretical perfection.
Just don't think that our ears could actually perceive the increase in transparency from 105dB SINAD to 125dB. It's just an academic exercise.

 

[Nickerz]

Because it's an easy metric to compare and because it's exciting to see tech get ever closer to theoretical perfection.
Just don't think that our ears could actually perceive the increase in transparency from 105dB SINAD to 125dB. It's just an academic exercise.

When pulling out of the sort of "logical fallacy" type accusations I see on a place like Reddit, my gut is telling me that a lot of these mid tier consumer devices are not at the level that older mastering grade devices where at, but that such a difference wouldn't be noticed in a single print. But that the differences would best be noticed by use on all the tracks.

e.g. You have 32 tracks you've recorded on your song, and then you sum and print them. Those 32 tracks put through an RME Babyface vs a Focusrite mastering converter, I suspect would be able to be discerned. And the Babyface supposedly is a much better measuring device than your 105SINAD floor.

 

[JoetheLion]

Measurements by @WolfX-700 went live today: https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/mbp162021/

I can add a subjective impression: I swapped my MacBook Air M1 for an M2 (2022) based on the posts here. Headphone output seems much better to me. With my daily headphones (Focal Clear), there is no difference for me compared to my Lake People G111 and Bluesound Node X. So I can easily sell both devices. Hard times for self-proclaimed audiophile manufacturers. Hopefully they will also build this into iPhone 16.