But I have two different USB 5.1 sound cards with coax and optical, and neither support more than 2.1 via the S/PDIF ports. The 5.1 is done via 3 (or 4) stereo minijacks.

The Micro II USB sound card adds a stereo line output and an optical digital audio output to a Mac or PC. The stereo output can be used for connecting powered speakers, headphones or an external ...

The new Apple TV looks largely the same as its predecessors, but its ports around back have been revised, removing optical audio output, and using USB-C for restoring the device through its ...

Optical audio uses fiber-optic cables, sometimes referred to as Toslink cables, to transmit sound via light. ... Read more: 7 Of The Most Useful USB Gadgets You Can Buy On Amazon.

In basic terms, defining "USB DAC" is pretty simple: A digital to analog converter (DAC) for digital audio that interfaces with computers and mobile devices via a USB connection.

“There are two-way RCA and TOSLINK Optical connectors, a convenient USB-C audio and power port, as well as a 3.5 mm microphone-in port with an easy-to-access mic gain knob.

So when I failed to hear a difference between the AirPods Max’s lossy, AAC-based Bluetooth connection and their lossless, hi-res USB Audio connection, I seriously began to question myself. After ...

Discover the best USB audio interfaces for musicians, mix engineers, podcasters, etc. to get a professional experience even in a home studio.

Some turntables also offer additional options, such as optical outputs. And many offer a connection you'd normally expect to find on a computer, not in an audio component: USB.

Finally, there's the use case that's most commonly associated with the term "USB DAC": You aren't happy with the quality of the audio output of your phone or computer and want something better ...