Audio Research DAC 8 drivers

[HighEndManiac]

Hi everybody,

I am new here in this community. I am proud owner of several Audio Research gear and now bought a used DAC8 from a dealer in GB. Unfortunately the necessary drivers for using the USB port have not been provided. In this case to connect my macbook pro to the usb of the DAC8 I got the following questions: Does anybody has those files for supporting my systems or can name me a link for download. I would be very grateful for that. Are there different versions available and which one support the latest MacOS? I actually run MacOs Sierra.

Thanks for any help.

Regards from Germany

Mike

 

[Sablon Audio]

Have you tried running without a driver given that you are using Mac?

 

[HighEndManiac]

Not yet. I got the manual and there is mentioned that there has been drivers delivered with the unit by AR that helps to manage the upsampling and other stuff by using it with the mac and the usb port.

 

[gadawg58]

If you are trying to use it with newer Apple product you may need to return it to audio research for the Apple friendly update which I believe includes a newer usb board. I dont recall which version of macOS requires the update. I had a DAC9 for a while and although it did dsd with a windows pc it didn’t function with a Mac. I think they now have an update for that unit as well. Good luck!

George

 

[HighEndManiac]

Thanks for the advice. I guess I will not do request the update because of the update friendly politics of the German Distributor which charges about 3,5 K Euro for that. It might be different somewhere else. I will try to use the toslink output (combined earphones port of a 2012 MacBook pro) which will be connected to the dac8. If this will work I will let the usb and its advantages go. Although it is a pitty.

 

[EMDAUDIO]

If you are trying to use it with newer Apple product you may need to return it to audio research for the Apple friendly update which I believe includes a newer usb board. I dont recall which version of macOS requires the update. I had a DAC9 for a while and although it did dsd with a windows pc it didn’t function with a Mac. I think they now have an update for that unit as well. Good luck!

George

Hi George,

i am having the same problem, i bought a DAC9 and it doesn't work with my macbook air, i have MacOS Catalina
when connecting the usb cable the sound comes out for less than 1 second and cuts out
I guess I'll have to change the usb board,
How much did the new board cost you?
I am very disappointed with the DAC9, such an expensive product and that it does not work
I never had problems with other brands of dacs

Thanks!

 

[stephenjl]

Hi George,

i am having the same problem, i bought a DAC9 and it doesn't work with my macbook air, i have MacOS Catalina
when connecting the usb cable the sound comes out for less than 1 second and cuts out
I guess I'll have to change the usb board,
How much did the new board cost you?
I am very disappointed with the DAC9, such an expensive product and that it does not work
I never had problems with other brands of dacs

Thanks!

I have an Audio Research DAC 8. It is upgraded to work with new macs. Sadly it doesn't work with OS10.15 Catalina. I just spent a few hours downgrading back to OS 10.14 Mojave (in which system it works fine). In Catalina the mac recognises the DAC and i can see it in the sound preferences. sadly when i select it as the output device, no sound comes through my system. Don't know what to do as i can't find any info about this anywhere online.