Mac Mini toslink audio i/o problem

[xmiinc]

I'm trying to get a USB audio input (via a Tascam 16x08 interface) to output via the toslink digital out on my 2011 Mac Mini Server to be recorded by a DAT recorder.
Details: both toslink i/o's show as active and recognized by Sierra OS (10.12.3) in both System prefs and Audio-MIDI prefs
sample rate and bit depth are consistent from software to hardware
playing system sounds shows meter deflection in the recorder (so I know digital audio out to recorder is possible)
the 16x08 software mixer shows incoming audio; all internal/external outs are set to Master L/R which should feed Mac stereo audio bus.

What's weird: no other audio playback or monitoring gets to the digital audio out. Using Amadeus Pro, for example, I can play a DAT tape and record that audio into the computer. Still using Amadeus, however, I can't seem to play an audio file and have that appear at the DAT recorder, or monitor incoming audio and have that appear at the DAT recorder.

I'm stumped. Any suggestions? Known issues?

 

[gsahli]

Try Soundflower. (Tell you the truth - I don't know if it will help...)
https://www.fluxforge.com/blog/soundflower-os-x-10.11-10.12-macOS-sierra/
https://rogueamoeba.com/freebies/soundflower/
or SoundPusher:
http://www.maven.de/2015/12/soundpusher/
https://github.com/q-p/SoundPusher

 

[xmiinc]

Thanks! I'd been thinking about that, but a) it's not cheap (for something that's 'set and forget', and b) I have an old copy of Audio Hijack lying around that I could update for the same purpose, and c) I've actually already tried 2 of RogueAmoeba's products in this vein as trial versions: Loopback and Soundsource. Strangely, while both show the Mini's audio inputs, they're not listed as 'digital' audio inputs, like the System describes them when connected via Toslink. I tried setting things up anyway in a variety of configs...nothing worked. I'm beginning to think there's a more fundamental issue with bringing audio FROM a usb-connected source and putting it INto the System bus to output as digital audio? Usually, an interface simply provides some kind of digital out. I just assumed this could be routed internally...but maybe not?

 

[xmiinc]

Can the Mac route USB audio to it's digital (Toslink) audio outputs?

...a more abstract version of a previous post about a Mac mini (Server, 2011, on OS10.12.3) not being able to output digital audio EXCEPT from System sounds, into a DAT deck. I've even tried RogueAmoeba's Loopback to 'force' a connection btw a USB interface (Tascam 16x08) and the Mac's (digital) output. Nada.

I'm just wondering if anyone has been able to do this internally, as opposed to pulling digital i/o off of an interface jack (which the 16x08 doesn't have...it's USB-only for digital i/o)

 

[chscag]

Please do not start a new thread regarding the same subject. We have combined your threads. Thanks.

 

[gsahli]

Thanks! I'd been thinking about that, but a) it's not cheap

The two things I suggested are free.

 

[xmiinc]

Thanks, gsahli, you're right, but if Loopback ($99) and Soundsource ($10) don't work, I can't see why Soundflower would (which I'd assumed was for legacy OS's, tbh). THey're both looking at the same system and they only pick up "Built-in audio" and not "Digital audio in (or out)". That's why I restated my problem in a more abstract way. I'm suspecting this isn't possible. I haven't had or found anyone (I've posted this question on 2 daw boards, for Logic and Renoise), who can confirm that they can route USB audio back to the Mac digital outs. Before I install/uninstall more apps and frameworks, I'd like to hear that it's at least possible.

 

[harryb2448]

Follow the favourite lemon route. Suck it and see if gsahli's suggestions work.

 

[xmiinc]

Yah, sure...but like you said 'favorite lemon'...I'm past that. Looking for something more definitive from someone actually able to do this before I try things for the sake of trying. After all, almost all of those apps are RogueAmoeba apps. Why would a different app from the same author, providing similar solutions (ie i/o routing) look at the same system...but provide different i/o options? Doesn't make sense on its face, you have to admit. But I DO appreciate the advice, harryb. For now, I can afford to be patient. The problem is certainly annoying, but not critical.

Edit: I just reread gsahli's list...SoundPusher sounds interesting--it's meant to encode 5.1 streams, but the author's code description suggests it's doing something at a deeper level of the OS than RogueAmoeba's apps to ensure delivery of *specifically* SPDIF audio to the Mac's i/o framework. Will report back...