Yamaha USB speakers now work with Macintosh (if you use Mac OS 9 and Audio Update)

Hiroshi Kondo (of Yamaha Corporation) informs us that the Mac OS 9 Audio Update 1.1 enables the Macintosh to support all Yamaha USB speakers currently available. Mac OS 8.6 or earlier is not supported.

He provided us with the following additional details (some of which are relevant to any brand of external USB speakers):

Step 1: Before connecting the YAMAHA USB speakers, please make sure that you are running the Mac OS 9.0 with Audio Update without problem. Then set up the YAMAHA USB speakers according to the supplied owner's manual.

Step 2: Power-up the Macintosh computer and YAMAHA USB speakers. (The supplied installation CD-ROM is for a Windows 98 computer. There is no need for a Macintosh installation.)

Step 3: Connect the YAMAHA USB speakers to the USB port of a Macintosh computer with the supplied USB cable according to the owner's manual. (It is possible to connect to either the USB port on the Keyboard or one of the Macintosh built-in ports.) When the Macintosh detects the connection of USB speakers, the sound output device is automatically changed to the USB speakers.

Notes:

• The device list for sound-output at the Sound control panel only displays "Built-in" even when the USB speakers are connected to the Macintosh. This is normal behavior for Mac OS 9.
• To change the sound-output from the USB speakers to the Macintosh's internal speakers, simply unplug the USB cable from the USB speakers. The sound-output will automatically change to the Macintosh's internal speakers. You cannot make changes to the sound-output devices from the Sound control panel.
• Use the headphone output jack on the YST-MS55D USB speakers instead of the headphone out on the Macintosh when using headphones.
• The startup sound is reproduced before USB is activated. The USB speakers cannot reproduce the startup sound via a USB connection. To hear the startup sound from the external speakers, the analog audio connection must be made between the Macintosh and the speakers by an analog audio cable.
• YAMAHA YST-MS55D and YST-MS35D speaker systems support both USB and Analog sound output.

Phillips also! Another reader comments that the Audio Update allowed Phillips USB speakers to work with a G3/BW. "So the update will not only work for the upcoming iSub, but for other USB speakers as well."