New iMac Supports High-Impedance Headphones

Tuesday November 7, 2023 12:30 pm PST by Joe Rossignol

The new 24-inch iMac with the M3 chip supports high-impedance headphones, according to an Apple support document updated today.

iMac power speaker heaphones copy
The built-in 3.5mm headphone jack on the left side of the new iMac features impedance detection and adaptive voltage output, and the computer now has an improved digital-to-analog converter with support for sample rates of up to 96 kHz, allowing for users to listen to high-fidelity, full-resolution audio with supported headphones.

Apple's list of all Macs that support high-impedance headphones:

iMac introduced in 2023
MacBook Air introduced in 2022 or later
MacBook Pro introduced in 2021 or later
Mac mini introduced in 2023
Mac Studio introduced in 2022 or later
Mac Pro introduced in 2023

The new iMac launched today after being introduced at Apple's event last week. Key new features include the M3 chip, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3. The all-in-one desktop computer has the same design as the 2021 model with the M1 chip.

Related Roundup: iMac

Buyer's Guide: iMac (Don't Buy)

Related Forum: iMac

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:36 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple's long-rumored smart home hub will have an iMac G4-style design and a host of unique features, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. The smart home hub is said to feature a square 6-inch display, with variants that can be placed on a countertop or mounted on a wall. It features a single FaceTime camera on the front, with microphones and speakers in its connected base. Gurman described the...

• 219 comments

Apple Now Inviting Media to October 28 'Launch Experience'

Thursday October 15, 2026 4:13 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple has begun inviting selected members of the media to a product launch experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a post on X, Gurman described the gathering as an "all-day product launch experience" for touchscreen MacBooks, a new iPad mini, and Macs equipped with M6 chips. Gurman previously reported that Apple would introduce the...

• 89 comments

Apple Expected to Release New Products on Next Four Fridays

Sunday October 18, 2026 11:01 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple likely plans to release MacBook Pro models with OLED displays, 14-inch MacBook Pro and iMac models with M6 chips, and/or an iPad mini 8 with an OLED display on Friday, November 6, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The devices are expected to be announced on Tuesday, October 27 or Wednesday, October 28. If this timeframe proves to be accurate, then Apple will be releasing new...

• 77 comments

Top Rated Comments

GMShadow

39 months ago

Oh good. I’m sure that will mean something to the preschoolers using it in their classroom where those crayola colors fit right in.

Don't worry, the people who hate a little color will suck it right out of any iMac that isn't silver just like they suck the fun from life in general. ;)

Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)

vegetassj4

39 months ago

I don't want to be highly impeded by my headphones

Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)

guzhogi

39 months ago

the computer now has a built-in digital-to-analog converter ('https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212854') with support for sample rates of up to 96 kHz, allowing for users to listen to high-fidelity, full-resolution audio with supported headphones.

I hate to be "that guy," but why not 192 kHz? I find it strange that Apple offers 24-bit, 192 KHz music, but can't actually play said music on its devices without a third party adaptor.

Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)

HobeSoundDarryl

39 months ago

Great. Users are able to enjoy lossless & spatial over wired connections... unlike "the future" which still lacks the bandwidth to deliver the same. When does "the future" actually arrive again?

Those:

* who want maximum quality have a way to enjoy it.
* happy with the "convenience" (the future) method can enjoy their compressed audio their preferred way too.

I call that Win:Win!

And personally, I'd welcome a headphone jack back on the next incarnation of my favorite iPad, given an Apple-quality DAC is already inside to play to it and I'm no fan of dongles at all. Those who:

* ARE fans of dongles,
* already own USB-C wired headphone,
* are fans of "the future" option and/or
* want to maximize the quality of the audio from lossless/spatial...

...could fully have audio their way. Everybody could get what they want with one little resurrection that Apple themselves are still interested in adding to brand new hardware offerings in late 2023.

Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Fuzzball84

39 months ago

I like this! Im sure those who buy this and wear headphones will likely really appreciate this. In some cases, nothing beats a wire and a good set of headphones.

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)