Optical out from a MacBook...to what?

You can make use of the optical output to go into an external DAC. You just need to get a digital mini toslink cable like this one. If you don’t have an external DAC and just an amp, then that won’t work as an amp needs an analog signal. So in that case you would just be using a standard 3.5mm AUX cable to the RCA inputs of an amp.