Topic: laptop -> ??? -> amp question.

[pfife]

hey, I'm considering adding the ability to play tunes out of my laptop (over wireless network) out of my main playback rig... I was wondering, does anyone have any suggestions for a product that would connect to my laptops usb ports, and output a high quality analog signal to my amp?   Thanks in advance - pfife

[fozzy]

Another way to go is a simple audio card (UA1-d or similar) that outputs a digital signal and then to a nice or budget DAC.  Depending on what you have to invest this may yield better results. 

[dnsacks]

I've heard that an un-modded ua5 sounds pretty nice as a d>a box

[BC]

My VX pocket works pretty well.

Also the Echo audio Indigo looks like it should work great for playback and as a D>A. This little card measured great in Stereophile a a year or two ago.

Note: Both of these are PCMCIA cards, not USB.

Happy listening!

Ben

[pfife]

Thanks guys!  Keep the suggestions rolling!  PCMCIA cards are entirely an option, I just hadn't thought about it...
+Ts!

[kindms]

squeezebox

[Nick's Picks]

i'll 2nd the squeezebox suggestion.  I want one of those!!

otherwise, for cheap digital I/O, if you only need 16bit thean the Turtle Beach Audio Advantage USB thumb card is hard to beat.  its under $20, and has an optical output.   

[Krispy D]

i'll 2nd the squeezebox suggestion.  I want one of those!!

otherwise, for cheap digital I/O, if you only need 16bit thean the Turtle Beach Audio Advantage USB thumb card is hard to beat.  its under $20, and has an optical output.   

audio advantage works good on the cheap!  so does griffin imic.  simple decent usb i/o for 15 bucks or so on ebay.  It's what I currently use to run from my 'puter to play back.  it's no squeezbox but being outside the computer at least makes a big difference.  I ran line out from the sound card to the stereo and everytime the hard drive would spin I'd pick up static.  The external DAC is nice and quiet.

as for wireless 

[Nick's Picks]

wireless =squeezebox

i've been reading on some other audio forums that people are finding the combo of squeezebox>outboard DAC is matching, or besting some serious high dollar transports.
word!

[bconnolly]

wireless =squeezebox

i've been reading on some other audio forums that people are finding the combo of squeezebox>outboard DAC is matching, or besting some serious high dollar transports.
word!

The DAC in the Squeezebox itself isn't bad at all either.  For such a tiny box it packs a mighty punch.

[Nick's Picks]

yea, its got it all.  burr-brown DACs, a bunch of different companies offering high end modifications, and best of all, digital output. 
ethernet and 802.11g/b as well.  Its tiny!

[pfife]

just wanted to thank you all for your input...    Here's what I'm planning to do, but it won't be for a while (got some loans I gotta pay off...)

laptop (connected to external HD(s) via USB2.0) -> Optical/Coax output (echo indigo maybe?) -> DAC -> AMP.

What I am seeing as the advantage to this is that the laptop then becomes basically a universal player;  It can play discs, it can play files over the network, etc.  - It will be my one-stop player/transport/etc.   Here's the other thing - I'm totally into watching all kinds of display stuff that tells information about the recording, so I'd like to have a laptop for display purposes.

I'm also considering some kind of server for the house, but that's way beyond my abilities (to back everything up and stuff)... I'm also finding that I'm beholden to optical media...


+Ts around.  I have my system worked out in my head, now I just have to get rid of my damn HELOC loan before I dump cashola into it.

[dnsacks]

downside on the squeezebox is that it only supports up to 24/48 (i.e. no 24/96)

[pfife]

It looks like the product I might be looking for is the M-Audio Transit....

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

I used to run the optical out of my Zoltrix Nightenagle in my PC to the optical in on my PreAmp, but got weird buzzes and pops (computer noise).  I also got a ground loop going that I could never get rid of... 

The computer noise is what killed me though.  Everytime my HD would spin up, I could here a slight whine in my speakers...  I'm sure proper gournding etc. would take care of this, but I decided it was easier to burn CDRs and listen that way...

Terry