Laptop sound, I got 100$. What do I do?

[brainsalad]

Originally Posted by mikee898

I have a Dell Inspiron with crappy sound.. and I want to improve it! I don't have an amp and will be using this setup for speakers and headphones.

Sooo... what do I need between my laptop and my headphones, excluding an amp?

I want to spend 100$ or less.

I don't know where DACs fit into this, or soundcards, or usb stuff or any of it. I don't know if there's just one thing I need between the laptop and my headphones, or if there's several parts?

Fill me in! and any recommendations for 100$ or less would be great.

3 years ago I was in your situation and bought a Headroom Airhead amp on Ebay for under $100 and I never looked back. The Airheads take a headphone input, the BitHeads will take a USB connection, convert it to analogue (DAC) and then amplify it. I promise you will be amazed. If you're not, your due for some new cans.

[Menzo]

I have to say I'm glad I came across this thread. Before reading this, I naturally assumed all that could be done to improve a laptop's SQ would be to buy a soundcard such as those made by Creative (Eg: The expresscard or Audigy NX lines they have).

Right now I'm quite convinced that getting a HeadRoom Total Bithead would be perfect My thanks for the advice. Saves me from making a brand new thread too.

[HardHeadCase]

If you have windows XP then your next step, after getting the Bithead will be to go to the ASIO4ALL thread in the computer as source header and learn to bypass some the the built-in XP audio nastiness.

[infinitesymphony]

Originally Posted by phendric

As far as the 0404 USB needing external power, I only really use my laptop for music listening when near a power source, but isn't the unit big? I'd have to lug it between home and school every day.

The 0404 USB is roughly 7" x 7.5" x 2". The Total BitHead is significantly smaller and probably more rugged.

All factors considered, the BitHead is probably your best choice. It runs on USB power and doesn't need an external adapter, so that's one less item you'll need to pack.

[Sherwood]

Don't do any such thing as "up your bitrate"! Don't do it!

The only possibility is to re-rip your music at a higher bit rate if you also own the source material. If your music was 128k when you got it, leave it at 128k. If you love it, go buy the cd and re-rip to something better.

Re-encoding already ripped files is a recipe for disaster. All you end up with is larger, noisier files. I'm sure all the other posters meant well, but it bears repeating.

[phendric]

Originally Posted by Sherwood

Don't do any such thing as "up your bitrate"! Don't do it!

The only possibility is to re-rip your music at a higher bit rate if you also own the source material. If your music was 128k when you got it, leave it at 128k. If you love it, go buy the cd and re-rip to something better.

Re-encoding already ripped files is a recipe for disaster. All you end up with is larger, noisier files. I'm sure all the other posters meant well, but it bears repeating.

Thanks for the reminder...some/much of what I have I acquired at 128 kbps, and for no reason would I re-rip to a higher bitrate. Once I've gotten an external amp (probably the Bithead), if the music suddenly sounds junkie because of the low bitrate, I'll look at my options.

[Sherwood]

128 is usually high enough that you don't experience blatant encoding artifacts like grainy, digital cymbals and clipping during loud passages. What you do get is drastically decreased dynamic range, which is not as easily noticeable. Your music just sounds sort of dull. I'm glad to hear no one is re-encoding. You all knew better anyways, so I'm sure I needn't have bothered. I've spent more on my music collection than on my amp and headphones, simply because good, dynamic, clear music is addictive. Don't take it as a bad thing, though. Listening to music is more wonderful than ever.

[hughwi]

in order to avoid making a new thread, i have a similar question of sorts.

I have recently purchased a new laptop as my desktop gave up the ghost. With my desktop, i was using an M-Audio Delta card to output my sound via SPDIF Coaxial cable to a Beresford 7510 DAC which fed a marantz PM-66 KI which powers a pair of Kef Q60's.

Now I am on the lookout for an external sound card that can utilise my coaxial SPDIF cable and DAC. I have been looking at the Emu 0404 USB, but cant help feeling it is a little bit overkill for what i need, however other options such as the M-Audio Transit do not appear to have coaxial. I would ideally also like a unit that can do ASIO. I have a headphone amp integrated into my DAC, so normal outputs are not as important.

I really would like someone who has some experience with these cards to convince me that the emu 0404, or a card similar to it, is worth the money! I am currently using a 3.5mm to RCA adapter, and i cant wait to get the sound quality i had back! (Most of my digital stuff is ripped in FLAC and played through foobar and ASIO).

Would the Bit or Air Head do the job? or is it external sound card for me? It would not need to be hugely portable, as my hifi gear isnt going anywhere!
Thanks

Hugh

[HardHeadCase]

My laptop puts out coaxial through the headphone output if desired,,,,you sure yours wont do the same?

[P.J]

What about X-Fi Xtreme audio ExpressCard ?