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Quick question about connecting laptop --> matrix mini DAC --> amp --> LCD-2

post #1 of 8
7/26/11 at 2:19am
Thread Starter 

It's more focused on the laptop --> matrix

 

so, according to specs, my toshiba satellite laptop has "spdif out shared with headphone jack. And the back of my matrix mini looks like this:

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?57408-FS-Matrix-Mini-i-24-96-usb-dac-headphone-pre-amp

 

So, are these what I need to connect the two? Or could I do with 1 component?

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/COAXIAL-DIGITAL-AUDIO-CABLE-75ohm-RCA-SPDIF-1-8m-/230640445077?pt=AU_Television_Accessories&hash=item35b33de695#ht_2085wt_905

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3-5mm-Mono-Jack-Plug-Female-TV-Coaxial-Socket-/120618867844?pt=AU_Electronics_Radio_Equipment&hash=item1c1571dc84#ht_1019wt_1139

 

because apparently the matrix mini only accepts 24/192 via spdif and not usb (I don't have toslink).

 

On that note, is 24/192 neccessary, ie does it make an hearable difference?

 

thanks so much for the help guys!

 

Charles.

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post #2 of 8
7/26/11 at 2:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by boirefish View Post

It's more focused on the laptop --> matrix

 

so, according to specs, my toshiba satellite laptop has "spdif out shared with headphone jack. And the back of my matrix mini looks like this:

 


This may be what you need.

 


Edited by olor1n - 7/26/11 at 2:34am
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post #3 of 8
7/26/11 at 2:34am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by olor1n View Post




This may be what you need.

 



Awesome!! thanks. I heard toslink isn't so great though or something?

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post #4 of 8
7/27/11 at 3:00pm

I believe toslink (fiber optic) to be more than superior to USB. Since you are only transmitting a "light-source", there is no electronic interference. IMHO

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post #5 of 8
7/27/11 at 4:09pm

I've tried this with my Sony laptop but I was not quite happy.

ttbeach.jpg

 

 

This is much better. YMMV.

 

hiface1.jpg

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post #6 of 8
7/27/11 at 5:15pm

I think the jack should be headphone out / coaxial S/PDIF out (as opposed to optical aka TOSLINK).  Consult the laptop manual to make sure.  In that case, you just need a mono male 3.5mm to mono male RCA cable.

 

You're transmitting a digital signal out of a noisy laptop headphone jack...but the noise on top of the signal isn't so bad that it's going to be flipping bits.  You don't need a separate S/PDIF interface for this job unless you want to be higher than 99.9999% sure that it's working properly.

 

Maybe if your laptop doesn't support 24/196 over S/PDIF or whatever, then a different interface would do that.  But good luck getting the human sensory perception system to pick up frequencies over 48 kHz, and finding recordings with frequencies that high (most studio mics don't pick up nearly that much).

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post #7 of 8
7/28/11 at 8:25pm
Thread Starter 

 

Hmm. I've managed to buy myself this:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220816839191&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_3076wt_1139

 

to connect my toshiba optical (which is shared as 3.5mm headphone jack) to my matrix mini. It's registering on the mini as "2-toslink 48kHz" with volume below, except I hear nothing when I plug the headphones in. the USB connect is also plugged in, and when I switch to that interface everything works. Is something wrong? Please help :(

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post #8 of 8
7/29/11 at 1:43am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by boirefish View Post

 

Hmm. I've managed to buy myself this:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220816839191&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_3076wt_1139

 

to connect my toshiba optical (which is shared as 3.5mm headphone jack) to my matrix mini. It's registering on the mini as "2-toslink 48kHz" with volume below, except I hear nothing when I plug the headphones in. the USB connect is also plugged in, and when I switch to that interface everything works. Is something wrong? Please help :(


Problem solved.

 

Thanks for all the help guys!!

 

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