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MacBook pro sound card

post #1 of 12
6/4/12 at 10:41pm
Thread Starter 
Does the MacBookPro have a good sound card?
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post #2 of 12
6/5/12 at 3:03am

Hi.


I think if you use the optical out of the macbook pro to go to an good amplifier with a good dac, it will be good because the internal soundcard is 24/192 khz... but the analog  out is pretty bad...Ok not really bad, can be enough for lot of people, but if you taste to a good external USB soundcard, you will ear easily the difference.


So no really bad, not really good. Just in the midrange. 

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post #3 of 12
6/5/12 at 7:20pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Modwright01 View Post

Hi.


I think if you use the optical out of the macbook pro to go to an good amplifier with a good dac, it will be good because the internal soundcard is 24/192 khz... but the analog  out is pretty bad...Ok not really bad, can be enough for lot of people, but if you taste to a good external USB soundcard, you will ear easily the difference.


So no really bad, not really good. Just in the midrange. 

So what would be a really good USB soundcard?

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post #4 of 12
6/5/12 at 8:35pm
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Originally Posted by wolfetan44 View Post

So what would be a really good USB soundcard?

Fiio E10 ($80) USB, DAC, Headphone amplifier.

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post #5 of 12
6/5/12 at 8:37pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by PurpleAngel View Post

Fiio E10 ($80) USB, DAC, Headphone amplifier.

Will that be the best I can get? Or could I just get a amp for my computer?

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post #6 of 12
6/5/12 at 10:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wolfetan44 View Post

Will that be the best I can get? Or could I just get a amp for my computer?

Where you looking for a portable headphone amplifier (battery) or desktop headphone amplifier (AC powered).

Fiio E10 is just one possible option.

The Fiio E11 ($65) portable headphone amplifier can connect to the line-out or LOG port on your Mac.

You could spend hundreds of dollars for a headphone amplifier for your Macbook Pro.

Usually any apple audio device (laptop) comes with a better DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) then you typical PC computer's built in audio.

But an external add-on DAC should be better then what your MacBook Pro comes with.

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post #7 of 12
6/5/12 at 10:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wolfetan44 View Post

Will that be the best I can get? Or could I just get a amp for my computer?

 

In simple terms, no, its not the best. It all depends on your budget. You can go for the Benchmark DAC1 if you have the cash (>$1k), one of the best DACs out there. But you will need a DAC if you plan to bypass the internal soundcard. And the amp has limitless possibilities based on your listening tastes.

But for what its worth, the Fiio is a pretty decent option.

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post #8 of 12
6/6/12 at 4:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by wolfetan44 View Post

Does the MacBookPro have a good sound card?

 

Maybe, the MacBook Air G5 has been tested at the blog that is not allowed to be named or linked, and it performed quite decently. However, the audio codecs and their implementations may vary across different MacBooks, so there is no guarantee that your particular laptop has similar audio performance. The most obvious sign of poor built-in audio is audible noise.

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post #9 of 12
6/6/12 at 3:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by PurpleAngel View Post

Where you looking for a portable headphone amplifier (battery) or desktop headphone amplifier (AC powered).

Fiio E10 is just one possible option.

The Fiio E11 ($65) portable headphone amplifier can connect to the line-out or LOG port on your Mac.

You could spend hundreds of dollars for a headphone amplifier for your Macbook Pro.

Usually any apple audio device (laptop) comes with a better DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) then you typical PC computer's built in audio.

But an external add-on DAC should be better then what your MacBook Pro comes with.

I have a Fiio E11. My budget is probably $200

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post #10 of 12
6/6/12 at 3:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wolfetan44 View Post

So what would be a really good USB soundcard?

I use the amazing E-MU 204 USB beside my macbook pro.

 

With an headphone it is far better than the jack output. The amp is class A, quiet good. The dac is good.

 

It is around 120$ and auto powered (important).

 

Impossible to beat at this price and probably at higher price.

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post #11 of 12
6/6/12 at 4:17pm
Thread Starter 
It doesn't have to be portable either.
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post #12 of 12
6/8/12 at 12:13am

Take a look at this

 

http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/one.php

 

or this

 

http://centrance.com/products/dacport/

 

perhaps one will work for you

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