[fL.]

hiho,
 
I'd like to improve the soundquality I get out of my laptop. I currently have an ASUS Xonar D2X soundcard for my desktop computer and I'm very pleased with the soundquality as well as the provided software.
 
I was looking for something like the ASUS Xonar U1 which connects via USB.
Do you guys know other good external soundcards?
 
And also, I have an Macbook Pro.. that means I use Mac OS X. Are there even any soundcards out there that have software that's compatible with Max OS X?
 
Cheers,
fL.

 

[harpua]

I use a Nuforce HDP which connects to my laptop via USB and bypasses and replaces the internal sound card with a very high quality DAC and good headphone amp.  It also has a preamp circuit and various ins and outs (including optical) so it is pretty versatile.  The sound is quite awesome, imo.  It's not the cheapest option but I think it's well worth its cost ($449), considering the quality, features, small size, and it looks nice too.  Many say its worth its price just for its DAC so it's almost like getting a HP amp and preamp thrown in for free.  So considering all that, if its within your budget, I recommend it highly.
 
Nuforce also makes some cheaper options that are also generally quite well regarded but I haven't personally tried them.