[RHMMMM]

Hey guys, I'm going to be getting a 15" PB when they hit the next iteration in a month or so. Is the built-in sound good enough? Are there any PCMCIA cards that will workin Macs? I don't really want to lug around a USB soundcard....but what good USB soundcards are there that work with Mac? M-Audio Transit?

Also, what should I use to play mp3s/sound files? Any tweaks/recommendations? I'm fairly new to Mac.

Thanks!

 

[grawk]

I have a powerbook 15" that I use for headphone listening. I connect the headphone out directly to my MPX3 tube amp. I can hear when a hard drive spins up, but otherwise, I don't hear any noise even when the amp is loud and the sound on the computer is muted. It's a decent way to start. As to sound cards, the m-audio firewire devices work really well with the macs.

For mp3 listening, I tend to use itunes, but macamp lite is my alternate, when I want to listen to SHN or flac files without reripping to ALAC. It's "broke"ware, shareware that the parent company went broke, and they released the keys to make it work.

 

[dmb367]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RHMMMM Hey guys, I'm going to be getting a 15" PB when they hit the next iteration in a month or so. Is the built-in sound good enough? Are there any PCMCIA cards that will workin Macs? I don't really want to lug around a USB soundcard....but what good USB soundcards are there that work with Mac? M-Audio Transit? Also, what should I use to play mp3s/sound files? Any tweaks/recommendations? I'm fairly new to Mac. Thanks!

Look for more info on the ESI WAveterminal U24, I have one with my iBook that works great (SQ and compatibility wise)

Heres where I got mine FL Music Co

 

[Help]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmb367 Look for more info on the ESI WAveterminal U24, I have one with my iBook that works great (SQ and compatibility wise) Heres where I got mine FL Music Co

Hello, how does this one sounds comparing to M-Audio Transit?

 

[dmb367]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Help Hello, how does this one sounds comparing to M-Audio Transit?

Don't know, never heard one. But there is a bunch of info here on both.

 

[RHMMMM]

Sounds good, I can't wait for Apple to update the line. They need to hurry up! January was the last product line refresh for the PowerBooks.

 

[vibin247]

I haven't heard audio from a PowerBook coming through headphones, but it has to have at least 24-bit stereo/44.1 KHz sample rate on the 1/8" analog outs, and those sound good to me. For a PCMCIA card, I was looking at the Echo Indigo IO, and the specs look pretty good http://echoaudio.com/Products/CardBu...goIO/index.php. For FireWire and USB, the M-Audio mobile interfaces work quite well with Macs. I'd like to get the FireWire Solo when I have a PowerBook G5 (if it'll ever happen, but a Intel PowerBook would be cool too.)

 

[dshea_32665]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Help Hello, how does this one sounds comparing to M-Audio Transit?

I own both and the U24 is significantly better. Check out this thread

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...terminal+dshea

dshea

 

[sacundim]

Well, compared to other computers I've had before, the 15" Powerbook's audio out is really good. But those other computer's analog outs had low-level high-pitched tones sound when one did stuff like move the mouse...

Anyway, I use a Porta Corda USB with my Mac, and it's definitely an improvement.

 

[3lusiv3]

I use iTunes and an AirPort Express to get the sound out. I'm happy with it.

 

[Fickle-Friend]

The Powerbook range is to be revised next month! I would sit tight and wait a few weeks! I'm hoping they slap on a digital out on the 15" powerbooks.

 

[quackattack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fickle-Friend The Powerbook range is to be revised next month! I would sit tight and wait a few weeks! I'm hoping they slap on a digital out on the 15" powerbooks.

I would bet on it. It is rumored to only be a 30Mhz speed bump (no kidding) Apple with have to make improvements elsewhere to keep the Mac loyal happy..

Last revision the 17" got the digital out, so I would bet that the 15" is due this time around.

 

[Fickle-Friend]

Quote:

Originally Posted by quackattack I would bet on it. It is rumored to only be a 30Mhz speed bump (no kidding) Apple with have to make improvements elsewhere to keep the Mac loyal happy.. Last revision the 17" got the digital out, so I would bet that the 15" is due this time around.

Dude fingers crossed on the digital out! Im there if it has one 100%!

 

[DLeeWebb]

I'm interested in getting a new PowerBook as well. However, MacWorld and MacAddict magazines indicate that a G5 PowerBook is possibly the main reason Apple decided to dump IBM and go with Intel. I read that MacTels are due are due to start rolling out in the Spring of '07. Even though I'm due for a new PowerBook I'm going to wait until either the price-cuts come on the G4 PowerBooks or until the G5 is available. There are only going to be minor improvements in the PowerBook line until then...

 

[Nospam]

I agree that there will most likely only be minor improvements to the PowerBooks before the Pentium based ones ship. However, I expect them to ship by mid next year.

The switch is supposed to start in 2006. Since the Mobile Pentium is (at this point) quite an improvement over the G4, I would be very surprised if Apple ships the iBook or Mini with them before the PowerBook. You don't want the "lower-end" models to be faster than your top-of-the-line laptops.

I wouldn't expect any current G5 models to switch to Intel until sometime in 2007. The G5 more than holds it ground vs the Pentium 4, especially with any app that takes advantage of Altivec (much faster than Intel's vector processing implementation).