[strogg]

forgive me if this has been asked before, but the search funtion in this forum is nonexistent, which is really pissing me off........

anyhow, i have a laptop with terrible sound and a computer with an audigy 2 zs. I'd like to NOT replace either of them and to swap a good usb sound device among the two to get good sound only when i need it. ie, i will use it for my laptop to bypass the bad sound card and to use it on my desktop when i'm listening to music (i'm leaving the audigy inside for games).

So which usb device should i buy? I'm looking at the M-Audio sonica theater, but i want to be open to other options. any help is appreciated

TIA

 

[Wodgy]

Search has been back ever since the move to a new server....

Anyway, the Sonica Theatre is generally not as well regarded around here as the original Sonica (now discontinued, but still available some places and on eBay) and the M-Audio Transit. The Optoplay is based on a similar design to the original Sonica and has a few reviews here too. Other devices to consider are the M-Audio Audiophile USB, Headroom Bithead, Yamaha DP-50, etc. You should search the forum for reviews of each of these.

All of these devices will sound better than your Audigy, but some of them require a separate headphone amp (i.e. not all can drive headphones). There are also quite a few people using modded Sonicas around here. If you're handy with a soldering iron, you can improve it for little money.

 

[richx]

Sonica Theatre not as well regarded as the original Sonica (and implies the OPTOPlay too I presume?) Why is that so? Pardon the n00bness

Anyone checked out the Maya EX7 and the Waveterminal U24 before? They're both USB devices too, with the EX7 capable of 7.1 24/96 audio - and the Waveterminal U24 is a 2/2 device using the same AK4524 as other soundcards like the DMX 6Fire 24/96 ...

 

[Wodgy]

I can't say for sure. I'm just reporting what other people have observed in reviews. BTW, the Sonica Theatre uses AK4529, the Transit uses AK4584, and the Sonica uses AK4353. These are all roughly equivalent (within an order of magnitude) and have the AKM flavor. However, sound quality is not so much about the DAC chip used as the implementation (power supply, analog stage, etc.).

 

[strogg]

sorry, i haven't been around a while and i didn't notice the search thing back on the bar

anyhow, i ended up picking the transit, since i don't want to spend *too* much

besides, anything can be better than the stupid laptop sound. Seriously, those things make my SR80's and A900's identical in sound quality and signature.

 

[bg4533]

Has anyone tried these Cable to Go USB Audio Adaptors? Link They are cheap at $39.99 and they have been on sale even cheaper. The specs look decent to me, but I don't know much.

Right now this would be used with an old Denon reciever and some old speakers. I am getting a pair of Senn HD280s as well. All I want is decent sound, mainly for divx movies and VBR MP3s.

Thanks.