[Yakjunkie]

heya everybody! 

too put it bluntly, the sound coming from my laptop sucks!
I've been reading up on dac's and seeing as though i'm a complete rookie when it comes to this sort of thing i thought i would ask you guys for advice before i commit to anything.

i own a set of Logitech z5500's (which i know aren't rated so highly by some on this forum, but to me they are great 

)
and i was wondering how i would go if i was to add a udac2 hooked up by usb to my lappy and then coax to the Logitech's?
as there is an amp built into the z5500's i wouldn't need to add one?
 
seeing as though i travel for work i was thinking this dac would be ideal as i can easily take it with me.

any input would be gratefully appreciated!!!  

cheers. 

Chris.

 

 

[Xymordos]

Can't you just use the headphone out from the uDAC, or do they not have one?
Sorry didn't do my research

 

[borkt]

I have an apogee duet and love it. If you have a mac laptop im convinced it is the best DAC before diminishing returns make upgrades more of a luxury than a necessity

 

[stan2]

I assume you are using headphone jack on the laptop  to get sound from laptop to speakers now ..  .  I've heard the nuforce udac2 from laptop to my stereo system and it does a nice job, just plug and play.  You'll be bypassing the laptop's soundcard and headphone output.  this should be better.  You could use either the coax out of the nuforce, or RCAs with a mini to rca l/r adapter cable, I think, into your speaker system. 

 

[Yakjunkie]

hey guys! sorry for the late reply!
Quote:

Can't you just use the headphone out from the uDAC, or do they not have one?
Sorry didn't do my research

 
yeah it does have one, i was just thinking that coax would be a better way to get the sound to the speakers?


Quote:

I have an apogee duet and love it. If you have a mac laptop im convinced it is the best DAC before diminishing returns make upgrades more of a luxury than a necessity

 
 
lol i have a crappy acer! an impulse buy because of all the pretty lights

 


Quote:

I assume you are using headphone jack on the laptop  to get sound from laptop to speakers now ..  .  I've heard the nuforce udac2 from laptop to my stereo system and it does a nice job, just plug and play.  You'll be bypassing the laptop's soundcard and headphone output.  this should be better.  You could use either the coax out of the nuforce, or RCAs with a mini to rca l/r adapter cable, I think, into your speaker system. 

yeah i was using the headphone jack, but i was wondering, if i was to run hdmi or optical out of my computer, would this bypass the soundcard and use the dacs in the logitechs?  like i said new to all of this!
 
thanks for your input guys! 

 

[stan2]

I found this review of the dac in the z5500:  http://www.laaudiofile.com/z5500.html 
 
seems like it could be a better dac than a typical built-in dac in a laptop.  if you have optical and/or hdmi out on the laptop, I'd try those.  Far as I know, they will only put out a digital signal, so the dac in the laptop wouldn't be involved.  I suspect it'll be an improvement.  Report back, 'eh?

 

[JRG1990]

I use a second hand m-audio audiophile usb as a usb to coax for my s730 it was only £40 and i use a bettercables.com Silver serpent coax which i got for £25 second hand, i find the cheap freebie coax cables to have a negative effect on the sound quality.

 

[Yakjunkie]

Quote:

I found this review of the dac in the z5500:  http://www.laaudiofile.com/z5500.html 
 
seems like it could be a better dac than a typical built-in dac in a laptop.  if you have optical and/or hdmi out on the laptop, I'd try those.  Far as I know, they will only put out a digital signal, so the dac in the laptop wouldn't be involved.  I suspect it'll be an improvement.  Report back, 'eh?

well i've connected it up using an optical cable, and i am glad to report that there is a noticeable improvement in quality 

 
thanks for the help!!