[bobfa]

Actually it is my work laptop, but it goes a lot of place I do and I want my tunes on it. The hiss out of the machines headphone jack is horrid. I cannot change the hardware, but I could add a USB sound card or something. I am using foobarr2000 to play if that matters. Just some Sony canal phones for now, e5c in my future.

Any good ideas?

I also noticed that my LAN party machine a shuttle 64 machine does the same thing but not as bad.

bob

 

[Prince]

hissing, floor noise are common when you are using onboard audio. Your best bet is to use external soundcard.

 

[bobfa]

I kind of figgured I needed an external sound "card" anyone have ideas? I am thinking of buying an amp so line out would be nice.

 

[Mr.Radar]

The M-Audio Sonica (original, non Theater) or Transit are pretty good external cards.

 

[Prince]

A little bit of searching will do you good.

Not that much help, but it should be enough to get faint ideas about what to get.

 

[scottder]

I have the transit and love, great bang for the buck on that "card"

Scott

 

[go_vtec]

I too have Dell labtop (M60) but it came with a pathetic onboard sound (same as yours). I've bought an external USB soundcard/DAC which kicks serious bu*t over stock sound. Take a look at Yamaha DP-U50 (Personal sound processor series). If you want photo let me know.

-Mike

 

[Cacophony]

If you want something super compact for travel, I've also had good luck with the Griffin iMic. USB device with one headphone/one mic in jack.

No line out, but it's not bad when you don't want to lug a paperback book size device along with you. It's about 1.5" diameter puck shape.

 

[bobfa]

I decided on a quick trial on the iMic and it seems to fit the current need. I am using this at work and with my Sonys 71's so nothing too impressive, but it blows away most "real" folks. I freaked a couple of folks out today with the sound and I know that we are not there yet.

This gives me fast "good" sound on the PC for a current total cost of less that $100.

 

[PYROTAK]

uh yeah the noise floor on the dell headphone outs are ridiculous becuase they put the out right next to the harddrive......idiots.

anyhow my mint amp filters all the garbage out very nicely