[Target1]

Here is the situation. I leave in 2 days to go to Oxford to spend a year studying math. I listen to music ALL the time when studying, doing work, and taking tests. I won't have my speaker system because its too big to bring with me, and I needed something. Hence my arrival at this wonderful forum. In the last 2 weeks I have purchased a set of HD 580's, I'm looking into the Graham Slee Solo Intro, and I'm well on my way to becoming an obsessed Audiophile. As of now my only source next year will be my 12 inch powerbook (the new one just released in April 1.33 Ghz upgraded to 768 megs of RAM). I'm wondering what might I need to add to my comp; external sound card, etc., to turn it into a source that fits with the rest of the componants listed above.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Mr.Radar]

Since all the other equipment you are considering is on the high end, you should look into an external DAC for your laptop. I'm not very knowledgable about DACs so I can't really help you too much there, however I highly reccomend looking into Benchmark DAC1 if you can afford it. It's a top notch source that includes a nice built-in amp (that's capable of driving Senns sufficiently) and it's suppost to pair very well with the Senn HD580/6x0 series (Iron_Dreamer can give you impressions of it with the HD650s).

 

[NKT]

I have a 15" 1ghz powerbook and I've been using the Xitel Pro Hifi Link as a USB to Coax converter, running into a Scott Nixon TubeDAC+ with 3xac power supply, and then into a Meridian 551 (soon to be Cary 300sei) integrated amp. This combo has been stunning, and I would never have imagined such great quality music coming out of my powerbook.

If you're truly after hifi then I wouldn't go with a USB dac, but instead a USB to coax or toslink converter that will give you more options for your DAC choice (such as Benchmark). Good luck in your search!

 

[bLue_oNioN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NKT I have a 15" 1ghz powerbook and I've been using the Xitel Pro Hifi Link as a USB to Coax converter, running into a Scott Nixon TubeDAC+ with 3xac power supply, and then into a Meridian 551 (soon to be Cary 300sei) integrated amp. This combo has been stunning, and I would never have imagined such great quality music coming out of my powerbook. If you're truly after hifi then I wouldn't go with a USB dac, but instead a USB to coax or toslink converter that will give you more options for your DAC choice (such as Benchmark). Good luck in your search!

Does that setup still give you reasonable portability? For example, would you able to carry your laptop/sound-setup around in an airport and easily get things up and running quickly?

 

[dsavitsk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN Does that setup still give you reasonable portability? For example, would you able to carry your laptop/sound-setup around in an airport and easily get things up and running quickly?

No ... is this a real question?

 

[skitlets]

Perhaps if you used a battery-powered dac it could be used in a (trans)portable environment like an airport, such as the ack dack or aos piccolo, then into a battery-powered amp.

 

[NKT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN Does that setup still give you reasonable portability? For example, would you able to carry your laptop/sound-setup around in an airport and easily get things up and running quickly?

Hehe bLue. Sure, but it's a hassle when the airport guys tell me to turn on the computer, and the funny-looking box with big light bulbs sticking out of it.

I didn't get the impression the original poster was asking for a portable rig, but if he were, I'd recommend the Indigo.

 

[Permonic]

I would say: yes, you can build a decent setup around laptop easily. The only matter is how deep you are willing to dig out your wallet.

E.g. I have been using following setup for about a year: Toshiba Satellite laptop --> M-Audio Transit (analog out) --> PPA --> Alessandro MS-2's. I can call this setup rather transportable than portable. For a portability I use a battery powered Mint instead of PPA.

If you don't want to use a USB device and you would like to have an ultimate portability, as NKT already mentioned, a CardBus/PCMCIA soundcard like Echo Indigo is the way to go:

1. ECHO Indigo, , http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/Ca...digo/specs.php, 2x headphone out, incl. 6 feet cable for RCA and 1/4", support ASIO, drivers, approx. 130 USD.
2. ECHO Indigo, headphone out/in, the rest is the same as Indigo, approx. 180 USD.
3. ECHO Indigo DJ, the same as Indigo, plus 8 "Virtual Outputs" - run multiple applications at the same time, approx. 180 USD.

For more USB soundcard options read here: http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=81348

 

[Target1]

I am definately looking for something that is transportable rather than portable. It will be a very stationary system for the next year, resideing on my desk while I study and work, only having to be moved when I come home from England. I am liking the USB sound card idea, but how is this going to be for quality. I have been told from other people that the only way to get good quality out of the 580/PPA (or equivilent amp) combo is a $1000 dedicated source. It seems to me that a $200 sound card is much moe cost efficient, but is it as good?

Mark

PS Is the M Audio Audiophile worth getting over the Transit? Also, what exactly do these sound cards do? I understand that I play apple lossless songs off my itunes play list, and that they then enter this device. What happens? Thanks for all the help.

 

[triodesteve]

My new digital front end is as follows: iBook G4-USB- twinDac Plus d/a convertor. I'm using Apple lossless and iTunes.
I've been breaking in the TwinDac for the last week and I haven't been able to listen to it running on batteries yet (my unit had a defective SLA), but so far it is much better than the Sony SCD777es that it replaced. It's not a cheap solution, but it shows what is possible with computer audio. What about an outboard USB d/a like a Griffin Powerwave or an Onkyo USB device. I have been using an Onkyo SE-U55 and it has a built in headphone amp. It's no match for the TwinDac, but it was 1/10 the price.
To me using a sound card that forces you to use SPDIF is not the way to go.
Steve

 

[00940]

I've been curious about the Apogee mini-dac with USB in. http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/minidac.php

Roughly 1000$, could be what you're after.

 

[ingmarwa]

What about this? http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/v...ic.php?t=12393. Nick Dangerous posted about it and was very enthustiatic: http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...hlight=usb+dac. If you do this to a decent dac, I think you'll have pretty pleasing results

 

[dmoffitt]

going to england, you should look into some musical fidelity X-series (small) stuff. keep the flavor local, you know, when in Rome

I absolutely LOVE their products, used to work at a dealer and would still pay FULL retail for any and all of the things in their lineup.

an X-DAC, X-PSU and X-CAN would really look sexy on your desk, too

Plus, they are the kind of component that will hold value pretty well and could be sold to anyone in the local english audiophile community w/o much hassle, allowing you to either pick up US versions upon returning home or re-investing in different audio gear (nice when the upgrade bug bites

)