[Hero Kid]

Hi, the more and more I hang around on this site the more I want to spend more money.

I'm planning on buying a new Macbook Pro 15" which will be used primarily as a source. I understand that adding an external DAC/AMP (combination or not) or even an external soundcard is needed to milk the sound quality coming out of the Macbook.
I currently have myself an old Luxman L5 integrated amplifier connected to my old crappy custom build laptop (soon to hpoefully be replaced with the Macbook Pro) via a cheap 3.5mm to RCA cable.

A spec sheet on the amp can be found here. LUXMAN L-5

Would this be improving the sound quality coming out of a Macbook Pro or making it worse? Is this effectively an external soundcard or simply a power boost (to drive full sized speakers)?

Also would it be worth putting some money towards a mini-coxial (is that right?) to RCA for when I get the Macbook? Perhaps something from Blue Jeans Audio?

 

[labrat]

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[Hero Kid]

I understand it isn't a soundcard, bad choice of words on my behalf.
But I was under the impression that different amps give you different sound quality.
This would have to be the case, how else can people sell amps for 1-20k?
Furthermore why do people say portable headphone amps change the sound coming from the source. Isn't a desktop amp the same principal, just bigger?
Surely they would have to be doing more than simply boosting the impedance?
If this is the correct, can anyone look at the specs of my Luxman and tell me if they can see anything that could potentially cripple sound quality?

The moment I get rid of this laptop (Slight audio lagg at times - Don't trust it to test anything with) I will test the HO of the Macbook and try and compare it to the HO of my Luxman + Macbook with my HD-25's, see what my ears can notice.

Until then I will sit here and wonder if I should sell it (the Luxman), or save for a portable headphone amp/dac or external soundcard or something else confusing and expensive.

 

[labrat]

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[Currawong]

Going to your Luxman from your MacBook Pro will be fine. I did this for a long time. The nice thing, if you buy from BJC is, you can specify the length you need and the connectors and construction will be better quality.

Later down the track you might want to buy a DAC or DAC/amp if you upgrade your current rig. Since quite a few headphone amps double as pre-amps, you could later on just get something simple like a Parasound Zamp power amp to power your speakers. This is essentially what I've done.

 

[Hero Kid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif Later down the track you might want to buy a DAC or DAC/amp if you upgrade your current rig. Since quite a few headphone amps double as pre-amps, you could later on just get something simple like a Parasound Zamp power amp to power your speakers. This is essentially what I've done.

Yeah that is what I was thinking. I like the look of that Parasound Zamp.
I couldn't find anything like that when I looked so I gave up and went to vintage audio. How much would an amp like that set you back in Australia?
The next biggest problem is I need better quality speakers. No point improving the source when my speakers are so sh-te. Then I start to wonder if I am better off just getting some HD 650's and a portable amp and forget the speakers and amp all together.

 

[Currawong]

I'm living in Japan at the moment and I bought the Zamp from another Head-fier. I recommend heading into Duratone in Canberra and pick up some Paradigm Atoms or Titans. I'm using the latter here and they mate well with the old Luxman amps, which are quality gear. I lived with such a set-up for many years before I discovered head-fi. I'd stick with speakers though if you can use them most of the time. I'm mostly using headphones now because I don't have much choice.