[StevenBrouwer]

Hi,
Not really a speaker forum, I know, but I hope some music enthousiats can help anyway.
This is the thing: I am about to buy a notebook and want a nice (2.0/2.1) speaker set with it. After reading some I found out that PC speakers are no good for music and I am better off with real stereo speakers and an amplifier. Do you guys agree with that?
First thing I need to know is: What requirements should the notebook have? Must it have a spdif or is one usb port enough and maybe more things I should mind? (at this point there is only a onboard chip with headphone out.)
Do you guys have good stereo system suggestion (100-300 euro) with a notebook as source?
What is a good place to find out more about a music systems for notebooks?

In summary: What is the best way to set up a stereo system with a notebook as source.
Thanks!

 

[judas391]

a cost efficient way would be to buy a vintage receiver + bookshelves, and hook up them up via a mini->rca interconnect (thru your laptops headphone jack)
this won't sound the best, and it would probably sound very weak, because of the signal from the headphone out
OR
you could just buy something like the emu 0404 which CAN be hooked up to bookshelves (not sure if this would be underpowered or not)

 

[MrKazador]

You could get a couple active monitors, just need a decent usb soundcard.

 

[TheVinylRipper]

Take a look at this thread for ideas. I have no idea if the products are available in Europe but I'm sure that similar ones are.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=258160

 

[StevenBrouwer]

Thx for all your input. I am one step further now.
I got some speakers. More information about those soon. Only thing I know is that they are good and almost 20 years old.
I also saw the m-audio audiophile firewire that seems pretty nice. Any comments on it?
I don't know a nice amplifier yet, but the M-audio has so many connectors I think it will work with most amplifiers.

 

[TheVinylRipper]

The M-Audio unit looks fine to me, I have M-Audio and like it.

Old speakers can be good, show us some pics.

Does the software let you do 5.1 ?.

 

[MrKazador]

Here is a nice amp: http://www.emotiva.com/bpa1.html

 

[StevenBrouwer]

Here are pictures of the amplifier and speakers I currently have.
A pioneer stereo receiver model sx-450 as amplifier.
I think it's best I will use the aux input to connect it to the m-audio audiophile.

This is the speaker. I don't know the brand yet. I will know tomorrow morning.
The amplifier and speakers were "best tested" in 1977. I get them from my dad. I wonder if their quality will justify the purchase of the m-audio device....

 

[gychang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevenBrouwer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here are pictures of the amplifier and speakers I currently have. A pioneer stereo receiver model sx-450 as amplifier. I think it's best I will use the aux input to connect it to the m-audio audiophile.

I have a 30 year old Kenwood 15W/ch receiver and a DIY speaker, with USB sound card. ($30, turtle beach micro audio advantage micro). I play .flac files from my PC and sounds devine...

gychang

 

[TheVinylRipper]

I agree with gychang, you will like it..

Try out Winamp..

http://www.winamp.com/

With this plugin.

http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details/81361

Kind of a "virtual subwoofer".

 

[StevenBrouwer]

Thanks, but I am not intending to use such enhancements. But I will use WinAmp

But I now know the speakers brand: Dynaco. They are most likely Dynaco A-25's.

So what I got now is:
Notebook [Headphone-out to Phone-input (jack to tulp)] Pioneer sx-450 amplifier [to speaker with stock cable] Dynaco A-25.

So now is the important question: How can I best optimize this?

The amplifier to speaker part seems just fine to me. But I think I can improve the notebook to amplifier part quite a bit.
So I was thinking to buy a M-audio audiophile USB (cheaper than firewire) and than connect the RCA/tulp-output of the M-audio to the RCA/tulp-input of the amplifier.
But I am new to this, so is this smart?
M-Audio out-puts and Pioneer input (aux)

 

[judas391]

that's the way. or you could by some active speakers and hook them straight from an emu 0404

 

[StevenBrouwer]

I got the speakers and already. I am trying to do this with the things I already have. But if they aren't any good I will be more than happy to replace them

.
Would the emu be better than the M-audio?

 

[judas391]

emu is more expensive. get the m audio if all you want to do is listen to music

 

[StevenBrouwer]

Thx, Hmmzzz...
I am having serious second thoughts on the M-audio. Reading on the internet I get the feeling it's no good for me. Because:
1) Reviews says it's good for musicans and DJ's to record, but I won't do that.
2) People aren't to happy about it's DAC and musicality, which is important to me. It's only purpose is to get the mp3 data from the laptop into the 30 year old amplifier.
But than again I don't believe there is a alternative a this price point. Is there?

BTW: e-mu's seem badly available in the Netherlands