[qib]

Hi, im currently looking at options on trying to improve the sound quality for my Altec Lansing FX4021 speakers sourced from my laptop mainly. Is there such a thing as a budget speaker USB DAC or an amp that could be bought at a low price. Im starting to worry that im not providing a good enough source for my speakers as it is driven only by my laptop. So any low budget suggestions on how i could improve the quality? Thanks.

Qib

EDIT: Link to my speakers Techgage - Altec Lansing FX4021

 

[qib]

Just to give you an idea on the budget, ive looked at the EMU 0404 and its a bit too expensive (around $200 i think?) So i think i expect to be paying much less than that.

 

[JetShred]

What about the E-MU 0202 USB? It can be had for less than $100. Otherwise you could just pick up a Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro for $30 at your local Circuit City.

 

[qib]

Yup ive checked those and do they make a big difference? Also i thought that for the money (about $52 here in the UK) i could buy something better. So are those the only choices i've got? Been searching a long time now. The emu 0202 are about $US130 here as well so its out of my budget.

 

[qib]

Also if i decide to buy the turtle beach usb, whats the difference in sound quality for my speakers with the Amigo and the advantage Micro other than the volume control?

 

[JetShred]

Volume control isn't going to be a reason to upgrade sound cards. Laptop sound cards are notoriously poor. Pretty much anything is an improvement. My Dell laptop even has all kinds of high pitched noise in the background through the headphone jack.

Unless your laptop has a line out jack it would benefit you to get something that has a line level out.

Here is another option, the Creative Soundblaster MP3+.

I don't think it's made anymore, but I got one of these a couple of years ago for my laptop for about $40 US. I would try to find something similar to this that would give you optical in/out, RCA in/out, and headphone 1/8" out.

 

[spacemanspliff]

I have one of those if you need it. There is also the Trends Audio usb to everything else converter. It has a headphone out but works best with an amp. SQ is much improved. I think one reviewer said he could not hear the difference b/w it and a Marantz 523? cd player. About $120-150 for that. The Creative sound card you can have cheap.

 

[classicalguy]

The creative mp3+ has a lousy dac - sounds like crap imo (I have one at work). My M-audio transit sounds a lot better, and doesn't upconvert everything to 48K. I'd really like to get an emu 0404, but there are no deals at the present time.

 

[qib]

right, what do people think of the creative xmod? Looks quite nice and the price is reasonable as well. Also any cheaper alternatives?

EDIT: link to the Xmod X-fi PC Plus - Creative X-Fi Xmod USB soundcard

 

[classicalguy]

There is a discussion of the Xmod here:

Xmod - SGHeadphones

I have not heard it, so take what I say with a grain of salt. But all of that processing (and sound quality less than m-audio transit with the processing off) doesn't sound good to me. I'd much rather have a clean quality dac than dsp processing (I've never heard good dsp processing). Too bad because it's a great price point, looks nice, and does what I want.

 

[spacemanspliff]

USB Audio Converter Description

 

[kikkomang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicalguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif There is a discussion of the Xmod here: Xmod - SGHeadphones I have not heard it, so take what I say with a grain of salt. But all of that processing (and sound quality less than m-audio transit with the processing off) doesn't sound good to me. I'd much rather have a clean quality dac than dsp processing (I've never heard good dsp processing). Too bad because it's a great price point, looks nice, and does what I want.

well you can turn off the processing if you want...

 

[classicalguy]

I know you can turn the processing off kikkomang, but the review said it sounds bad with processing off.

The trends has no volume control for headphone out, and analog out is not supposed to be very good. Great for digital out, but kind of expensive for that. I'm looking for great analog out - I don't need digital out.

 

[spacemanspliff]

Yeah the Trends is GREAT as a digital transport though. Way stronger signal. Much more everything in the sound now.

I just need a better dac lol.

 

[qib]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacemanspliff /img/forum/go_quote.gif USB Audio Converter Description

Yup the trends UD10 should be a future investment when i get more money, but what is all this about the analog out or digital out? Sorry for the beginner questions here but, all i know is that my speakers would be connected to a headphone jack as that is the only option my laptop altec lansing speakers have. Could someone please explain the differences between analog out/in and the digital out/in? Thanks for the replies. I appreciate it.

EDIT: alright i've done some some research and as far as i know, correct me if im wrong, the analog out would be the headphone jack that comes with the dac. And since my cheap, but great for me, speakers only uses the 3.5mm jack, what would be better options for dacs that come with a good analogue out. Also i wouldnt mind expensive solutions as this has become only a curiosity thing. My only cheap option is to get the turtle beach micro, and i know it would do much better than sourcing my speakers straight out of the laptop jack.