[bangraman]

Nothing pees me off like a jumble of cables and dangling articles. Now I'm considering a more serious approach to laptop-based audio overkill, I'd like to start scouting plans to keep it all together. Literally.


I'd like to see what you guys think about the best way of keeping a DAC and amp together with a laptop, specifically a Macbook Pro and the Headroom Micro lineup (the latter is not fully decided). Not a bag... but a way of attaching the DAC+amp to the laptop in a secure enough way to be portable as a single unit, but not permanently so.


Looking forward to suggestions.

 

[lini]

More info on this wonderful tool over there: http://www.wolfcraft.de/jcatalog_gen...4_product.html

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[Old Pa]

My large Tumi PC briefcase came with a separate padded PC case that either fits inside or can be used on its own. The PC case has multiple pockets with top and bottom zippers for storing accessories and cables and routing cables. It's worked out very well for organization and travel.

 

[trains are bad]

I velcro my Total Bithead to mine and run a 5 inch USB cable to it.

 

[RockinOut]

The cool thing about the Micro Stack is that each peice has rubberized ends and they fit on top of (stack on) each other.

I think the cool thing to do is just to use the Micro Stack velcro strap and extender strap.

Only thing left is a small custom made 1/8 to 1/8 mini optical cable put in one's pocket.

At $2,000, I couldn't tape anything to a Mac Notebook. I think it could damage the notebook, and wouldn't like how it looks. But that's me.

If you don't want to use a bag, then one arm carries the MacBook Pro and one arm carries the velcroed-strapped Micro Stack with the optical cable in your pocket.

But then you still need space for your headphones. If you use IEM's like me, then you would just stick them in your pockets too in a case.

I would love to have a Micro Stack, MacBook Pro rig (or any Mac optical notebook). It 's so pretty too look at, sounds good for the price, and is pretty transportable.

If you don't want to carry it in your arms, most ANY bag or backpack with a bit of padding will work. Me, I just throw my iBook G4, usb cable, and Micro DAC/Xin SM3 in my backpack and cover them each with regular white bath towels. I'd carry the rig in my hands, but one drop, and, OUCH, big dollars!!

It works, it's cheap, it's flexible, and it sounds awesome. I have access to streaming radio if Wi-Fi is available, I can surf the net (Head-Fi & Tuaw.com),
watch the Daily Show and other videos that I buy from Itunes, watch DVDs, and do actual work on the laptop.

I'm pretty darn minimalistic myself: it's the Apple way. I'm dying to get a Mac notebook with optical out. Not that USB is bad. It's just that the MacBook Pro looks so cool and is such a nice laptop in itself.

Vive Mac OS X and minimalism. And, uh, velcro too

(In regards to minimalism, I guess some XP laptops would be cool too: Some of them are really tiny, like Sony's ultra small 2 pound VAIO. To me Mac OS X is worth the extra 3 pounds. . . . but then again. . . . Damn, limited funds

)

 

[RockinOut]

Oh and for the 1/8 to 1/8 analog mini, just get a tiny U-shaped cable from Rnb180 on HeadFi's Mall Fi (above) , or a small cardas cable sold by HeadRoom (below).

Sorry about by enthusiam, but I just think this is such a cool HeadFi rig. You said you hate excess wires and stuff. By nature this rig would not have much wires.

Just 2 cables, can each be 4-8 inches long.

2-3 boxes: laptop, DAC, amp.

IEM case in pocket, or headphones around neck (or use a bag for all the stuff).

Doesn't even have to be the Micro Amp and DAC.

Xin is really big on using clear polybands in securing his amp to mp3 players. These same polybands can also secure any amp to the DAC.

From Xin's fixup.net:

Polybands come in many colors (clear too), are strong, and don't smell like rubber. They keep items together and prevent scratching of the metal cases.

You buy them in the women's hair accessories section where hair "bungees" are. I saw them in my supermarket and local drug store. Cheap too.

Take a look at my link below for pics for a similar rig. I have a 12" iBook. Don't forget a MacBook Pro would be a tiny bit bigger as it's a 15".

(for anyone else reading this, a similar rig XP/USB rig can be had too. Portable DVD players with optical outs are cheap and work too, just carry an extra padded multi CD holder)

 

[fjf]