Sound System & Laptop

Posted on Feb 08, 2008 09:10 am
mclir9
www.witchsmark.com
Member Since: Aug 13, 2006

My boss bought him self an elaborate Home Stereo system. He ultimately wants to use his laptop as a Song Database where he can just choose songs off a menu and they will play through his system. He has a Dell Latitude 2gig processor w/512mb RAM and a Crystal WDM Audio. Is there anything he can use to make his songs sound better through the system, like an external sound card of some sorts or will running a Line from his Headphones out into his RCA Ins with a splitter be fine??

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dbmasters
Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002

Feb 08, 2008 09:16 am

Audiotrak makes some great consumer quality stuff. They are a devision of ESI, for whom I have much respect.

www.audiotrak.net/products/mayaex5ce/ is one possibility...would work great from a USB port.

CptTripps
Czar of Turd Polish
Member
Since: Jun 20, 2006

Feb 08, 2008 11:26 am

Just a thought, but many of the newer onboard sound cards have an optical out. If his receiver has an optical in that would be quite ideal I would think. I do personally run my gaming\music computer on my HDTV, I ran the sound just as you stated with a 1/8" to Stereo RCA splitter and it sounds fine. Audiophiles may laugh at me, but I can't tell the difference.

Tadpui
I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003

Feb 08, 2008 02:57 pm

I noticed quite a bit of noise when I hooked my 1/8" output of my computer's integrated sound card to my home theater receiver.

It worked fine though...the music's fidelity was undisturbed, there was just some 60-cycle hum that was noticable at higher volumes (especially through the subwoofer).

The optical out is a good suggestion though. Maybe it'd be worth purchasing an aftermarket sound card with an optical out. I'm a big fan of the light pipe ever since I got my home theater system :)

dbmasters
Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002

Feb 08, 2008 04:02 pm

Yeah, the 1/8 jack would be wise to avoid, they suck, that's why I recommended a USB device that has some RCA outs...

However, I have seen a few laptops with S/PDIF outputs...that might be an option to see if it's available on said laptop...it'd be more likely than an optical me bets...