Post by Davywhizz on Apr 2, 2020 9:14:56 GMT -5
I've been meaning to get some new laptop speakers for some time, since my old pair expired. In the meantime, I've used a Sony Bluetooth speaker when I've needed it. This being my birthday week, and a celebratory trip to Scotland having been cancelled due to you know what, I had some time to research and get my wife to buy me some new kit. I'll pass the info on for anyone who might find it useful. Apologies to those Moe's patrons for whom all this is familiar, but I'm still learning about this stuff.
First off, I realised that if I wanted near hifi sound from a laptop it would be good to buy an external digital/analogue converter to bypass the cheap internal soundcard. I did some research and decided on the Cambridge Audio Dacmagic XS. It's a tiny brushed metal box, the size of a very thin box of matches, with a short USB lead on one end and big volume up/down buttons (+ and -) on top. Looks expensive, but isn't, as these things go. As well as being a DAC, it operates as a powerful headphone amplifier. The Dacmagic will take music up to 24 bit/192kHz if you install a bit of Cambridge Audio software, but works to above CD quality without. I decided on it partly based on the design, also the exceptionally good reviews and the fact I found one half price in an on-line sale. £50 (UK pounds) with free delivery. I tried it first with Grado headphones, using some ripped CDs and a few higher res tracks I'd bought and downloaded. The quality was excellent, especially compared to the stock headphone socket on the laptop.
Next step: new powered speakers. I settled on a pair of Steljes NS1s in a bright yellow gloss. It's Spring after all (and I found some half price, but only in the yellow). 35W stereo, Bluetooth or stereo jack in. Sub-woofer output. Decent speaker binding posts, which also take banana plugs (supplied, also a cable) if you prefer them. As the DAC has a 3.5mm jack output these are ideal.
For the modest cost, this set-up has given a remarkable improvement in sound quality. The speakers are intended as near-field monitors, of course, but sound surprisingly good even at a distance, with plenty of well-defined low end. I'm more than happy.
First off, I realised that if I wanted near hifi sound from a laptop it would be good to buy an external digital/analogue converter to bypass the cheap internal soundcard. I did some research and decided on the Cambridge Audio Dacmagic XS. It's a tiny brushed metal box, the size of a very thin box of matches, with a short USB lead on one end and big volume up/down buttons (+ and -) on top. Looks expensive, but isn't, as these things go. As well as being a DAC, it operates as a powerful headphone amplifier. The Dacmagic will take music up to 24 bit/192kHz if you install a bit of Cambridge Audio software, but works to above CD quality without. I decided on it partly based on the design, also the exceptionally good reviews and the fact I found one half price in an on-line sale. £50 (UK pounds) with free delivery. I tried it first with Grado headphones, using some ripped CDs and a few higher res tracks I'd bought and downloaded. The quality was excellent, especially compared to the stock headphone socket on the laptop.
Next step: new powered speakers. I settled on a pair of Steljes NS1s in a bright yellow gloss. It's Spring after all (and I found some half price, but only in the yellow). 35W stereo, Bluetooth or stereo jack in. Sub-woofer output. Decent speaker binding posts, which also take banana plugs (supplied, also a cable) if you prefer them. As the DAC has a 3.5mm jack output these are ideal.
For the modest cost, this set-up has given a remarkable improvement in sound quality. The speakers are intended as near-field monitors, of course, but sound surprisingly good even at a distance, with plenty of well-defined low end. I'm more than happy.
