Connecting Laptop to Hifi & other ramblings

[stufran]

I'm currently putting together some old pieces of kit in my daughters bedroom principally to facilitate the routing of her music through her hifi. The kit I'm using is: HP Pavilion laptop (dv7 - 3111ea) Toshiba 32C3030DB TV Toshiba HD-EP30 DVD Player (Yes I know - WHF recommended getting one!) Cambridge Audio 640A V2 Amplifier Cambridge Audio 640C V2 CDP Cambridge Audio S30 Speakers Nintendo Wii My original (probably simplistic) intention was to link the laptop through a CYP or similar cheapo DAC BUT there is a mistifying array of outputs on the laptop that do not seem to fit with the DAC ! There is no optical digital output but (apparently) HDMI outs & some others that I do not recognise (you will have guessed by now that I'm no expert). I have looked through the forums & am no wiser as to the best way to make the connections. SHould I do it through HDMI to the TV then out to the DAC or just simply through the headphone jack on the laptop to the DAC or is there some other way ? Any advice / suggestions would be greatly appreciated because I'm beginning to wish I'd never had the idea in the first place !

 

[amcluesent]

Has the laptop got bluetooth? If so, QED uPlay is an option and you won't be 'wired' to the system.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi

My system was as follows: Cyrus One amp, PC source using ITunes via Cyp DAC all through to Tannoy R! speakers. I have just changed the motherboard in the PC and needed a way of getting music off via USB. I bought one of these http://uk.store.creative.com/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-x-fi-surround-5-1-pro/1-20055.aspx and have been blown away by the difference it made.

I had considered a CA Dacmagic and a Beresford 7520, both of which are around £200. The Creative was £65 from PC World. The best bit though was that the guy in PC World said that if I wasn't satisfied with it I could return it within 28 days for a full refund. Worth a go I thought, though the difference it has made means that it ain't going back!

Hope this helps.

 

[robolowski]

Hi

My system was as follows: Cyrus One amp, PC source using ITunes via Cyp DAC all through to Tannoy R! speakers. I have just changed the motherboard in the PC and needed a way of getting music off via USB. I bought one of these http://uk.store.creative.com/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-x-fi-surround-5-1-pro/1-20055.aspx and have been blown away by the difference it made.

I had considered a CA Dacmagic and a Beresford 7520, both of which are around £200. The Creative was £65 from PC World. The best bit though was that the guy in PC World said that if I wasn't satisfied with it I could return it within 28 days for a full refund. Worth a go I thought, though the difference it has made means that it ain't going back!

Hope this helps.

I was concidering a cyp dac but thought i give creative x-fi (external) a go first. I haven't got it yet but hopefully it will turns up soon.

Would you say that x-fi is an improvement over cyp dac?

cheers

 

[Anonymous]

i am using a creative live USB sound card and use its COAX out to use as input to Arcam AVR 250 and i have bee nquite happy with result from past two years. But want to upgrade the sound . I hope it helps. Which OS you use?