PC/Laptop Recommendations

[admin_exported]

Hello,

l listen to most of my music via Spotify (premium) through a pc/Beresford Caiman/Temple Audio Monoblocks & Kef 'speakers.

At present, the pc is connected via USB & l'm considering a laptop or pc with a digital, optical or coaxial output; any recommendations?

 

[Anonymous]

Macbook. It has an optical output, and the quality is really good.

 

[idc]

Sony Vaio, cheaper than the Mac and works fine if you are happy with Microsoft. Sound wise, well digital is digital and it really does not matter until the DAC turns the sound to analogue.

 

[Anonymous]

Dell XPS from around £530 gives a choice of optical out or hdmi for your sound.

It is more powerful than a macbook with a bigger screen, better processor, more memory, bigger HD, better graphics card.

Its also £330 cheaper.

 

[Overdose]

Have you considered a wireless setup or maybe a NAS, to be independent of the need to have your computer on?

There are many options available on the computer fed music front, some of which I'm exploring myself. I think the biggest hurdle is knowing what the options and solutions are, that are available.

The other benefit of a NAS would be a silent system free of fan noises, although there are silent PC options as well....

Decisions, decisions.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the response, as you say, lots to consider.

As an interim move, any recommendations as to a 24/96 pc soundcard, with coaxial output?

Thanks

 

[Alec]

chesterfieldhouse:

Thank you for the response, as you say, lots to consider.

As an interim move, any recommendations as to a 24/96 pc soundcard, with coaxial output?

Thanks

I used to have this one http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Audiophile2496.html and it worked fine for me.

 

[garyw77]

It might be worth considering the M2Tech Hiface which would give you coaxial output now and be an excellent partner for a Mac Mini in the future? Mac Mini would be a good replacement, small and silent but with good spec, especially when upgraded to the maximum 8GB Ram.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting though the M2Tech HiFace option seems a little complicated with what media player/resolution file can be used, without making changes to settings.

With the M-Audio soundcard, is it as easy as taking a coaxial cable from the s/pdif output to the dac?

 

[Alec]

chesterfieldhouse:

Interesting though the M2Tech HiFace option seems a little complicated with what media player/resolution file can be used, without making changes to settings.

With the M-Audio soundcard, is it as easy as taking a coaxial cable from the s/pdif output to the dac?

Almost, yes. The card comes with a separate "breakout box" with a coax connection. You need to connect this to the card, then just plug one end of your coax cable into the connection on the "breakout box" and the other end into your DAC.