improving laptop listening to classical music
Wed, Feb 20 2013, 12:01PM
Good day. I own a Lenovo G780 with a Conexant Smart Audio and Dolby Advanced Audio v2. Notwithstanding, I feel sound as coming from a cave. The equalized is set to 0db for any entry in order to avoid possible sound distortion. To listen to music I employ a Sennheiser HD590. Is there a way to improve the sound? I find it discompforting.
Thanks and best regards,
davide
Wed, Feb 20 2013, 4:50PM
#2
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
Have a read of the Listening Wirelessly section of this website for some ideas. For your needs I'd suggest the Audioquest DragonFly, or the Meridian Explorer just reviewed by my colleagues on What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision, which I am set to review in a future issue of Gramophone.
Thu, Feb 21 2013, 6:07AM
#3
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
For portability and noticeable upgrade, I might recommend replacing the internal sound card with a Lynx L22 however that is a lot to go through prior to hearing how it will sound. I wouldn't be impetuous as there are a number of viable options. Nevertheless, here is a link;
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=243476&Q=&is=REG&...
Fri, Feb 22 2013, 12:12PM
#4
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
I apologize for this delayed answer. I followed your suggestions, but... is there a cheapest solution? I.e. a less expensive usb-DAC?
Thanks.
Sun, Mar 3 2013, 8:08AM
#5
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
There are a few sub-£100 pro-audio USB audio interfaces. Try Studiospares or DV247 or Dolphin Music.
Or how about this:
Fiio E7
http://www.amazon.co.uk/FiiO-Portable-Headphone-DAC-Amplifier/dp/B003N0XDT4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361541873&sr=8-2
Sat, Feb 23 2013, 3:48PM
#6
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
What about Pro-Jet?
http://box-designs.com/main.php?prod=usbboxs&cat=source&lang=en
It is a sigma/delta converter. Theoretically speaking a sigma/delta dac ought be the ideal solution from a mathematical point of view. But in a sense if the digitalized file (on cd or on pc) is the same, it must be sound in exactly the same way with any dac, as when a file is unzipped.
The waves of the sound became digitalized in studio (a sort of riemann-integration), where it is translated in strings of 0 and 1 and manipulated. At the moment of listening this file of 0 and 1 is translated again in waves. Since in this process some informations is lost, a dac applies an algorithm to the digitalized file in order to rebuild the original waves. So, dac is only a translator. How can it make a wave different from any other dac?
If two dacs, d1 and d2 process a same file f1 with the same algorithm a, they cannot produce nothing but the same collection of waves w.
It does not matter that I unzip a file from an unix-terminal or with winzip, say, being identical the result.
Obviously, the matter changes is the dac improves the source file. But, then, the dac is not only a dac. For example, I am not able to understand the way FiiOs work.
Best,
davide
Tue, Feb 26 2013, 4:48PM
#7
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
DAC chip is one feature, the external DAC has the analog amplification to line level is the next. The choice of amp components ( R,C & opamps) have a lot to do with the output sound quality. External DAC is an important gear in the CAS playback.
A cheap DAC with quite a quality I am using is SMSL 1955+ DAC (US$104).
Good image and sound stage for my classical music.
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Free-shipping-2012-New-Version-S...
Tue, Feb 26 2013, 5:54PM
#8
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
DAC chip is one feature, the external DAC has the analog amplification to line level is the next. The choice of amp components ( R,C & opamps) have a lot to do with the output sound quality.
Typical DAC chips usually output around line level anyway, so the output circuitry is usually straightforward, standard op-amp circuitry. When you see the quoted performance of say a CD player this usually corresponds to the performance of the DAC.
Ted
Thu, Feb 28 2013, 4:05PM
#9
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
Well. I bought an external usb Dac converter (the pro-jet wich I suggested above)... Very very very disappointing... The usual sound of my laptop with dolby is significantly better. Yes, there is no interference in the sound, but the result is poor and of lowest quality. I wasted only my money.
At any way, thanks for the suggestions.
Best,
david
Thu, Feb 28 2013, 5:00PM
#10
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
Hi David - it is unlikely that the DAC is the limiting factor. What media player/operating system are you using to play the music, and how have you connected your headphones?
Ted
Thu, Feb 28 2013, 7:48PM
#11
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
The OS is windows 7 (64bit). The dac is connected via usb to the laptop and with a cable rca (two females vs a male) to the headphone. As player I use iTunes.
Fri, Mar 1 2013, 12:27AM
#12
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
Hi David - there are several possible things that come to mind. First from re-reading your original post I am a little unclear - were you using the Dolby to alter the sound or add some kind of surround effect which is why it sounded "like a cave"? The Project DAC should give a flat frequency response, so if you are used to some kind of altered sound with the Dolby this might be an issue for your ears. Also check that any equaliser is off in Itunes.
Secondly this Project DAC presumably has a line level output and is designed to connect to an audio amplifier. It will work with headphones, but depending on the headphone, the sound may not be ideal. if you have a proper hifi amplifier try plugging it into that.
Ted
Sat, Mar 2 2013, 12:29PM
#13
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
Dear Ted, you have right. In fact, I turned off Dolby and any sort of equalizer to make a comparison. Unfortunately, I have no high end stereo or loudspeaker to detect if there is a noticeable sound enhancement with them...
Sun, Mar 3 2013, 8:20AM
#14
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
Davide, how can you control volume with headphones connected directly to this DAC? Is volume controlled on the laptop?
Mon, Mar 4 2013, 11:50AM
#15
RE: improving laptop listening to classical music
I control the volume in windows 7. Dac has no software and no pulsant. Here you may read about its features:
http://box-designs.com/main.php?prod=usbboxs&cat=source&lang=en
You might consider the addition of a quality outboard headphone amplifier with built-in D/A converter, thereby bypassing the (generally) inferior built-in D/A converter and amplifier. The computer then functions only as a digital source. Examples:
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-56681-hrt-headstreamer-usb-dacheadphone-amp...
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-61022-audioengine-d1-24bit-usb-dac-headphon...
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-9081-musical-fidelity-m1-hpa-p-headphone-am...