Author Topic: Converting laptop to music source  (Read 11148 times)

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Offline warmaster

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Converting laptop to music source
« on: May 21, 2012 at 02:53 PM »
I' starting down the path to convert my 3 year old laptop into a dedicated music source and BT downloader. so far I have installed both foobar and winamp and both now fitted with wasapi plug ins to be able to play 24-192 flac files. but between the two I settled for the winamp pro (this was my player of choice back when IRC was the rave) and have configured my ipod touch with iampremote to control winamp.

right now i'm only running my laptop to my integrated amp via the headphone out of the laptop but planning to get a USB DAC soon if and when budget permits.

my laptop specs are:
250GB HDD
1.99 memory + 8MB video
intel core 2 duo T5670 1.80ghz

can such setup really play high resolution audio files? any other ideas to improve the experience? i have files that i personally ripped while some others are acquired through "other sources". i also have quite a collection of high resolution flac files from 24-96 to 24-192. any other ideas brothers?
« Last Edit: May 21, 2012 at 02:54 PM by warmaster »

Offline geriboy

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2012 at 02:57 PM »
based on my experience, use a USB-DAC as your original plan, or get a usb-spdif interface (like m2tech hiface) then hook it to an external dac. mas mura kung usb-dac ang gamitin mo.

Offline Stagea

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2012 at 02:59 PM »
That PC should be able to handle 2ch 192/24 just fine, unless you have lots of things going on.

I agree with geriboy.

Offline geriboy

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2012 at 03:02 PM »
kaya na rin ng laptop mo na maging audio source. ang mga na-try ko na usb-dac are super pro DAC and musiland 01, both of them are available dito sa marketplace ng pdvd. na-try ko na rin pala ang nuforce udac (which has a built-in headphone amp), but mas gusto ko ang performance ng unang 2 dac na nabanggit ko.

you may also consider buying an external amp for your headphones, too :D

Offline geriboy

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2012 at 03:05 PM »
ngayon ko lang nabasa na may integrated amp ka na pala for your headphones. i think that adding an external DAC would give much improvement in your current setup :) YMMV

Offline warmaster

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2012 at 03:09 PM »
audio technica sj11 lang HP ko. hehehe. this laptop is really more like a desktop because it almost never leaves the house because the battery is almost dead. i have used this for editing purposes before, running adobe premier. but now i actually use my wife's netbook if i need to use a lappy while on location (no more editing though). and when i do get the funds to upgrade, i'm gonna reformat this laptop and strip it down to the bare necessities for music playing, BT dl and the occasional web browsing.

Offline Billabong

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2012 at 10:24 PM »
I' starting down the path to convert my 3 year old laptop into a dedicated music source and BT downloader. so far I have installed both foobar and winamp and both now fitted with wasapi plug ins to be able to play 24-192 flac files. but between the two I settled for the winamp pro (this was my player of choice back when IRC was the rave) and have configured my ipod touch with iampremote to control winamp.

right now i'm only running my laptop to my integrated amp via the headphone out of the laptop but planning to get a USB DAC soon if and when budget permits.

my laptop specs are:
250GB HDD
1.99 memory + 8MB video
intel core 2 duo T5670 1.80ghz

can such setup really play high resolution audio files? any other ideas to improve the experience? i have files that i personally ripped while some others are acquired through "other sources". i also have quite a collection of high resolution flac files from 24-96 to 24-192. any other ideas brothers?

Okay yang Foobar with Wasapi. Maganda SQ. Adding a good external USB DAC will definitely improve the sound. You'll appreciate your CD collection better and even more so your high resolution 24-bit music. :)

kaya na rin ng laptop mo na maging audio source. ang mga na-try ko na usb-dac are super pro DAC and musiland 01, both of them are available dito sa marketplace ng pdvd. na-try ko na rin pala ang nuforce udac (which has a built-in headphone amp), but mas gusto ko ang performance ng unang 2 dac na nabanggit ko.

you may also consider buying an external amp for your headphones, too :D

Try mo yung Musiland Monitor 03US, okay yung built-in headphone amp niya. ;)

Offline warmaster

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2012 at 11:15 PM »
Okay yang Foobar with Wasapi. Maganda SQ. Adding a good external USB DAC will definitely improve the sound. You'll appreciate your CD collection better and even more so your high resolution 24-bit music. :)


thanks. but i just find winamp easier to use. plus using my ipod as remote is very convenient indeed. i am eyeing the musiland 01 as i am not really into headphones.

Offline shoktongxxx

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2012 at 12:07 AM »

Try mo yung Musiland Monitor 03US, okay yung built-in headphone amp niya. ;)
bro kaya bang drive nun K701 at LCD2?

Offline Stagea

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2012 at 02:53 AM »
bro kaya bang drive nun K701 at LCD2?

The Monitor 03 US comes with high impedance/high voltage and low impedance/high current headphone outputs. The high impedance output is particularly good for those with appropriate headphones. Both the K701 and the LCD-2 are moderate impedance headphones, so the low impedance out might be better for them.

PM me your location and availability, if you'd like to try this out.

Offline sientobente

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2012 at 03:26 PM »
I' starting down the path to convert my 3 year old laptop into a dedicated music source and BT downloader. so far I have installed both foobar and winamp and both now fitted with wasapi plug ins to be able to play 24-192 flac files. but between the two I settled for the winamp pro (this was my player of choice back when IRC was the rave) and have configured my ipod touch with iampremote to control winamp.

right now i'm only running my laptop to my integrated amp via the headphone out of the laptop but planning to get a USB DAC soon if and when budget permits.

my laptop specs are:
250GB HDD
1.99 memory + 8MB video
intel core 2 duo T5670 1.80ghz

can such setup really play high resolution audio files? any other ideas to improve the experience? i have files that i personally ripped while some others are acquired through "other sources". i also have quite a collection of high resolution flac files from 24-96 to 24-192. any other ideas brothers?

I'll attest to this na night and day difference if you are using the headphone jack vs a usb dac. malaki ang difference. Mas ma-aappreciate mo ang hi-reso files mo this way.

Offline warmaster

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #11 on: Aug 03, 2012 at 12:40 PM »
I'll attest to this na night and day difference if you are using the headphone jack vs a usb dac. malaki ang difference. Mas ma-aappreciate mo ang hi-reso files mo this way.

100% agree with you sir! it's really a whole world of difference even with just a budget DAC like the musiland line.

been playing with settings of the J River Media Center i found on this site http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/436-jriver-media-center-17-detail/

now music just sounds so much better  ;D



salamat sa lahat ng mga suggestions niyo

Offline shoktongxxx

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #12 on: Aug 03, 2012 at 01:06 PM »
I' starting down the path to convert my 3 year old laptop into a dedicated music source and BT downloader. so far I have installed both foobar and winamp and both now fitted with wasapi plug ins to be able to play 24-192 flac files. but between the two I settled for the winamp pro (this was my player of choice back when IRC was the rave) and have configured my ipod touch with iampremote to control winamp.

right now i'm only running my laptop to my integrated amp via the headphone out of the laptop but planning to get a USB DAC soon if and when budget permits.

my laptop specs are:
250GB HDD
1.99 memory + 8MB video
intel core 2 duo T5670 1.80ghz

can such setup really play high resolution audio files? any other ideas to improve the experience? i have files that i personally ripped while some others are acquired through "other sources". i also have quite a collection of high resolution flac files from 24-96 to 24-192. any other ideas brothers?
try mo mag Encore Enmab-8cm bro..ganito lang gamit ko sa Envy 15 ko hehehe..laki ng difference sa SQ compare sa mga mamahaling USB audio DAC like Creative USB 5.1 X-Fi na gamit ko noon, kahit sa desktop PC ko na gamit noon ay X-Fi Extreme Music ng Creative. and others says kahit sa Asus Xonar na gamit nila mas maganda at malinis ang Encore Enmab-8cm sa SQ..in my own experience mas nag enjoy ako sa Encore kesa sa ibang USB DAC sa laptop ko..so YMMV..nga pala available sa CD-R King tong Enmab 7.1 USB Audio Box na to for P990 lang ngayon kasi P1080 ko sya nabili noon sa CD-R King..try mo then let it surprise you sa SQ.  ;) HTH

sample pics.kopya ko kay Neil sana di magalit. :P


http://www.encore-usa.com/us/product/ENMAB-8CM

Offline warmaster

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #13 on: Aug 03, 2012 at 01:20 PM »
Musiland Monitor 01 US ang gamit ko bro shokx






pwede rin siya headphone amplifier kaso software based yung volume dahil walang physical volume knob yung unit. but it's all good, ang next step ko na lang siguro is to swap the internal hard drive from 250gb to 1tb.
« Last Edit: Aug 03, 2012 at 01:22 PM by warmaster »

Offline Wildfire™

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #14 on: Aug 03, 2012 at 02:05 PM »
im also using j.river but instead of wasapi im using asio


Offline warmaster

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #15 on: Aug 03, 2012 at 02:15 PM »
ASIO rin gamit ko bro. But I disable DSP studio for bit perfect streaming.

Offline Wildfire™

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #16 on: Aug 03, 2012 at 02:24 PM »
ASIO rin gamit ko bro. But I disable DSP studio for bit perfect streaming.

ako din pag flac naka disable pero pag mp3 naka enable  :D

Offline geriboy

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #17 on: Aug 03, 2012 at 05:43 PM »
Musiland Monitor 01 US ang gamit ko bro shokx





pwede rin siya headphone amplifier kaso software based yung volume dahil walang physical volume knob yung unit. but it's all good, ang next step ko na lang siguro is to swap the internal hard drive from 250gb to 1tb.

eto rin ang balak ko gawin sa isang laptop ko, to upgrade the hard disk ko 1TB or even higher, wala pa nga lang ako budget...

re: use of musiland para maging headphone amp - another alternative is to connect the musiland to a dedicated headphone amp via RCA connection para ma-control ng maayos yung volume ng headphone. dagdag gastos nga lang :)


Offline geriboy

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #18 on: Aug 03, 2012 at 05:45 PM »
try mo mag Encore Enmab-8cm bro..ganito lang gamit ko sa Envy 15 ko hehehe..laki ng difference sa SQ compare sa mga mamahaling USB audio DAC like Creative USB 5.1 X-Fi na gamit ko noon, kahit sa desktop PC ko na gamit noon ay X-Fi Extreme Music ng Creative. and others says kahit sa Asus Xonar na gamit nila mas maganda at malinis ang Encore Enmab-8cm sa SQ..in my own experience mas nag enjoy ako sa Encore kesa sa ibang USB DAC sa laptop ko..so YMMV..nga pala available sa CD-R King tong Enmab 7.1 USB Audio Box na to for P990 lang ngayon kasi P1080 ko sya nabili noon sa CD-R King..try mo then let it surprise you sa SQ.  ;) HTH

sample pics.kopya ko kay Neil sana di magalit. :P


http://www.encore-usa.com/us/product/ENMAB-8CM

buhay pa pala yung Enma after all these years. kung tama ang naalala ko, parang kayo pa ang nagsimula na mag-encourage na maging source nito sa headphiles. saw and heard this during our meet a few years ago sa Pasig. :)

Offline warmaster

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #19 on: Aug 03, 2012 at 05:59 PM »
eto rin ang balak ko gawin sa isang laptop ko, to upgrade the hard disk ko 1TB or even higher, wala pa nga lang ako budget...

re: use of musiland para maging headphone amp - another alternative is to connect the musiland to a dedicated headphone amp via RCA connection para ma-control ng maayos yung volume ng headphone. dagdag gastos nga lang :)



the musiland is connected to a cambridge audio 550a via rca. ok naman siya as headphone amplifier pero pag tinatamad ako mag on ng ampli, rekta na lang sa musiland yung headphones  :D

Offline shoktongxxx

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #20 on: Aug 03, 2012 at 10:08 PM »
Musiland Monitor 01 US ang gamit ko bro shokx






pwede rin siya headphone amplifier kaso software based yung volume dahil walang physical volume knob yung unit. but it's all good, ang next step ko na lang siguro is to swap the internal hard drive from 250gb to 1tb.
Wow congrats bro. :-)

Offline rascal101

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #21 on: Aug 04, 2012 at 08:40 PM »
Maganda rin iyung Musiland USD-03 1at ppm iyung clock niya.

Offline geriboy

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #22 on: Aug 05, 2012 at 04:00 AM »
some questions that I had in mind last night. if we have this setup: laptop --> external DAC --> amplifier (whether pre+power or integrated) --> speakers or headphones ...

1. how will the specs of the hard disk (i.e. 5400 rpm v. 7200 rpm, diff types of SATA) matter sa performance at SQ ng laptop audio setup?

2. will the amount of memory (2Gig vs 4Gig) matter?

3. ano sa specs ng processor (i.e. speed, # or cores, latency, etc) ang kailangan tignan para maganda ang performance at SQ ng laptop audio setup?


Offline Stagea

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #23 on: Aug 05, 2012 at 05:14 AM »
1. how will the specs of the hard disk (i.e. 5400 rpm v. 7200 rpm, diff types of SATA) matter sa performance at SQ ng laptop audio setup?
There should not be much difference, as long as it's not a very old model. A large HDD will obviously help in terms of data storage. The only time you'd need a fast HDD for this application is if you plan on multitasking disk-intensive tasks. A fast HDD will make the computer more responsive, but it will not make it play music any better. Some argue that it actually detriments output quality because of the greater transient power demands (from the stronger actuator often needed to position the head fast enough).

2. will the amount of memory (2Gig vs 4Gig) matter?
This depends on your player, the files that you play and how much background tasks you're running. Typical players should be okay with 2GB RAM with typical 2-channel file types if you manage your OS and background tasks properly (even 1GB could work as a bare setup). 4GB would be a more comfortable spec in most cases, and is a sensible option if you're buying new (since RAM is cheap). Though not popular, memory-based players consume a lot of RAM when playing back high resolution files, and may be better off with 8GB or more.

3. ano sa specs ng processor (i.e. speed, # or cores, latency, etc) ang kailangan tignan para maganda ang performance at SQ ng laptop audio setup?
You don't need much processing muscle to handle just audio, but it helps when multitasking. A faster processor may be desirable if you plan to use the notebook for more demanding tasks (multi-purpose computer). For a dedicated setup, any recent entry level notebook processor (Intel Celeron or AMD Fusion A4) can comfortably handle high resolution audio formats.

Some purists actually prefer moderate power processors on the same platform because the lower load on the same power supply causes less ripple. There are people who go out of their way to under-volt components to reduce power demands, then disable power and clock gating features to make the draw fairly consistent. After which, they swap the power supply with higher spec and lower ripple replacements. I have gone this route in the past, and the gains are often too little that most people should not lose sleep over it.

Two cores in a processor is normally enough, granted that the cores are fast enough. This lets you manage affinity (if you're OC with latency) to let one core handle your application's processes and the other your background tasks and services. Again, the latter tweak is truly optional as windows can handle processes and services quite efficiently without user intervention.

Factors to consider when selecting a computer for audio:
1. Other intended uses
2. Playback formats to be used
3. Interface sensitivity to latency
4. Intended buffer depth
5. Software to use
6. Overall system cost
7. Expected lifespan
8. Power consumption
9. Individual preference

Though these things may look daunting to some, the level of complexity really varies per individual. It can be very simple or very complex depending on how you want it.
« Last Edit: Aug 05, 2012 at 05:55 AM by Stagea »

Offline geriboy

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #24 on: Aug 05, 2012 at 06:02 AM »
thank you sir stagea! :D

Offline Stagea

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #25 on: Aug 05, 2012 at 07:11 AM »
thank you sir stagea! :D

You're welcome. A laptop-based audio system need not be expensive. Laptops cost less than CD players these days, and it gives you access to online music sources. If you need a remote control, there are many Android applications to let you use your phone or tablet as a remote control for your software player (there are some iOS and BB ones too).

This is an example of an inexpensive yet capable computer for this application:
http://www.villman.com/Product-Detail/Samsung_NP300E4X-A03PH
« Last Edit: Aug 05, 2012 at 07:12 AM by Stagea »

Offline DTNS

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #26 on: Aug 05, 2012 at 09:43 AM »
I use my gaming laptop as a video source.  :D


oh, having a wifi repeater helps too. ;)
Acer | Samsung | Harman Kardon | GoldenEar | NAD | Emotiva | SVS | iFi | Grado

Offline warmaster

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #27 on: Aug 05, 2012 at 09:48 AM »
You're welcome. A laptop-based audio system need not be expensive. Laptops cost less than CD players these days, and it gives you access to online music sources. If you need a remote control, there are many Android applications to let you use your phone or tablet as a remote control for your software player (there are some iOS and BB ones too).

This is an example of an inexpensive yet capable computer for this application:
http://www.villman.com/Product-Detail/Samsung_NP300E4X-A03PH

nice find master stagea! indeed laptops are cheaper than some entry level cd players, plus it can play virtually any file type that NMTs can't (from video to music files). i could have done away with DVD players and NMTs a long time ago. well atleast i'm on the right track now

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #28 on: Aug 05, 2012 at 10:11 AM »
laptops aren't as power hungry as people would make you believe. eto yung power specs ng lappy ko

    Nominal Operating Voltage: 18.5 V
    Average Operating Power: 12.5 W
    Max Operating power: < 65 W
 

at an average 12.5 W parang CD player na rin ang consumption. mas energy efficient pa than using an NMT plus an LCD screen to navigate through your files

Offline Stagea

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Re: Converting laptop to music source
« Reply #29 on: Aug 05, 2012 at 11:08 AM »
nice find master stagea! indeed laptops are cheaper than some entry level cd players, plus it can play virtually any file type that NMTs can't (from video to music files). i could have done away with DVD players and NMTs a long time ago. well atleast i'm on the right track now

Thanks. I'm pretty sure they'd sell for even less kung cash purchase (or at least add free items like an OEM copy of Windows).

at an average 12.5 W parang CD player na rin ang consumption. mas energy efficient pa than using an NMT plus an LCD screen to navigate through your files

Depending on specs and configuration, a newer notebook is likely to consume even less (especially those running ULV components).