MacBook Audio Quality

Labarum · 23 Feb 2008 at 16:22

I have heard it said that the audio quality straight out of the line-out on a Macbook is excellent. True?

How would it compare with a Windows Laptop perhaps with a

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Transit-main.html

?

Spyhop · 23 Feb 2008 at 16:27

Yeah - it is perfectly good.

Compared with that, shine and volume will be visibly improved, with up to a 60% reduction in split ends

Caged · 23 Feb 2008 at 16:35

Excellent is a bit much, there's still the standard internal soundcard issue of picking up electrical noise from the inside of the machine.

An external USB is going to give you better quality.

Spyhop · 23 Feb 2008 at 16:51

But is that audible in this case? Can't say that I've heard it.

Labarum · 23 Feb 2008 at 16:58

Depends on your standards. I would be playing it into a Quad HiFi system.

I have the Quad 77, the precursor of the 99

http://www.quad-hifi.co.uk/ranges.php?sector_id=2

But these people seem happy with Mac output

http://www.avihifi.co.uk/Ampak/ampak.html

The ampak staps on the back of a speaker to make it active (accepting an analogue imput) but they also make speakers with internal DACs

GraemeUK · 23 Feb 2008 at 16:58

Mine is great, can't hear any interference sounds great on my 7.1 speakers.

Labarum · 23 Feb 2008 at 17:02

I am only interested in hi quality stereo.

My Hifi would outperform almost all home theatre setups.

Exception?

http://www.meridian-audio.com/m_prod.htm

Felix E · 23 Feb 2008 at 19:44

I'm not sure why you would use any laptop as a hi-fi source unless you had no option or actually needed to. My Marantz CD6000 with Cambridge Audio A1 amp and Eltax speakers will easily beat my Macbook's sound, and it's definitely budget hi fi.

Playing compressed music through a decent system is pretty pointless as well.

Labarum · 23 Feb 2008 at 20:10

The Audigy card in my desktop PC will match my Quad CD player.

The audio out from my Virgin Cable box will better my Quad FM Tuner.

Things are changing fast.

Caged · 23 Feb 2008 at 20:42

GraemeUK said:
Mine is great, can't hear any interference sounds great on my 7.1 speakers.

That's because you're using the digital out.

Felix E · 23 Feb 2008 at 23:25

Labarum said:
The Audigy card in my desktop PC will match my Quad CD player.

The audio out from my Virgin Cable box will better my Quad FM Tuner.

Things are changing fast.

Quad 99 CD-S: £649.95 - I would personally be gutted if I had spent over 600 pounds on a cd player only to find that my audigy soundcard produced an equal quality of sound. I realise that your 77 was produced in 1996 but even so, I'm suprised that it doesn't sound better, considering that a quick google reveals a price tag of £850.

Mr Jones · 23 Feb 2008 at 23:32

Felix E said:
I'm not sure why you would use any laptop as a hi-fi source unless you had no option or actually needed to. My Marantz CD6000 with Cambridge Audio A1 amp and Eltax speakers will easily beat my Macbook's sound, and it's definitely budget hi fi.

Playing compressed music through a decent system is pretty pointless as well.

I run my MacBook (iTunes) with most of my collection is at 192kbps (VBR) - straight to an Aego M setup, beats or at least on par with my LG Home Theatre speakers player + CD (in both Music and full surround mode) - got to admit, I'm no audiophile nor are my home theatre a comparable setup but it's a good setup before a low budget Hi-Fi / Bookshelf + amp (with a CD player or with an optical output)

Felix E · 23 Feb 2008 at 23:37

I'm sure it's an awesome setup, and personally I'm happy with my MB digital out to the old Creative Inspire 5.1, and I'm sure the speakers aren't close to the quality of the Aego's, which if I had the money I would certainly buy.

All I'm saying is that I'd be suprised if an ordinairy laptop could match up to the serious thousand pound hi fi that the op is talking about. He says his hi fi would outperform almost all HT setups, so I'd be amazed if it couldn't outperform a laptop.

Mr Jones · 23 Feb 2008 at 23:45

Felix E said:
All I'm saying is that I'd be suprised if an ordinairy laptop could match up to the serious thousand pound hi fi that the op is talking about. He says his hi fi would outperform almost all HT setups, so I'd be amazed if it couldn't outperform a laptop.

Ah~ I understand now, sorry - I initially thought you're saying the MacBook + compressed Audio isn't on par with some of the more fancy ones (which obviously won't but it's close enough to give it's value/performance a good run

)