USB sound adapter for laptop...

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Flak Beard
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USB sound adapter for laptop...

Post by Flak Beard »

Anyone here use one of these?

http://tinyurl.com/2gnt7a

I've got my laptop hooked up to the television, but the laptop only has a headphone jack for audio. If I plug that into my receiver or plug in some PC speakers, the sound volume is really low due to it being a headphone jack. I was thinking of getting one of these adapters, but I'm not sure if it'll work on USB 1.0. Yeah, my laptop is a little old. :(
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Doctor Fugue
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Post by Doctor Fugue »

Geez I didn't know the headphone jack wouldn't be loud enough. I was just about to hook up my laptop tomorrow with a 3.5mm-->RCA stereo cable that I just bought. Hmmm...I guess I will soon find out. That thing sure is cheap, though.

Time to buy new computers!
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lordofduct
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Post by lordofduct »

this is a self powered/amplified mini sound card. Barely even at that. It'll probably be just as good as a headphone jack (which is basically the same thing).

Your receiver shouldn't have a problem with audio from headphone jacks, just crank up the sound on the laptop first. As for PC speakers, yeah I could see them having an issue if they aren't self powered. Either way it really isn't good to send sound that has been amplified to an amplifier anyways. You should find something with a line out (or pre-out).
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Niode
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Post by Niode »

I have true 7.1 channel usb soundcard that i used to use to power my 7.1 setup on my laptop. I'd be willing to let it go for £15 incl shipping (it cost me more than twice that a year a go). That would be more than adequate. (plus it has spdif in/out so you can take a surround signal from an xbox/360 ps2/3 and convert it.)

That usb dongle thing will suck just as much as your headphone jack. If you're having trouble with volume, i'd just get a cheap headphone amp and then take the balanced TRS jack and split to two TS jacks into your receiver that will boost the signal. (i wouldn't recomend it though if the reciever has it's own amplifier as it will overload your signal, it's the same principle of how distortion pedals work for guitars, amplified signal into a pre-amp and how Jimi Hendrix set most of his amplifiers on fire :P)
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ott0bot
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Post by ott0bot »

lordofduct wrote:this is a self powered/amplified mini sound card. Barely even at that. It'll probably be just as good as a headphone jack (which is basically the same thing).

Your receiver shouldn't have a problem with audio from headphone jacks, just crank up the sound on the laptop first. As for PC speakers, yeah I could see them having an issue if they aren't self powered. Either way it really isn't good to send sound that has been amplified to an amplifier anyways. You should find something with a line out (or pre-out).
Exactly right! Headphone outs are amplified and should work fine.

Or try an iMic.
It works quite well and you can send audio to you laptop (record tapes or lps or game music) as well as out to your stereo. It has a mic/line switch as well. Little more expensive though.
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Post by ravenmgs »

get a PCMCIA audigy sound card.
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