[NinjaK]

I looking to get a cable to connect my laptop to my onkyo 605 amp for music. What is the best cable I can get for music quality?
My laptop has a HDMI and 2 free usb 3.0 ports. My amp doesnt have any HDMI ports free but has an S-Video, video, L-R Audio and a Digital connection on the front of it. There are aload of connetions on the back of it, too many to mention but here is a link to a picture http://www.productwiki.com/upload/images/onkyo_tx_sr605_rear.jpg

thanks

[cnocbui]

You could buy something like this and a set of rca cables connected to a set of the inputs on the Onkyo:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-UC...5197761&sr=8-4

Alternatively, if the laptop has a headphone output, you could just get a 3.5mm headphone plug to RCA cable for very little and try that first and see if the sound quality is satisfactory. I suspect you would find it would be, unless the audio section of your laptop was botched. This would be your cheapest option.

I don't know if the HDMI output would carry audio if no video is present - such as when just playing an MP3 - if so - an HDMI cable might be the way to go as that would output digital audio and use the D/A converter in the Onkyo, which might be audibly better than the laptop's D/A converter, though I doubt it.

Personally I just use option 2 to connect my iPod or phone to my HiFi. A lot less cumbersome than a laptop.

[NinjaK]

Originally Posted by cnocbui

You could buy something like this and a set of rca cables connected to a set of the inputs on the Onkyo:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-UC...5197761&sr=8-4

Alternatively, if the laptop has a headphone output, you could just get a 3.5mm headphone plug to RCA cable for very little and try that first and see if the sound quality is satisfactory. I suspect you would find it would be, unless the audio section of your laptop was botched. This would be your cheapest option.

I don't know if the HDMI output would carry audio if no video is present - such as when just playing an MP3 - if so - an HDMI cable might be the way to go as that would output digital audio and use the D/A converter in the Onkyo, which might be audibly better than the laptop's D/A converter, though I doubt it.

Personally I just use option 2 to connect my iPod or phone to my HiFi. A lot less cumbersome than a laptop.

yeah I tryed connecting the headphone plug to the amp and it worked fine, the audio quality was good although my speakers are good quality. Would I lose some quality by playing music this way? I would buy that usb connector if it improved the quality a bit.

[cnocbui]

I don't think you would lose any quality, because I personally don't think there is much, if any, audible difference between well implemented DA converters - though a lot of people would disagree with me.

If you have a CD player - rip a track off it as a WAV and play the WAV from the laptop using the headphone socket and compare the result with playing the original track off the CD. Make sure you adjust the volume so each time you a playing the track it is at as exactly the same volume level each time, otherwise whichever is loudest - if only slightly - will sound better just because it is louder.

That should tell you if the headphone output solution is good enough.

[dharn]

headphone to rca connectors should be fine i have used it and sound quality is exellent

[coylemj]

Originally Posted by dharn

headphone to rca connectors should be fine i have used it and sound quality is exellent

+1 A 3.5mm jack to RCA left and right plugs is what you need. A laptop isn't designed to provide high quality audio so throwing money at fancy cables won't improve the signal.

[ZENER]

What make/model is the laptop ? It might have SPDIF capabilities through one of it's outputs.

Another option is to use an external audio adaptor via USB that has a digital/optical output. Creative Labs and Turtlebeach do decent units.

Of course that all depends on what level of quality you're after. Personally I find audio outputs on computers to be very wooly at the bass end with poor definition on the high end.

Ken

[mossym]

Originally Posted by cnocbui

I don't think you would lose any quality, because I personally don't think there is much, if any, audible difference between well implemented DA converters - though a lot of people would disagree with me.

it's not the D?A as much as the crappy headphone amp connected to the d/a. when you can start to hear noise in your headphones when you maximize/minimize windows, then you know how bad laptop audio can be

[cnocbui]

Windows??

Not I.


The sound output from my Macbook Pro is pretty good.

[NinjaK]

Originally Posted by ZENER

What make/model is the laptop ? It might have SPDIF capabilities through one of it's outputs.

Another option is to use an external audio adaptor via USB that has a digital/optical output. Creative Labs and Turtlebeach do decent units.

Of course that all depends on what level of quality you're after. Personally I find audio outputs on computers to be very wooly at the bass end with poor definition on the high end.

Ken

Dell XPS 15

Just to let ye know im happy with the headphone out connection, quality is very good.

[mossym]

Originally Posted by cnocbui

Windows??

Not I.


The sound output from my Macbook Pro is pretty good.

I'll back my HRT Streamer II against it any day.

course that's only a dac

[mossym]

Originally Posted by NinjaK

Dell XPS 15

Just to let ye know im happy with the headphone out connection, quality is very good.

problem solved then, you ave your answer, if you're happy why bother going further, get the 3,5mm to twin phono recommended above

[ZENER]

A quick look at the XPS specs shows that some of them have a SPDIF connection. Being digital it should be a lot cleaner than the analogue output too ! What CPU does the XPS have ?

You know, providing as much info as possible before asking a question is usually a good idea ?! At least until mind reading becomes genetic !

Ken

[ZENER]

Originally Posted by cnocbui

Windows??

Not I.


The sound output from my Macbook Pro is pretty good.

The MacBook Pro also has optical outputs on the 3.5mm jacks. A very useful feature too !!

Ken

[NinjaK]

Originally Posted by ZENER

A quick look at the XPS specs shows that some of them have a SPDIF connection. Being digital it should be a lot cleaner than the analogue output too ! What CPU does the XPS have ?

You know, providing as much info as possible before asking a question is usually a good idea ?! At least until mind reading becomes genetic !

Ken

yeah thats the one I use, I didnt know anything about spdif before you mentioned it! It looks the same as the headphone jack and has a pic of headphones above it, says spdif below it though.
Its got a core i5 Ken.