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How to improve sound coming from a laptop?

Hi

I am about the get a decent integrated amp for my room and plan to use one of my laptops for playing music.

One is a macbook air 2013 and a windows laptop from 2017 capable of gaming.

What I was originally going to do was to plug a decent USB cable directly from the laptop to the amp.

But, then I wondered what if the usb connection are affected by white noises?

These laptops are not meant for music server!

From internet search, I came across with jitter cleaners and reclockers,

but was not sure if this will help the laptop sound.

Does anyone have experience with using a laptop as a music server or a stream?

Do you recommend any device? under $500-600?

Thanks!
yggy1
erik_squires
16,114 posts
 
Hey OP,
The biggest issue I've found is the noise of the laptop's power supply, also, the lack of ground isolation from some DACs.

I would say to try it, and see if using battery power or not makes a difference.  If not, then no issue.  If it does, you may have to rethink the power supply.
erik_squires
16,114 posts
 
not just the PS, but you may need a USB ground isolator. $30
yggy1 OP
78 posts
 
Thanks for the input Erik. 
phcollie's avatar
phcollie
342 posts
 
Op,
   I use Audirvana and while I can not verify how their software functions exactly, they claim to: shorten the signal path, reserve exclusive audio access to the Wasapi driver,  bypass the laptop audio mixer and ensure bit perfect processing of the stream.  I can verify the sound is better in my system streaming Qobuz through the Audirvana interface rather than the website directly.  Windows 10 Lenovo yoga. 
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