Is your computer's audio output hi-fi?

Most computer setups I see at residential homes have either a laptop, outputting sound thru the laptop speakers, or a desktop with tiny desktop speakers. Both are so far from high fidelity that it saddens my heart. I also find that many people equate computer-sourced sound with terrible fidelity and tinny speakers. They are not aware that most computer sound is very hi-fi as long as you have a good sound system with good speakers or headphones. Or maybe they don’t care.

So a poll follows…

Woops, didn’t realize that you can’t create a poll in this forum. So just tell me – is your computer connected to a good audio output device or not? And if not, do you care?

Me first…all my home/office computers are connected to a good hifi system with good speakers and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

It depends on which computer…
My MacBook… No.
My Desktop… No.
My Mac Mini media center controller… Yes. It’s connected via optical S/PDIF to my Yamaha 7-channel Amp.

My MacBook is connected to a tiny Tripath T-amp, which I built from a kit, and a pair of homemade bookshelf speakers. It’s hi-er fi than most computer setups.

If I find the time and inclination I may one day build a version with digital inputs and an active crossover. (And when I say “build”, I mean “assemble components designed by people who actually know what they’re doing”).

My main everyday computer, no. It is a laptop with a mediocre sound card. But I do keep a set of headphones near it just in case.

But… I maintain a separate computer, an old XP desktop, just for audio purposes. It has a great sound card, which I output to an actual stereo with real speakers. The sound is excellent. I also use it for digitizing old LPs, cassettes, and the occasional radio program.

I use a nice set of headphones with my PC, so I vote yes.

At the computer, my main concern is if the built-in speakers work. (And they do.) It is connected via LAN to an Apple TV, and that is connected to the main system with 5.1 channel surround and a real subwoofer.

Sounds like SDMB-ers aren’t typical computer users, and that’s a good thing!

I can’t think of any of my neighbors or clients that have a good setup, or know that it is even possible, but that is probably not a representative sample, either. It’s skewed towards geezers, not young people, and a knowledgeable user wouldn’t have to call me for support!

I have a fairly decent Logitech 5.1 speaker system here in the office, about 10% for games and 90% to do DVD soundtrack editing. It’s not audiophile grade but it’s way, way up on the computer speaker spectrum.

I got a pair of M-Audio AV40 speakers and Brainwav HM5 headphones. Not exactly hi-fi but a hell of a lot better than what most of my peers have.

I have those same speakers for my desktop. They are surprisingly good considering their size (and the self-contained amp.)

“How can a computer be hi-fi?” :wink:

I have the computer at home hooked up to the TV via hdmi and use that as a monitor and general entertainment system. The TV is plugged in to the home theater amplifier via RCA cables and all the sound comes through that to my 20-year-old floor speakers. You can pry my old Fisher studio setup from my cold, dead hands, and stay off my lawn!

Three computers into a MOTU UltraliteMK3, into a home theater receiver, into 5.1 speakers. Obviously only one of those computers can do surround, the others are stereo (well, 2.1). Are we good?

My desktop PC has an RCA S-P/DIF connection to my 5.1 channel receiver, and my Mini Mac has a mind-bogglingly stupid mini-headphone jack optical RCA S-P/DIF connector that goes to a different input on the same receiver. Only someone as demented as Steve Jobs would have thought it was a good idea to use the bottom of a headphone jack as an optical digital audio connector. I’ve managed to break two of the things.

As long as you’re coming out of a computer digitally, you can have excellent sound. Just don’t expect to get clean analog audio out of one.

i have a soundcard with a headphone DAC built into it outputting to a pair of sennheiser 558 headphones.

It’s not, and I don’t care. My living room TV is a CRT, so that’s about how I stand on the whole “home entertainment system” thing.

since win98, I have been running sound through full stereo systems or as I have now a computer speaker system. (Bose) it is a great sounding system.

Mine’s connected to a NAD amp which in turn runs a pair of pretty nice Yamaha speakers. When I crank it, the entire apartment complex knows about it.

I’m sorry, you’re dripping elitism on the floor.