How to get better audio of my laptop. external dac and amp? recomendations plz.

Gaby03 · February 19, 2022

(trash grammar warning) My laptops 3.5mm audio out sounds bad to my ears when i compare it to audio of my samsung A52. Ive tried eq's to match the sound but it does not work for me. I was thinking that maybe whatever audio system it has inside is probobly just bad or sucky. I want to get a dac to use on the headphones since id like to be able to listen to music of the laptop while i use it for study instead of my phone on the side. Not sure if an amp is necesary as well. Im running the Kz es4.

ShearMe · February 19, 2022

29 minutes ago, Gaby03 said:

(trash grammar warning) My laptops 3.5mm audio out sounds bad to my ears when i compare it to audio of my samsung A52. Ive tried eq's to match the sound but it does not work for me. I was thinking that maybe whatever audio system it has inside is probobly just bad or sucky. I want to get a dac to use on the headphones since id like to be able to listen to music of the laptop while i use it for study instead of my phone on the side. Not sure if an amp is necesary as well. Im running the Kz es4.

A USB DAC sounds like exactly what you need. Because you're running IEMs I don't think a powerful amp is necessary.

Could save a good buck by going with a dongle-type "adapter" which is still a DAC. I know Apple's USB-C to 3.5mm is well regarded by audiophiles, but there are plenty of rando options out there as well. https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-External-Sound-Cards/zgbs/pc/3015427011

FiiO is a popular brand if you just wanna go with something trusted. https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-JadeAudio-Headphone-Resolution-Smartphone/dp/B09JFLP3LS/

LionSpeck · February 19, 2022

47 minutes ago, Gaby03 said:

(trash grammar warning) My laptops 3.5mm audio out sounds bad to my ears when i compare it to audio of my samsung A52. Ive tried eq's to match the sound but it does not work for me. I was thinking that maybe whatever audio system it has inside is probobly just bad or sucky. I want to get a dac to use on the headphones since id like to be able to listen to music of the laptop while i use it for study instead of my phone on the side. Not sure if an amp is necesary as well. Im running the Kz es4.

The thing with IEMs is that they have very high sensitivity and low impedance: they tend to exaggerate the noise floor and all interferences that happen on laptops especially. An amp is really needed for high impedance headphones, which have the opposite problem (they don't get loud enough, need more gain); indeed, as @ShearMe said, you'd be better off with a USB DAC / dongle combo doodad. The most important thing is isolating your source (DAC) from the inside of the laptop, where there's all kinds of noise. Most reputable USB DAC dongles have good isolation from the USB-carried noise, and also have ample power to drive IEMs. On audiosciencereview, you'll find tons of technical reviews (especially those made by amirm, a moderator / owner) with truckloads of information about all sorts of devices, including USB DACs etc.

Gaby03 · February 20, 2022

7 hours ago, ShearMe said:

A USB DAC sounds like exactly what you need. Because you're running IEMs I don't think a powerful amp is necessary.

Could save a good buck by going with a dongle-type "adapter" which is still a DAC. I know Apple's USB-C to 3.5mm is well regarded by audiophiles, but there are plenty of rando options out there as well. https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-External-Sound-Cards/zgbs/pc/3015427011

FiiO is a popular brand if you just wanna go with something trusted. https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-JadeAudio-Headphone-Resolution-Smartphone/dp/B09JFLP3LS/

7 hours ago, LionSpeck said:

The thing with IEMs is that they have very high sensitivity and low impedance: they tend to exaggerate the noise floor and all interferences that happen on laptops especially. An amp is really needed for high impedance headphones, which have the opposite problem (they don't get loud enough, need more gain); indeed, as @ShearMe said, you'd be better off with a USB DAC / dongle combo doodad. The most important thing is isolating your source (DAC) from the inside of the laptop, where there's all kinds of noise. Most reputable USB DAC dongles have good isolation from the USB-carried noise, and also have ample power to drive IEMs. On audiosciencereview, you'll find tons of technical reviews (especially those made by amirm, a moderator / owner) with truckloads of information about all sorts of devices, including USB DACs etc.

Thank you both for the helpfull info!.