Using monitors with a laptop

[Shwaz]

Can you go directly from the output on a laptop to powered monitors? I am talking about the standard 1/8 inch jack that comes with the stock soundcard. I am thinking you can buy a 1/8 to 1/4 adapter and hook them right in. I am wondering if the stock laptop soundcard combined with adapter would add noise to the point it is taking away from having quality monitors. Anyone doing this?

What are the advantages of buying a higher quality sound card or interface first and plugging the monitors into that?

 

[Agent Smith]

in theory you could get one of those 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch y splitter radio shack things but that just means more metal toughing metal which, maybe its just my paranoia, seems to degrade signal. i try to keep it as simple as possible. getting a better soundcard would give you the outputs you need and maybe some nicer inputs too if you want to sample. the adaptor would be an ok interim solution but i suggest eventaully upgrading your sound card. i don't think you'll regret it.

 

[Hypnotist]

Although you have powered monitors, I wouldn't use your soundcard as the main out. I would at least get some type of mixer first, but that's just me. Just remember that you won't have a physical knob to turn up or down before your monitors. This will be a pain in your ass if you leave the volume up too loud on your computer, or you're restarting and you get that annoying chime, or even worse... if you have a feedback loop and your computer freezes. You'll have no choice but to turn off your speakers by the switch.

I would either get a better soundcard with a Left and Right mono 1/4 inch output, or find something with a knob before it goes to your speakers. You can even make this yourself.

With what you have, you won't lose too much sound quality if you bought a good 1/8" to 1/4" stereo adapter, then used a stereo to mono Y-adapter going to your speakers. There is always leakage with adapters, but if they're good cables, it's not that significant. But like I said, it may be a pain in the ass to work with, unless you had a physical volume control. Maybe that's just me though.

 

[KENWOP]

you can do it i use mine with my soundcard and without and they sound the same its all good

 

[Obsidian Blue]

You can use your standard output just fine on a laptop, but if you put the money into buying monitors, then you might as well get an external sound card. I'd recommend Tascam's us-122 usb. It's really simple.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search/detail/base_pid/240868/