Speakers for PowerBook / Digital

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hi all... I recently bought a powerbook and would like to know what kind of USB Device I can connect for DVD Dolby Digital Audio, etc out... Also, I'm trying to find out what is a good Dolby Digital External type speaker system 5.1/6.1 channel for connecting to my powerbook. Something along the lines of Creative Labs Extigy type system and Speakers for the PC. Thanks!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    chychchych Posts: 860member
    Maybe the Midiman Sonica is what you're looking for (www.midiman.com) but I've heard something on the lines that you can't get 5.1 sound from Apple DVD player or something... not sure on that.
  • Reply 2 of 15
    Thanks... Anyone know if you can get Dolby Digital/etc out of a PowerBook G4 Ti? Any suggestions on speakers?
  • Reply 3 of 15
    I wouldn't plan on getting Dolby Digital out of your machine via the DVD player. It currently does not support surround sound.
  • Reply 4 of 15
    <a href="http://shop3.outpost.com/product/3352802"; target="_blank">http://shop3.outpost.com/product/3352802</a>;



    Give that a look

    Onkyo's MSE-U33HB . . . there are a bunch of other models that are similar. try a web search, since I can't find anything on Onkyo's website.



    They also make a model called SE-U55 which is better.



    [ 12-09-2002: Message edited by: Splinemodel ]</p>
  • Reply 5 of 15
    OK... So any idea on a good set of speakers then? Harmon Karmon look good - via Apple's web site - but then I've heard they aren't as good... Not sure what to get!
  • Reply 6 of 15
    <a href="http://www.insidemacgames.com/hardware/subindex.php?Type=Audio"; target="_blank">Mac speaker reviews</a>



    That should answer your question about what speakers are best.
  • Reply 7 of 15
    So SoundSticks or no SoundSticks? Murbot seems to like them since they've been on his desk longer than any Mac he has bought.
  • Reply 8 of 15
    fellowshipfellowship Posts: 5,038member
    Check these out!







    See the Black behind the Sub? That is a Massive heat sink for the amp.



    Check out this link and scroll to the bottom of the page to see the heat sink. Of course read the link as well.



    <a href="http://gear.ign.com/articles/306744p1.html"; target="_blank">Heat Sink Link!</a>



    I have the 4.1 Z-560's and they are GREAT!



    These are the Speakers!



    <a href="http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm?page=products/details&CRID=2&CONTENTID=5048&countryid=19&languag eid=1" target="_blank">Speakers Link</a>



    Check out what people are saying about the 4.1 Z-560's I have:



    <a href="http://www.edgereview.com/ataglance.cfm?category=audio&ID=311"; target="_blank">Review Link</a>



    And make sure to read this:



    <a href="http://www.edgereview.com/reviews.cfm?Category=audio&ID=36"; target="_blank">Another Link</a>



    Fellowship



    [ 12-09-2002: Message edited by: FellowshipChurch iBook ]</p>
  • Reply 9 of 15
    Fellowship, with a [i]PowerBook[/b]?
  • Reply 10 of 15
    Those Soundsticks + iSub are nice, but they just don't deliver enough sound.
  • Reply 11 of 15
    Hmm. JBL creature's any better? I'm just looking for an improvement over my PowerBook's sound but don't know if I want to spend $200 and have unwieldy equipment all over the room.
  • Reply 12 of 15
    xmogerxmoger Posts: 242member
    [quote]Originally posted by FellowshipChurch iBook:

    <strong>Check these out!



    See the Black behind the Sub? That is a Massive heat sink for the amp.



    Check out this link and scroll to the bottom of the page to see the heat sink. Of course read the link as well.



    <a href="http://gear.ign.com/articles/306744p1.html"; target="_blank">Heat Sink Link!</a>



    I have the 4.1 Z-560's and they are GREAT!



    These are the Speakers!



    <a href="http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm?page=products/details&CRID=2&CONTENTID=5048&countryid=19&languag eid=1" target="_blank">Speakers Link</a>



    Check out what people are saying about the 4.1 Z-560's I have:



    <a href="http://www.edgereview.com/ataglance.cfm?category=audio&ID=311"; target="_blank">Review Link</a>



    And make sure to read this:



    <a href="http://www.edgereview.com/reviews.cfm?Category=audio&ID=36"; target="_blank">Another Link</a>



    Fellowship



    [ 12-09-2002: Message edited by: FellowshipChurch iBook ]</strong><hr></blockquote>

    Let me say that a review you left out actually disassembled the satellites and sub to find little 15W speakers and an ~80W sub. Not even close to the 400W RMS claims of logitech. The amp was equally unimpressive.



    With that said, I really like my z-560s. They can get uncomfortably loud, and with eq tweaking sound pretty clear. Without a system wide eq, I couldn't recommend them though. Just too boomy.
  • Reply 13 of 15
    chychchych Posts: 860member
    [quote]Originally posted by xmoger:

    <strong>

    Let me say that a review you left out actually disassembled the satellites and sub to find little 15W speakers and an ~80W sub. Not even close to the 400W RMS claims of logitech. The amp was equally unimpressive.



    With that said, I really like my z-560s. They can get uncomfortably loud, and with eq tweaking sound pretty clear. Without a system wide eq, I couldn't recommend them though. Just too boomy.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Given that most speakers today have an efficiency close to 90dB/W at 1m, your system is probably not giving more than 10W total during normal listening anyway. Power ratings are waaaay overrated, they do not mean anything. For example, there are 1W amplifiers out there that sell for $10,000 of super high quality, and $250,000 <a href="http://www.acapella.de/german/spharon.htm"; target="_blank">speakers</a> that get SUPER loud with just a watt.



    Sort of annoys me, really, speaker power that is. It's worse in other countries where audio gear is advertised with their peak power output, not the RMS used here (eg you see this computer monitor with speakers that advertises 150W PMPO SOUND!!!).





    My system, I have a sort of different system driven by an Audiphile 2496 consisting of <a href="http://www.av123.com/diva_m200.shtml"; target="_blank">these 36W speakers</a> (with a headphone amplifier/speaker preamplifier and a d/a convertor behind it), and a potent 10"/100W <a href="http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&User_ID=10028784&St=6339&St2=8730938 0&St3=-83045509&DS_ID=3&Product_ID=15942&DID=7" target="_blank">subwoofer</a> to get the lower octaves, that all works quite well together.
  • Reply 14 of 15
    [quote]Originally posted by xmoger:

    <strong>

    Let me say that a review you left out actually disassembled the satellites and sub to find little 15W speakers and an ~80W sub. Not even close to the 400W RMS claims of logitech. The amp was equally unimpressive.



    With that said, I really like my z-560s. They can get uncomfortably loud, and with eq tweaking sound pretty clear. Without a system wide eq, I couldn't recommend them though. Just too boomy.</strong><hr></blockquote>





    At what Ohms? Impedience makes all the difference in specs. Figures change depending on the Amp.



    Fellowship



    [ 12-10-2002: Message edited by: FellowshipChurch iBook ]</p>
  • Reply 15 of 15
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    And I noticed another thing with speaker amps. The amplifier's input and output watt-ratings are different. I own a small 40 Watt (input) amplifier, but only has a 12 watts of output power. (It is advertised as a 40 watt amp)
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