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[Mr Swordfish]

I'm using Media Server to  remotely connect to my library via my laptop.  Compared with the output of main PC which is an external pro-audio D/A (M-Audio M-Track) the laptop headphone jack is missing a certain something. (slight dip in the ~200hz region I think)  Not awful, and clearly acceptable, but wondering what others are using for D/A on their laptops?

I'm skeptical that the $7 ones from Amazon are an improvement.  I don't need fancy mic preamps or even a line input since I'll only be using it for playback.

I bought a Behringer UCA202 that's on it's way - anybody have experience with other devices?

[craigmcg]

Question - how mobile does this setup have to be? I ask because if your laptop "lives" in a docking station at the office or elsewhere, then the portability of the DAC is less critical.

I have a friend who uses a laptop that lives in his living room and pulls the library from the server in his upstairs office and he uses a Topping E 30 II as the DAC. In my home I use a Topping E70V with my laptop that lives in my dining room. I use a Schiit Bifrost 2/64 in my bedroom with the mini pc.

If the DAC has to be more portable for use "on the road" a Schiit Fulla E https://www.schiit.com/products/fulla-2 might work well for you.  I had an earlier version some years ago which did sound much better than the laptop output.

[Mr Swordfish]

The intent is to use it at our vacation condo, so it will be basically sedentary. And I could always leave it behind and just use the headphone jack on the laptop. Thanks.  Since I'm just looking for a one-way two channel DAC it shouldn't need to be very big. Or very expensive. Thanks.

[craigmcg]

Since I'm just looking for a one-way two channel DAC it shouldn't need to be very big. Or very expensive. Thanks.

Both size and cost are relative but the two smallest and least expensive DACs that I have used are the Topping E30 II https://www.amazon.com/Topping-Decoder-2xAK4493S-Digital-Decoder/dp/B0B7LBCLM5/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kwSd6m7jc4Z9j676dTxJGHM-Mstzy7tGIhSkPy45i7tMsDZdAr8W14t4CY8869u1FzwaIkZkQxP8SXkpt-6lKwZkve3CKpN6TeHpZW0z63XSGUfXw3-xYi9tiYSMKW9LFpbgHYxY6kncLyUZAbTB50312KD3WqPpvhc80JWK7bT95JhDZM-Lplkfyk2Sa3WGLKV6CAucNrn35tP3PGEOgqiJKP7ty-oixfy-f3zCdzg.Vwjs3GtOc8hgoMiWsDbESerL9heqC0ZSml4iUHlfoTo&dib_tag=se&keywords=Topping+E30+II&qid=1732374008&sr=8-1
 and the Schiit Fulla E https://www.schiit.com/products/fulla-2

Happy Hunting!