My music system is tied into my home theater, which is a pain when wanting to listen to music off my MAC using Connect 360 and an xbox 360. It means turning on the projector, waiting, wasting bulb time, using an interface I'm not fond of, and blah blah blah. So I thought I'd get a netbook and external harddrive, then use Itunes which I feel has a much more user friendly interface. I'd run out of the netbook USB into my JVC receiver USB. My ? is, do different netbooks "sound" different? Meaning, would some sound terrible. Would a DAC help? After the purchase, I'd also have a decent little portable computer too. Thanks.
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Netbook for playing music?
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USB out should be pretty comparable on any given Netbook. The quality of the JVC USB input and DAC will play a bigger part IMO.
I've actually thought of the same setup, I like the idea.
But then I found my company is selling some older Dell's from turned in inventory that are more powerful than NetBooks; and price will be only $125! So I'm holding off for that.
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Originally posted by StereodudeI'm not sure how you connect the USB on your laptop to the USB on your JVC receiver unless the JVC is a peripheral device. Most receivers have USB to connect USB devices to so you would be trying to connect to hosts.
If not, then you're looking at a USB DAC, or at least a USB to SPDIF converter to feed into the receiver.
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Originally posted by NalaMy music system is tied into my home theater, which is a pain when wanting to listen to music off my MAC using Connect 360 and an xbox 360. It means turning on the projector, waiting, wasting bulb time, using an interface I'm not fond of, and blah blah blah. So I thought I'd get a netbook and external harddrive, then use Itunes which I feel has a much more user friendly interface. I'd run out of the netbook USB into my JVC receiver USB. My ? is, do different netbooks "sound" different? Meaning, would some sound terrible. Would a DAC help? After the purchase, I'd also have a decent little portable computer too. Thanks.
the netbooks wont sound different. Its far more dependent on the USB DAC capabilities of the device your connecting the netbook too.... see the last few months stereophiles for some good reviews and discussions on the issues present here....
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If I understand what an airport express does, I'm still left without a screen in the room to view music choices. The netbook allows me to do that with a relatively inexpensive dedicated screen. The USB on the JVC receiver has worked well using my Mac laptop. But I use the laptop a lot so it's not often in the room. Looks like the netbook will work fine and not degrade sound quality, and I can add a Tweak City DAC when it's available.
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Dell Mini9,A90, and 10v do not have fans. The Asus 900/901 and the MSI Wind seem to have fans. I'm not sure of the others. I try to avoid fans as much as possible near audio equipment.
I have the Dell Mini9 now (same as A90). With no fan and a SSD hard drive, it is completely silent.
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an ipod touch can be used as a remote too!
A laptop music server should work. My gf is possibly going to get one of those little netbooks.
But from what I've read recently you are definitely going to want a usb-spdif converter as usb apparently makes a terrible sounding interface.
I was considering a Blue Circle USB Thingee. It's not too crazy expensive and BC makes really nice stuff.
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