Best audio from laptop to stereo help

[BrianC]

Started streaming Spotify and Pandora from my Toshiba laptop to my Yamaha receiver. Currently running with hdmi cable. Is this the cleanest and best quality signal? Or is there a better option for audio quality?

 

[DD66000]

Depends on how good the DAC in the receiver is.
On the other hand, using an external usb DAC might be better.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

yes BrianC - this is best possible connect. If you want to improve AQ - start looking to upgrade speakers/sub

 

[agarwalro]

HDMI being digital is indeed the best possible signal to the Yamaha DACs.

Which Yamaha, what speakers (assuming you are on the upgrade track)?

 

[DD66000]

HDMI being digital is indeed the best possible signal to the Yamaha DACs.

Which Yamaha, what speakers (assuming you are on the upgrade track)?

That is not necessarily true....depends on what is in front of the HDMI connection. Or what is missing.

For example, I can stream music with 3 different devices.
tv, Blu-Ray player...both connected via HDMI.
The 3rd is my MacBook Pro, which has Dirac Stereo RC Suite & external DAC ~ analog out.

The music from the Mac is far superior to the tv or BD.
And why is that? Well, despite how good my speakers are, they needed the last piece of the puzzle...room correction...no such thing as a perfect room.

 

[agarwalro]

That is not necessarily true....depends on what is in front of the HDMI connection. Or what is missing.

For example, I can stream music with 3 different devices.
tv, Blu-Ray player...both connected via HDMI.
The 3rd is my MacBook Pro, which has Dirac Stereo RC Suite & external DAC ~ analog out.

The music from the Mac is far superior to the tv or BD.
And why is that? Well, despite how good my speakers are, they needed the last piece of the puzzle...room correction...no such thing as a perfect room.

The implicit assumption was, 'all else being equal'.

Why don't you have a global room correction? If the Dirac was just prior to amplification, all HDMI sources would be equal and superior to any non digital source.

 

[DD66000]

The implicit assumption was, 'all else being equal'.

Why don't you have a global room correction? If the Dirac was just prior to amplification, all HDMI sources would be equal and superior to any non digital source.

Its loaded in the Mac and its output can be either to P7 pre-amp or AVR...tv and BD are connected to the AVR, but no way to connect it thru the Mac/Dirac.
But when I receive a 7.1 sound card for the Mac, then I can output to the AVR with Dirac 7.1

HDMI or not, somewhere along the chain, the Digital signal has to go through a DAC...and you're assuming the DAC in any given AVR is better than some external DAC, then connecting to an analog input.

 

[agarwalro]

HDMI or not, somewhere along the chain, the Digital signal has to go through a DAC...and you're assuming the DAC in any given AVR is better than some external DAC, then connecting to an analog input.

You're assuming - I'm assuming this. What I'm actually assuming is that there is only 1 DAC in the whole chain. So, in the OP's case, better to use the receiver than the laptop DAC. Digital over HDMI is the best connection the OP can use to get Spotify/Pandora streams to his receiver.

Your setup has 3 DACs in the Mac to amp chain. It's logical that you'd put the best one to use, the Ext Dirac.

 

[DD66000]

You're assuming - I'm assuming this. What I'm actually assuming is that there is only 1 DAC in the whole chain. So, in the OP's case, better to use the receiver than the laptop DAC. Digital over HDMI is the best connection the OP can use to get Spotify/Pandora streams to his receiver.

Your setup has 3 DACs in the Mac to amp chain. It's logical that you'd put the best one to use, the Ext Dirac.

Well, yes the AVR's DAC should be better than the laptop's.
But if one uses the usb out, you are then bypassing the laptop's DAC and with an usbDAC in the circuit to analog in, only one DAC.

And I do not have 3 DACs in my setup...only one at any time.
Dirac is not a DAC.
Mac/Dirac usb out~external DAC~Parasound analogue pre-amp.
Or the Mac/Dirac usb out~external DAC~AVR analogue in.
Or BD or tv HDMI out~AVR HDMI in.

 

[lsiberian]

I just use a y-cable normally. Not sure it needs to be complicated.

 

[agarwalro]

But if one uses the usb out, you are then bypassing the laptop's DAC and with an usbDAC in the circuit to analog in, only one DAC.

Um... Dude... Take a step back and read the OP question again. That said, if the OP asking about an USB external DAC and the best way to connect to it... You win.

Or the Mac/Dirac usb out~external DAC~AVR analogue in.

And I do not have 3 DACs in my setup...only one at any time.

We're saying the same thing worded differently.

For Mac music, are you doing processing or bass management in the AVR?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I just use a y-cable normally. Not sure it needs to be complicated.

Mac typically have decent DACs, so KISS principle certainly applies here

 

[DD66000]

Um... Dude... Take a step back and read the OP question again. That said, if the OP asking about an USB external DAC and the best way to connect to it... You win.

We're saying the same thing worded differently.

For Mac music, are you doing processing or bass management in the AVR?

In that reply I was responding to your reply, not the op. He has not come back since his first post...But going with an external DAC could/might be an improvement.
And for my music via the Mac, not using the AVR...the P7 pre-amp, which has BM....no processing after the room correction/DAC out.

 

[DD66000]

Mac typically have decent DACs, so KISS principle certainly applies here

Not that good! And anyway my 3.5 mm out is no longer usable or even serviceable. As I was told. So I use the usb.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

More than good enough for most folks

 

[DD66000]

More than good enough for most folks

Well, I am not most folks. I run everything to the max.
At least as far as a Mac will go.. 96/24
And I have to use the usb as the left channel thru the 3.5mm out is pure distortion, when the volume is maxed out, which it should be.
And I would rather and do run all my music sources thru the Parasound P7 (pure analog), not the AVR, only movie soundtracks thru the AVR.

And when I get the 7.1 SC, all streaming or dvd movie audio will be run thru the Dirac 8 channel, with the AVR eq off.
No possibility to do so with the BD. The Mac would need an optical or HDMI input to do that. And a new Mac, here, is around $3K.

Although all 3 video sources goes to the AVR via HDMI.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

as the left channel thru the 3.5mm out is pure distortion, when the volume is maxed out, which it should be.

No, it's not what should be

 

[DD66000]

No, it's not what should be

The distortion should not be, but the volume should be maxed out.
But the left channel got damaged when the 3.5mm pin broke off in the port...did get it out, but not w/o damage to the left channel.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

The distortion should not be, but the volume should be maxed out.

Correct.

But the left channel got damaged when the 3.5mm pin broke off in the port...did get it out, but not w/o damage to the left channel.

I see now - so you physically broke the audio port in your computer, yet it's "the technology" responsible for distortion. Gottcha.

Sarcasms aside, in your particular case using other means other than broken analog port to get sound out of that computer are probably beneficial.

All this convo is absolutely has bearing what so ever to original OP's question - is HDMI is best way to connect HIS PC to HIS Yamaha receiver and the answer is simple YES. HDMI allows best possible digital signal to be passed to excellent audio processors inside OP's yamaha receiver.

While you could use external dacs, software processing, any other wizards and gadgets - the simply truth is $200 spent on speakers/sub would be much more beneficial than spend on gadgets etc...

 

[DD66000]

Correct.

I see now - so you physically broke the audio port in your computer, yet it's "the technology" responsible for distortion. Gottcha.

Sarcasms aside, in your particular case using other means other than broken analog port to get sound out of that computer are probably beneficial.

All this convo is absolutely has bearing what so ever to original OP's question - is HDMI is best way to connect HIS PC to HIS Yamaha receiver and the answer is simple YES. HDMI allows best possible digital signal to be passed to excellent audio processors inside OP's yamaha receiver.

While you could use external dacs, software processing, any other wizards and gadgets - the simply truth is $200 spent on speakers/sub would be much more beneficial than spend on gadgets etc...

I mentioned way back the 3.5 was useless/unservicable...not the tech. But any on-board DAC can bettered by a quality external DAC.
As to the original post, I said adding RC would be a benefit to the HDMI out. No room is perfect.
Most certainly, the speakers are the most important part of a system.
But your economics are off. In today's dollar, $200 spent on a pair of speakers, or even $200/ea is not providing much in upgraded sound.
Its been 40 years, give or take, since I auditioned a pair of speakers at $200/ea I thought were worth buying.
Today, its more like $500~700/ea, minimum, to get something worth keeping.
The XOs I built 12 years ago cost almost that much alone.
But no matter what speakers are being used, Dirac RC can improve the sound.