I've got an HP G56 laptop (no digital out), and I'd like an easy (read cheap) solution to route all of my iTunes music into my DAC. My Adcom GDA 700 DAC has toslink, S/PDIF, and AES/EBU, but no USB.

Is there an outboard soundcard of some type that would work well for me? Or another solution that is cost effective, as I do plan on getting the Cambridge iPod dock at some point in the near future, and won't need the laptop at that point. I'm not up to date on CPU based music systems.

Just get a Music Fidelity V-Link. Those are about $150. Not sure if that is cheap enough.

Actually, it is selling for $119 right now from Amazon. Hard pressed to beat that if purchasing new: http://www.amazon.com/Musical-Fidelity-MFVLINK-V-Link/dp/B004PH03GU

Don't know if it is the best solution but you could get an Airport Express for $99 and wireless stream to the DAC (it has optical out). Works well with itunes. I think it will only handles 16/44 though if you happen to have a lot of high-res stuff. Also, there is a slight lag between when you click on a song on the laptop and when it gets to the DAC. Not usually a problem though (only if I am randomly shuffling through songs trying to find something I'm in the mood for, then the lack of speed can annoy me). If I am listening to a full album, it is not a problem.

Edit: The easiest solution is of course, to get an Macbook Air or Mac Mini.

Edited October 10, 201114 yr by shellylh

what shelly suggests is what I'd suggest

I am a airport express user/convert and love the convenience of it. My iTunes library is my primary source of files, and with iPad/iPhone it makes playing music fast and easy. SQ to me seems perfectly fine.

Edited October 10, 201114 yr by recstar24

Yep, the airport express is a great idea. If you decide to go another route later you can use the airport express as a wireless bridge, wireless print server, wireless extender, etc.

An M2Tech Hiface retails at around $199, so not cheap. But it would mean you could go from USB->SPDIF if you have an existing SPDIF cable.

I like the airport express idea. But I also think the HRT Music Streamer II is a decent solution.

I love the V-Link and would recommend it normally over APX (though I have three), if you're just connecting a laptop to a DAC, but the APX may even make the Cambridge iPod dock unnecessary as you could use AirTunes with your iPhone (or iPad). Course if you're actually using an iPod with the iPod dock, that wouldn't work.

lol person asks for cheap solution for digital out, Head-Case solution: fuck you buy a Mac <3

airport express doesn't require that you use a mac, or even itunes.

airport express doesn't require that you use a mac, or even itunes.

Yeah I know, my post wasn't serious, I just found it funny as I read your post as agreeing with Shelly's to buy a new computer

In that case, screw playback, he should hire all the bands and have them perform live.