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JasonSnake · Mar 22, 2006, 09:23 AM

Hello:

I am very picky on the way my music sounds. I need good, deep bass and great all-around sound. I need to able to adjust frequencies (bass, mid range, treble and everything in between). Most laptops/premade computers do not have this.

For my current HP laptop, I use a Sound Blaster Audigy PCMCIA card and sounds great. I use it with some Sony "studio" headphones to pump out those low frequencies. Also great with movies.

If the sound cards aren't that good, do you think Creative Sound Blaster will make a similar item for the Mac laptop ( Macbook Pro) soon? I know there's no PCMCIA, but what about for the new slot? Thanks guys...

jamil5454 · Mar 22, 2006, 10:55 AM

From my experience, Apple always includes a high quality audio chipset in every Mac. I don't have a MacBook Pro to find out, but it likely supports 24-bit/48kHz audio, which should be plenty for a moderate audiophile.

Also, many professional musicians work off a Mac's internal audio chipset (with their own monitors/headphones of course) while on the road and they see no reason to upgrade.

Tuoder · Mar 22, 2006, 11:10 AM

I have been very pleased with the audio quality in both of my macs. Conversely, I have not had a PC with integrated audio that I was satisfied with. With my old emachine, I could hear the mouse signal through my headphones, speakers. [/tangent] But I have been quite satisfied with Apple's audio quality. You might try going to an apple store and seeing if they will let you try playing a CD or something.

jmagic · Mar 22, 2006, 04:04 PM

if you think good sound comes out of sony headphones and a soundblaster sound card, you will not have anything to complain about the soundcard in apple computers

jasong · Mar 22, 2006, 06:52 PM

How things sound is about as subjective as it gets. I'd recommend going to an Apple store with your headphones and trying it out.

Tuoder · Mar 22, 2006, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by jasong

How things sound is about as subjective as it gets. I'd recommend going to an Apple store with your headphones and trying it out.

I disagree. Sound quality is measurable and comparable. The way this is being done, however is quite subjective, and undoubtedly skewed just because Mac users are being asked if they like something about their Mac.

jasong · Mar 22, 2006, 07:09 PM

To a point, you are probably technically correct, but in the end, people hear (and see and smell) things differently, and if the OP has a certain way he wants things to sound, no amount of technical data is going to matter if it isn't what he wants.

Tuoder · Mar 22, 2006, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by jasong

To a point, you are probably technically correct, but in the end, people hear (and see and smell) things differently, and if the OP has a certain way he wants things to sound, no amount of technical data is going to matter if it isn't what he wants.

On that point, I see what you mean. I have a friend who just loves to have overpoweringly out of balance bass. You can probably guess what he listens to.

analogika · Mar 22, 2006, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by jmagic

if you think good sound comes out of sony headphones and a soundblaster sound card, you will not have anything to complain about the soundcard in apple computers

This is the correct answer.

chris v · Mar 22, 2006, 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by Tuoder

On that point, I see what you mean. I have a friend who just loves to have overpoweringly out of balance bass. You can probably guess what he listens to.

Those Bluegrass fans drive me nuts, too.

Tuoder · Mar 23, 2006, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by chris v

Those Bluegrass fans drive me nuts, too.

lol

JasonSnake · Mar 23, 2006, 07:43 AM

hehee, you guys crack me up.

And no, I'm not big on rap, but there is other music that have some good bass notes. If you are an audio enthusiast, then you know you can't even get by with a movie without a theater system. That's another reason I need something up the scale. I'm normally out of my house 16 hours a day so I would like my new laptop to reproduce the sound well.

Does the MBP allow me to adjust the frequencies?

bernt · Mar 23, 2006, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by JasonSnake

Does the MBP allow me to adjust the frequencies?

There's no way to do it in the system prefs itself, but apps like QuickTime, iTunes and DVD Player have got an EQ which let you do frequency adjustments. So the answer on your question would be yes.