Spotify audio tinny and thin from laptop

Lestratcaster

Can anyone explain why Spotify audio sounds terrible from my laptop into my monitors? In comparison to when I plug my iPad and play songs the bass is more present and its fuller sounding? Both settings are the same. Same problem from music from YouTube as well.

Has anyone else experienced this?

octatonic

Is the audio output in your laptop actually a headphone output?

Lestratcaster

Yes it is but so is my iPad or is that an aux?

octatonic

It has been a while since I had an iPad with an audio output so I am not sure- probably a headphone output.

But laptops usually have pretty poor audio specification for the built in audio card, which is why people use external audio interfaces.
Apple are usually a bit better in that regard, although it is still pretty 'consumer' rather than hifi.
What laptop is it?
Do you have the latest driver for it?

monquixote

Probably a terrible soundcard in the laptop.

Get a USB DAC. Doesn't have to be a super fancy one.

Lestratcaster

octatonic said:

It has been a while since I had an iPad with an audio output so I am not sure- probably a headphone output.

But laptops usually have pretty poor audio specification for the built in audio card, which is why people use external audio interfaces.
Apple are usually a bit better in that regard, although it is still pretty 'consumer' rather than hifi.
What laptop is it?
Do you have the latest driver for it?

Yeah the in-built speakers are terrible, so that's why haha.

It's a HP Pavilion. 

I don't know if I have the latest drivers, probably not. I think I will want to get an interface soon anyway esp if I want to record my guitar through it, they can do that and I can play music via that too right?

Lestratcaster

monquixote said:

Probably a terrible soundcard in the laptop.

Get a USB DAC. Doesn't have to be a super fancy one.

I think you may be right sir.

Any recommendations? I know nothing about interfaces. Well, only the Focusrite one.

octatonic

Lestratcaster said:

octatonic said:

It has been a while since I had an iPad with an audio output so I am not sure- probably a headphone output.

But laptops usually have pretty poor audio specification for the built in audio card, which is why people use external audio interfaces.
Apple are usually a bit better in that regard, although it is still pretty 'consumer' rather than hifi.
What laptop is it?
Do you have the latest driver for it?

Yeah the in-built speakers are terrible, so that's why haha.

It's a HP Pavilion. 

I don't know if I have the latest drivers, probably not. I think I will want to get an interface soon anyway esp if I want to record my guitar through it, they can do that and I can play music via that too right?

Does that have a Realtek audio card then?
If so yeah they are junk.

Yes you can generally use an audio interface for system sounds and Spotify etc.

Lestratcaster

octatonic said:

Lestratcaster said:

octatonic said:

It has been a while since I had an iPad with an audio output so I am not sure- probably a headphone output.

But laptops usually have pretty poor audio specification for the built in audio card, which is why people use external audio interfaces.
Apple are usually a bit better in that regard, although it is still pretty 'consumer' rather than hifi.
What laptop is it?
Do you have the latest driver for it?

Yeah the in-built speakers are terrible, so that's why haha.

It's a HP Pavilion. 

I don't know if I have the latest drivers, probably not. I think I will want to get an interface soon anyway esp if I want to record my guitar through it, they can do that and I can play music via that too right?

Does that have a Realtek audio card then?
If so yeah they are junk.

Yes you can generally use an audio interface for system sounds and Spotify etc.

Yeah it does. That’ll explain the reason.

ok is there a do-it-all one that I can connect my iPad, smartphone and laptop to play Spotify off? I run it off several devices and the option to play it off any of them would be good alongside recording guitar. 

Lestratcaster

Would something like this do the trick?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audioengine-D1-Converter-Headphone-Manufacturers/dp/B006IPH5H2

Or could I get something similar for less?

Or should I hold out and get the Focusrite interface if I’m planning to record guitar? 

octatonic

Lestratcaster said:

Would something like this do the trick?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audioengine-D1-Converter-Headphone-Manufacturers/dp/B006IPH5H2

Or could I get something similar for less?

Or should I hold out and get the Focusrite interface if I’m planning to record guitar? 

Personally I would hold out for the right thing.
The cheaper Focusrite devices are about that price and they are fine.

Lestratcaster

Hmm I had the same thought. Is it the solo or 212 Focusrite? And what type of cable goes from the line outputs into my monitors? They’re Mackie CR4’s.

Rocker

monquixote said:

Probably a terrible soundcard in the laptop.

Get a USB DAC. Doesn't have to be a super fancy one.

That is your best option.  Some years back I got a second hand one for little money.  It is connected to my desktop computer and all the music/sounds are going through it to a very old hi-fi system that serves as the audio system for the computer.

Lestratcaster

Rocker said:

monquixote said:

Probably a terrible soundcard in the laptop.

Get a USB DAC. Doesn't have to be a super fancy one.

That is your best option.  Some years back I got a second hand one for little money.  It is connected to my desktop computer and all the music/sounds are going through it to a very old hi-fi system that serves as the audio system for the computer.

Do you know what brand it is? Ive seen proper cheap ones for like £15 off Amazon but don’t know If they’re sufficient.

octatonic

Lestratcaster said:

Hmm I had the same thought. Is it the solo or 212 Focusrite? And what type of cable goes from the line outputs into my monitors? They’re Mackie CR4’s.

Either really, although I'd suggest going for something that is NOT bus powered.
If you go for those devices then you just need a couple of TRS cables I think.

Lestratcaster

octatonic said:

Lestratcaster said:

Hmm I had the same thought. Is it the solo or 212 Focusrite? And what type of cable goes from the line outputs into my monitors? They’re Mackie CR4’s.

Either really, although I'd suggest going for something that is NOT bus powered.
If you go for those devices then you just need a couple of TRS cables I think.

There’s £30 difference between the two. Bus powered? As in USB?
 
And yes I believe it’s two trs cables out from the back of the Focusrite into monitors. As the laptop is windows I might have to download some drivers from the website.

octatonic

Bus powered meaning it is powered by the USB bus.
Compared to having either an internal (IEC) or external (wall-wart or line lump) power supply.

Lestratcaster

I think the Scarlett is bus powered. Does that mean it’ll be noisy?

robwright

Lestratcaster said:

Would something like this do the trick?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audioengine-D1-Converter-Headphone-Manufacturers/dp/B006IPH5H2

Or could I get something similar for less?

Or should I hold out and get the Focusrite interface if I’m planning to record guitar? 

I have this one attached to my hi-fi and it is brilliant! Obviously doesn't sort your recording needs, but for audio from a laptop -top job!

Lestratcaster

robwright said:

Lestratcaster said:

Would something like this do the trick?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audioengine-D1-Converter-Headphone-Manufacturers/dp/B006IPH5H2

Or could I get something similar for less?

Or should I hold out and get the Focusrite interface if I’m planning to record guitar? 

I have this one attached to my hi-fi and it is brilliant! Obviously doesn't sort your recording needs, but for audio from a laptop -top job!

That's good to hear but I settled for a Focusrite 8i6 in the end - need it for Zoom guitar lessons even though it doesn't pick up SPDIF as an input. Also I use it to run my Kemper out to monitors to mix with Spotify/YouTube etc.

Playback quality is a lot better than it was, fuller and I can hear extra parts that I didn't hear before on recordings!