XPS M1210 audio / sound quality

Can anyone comment on the audio / sound quality out of the M1210's dual headphone jacks? My D610 is noisy and unacceptable.

Also, I called Dell and they confirmed that the audio outs are independent in the operating system, so that you can have a different source playing through each jack. If that's true, this will be a great dj laptop (one channel for cueing, one for playback). Can anyone confirm Dell's confirmations? Thanks.

 

I can conform that all 3 of the front jacks (2 headphones and Mic) can be set to sepearate sources in the sound drivers, I still have not tried playing with Trakktor to confirm that it actually works but it seems like it should.

I'll give it a try when I get home tonight and give you another update. As far as the sound quality goes the m1210 has a great soundcard in it if you get the SB option and I've had no complaints so far.

 

Apparently the Audigy option is only software. It can take advantage of the hardware to improve sound quality, but you have to use Creative's players, so that kind of leaves most people (and especially djs) using the non-enhanced sound.

Thanks in advance for checking. I'd definitely interested in the sound quality with non-Creative software.

 

Also to note, most of us who ordered the XPS M1210 got the Audigy HD software installed and fully functional. So it might be wise to save the $25 for the upgrade.

 

I just use the creative media source player over WMP. It does everything WMP11 does, and it has the enhanced sound. Its great for me, but I guess for the DJ's who are using special software you would be better off saving the $25 like NYC said.

 

The notebookreview.com Review says the sound quality is really good. "You won't need to take along portable speakers" I think it says.

I am curious to know if anyone uses the two headphone ports? Isnt one enough? I would have rather had dell put in some other port -

 

I think the two jacks are for DJs.

 

So there are enough DJ's to convince Dell to have two audio out ports! Thats neat....

In my mind, if a manufacturer were to have two audio out ports, one should be in the back (for a pair of speakers) and one should be in the front (for headphones)

 

Ive been in many situations where Ive used 2 headphone ports. This was on a plane with a portable DVD player where I had 2 of them. I actually wish I had 3 at that time. But now that I have my 1210 it's replacing my DVD player for travel entertainment, and I think the second port will come in handy. I cant argue with the point about one being in the back for speakers, but the thing is already crammed full of stuff and I dont know where it would go.

 

Just so you know, I have NO CLUE how that reviewer was lucky enough to get one with decent speakers - the ones on mine are really, really bad (no, not the worst I've heard, but pretty bad).

 

gautum3, I agree, an audio out in the back would be cool, but it'd be a bit harder/more expensive for dell to run the connection across the inside of the chassis.

Rellik, thanks for your feedback on the speakers. I think CNet also said they were only adequate, which is to be expected, but I haven't seen any reviewers comment on the quality of sound coming out of the audio outputs. I have a Dell D610, and the sound quality is horrible... I'd buy the m1210 right now if I knew these were better.

As for the utility, even an amateur dj using WMP or the Creative software can benefit from being able to cue and preview a track before adding it to a playlist. I think it's a great feature, and given the use case of two people watching a dvd, hopefully other laptop designs will pick this feature up.

 

so is the upgraded sound quality option for the XPS M1210 worth it or can one duplicate it with a different media player such as itunes?

 

There seems to be mixed feelings about this - frankly, I don't think anyone has (or will) put the "upgraded" sound through rigorous tests.

I am going to wait for an expresscard or usb sound solution to come out, so that I can bypass the internal audio.