Please excuse my ignorance (yet again....)

Would it be possible with the use of an adapter lead to run 8000s off a laptop, or even an ipod? If so, are the leads available only from B&O?

Cheers

Nigel

  

http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/thread/62524.aspx

The BeoLab 8000s are such high-quality speakers that it would be a shame to feed them with the direct output of the in-built DAC (digital-to-analog-converter) in a Mac or in an iPod. These in-built DACs are OK but far from audiophile, while your speakers are.

I would recommend a stand-alone DAC between your laptop and your BeoLab 8000s. These you can get from about GBP 400 to GBP 1000 - the advantage being that you can run the digital signal from your laptop to the converter, and then run analog cables from that to your speakers.

For instance, if you get the Konnekt 24D from t.c.electronics you can go via Firewire from your laptop to the Konnekt, and then go via the Monitor Line-Out from that to your speakers, while having a volume control in the Konnekt that is very precise.

 

Aw man, why didn't I think about something like that to go from my Mini to the Beolink?  Or my Airport to the Beosound?  I've got a Firewire one AND a USB one that I'm not using anymore.

Also be aware that when you use the Mac's Equalizer in iTunes and its pre-amp to control sound output volume to active speakers you are definitely degrading the sound. In fact, the DAC manufacturer Benchmark recommends deactivating Equalizer and keeping output volumes from the Macs at maximum (while also unchecking certain preferences in iTunes) in order to avoid having the inferior soundcard in the Mac process the sound before it is ported.

Which is why a stand-alone DAC is recommended. (Certain receivers have Toslink optical IN which will also accept a digital stream from your Mac.) 

Top notch info here!  Thanks Graham, this has been useful to me too!

It might look a bit odd on the train.

When connecting directly to the speakers, you'll want an in-line volume control from Maplins. £3.99 it cost me. My BeoLab 4s were uselessly loud (even on their 'PC' setting) when used with my MacBook Pro, but this little thing has done the trick with no fuss...