Yea, I didn't understand that it was a USB DA.  For $200, you can get a good 2-way interface.
 
 

Thee are at least 3 interfaces that come with decent ASIO drivers for $100.  That was going to be  my first response, but I understand people not wishing to drag around a 2 lb box. 
I take my Scarlett with me if I'm going to do anything critical. But as I said, there absolutely nothing I notice wrong with any of my laptops headphone jacks... sound just fine to me.. 
 
That little USB dongle looks like it would be OK but I'll only pay $29 for something like that as I would say it's all hype. $150 gets you a heck of a lot more with a small interface. 

Don't forget to buy some Audioquest USB cables to go with it, their very, very expensive audiophile USB cables really massively improve digital audio. Just like their $1,000+ mains leads do.

Apparently.

noynekkerit wasn't a cheap laptop, it cost around $2500 CDN, so I was expecting the audio components to be half decent, but it seems I have to customize it further for serious audio, since this laptop was not originally "designed" for audio work.

Wow! yeah, I've just checked the exchange rate and that is, indeed, an expensive laptop. I agree with everyone that, for music creation, you need a proper ASIO interface. 
 
That said, I listen to music through my laptop headphone jack all the time, and the sound is excellent, in my opinion, although I would never use it as my Sonar sound device.
 
cheers
 
andy

I use a Roland DuoCapture with my laptop to output Sonar to a PA.  $179
http://www.guitarcenter.c...udio-MIDI-Interface.gc
 
I had used a presonus audiobox for a short time, but couldn't get solid playback via their drivers (which I think is probably just USB Codec disguised as ASIO via wrapper, but that's just conjecture).
 
the duocapture runs on batteries or DC wall wart which I liked as opposed to running on USB power.  however, I recommend buying the DC power adapter (sold separately) instead of trying to use batteries all the time.  from experience:  I left the batteries in the case too long.  acid everywhere!  luckily it didn't ruin the unit, but I can no longer use it with batteries, only with DC power.
 
solid drivers, excellent sound, also includes a couple of inputs if I need them for remote recording.

tlw
Don't forget to buy some Audioquest USB cables to go with it, their very, very expensive audiophile USB cables really massively improve digital audio. Just like their $1,000+ mains leads do.

Apparently.

TLW, sarcasm recognized and appreciated . . . I'm also starting to see this device as audiophile overhype.
 . . . though, it's just across the bridge, and really I must go have a listen.

Beagle
I use a Roland DuoCapture with my laptop to output Sonar to a PA.  $179
http://www.guitarcenter.c...udio-MIDI-Interface.gc
 
I had used a presonus audiobox for a short time, but couldn't get solid playback via their drivers (which I think is probably just USB Codec disguised as ASIO via wrapper, but that's just conjecture).
 
the duocapture runs on batteries or DC wall wart which I liked as opposed to running on USB power.  however, I recommend buying the DC power adapter (sold separately) instead of trying to use batteries all the time.  from experience:  I left the batteries in the case too long.  acid everywhere!  luckily it didn't ruin the unit, but I can no longer use it with batteries, only with DC power.
 
solid drivers, excellent sound, also includes a couple of inputs if I need them for remote recording.

Beagle, thanks for the input . . . I actually have an acceptable USB interface for my laptop (Steinberg UR22 mk II) . . . $200 CDN, ASIO drivers, USB bus powered  etc . . . but there are times, on the road, in the hotel room, in the truck, when I just want simplicity . . . for example: just the laptop and the "Acoustic Guitar VST" to write a song in the moment, that's where the appeal of the USB DAC comes in, since my laptop headphone plug doesn't cut it.

The Mobil UA from Roland is what i use for cours and on the go : unbeatable sound quyality (32 bits resolution ) and drivers latency imprssive (the only usb card that i succed to go Under 64 samples of buffer size via usb) and i own RME and other great stuff ;)