Can you hook a laptop up to a home stereo and get quality sound?
 

What would I need to do this?

YES both my dad and step dad did that.

I don't know how they did it but I remember one time when my dad hooked up the tv to the streoe and recorded the shows he watched on TAPES because he did not want to get a DVD player or burner.

Depends on the laptop. I have a sager thats got 5.1 channel capability. The other option is to pick up a good external sound card.

Depending on what you mean by 'quality', but it's pretty easy; just an earphone jack to RCA plug splitter; couple a bucks at RadioShack (or whatever they're called now).

Its easy.. take the audio output from your computer and plug it into the AUX input of your amp.. If you have 5.1, plug the audio into the 5.1 input.. thats how we have it here.