have a Kenwood 6.1 HTIB connected to a Panasonic DVD Player/recorder using a optical (toslink) cable, When watching dvd movies, the sound is awesome. However i have a question about dvd-audio.(my dvd player supports it) Somewhere i read that DVD-Audio cannot be played through optical cable. The player must be connected to the reciever via composite cables or something like that. Is this true. Can I have it connected both ways. If i have it connected via composite audio cables, will it still produce 5.1 sound in movies like it does through optical? Also I have bought this HTIB to enjoy my old audio cd's and mp3 cd's. However the sound isnt good at all, they sounded much better on my 5.1 computer speakers and my old hifi stereo system. The sound is flat. I think maybe its because i have it connected through optical cable. Do audio cds sound better when connected with composite cables or some other way. Thanks
Use quality rca interconnects and switch your receiver to Ext in (or similar) and yes, you can also have your receiver connected by optical or coaxial for using the receivers decoders if you feel it does a better job than those in the DVD player (if it has them both). Hope this helps.
DVD-A, like SACD, requires analogue connections, one per channel, between the player and the amplifier or receiver, at least in most cases. This is not technical, but legal, to conform to "digital rights management" agreements.
CDs can play either way. Which way sounds better depends on the player and on the amplifier or receiver. "Just try it and see" is the best advice, I think.