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Digital out or RCA for music?

 

loc ho
Bronze Member
Username: Lamcam

Stanton, Ca Usa

Post Number: 17
Registered: Nov-07
Posted on   
Should I connect the digital out (optical) from the DVD player to the receiver for music and movies or using the RCA output for music?
Thanks.
 

Eric Ramsey
Silver Member
Username: Eramsey

South carolina United States

Post Number: 572
Registered: Feb-05
Posted on   
Loc: Try both. Use the connection that sounds best to you.
 

Nick K
Silver Member
Username: Nickelbut10

Post Number: 891
Registered: Jun-07
Posted on   
Loc Ho-depends on which unit has the best DAC's. If the DVD player has the better DAC's then it will sound better through RCA. If the Receiver has the better DAC's of the two, then it will sound better through a digital connection. Try both though, and your ears will be the judge.
 

loc ho
Bronze Member
Username: Lamcam

Stanton, Ca Usa

Post Number: 18
Registered: Nov-07
Posted on   
Thanks! I will try both.
 

Frank Abela
Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 2604
Registered: Sep-04
Posted on   
Do not be surprised if the music is a bit more engaging when played via the analogue connection. The main problem with the S/PDIF or Toslink connections is with the actual connecitons themselves which introduce jitter, a form of digital distortion. Since the internal DAC of the DVD player doesn't have this buffer, it should theoretically have less jitter, although this is dependant on implementation.

Regards,
Frank.
 

Eric Ramsey
Silver Member
Username: Eramsey

South carolina United States

Post Number: 573
Registered: Feb-05
Posted on   
Frank makes an interesting point. After reading this

http://www.stereophile.com/reference/1093jitter/index2.html


there is some evidince,although scant little empiricle, that both the SPDIF(Sony-Phillips) and the Toslink optical(Toshiba) are problematic interfaces in amoung themselves,clock induced jitter(error) aside. Both are a multiplexed signal. The problem is one of propigation. Running a complex multiple bitsream signal through a single conductor without compression-(undesirable for 44.1KHz) can and will induce an ocassional error. This is why Apple Firewire and HDMI are superior to Toslink and SPDIF because the individual signals of the bitstream are given their own independent conductor so the signal is remarkably pure and uncorrupt and still has the same benefit of signal comparison. IF the OP wants surround sound primarily then he sould go with the digital connection without question.
 

geekboy
Silver Member
Username: Geekboy

Tampa, FL United States

Post Number: 450
Registered: Dec-03
Posted on   
Translating for Eric: you might want to just use the analogue connections.

For stereo listening, I always use the DACS in my CD/DVD player. They are the same as or better than the DACs in my receiver.
 

Nuck
Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 9535
Registered: Dec-04
Posted on   
I run(ran) the SP/DIF of my puter soundcard to the DAC with tremendous results.
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