RCA to 3.5 Analog (male) cable

N

Nostromo

Junior Audioholic
I just found out something that I did not know before. The Sony HT-ZF9 soundbar has a 3.5mm analog audio input. If I get an adapter cable that had traditional RCA pins at one end and a 3.5 mm analog pin at the other, can I then plug in a quality CD player to the soundbar and get the benefit of the CD-player's DCA? If so, how does the audio quality compare with RCA to RCA?
 
N

Nostromo

Junior Audioholic
Thanks. But will it work as well as a conventional RCA-RCA cable?
 
slipperybidness

slipperybidness

Audioholic Warlord
Thanks. But will it work as well as a conventional RCA-RCA cable?
cables are cables--ie. cables are "wires".

It's just the termination that is different.

Just be sure to get a stereo 3.5mm on the other end, not mono. You should be able to identify it as stereo as it will have the TRS configuration (3 distinct connections on it for stereo, while mono will only have 2 connections).
 
N

Nostromo

Junior Audioholic
Just be sure to get a stereo 3.5mm on the other end, not mono. You should be able to identify it as stereo as it will have the TRS configuration (3 distinct connections on it for stereo, while mono will only have 2 connections).
You mean at the 3.5 mm end of the cable? How do I make out the difference? 3 grooves?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/3-5mm-2-Male-Benfei-Audio-Stereo-1-Pack/dp/B07TTLH72H

3.5mm to 2-Male RCA, Benfei RCA to Audio Stereo Cable - 1.83

Is this about right?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
N

Nostromo

Junior Audioholic
"Stereo Cable" in the title is a pretty dang good clue!:p

Yes, 3 "grooves". A mono cable will only have 2.

If you "find a cable" that is how you can tell.
Thanks. I am an older fuddy duddy and saw only two grooves or bands or whatever. Wanted to be certain. ;)
 
N

Nostromo

Junior Audioholic
OK, thanks......I think o_O. The cable pic that I posted - and now ordered, looks like a TRS from what you have said. All I want to know is - if I plug the RCA end into my old NAD C520 CD player and the 3.5mm end into the Sony HT ZF9 Soundbar's analog audio jack, will it work well? Please tell me, I implore you; I might even buy you a drink.

I am also planning to get the Marantz CD6006 but that will be in a different room and plugged into Onkyo stereo speakers.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Of course it will work well with a trs plug. Have you been reading cable nonsense somewhere?

ps I prefer peaty single malt scotch :)
 
N

Nostromo

Junior Audioholic
No, but I have never used a 3.5 analog plug before and wasn't sure. But thanks.

PS: I'm a Bushmills man myself. Single Malt and great in Irish Coffee ( besides other things). You should try it....and will probably never look at your peaty scotch again.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
No, but I have never used a 3.5 analog plug before and wasn't sure. But thanks.

PS: I'm a Bushmills man myself. Single Malt and great in Irish Coffee ( besides other things). You should try it....and will probably never look at your peaty scotch again.
Oh, I have, not nearly as good. Last few times with the Irish it's been Red Hen....
 
slipperybidness

slipperybidness

Audioholic Warlord
Thanks. I am an older fuddy duddy and saw only two grooves or bands or whatever. Wanted to be certain. ;)
Yeah, I guess there are "2 grooves", which divides the conductor into "3 distinct conducting areas". Which means you have a left signal, a right signal, and a common, which means "stereo cable"

We use these all the time, most common to use if for a phone output to a stereo input on an AVR. You look to be using it the "other direction"
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Thanks. I am an older fuddy duddy and saw only two grooves or bands or whatever. Wanted to be certain. ;)
Metal bands, or plastic bands? A mono plug will have two metal conductors and one plastic insulator, a stereo plug will have three metal conductors and two insulators. Think of it as a mini headphone plug- tip, ring and sleeve, corresponding to Left channel, Right channel and ground.
 
N

Nostromo

Junior Audioholic
Oh, I have, not nearly as good. Last few times with the Irish it's been Red Hen....
I had a good mind to report this post be decided to let you off this time. Bushmills not "nearly as good" as any other whiskey? Thank your stars that I am not an Irishman! :D
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I had a good mind to report this post be decided to let you off this time. Bushmills not "nearly as good" as any other whiskey? Thank your stars that I am not an Irishman! :D
My family genealogy is mostly Irish it turns out but dad told us we were Dutch/English :) Is there a peatier Irish I've missed, or is that strictly the Scot's thing?
 
N

Nostromo

Junior Audioholic
Just that an Irish friend once told me that to call any Scotch superior to Bushmills Single Malt was blasphemy or treason, depending whether the claimant was non-Irish or Irish. I guess by his scale you fall somewhere in-between. Don't worry, I won't tell him - otherwise you might really 'fall' somewhere in-between! ;)

Personally, I am not a big whiskey drinker. Mostly as Irish Coffee and certainly prefer Bushmills for that. But it certainly tastes very smooth with just water. I am not a "on the rocks" man.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Just that an Irish friend once told me that to call any Scotch superior to Bushmills Single Malt was blasphemy or treason, depending whether the claimant was non-Irish or Irish. I guess by his scale you fall somewhere in-between. Don't worry, I won't tell him - otherwise you might really 'fall' somewhere in-between! ;)

Personally, I am not a big whiskey drinker. Mostly as Irish Coffee and certainly prefer Bushmills for that. But it certainly tastes very smooth with just water. I am not a "on the rocks" man.
I'll just show 'em my genealogy chart if they doubt my irish blood :) I've probably had mostly the blend, I know Black Bush a coupla times, but not sure about the single malt but maybe once; they sell a 10 and 16 year single malt here, the 16's pretty expensive compared to the 10. Then I see a much more expensive 21 that doesn't particularly say single but imagine it is ($250 for 750ml). $90 is bad enough for Lagavulin 16.
 

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