Audible Difference Between Optical And Analog Cables?

[BoredSysAdmin]

http://www.audioholics.com/education/audio-formats-technology/dynamic-comparison-of-lps-vs-cds-part-4/dynamic-comparison-of-lps-vs-cds-part-4-page-2

In this page look for relative dynamics.

Sorry buddy, Please re-read it yourself

Relative dynamics is the difference in dB between ANY two points in a waveform.
Dynamic range is the difference between the loudest signal and the noise floor. (Aka weakest pointed in the recorded signal)

 

[jmhc]

Sorry buddy, Please re-read it yourself

Relative dynamics is the difference in dB between ANY two points in a waveform.
Dynamic range is the difference between the loudest signal and the noise floor. (Aka weakest pointed in the recorded signal)

Got you, I missunderstood the term, by the way your A/V receiver rocks!

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Got you, I missunderstood the term, by the way your A/V receiver rocks!

Lol, Yes it's hot !

 

[Swerd]

I agree with TLS that this thread has turned into mountain of misinformation. To make matters worse, we seem to have lost the OP who only wanted a simple answer to his question.

I'll avoid commenting further about differences between CD and vinyl. Enough has been said already.

Now, on to the original poster's question, are there differences in sound coming from a digital source, such as a CD, if the signal goes into an AVR by digital or analog ways.

If the digital signal from the CD is sent to the AVR by digital cable (optical or electrical coax cable makes no difference), the DAC in the CD player is bypassed and the DAC in the AVR decodes the signal to analog.

If the analog signal is sent to the AVR, the digital signal was decoded by the DAC in the CD player. Many AVRs take the analog signal and digitize it, because all the processing it does, such as bass management, is done with the digital signal. And finally, before sending the signal on to the amplifier section, the receiver's DAC converts the signal to analog. So the original digital signal has been converted to analog, back to digital, and to analog again.

The Yamaha RX-667 (and other AVRs) apparently does have a way to bypass this for analog signals. If "pure direct" is selected, an incoming analog signal is sent directly to the downstream analog processing without being converted back to digital.

I've tried listening to music by these various paths, and I don't hear a significant difference.

If others, such as those who posted above, do hear a difference, fine. I don't have any problem with your personal experience or preferences. But don't expect to offer that personal experience as broad-based advice on this forum without being challenged.

 

[jnelson88]

I agree with TLS that this thread has turned into mountain of misinformation. To make matters worse, we seem to have lost the OP who only wanted a simple answer to his question.

I'll avoid commenting further about differences between CD and vinyl. Enough has been said already.

Now, on to the original poster's question, are there differences in sound coming from a digital source, such as a CD, if the signal goes into an AVR by digital or analog ways.

If the digital signal from the CD is sent to the AVR by digital cable (optical or electrical coax cable makes no difference), the DAC in the CD player is bypassed and the DAC in the AVR decodes the signal to analog.

If the analog signal is sent to the AVR, the digital signal was decoded by the DAC in the CD player. Many AVRs take the analog signal and digitize it, because all the processing it does, such as bass management, is done with the digital signal. And finally, before sending the signal on to the amplifier section, the receiver's DAC converts the signal to analog. So the original digital signal has been converted to analog, back to digital, and to analog again.

The Yamaha RX-667 (and other AVRs) apparently does have a way to bypass this for analog signals. If "pure direct" is selected, an incoming analog signal is sent directly to the downstream analog processing without being converted back to digital.

I've tried listening to music by these various paths, and I don't hear a significant difference.

If others, such as those who posted above, do hear a difference, fine. I don't have any problem with your personal experience or preferences. But don't expect to offer that personal experience as broad-based advice on this forum without being challenged.

Yep hes gone, since his question was answered by the 2nd page. I believe that he has posted another question about his TV about connecting it another way, or something along that line.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I'm not going to quote any of previous post as it will just get too confusing. Now I never claimed to have "high end" gear. The fact of the matter is you guys have more years of experience and with more years comes more time to gather funds and learn what you need to know. I know one thing, I buy what sounds good to me, thats it what have now sounds good to me and probably will last years to come. I'm not going to get into debate with you guys on a forum over what sounds good to me and how that "defies logic". My logic is this, I put together what brands and settings that sound good, so that when I get home from a 15 month deployment (first time) from Iraq, I can catch all the movies that I was not able to see in Theaters or I add a little so that when I get back from my second deployment (4 months of 12 so far) I can start building my dedicated home theater, so I can get close to the real thing. Thats my logic. I don't expect special treatment, I don't expect pity or any thing else. I just want to watch a movie or listen to music on a system that sounds good, thats all. If you guys want to drive down,over or whatever. You guys are more than welcome to come to my house and take me to "Home audio school" teach me whats,what. If I want to get "High End" gear, I will, but right now my system does what it supposed to do. One thing I will take out of the WHOLE situation is I'm not going to try and help anymore people on here, I have gotten soo much help from people here I was just trying to return the favor. I appreciate all your help, everyone.

Thanks,
SPC(P) Joshua Nelson. U.S Army

Looking at your systems, none of it is 'low' end. So, what was stated in several posts above is that most likely your perceptions are misleading you with the two signal sources and also, the way you compared the two signal paths is flawed, hence your perceptions. Uncontrolled and not level matching the two sources is a recipe for unreliable outcomes.

 

[jnelson88]

Looking at your systems, none of it is 'low' end. So, what was stated in several posts above is that most likely your perceptions are misleading you with the two signal sources and also, the way you compared the two signal paths is flawed, hence your perceptions. Uncontrolled and not level matching the two sources is a recipe for unreliable outcomes.

its over, done with. I have said all I am going to say about it. I will be very happy when the moderator locks this thread. I'm focused spending my last few days on R&R before I head back watching movies on my system and working on my vehicles audio which is falling apart. Good day and good bye.

SPC(P) Joshua Nelson U.S. Army... OUT!!

 

[TLS Guy]

Please stay in touch during the rest of your deployment.

 

[jnelson88]

Please stay in touch during the rest of your deployment.

I will, This board is where look for reviews, one thing that I am also looking at and planning the rest of this one is a media server. I want to put my music in a central location so that any device or computer in the house can play it. My problem is I tend to go too much, too much processor power, too much ram and too many video cards One thing it will have to have is massive Hard drive space. I'll be on here though looking around as usual. I have question for you TLS, hows the direct tv as far as HD programing and just in general content?