Component video cable for audio?

[ahblaza]

Hello All,
I was wondering if I can use component video cables from my Panny BD85 player's 7.1 audio preouts to my Legacy Onkyo receiver's 7.1 inputs. I have good component cables and don't want to spend the extra money on good interconnects. Thanks to all who respond.
Regards, Jeff

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Hello All,
I was wondering if I can use component video cables from my Panny BD85 player's 7.1 audio preouts to my Legacy Onkyo receiver's 7.1 inputs. I have good component cables and don't want to spend the extra money on good interconnects. Thanks to all who respond.
Regards, Jeff

yes, you could use component cables for both analog and digital audio

 

[jostenmeat]

Hello All,
I was wondering if I can use component video cables from my Panny BD85 player's 7.1 audio preouts to my Legacy Onkyo receiver's 7.1 inputs. I have good component cables and don't want to spend the extra money on good interconnects. Thanks to all who respond.
Regards, Jeff

What BSA said. FWIW, just know that you will never get 7.1 unless the track is natively 7.1. Therefore, you might* consider still running a S/PDIF to the receiver, for when you might prefer a matrixing for rears. You see, some blurays don't come with a lossless track anyways. In fact, some are only in stereo (or even mono). It just gives you the easy option. Cheers.

 

[k_lewis]

Yep that will work fine, have been guilty of that myself in the past. Upgrade your processor and go digital when you can, especially a newer processor that has the latest surround modes and HD decoders. You'll be pleasantly surprised on the difference. Onkyo gives you pretty strong bang for the buck on their 50x, 60x and 70x line, amazon typically has good prices.

 

[ahblaza]

What BSA said. FWIW, just know that you will never get 7.1 unless the track is natively 7.1. Therefore, you might* consider still running a S/PDIF to the receiver, for when you might prefer a matrixing for rears. You see, some blurays don't come with a lossless track anyways. In fact, some are only in stereo (or even mono). It just gives you the easy option. Cheers.

Jost,
I do also have it wired with S/PDIF cable, the only reason I'm using MCH outs to receiver inputs is to see the difference with the lossless audio codecs since my receiver is not HDMI capable. IMO it's hard to distinguish the digital cable from the analog outs.
Thanks.

 

[ahblaza]

Yep that will work fine, have been guilty of that myself in the past. Upgrade your processor and go digital when you can, especially a newer processor that has the latest surround modes and HD decoders. You'll be pleasantly surprised on the difference. Onkyo gives you pretty strong bang for the buck on their 50x, 60x and 70x line, amazon typically has good prices.

lewis, I hear you brother, I have my eye on the new Onkyo TX-NR709, waiting for it to come down to street price.
Regards, Jeff

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Jost,
I do also have it wired with S/PDIF cable, the only reason I'm using MCH outs to receiver inputs is to see the difference with the lossless audio codecs since my receiver is not HDMI capable. IMO it's hard to distinguish the digital cable from the analog outs.
Thanks.

Digital Audio Out aka SPD/IF coax is typically orange on the equipment side.
As long as you are using any coax cable (75 Ohm) - you should be fine.
Vast majority (if not all) of component cables are coax.

The difference is in the dac and if both are decent and you don'r have extremely precise speakers (most people dont) it'll be very hard if not impossible to notice the difference.

 

[jostenmeat]

Jost,
I do also have it wired with S/PDIF cable, the only reason I'm using MCH outs to receiver inputs is to see the difference with the lossless audio codecs since my receiver is not HDMI capable. IMO it's hard to distinguish the digital cable from the analog outs.
Thanks.

I've done this too some years ago, and I agreed with you then! However, since then, I have come across tracks that have a much more pronounced difference. To take it further, without even knowing it (Netflix rental, straight to play; no audio menu perhaps), I thought that hey this sounds lossy, I go to the receiver, and yep it was just DD. I do not expect to be able to do this with any consistency, and I do believe it's the rarity, but it HAS happened.

OTOH, a recent rental, Red, was with the lossy version and it wasn't all that bad. I think it just depends. Most movie stuff, I really don't think it matters all that much, as it might with music, except for the rare ambient scenes with sounds in a very resonant area. Hm, I'd describe it as spaciousness vs muddledness?

Parting shot, make sure to level match MCH vs SPDIF! You probably have Intellivolume, see if that can help make it easier.

 

[ahblaza]

I've done this too some years ago, and I agreed with you then! However, since then, I have come across tracks that have a much more pronounced difference. To take it further, without even knowing it (Netflix rental, straight to play; no audio menu perhaps), I thought that hey this sounds lossy, I go to the receiver, and yep it was just DD. I do not expect to be able to do this with any consistency, and I do believe it's the rarity, but it HAS happened.

OTOH, a recent rental, Red, was with the lossy version and it wasn't all that bad. I think it just depends. Most movie stuff, I really don't think it matters all that much, as it might with music, except for the rare ambient scenes with sounds in a very resonant area. Hm, I'd describe it as spaciousness vs muddledness?

Parting shot, make sure to level match MCH vs SPDIF! You probably have Intellivolume, see if that can help make it easier.

Jost,
You are correct, on some discs, which is rare, I can hear a marked difference from dig. coax to MCH analog, almost a night and day difference, but like I said it is rare. Spaciousness vs muddleness, very good analogy. I have level matched both MCH and SPDIF, and yes I use intellivolume frequently. Thanks my friend for your input, much appreciated.
Regards, Jeff