Better sound.....analog or HDMI?

[Golfnut_42]

I wanted to get opinions from the experts about what puts out better sound quality analog or HDMI.

 

[TLS Guy]

I wanted to get opinions from the experts about what puts out better sound quality analog or HDMI.

It comes down to which is the better DAC player or receiver. I don't think you understand the issues. Unless you use pass through and forgo everything except volume control. If you want bass management etc and you use analog there will be digital/analog analog /digital and digital analog conversions. If you use HDMI just a digital/analog conversion. If you use HDMI there will be only one conversion.

 

[upsized]

TLS guy or anyone- if you can, please answer another related, noob-caliber connectivity question-
For connecting my cd player to the receiver, is and optical or coaxial the better option fidelity wise?? In my case, the receiver is brand new ONKYO HTIB 7.1, the cd player is Sony changer, 15 yrs old but does have optical out also...

Thanks!!

 

[yepimonfire]

they both sound the exact same because they both transmit the exact same signal, in fact, im not really sure why they created optical cables, they have more issues then coaxial, like they can only run a certain distance and can't be turned to sharply in corners, and they are easy to break, and expensive.

 

[highfigh]

they both sound the exact same because they both transmit the exact same signal, in fact, im not really sure why they created optical cables, they have more issues then coaxial, like they can only run a certain distance and can't be turned to sharply in corners, and they are easy to break, and expensive.

Optical cables can be as cheap as any other cable and there's no reason to pay a lot for one since one is no better than another unless the ends aren't cut cleanly. The one real advantage of optical over coax is in ground loops- it's impossible to have one when using an optical cable. The system may have a ground loop but it's not caused by that one.

 

[yepimonfire]

what is a ground loop and what is it good for?

 

[TLS Guy]

what is a ground loop and what is it good for?

You don't want one. It is a potential between grounds, that causes current to flow in cable screens and induces loud hims an buzzes. If you don't educate yourself about them, one will bite you sooner or later.

 

[James NM]

what is a ground loop and what is it good for?

A ground loop is just like my brother-in-law ..... good for nothing.

 

[yepimonfire]

You don't want one. It is a potential between grounds, that causes current to flow in cable screens and induces loud hims an buzzes. If you don't educate yourself about them, one will bite you sooner or later.

A ground loop is just like my brother-in-law ..... good for nothing.

haha good thing i never bought them, so many people claim "OMG THEY SOUND SO MUCH BETTER", but logically that is ridiculous, considering digital formats of signal transmission will sound exactly the same no matter the medium they are sent across because they are not subjected to analog noise, but then again, people think they hear something that is non-existent because they are dumb enough to believe a fancy cable sounds better then a practical one.

 

[TLS Guy]

haha good thing i never bought them, so many people claim "OMG THEY SOUND SO MUCH BETTER", but logically that is ridiculous, considering digital formats of signal transmission will sound exactly the same no matter the medium they are sent across because they are not subjected to analog noise, but then again, people think they hear something that is non-existent because they are dumb enough to believe a fancy cable sounds better then a practical one.

Confused by this reply. Ground loops are not for sale, or I would be worth a fortune!

 

[selden]

I think there's been a misunderstanding:

Optical cables are good for preventing ground loops. The current which can cause hum and noise can flow between equipment if you use a metal, conducting, RCA digital audio cable but not if you use a plastic or glass nonconducting optical digital audio cable.

Also, optical cables are not susceptible to noise pickup if your equipment is in an electrically noisy environment.

Whether or not the resulting audio from a digital optical connection has more or less jitter (high frequency digital distortions) than a digital RCA connection depends on the circuitry in the audio equipment and is not intrinsic to the type of connection.