Do I NEED to use digital optical for my cd player??

[lithnights]

My Pioneer 1015 receiver has only 2 assignable digital optical inputs (along with 2 digital coaxial inputs).

One input will be for my DVR (only has optical ouput)
The other input can be for either...
A. my Sony Playstation2 (only has optical output) or
B. my CD player (only has optical ouput).

Since I want to output my Playstation to both the TV (using RCA jacks) AND the receiver (using digital), I sort of have to connect the Playstation to the 2nd digital input on my receiver.

Thus there is no digital input left for my cd player. Is this really a big deal?

If it is, my only other option would be to split the RCA cable coming from the playstation and input one into the TV and the other into the receiver.

What option is preferable here?

Thanks!

 

[MDS]

For which device would you value a digital input more?

Were I in the same situation I think I would choose to use the digital input for the Playstation given that some games probably use Dolby Digital sound and you could also use it to play DVDs. A CD player plays CDs only and they are only 2 channel PCM. The CD player probably does a decent job of d/a and you wouldn't notice a great deal of difference between the analog inputs and the digital inputs for CDs. You can always use All Channel Stereo or ProLogic II to get surround sound from the CDs.

Another option is to purchase a switch with mutiple optical ins and outs. The downside would be the need to manually switch the switchbox to choose between the inputs (unless you can find one with a remote control).

 

[lithnights]

For which device would you value a digital input more?

Were I in the same situation I think I would choose to use the digital input for the Playstation given that some games probably use Dolby Digital sound and you could also use it to play DVDs. A CD player plays CDs only and they are only 2 channel PCM. The CD player probably does a decent job of d/a and you wouldn't notice a great deal of difference between the analog inputs and the digital inputs for CDs. You can always use All Channel Stereo or ProLogic II to get surround sound from the CDs.

Another option is to purchase a switch with mutiple optical ins and outs. The downside would be the need to manually switch the switchbox to choose between the inputs (unless you can find one with a remote control).

"For which device would you value a digital input more?"

I guess that's sort of my question.. I'm not too clear on digital audio but I would have thought that CDs for an average listener wouldn't need digital.. heck I have always listened to my music in stereo just using my front 2 speakers. And like you said, certain PS2 games use dolby digital sound so I would think that would be more in need of the digital connection.

Thanks

 

[mtrycrafts]

"For which device would you value a digital input more?"

I guess that's sort of my question.. I'm not too clear on digital audio but I would have thought that CDs for an average listener wouldn't need digital.. heck I have always listened to my music in stereo just using my front 2 speakers. And like you said, certain PS2 games use dolby digital sound so I would think that would be more in need of the digital connection.
Thanks

Does your PlayStation play CDs? If so, use it with the digital outs. otherwise, use the analog. You listened like that before, continue dong that. Maybe one day when you update, make sure the new gear has all the inputs you need

 

[j_garcia]

In your case, I'd use the digital from the PS2. ProLogicII games sound pretty good

 

[Bobster]

lithnights,

Here's another way of saying the same thing...

The data on a CD is encoded digitally. For it to be played on analog speakers, it must be converted from a digital data stream to an analog audio signal at some point.

The question is where do you want it converted from digital to analog and why?

If you send the CD player's digital signal to the receiver/preamp/controller, the receiver's dacs will do the conversion in your system. If you use the CD player's RCA outputs, you are using the CD player's dacs. That's about the size of it.

The only remaining question is which set of dacs (receiver or CD player) do you prefer the sound of? There can potentially be large, noticable differences in the quality of the conversion depending on the dac your component is using to do it.

The most comphrensive way to decide is to listen to both outputs (digital/analog) to determine if you can tell a difference, and if so, which do you prefer.

In this case, if you can't tell a difference, use the CD player's RCA jacks and give the digital to the playstation.

 

[lithnights]

Does your PlayStation play CDs? If so, use it with the digital outs. otherwise, use the analog. You listened like that before, continue dong that. Maybe one day when you update, make sure the new gear has all the inputs you need

Does it play CDs? I'm not sure actually, I just bought it. But even if it did, I'd still use my 5 disc cd player to play CDs.. I'm very lazy..

And as far as updating, I just got my Pioneer 1015. I would have thought my nice new $450 receiver would keep my up to date for awhile!!!

 

[lithnights]

lithnights,

Here's another way of saying the same thing...

The data on a CD is encoded digitally. For it to be played on analog speakers, it must be converted from a digital data stream to an analog audio signal at some point.

The question is where do you want it converted from digital to analog and why?

If you send the CD player's digital signal to the receiver/preamp/controller, the receiver's dacs will do the conversion in your system. If you use the CD player's RCA outputs, you are using the CD player's dacs. That's about the size of it.

The only remaining question is which set of dacs (receiver or CD player) do you prefer the sound of? There can potentially be large, noticable differences in the quality of the conversion depending on the dac your component is using to do it.

The most comphrensive way to decide is to listen to both outputs (digital/analog) to determine if you can tell a difference, and if so, which do you prefer.

In this case, if you can't tell a difference, use the CD player's RCA jacks and give the digital to the playstation.

Makes sense, nice explanation. Your suggestion is what I am thinking of doing... I am far from an audiophile so I doubt I would ever hear the difference between the dacs. What does that stand for anyway?

Thanks!

 

[MDS]

dac = digital to analog converter

 

[Bluesmoke]

Plug your CD player to the front panel optical. It's the only device that doesn't require video switching, so you can use the assignable ones for the rest.

 

[3no]

How about using an optical to coax converter? They are less than $20, keep the signal in the digital domain, and would allow you to make use of all 4 digital inputs.

 

[jaxvon]

I would think that your CD player's DACs aren't bad, so why don't you just use the stereo analog output on your CD player? Unless you happen to have a transport (highly unlikely), then you won't notice a difference. If it was a DVD player then it might be a different story, but since it's only stereo, just opt for analog in. Unless of course you don't want to run your fronts full range, in which case the optical to coax converter would be the best option. I too have the 1015tx, but my universal player has coax out, so I can use that.