Interconnect Question

[Necrolic]

First Post Woohoo!

Anyways, I currently have on order a new set of headphones, an amp and a CDP, all mid-high quality. The amp has a switch to change between sources and I need interconnects to hook it up to each. One source is obviously the CDP, the other is my PC's soundcard.

Both have Optical/Coaxial inputs, and the CDP also has RCA inputs and the soundcard also has a 3.5mm jack. My amp has 2 RCA inputs and 1 input for optical and 1 for coaxial.

Would I be better off getting an RCA-RCA interconnect for CDP and an RCA-3.5mm interconnect for soundcard, one coaxial and one optical interconnect and use one for each, or possibly a mixture?

Also, if one optical and one coax, which interconnect should hook up to CDP and which to soundcard? Will it make a big difference?

 

[mtrycrafts]

First Post Woohoo!

Anyways, I currently have on order a new set of headphones, an amp and a CDP, all mid-high quality. The amp has a switch to change between sources and I need interconnects to hook it up to each. One source is obviously the CDP, the other is my PC's soundcard.

Both have Optical/Coaxial inputs, and the CDP also has RCA inputs and the soundcard also has a 3.5mm jack. My amp has 2 RCA inputs and 1 input for optical and 1 for coaxial.

Would I be better off getting an RCA-RCA interconnect for CDP and an RCA-3.5mm interconnect for soundcard, one coaxial and one optical interconnect and use one for each, or possibly a mixture?

Also, if one optical and one coax, which interconnect should hook up to CDP and which to soundcard? Will it make a big difference?

If your CD player and sound car has digital outs and you indicate the amp has such inputs which would mean it can convert digital, use the digital connections as they are more robust signals.

 

[j_garcia]

Definitely use digital from the soundcard as the 3.5mm to RCA generally does not work well (output voltage is low). For the CDP, it will depend on which has better DACs, the receiver or the CDP so you can use either.

 

[dorokusai]

I have a digital output available on my sound card but have been using the 3.5 jack for many moons with no issues on 3-4 different integrated amps. If the voltage is too low, I've never noticed it.

Mark
Polk Audio CS

 

[j_garcia]

Depends on the card. I've had some that didn't work, which is why I usually don't recommend it.

 

[dorokusai]

Depends on the card. I've had some that didn't work, which is why I usually don't recommend it.

J - I don't doubt it, just haven't seen an issue on my end.....yet. The next unit I use will probably do this since you mentioned it

Mark