Optical, Coax, 5.1 Analog Output?

[cjgdiver]

Clearly a newbe question.

I have an Oppo DVD player and a Onkyo TXSR803 Receiver.

While the Video was easy DVD-DVI to Onkyo-HDMI, I can not for the life of me figure out the best way to hook up the audio. Should I use the Optical, the coax or the 5.1analog output and or all of the above?

Thanks

 

[pbarach1]

how to hook up

If you use either the coax or the optical connection, then the digital audio signals will be sent to the receiver and then converted to analog by your receiver. Both will produce the same results.

However, if you use the 5.1 connection, then the Oppo DVD player will convert the digital signals to analog and send them to the receiver. So the decision rests on whether your Oppo or your Onkyo has better D/A converters. Just to make things more complicated <g>, the interconnects you use for the 5.1 connection can also make an audible difference (not really an issue for either coax or optical connections, assuming the cables are in good shape). For my system, there is an easily audible improvement using either the coax or the optical connection from my inexpensive Sony DVD/SACD player to my Denon 3805 receiver, as compared to sending the sound via the 5.1 connection. I haven't played around with different types of 5.1 interconnects, but I'm pretty sure that the Denon's D/A converters are going to do a better job than the ones in my cheap DVD player, no matter how much I'd spend on interconnects.

 

[j_garcia]

Use a digital connection. The 803 will almost certainly have better DACs and bass management than the Oppo. If this player doesn't do hires (SACD or DVD-A), then there's no reason to use the 5.1 analog connection.

 

[pbarach1]

forgot about bass management

jgarcia is right; I forgot about bass management in my previous message.

 

[cjgdiver]

Ok I was all set until the last post re. SACDs. I figure no SACD no problem. Of coarse it does support SACD now what?

Should I connect both? This will be almost exclusively HT so optical?

What ever happened to the good old days were you just pluged in the record player and listened to two speakers

Thanks Again

 

[Nomo]

I'd recomend using the analogs as well as the digital coax. For the purpose of experimentation you could, for a short time, use some cheapo RCA cables. If the sound is to your liking you can always invent in some decent cables. Check Bluejean Cable, or AR at BestBuy, even Walmart has some decent analog cables.
The ony way to get SACD or DVDA to the reciever is through analog connection.
Depending on the quality of the Oppo's DAC, you may be better off listening to the DTS tracks and letting the reciever handle the decoding. That way a digital connection would be all you need. Digital coax IMO is a better way to go than optical. It's cheaper,not such a pain to connect, and I can't hear a difference between the two.

 

[j_garcia]

SACDs don't have a DTS or DD track. There will only be three types of tracks on SACDs: 2ch SACD, 5.1ch SACD, and stereo redbook CD. DVD-As may have DD and/or DTS tracks available on the DVD-V portion of the disc.

I have both a coaxial digital and 5.1 analog connections from my player to my receiver. The 5.1 are only for SACD and DVD-A and for DVDs I use digital. If the player doesn't have decent bass management for the hires (which I believe was one of the negatives about the current model in the review), then you probably are better off with the DD/DTS tracks on some DVD-As. Though the DD/DTS tracks usually don't sound quite as good as a good DVD-A track, I find that bass is a little better with the DTS tracks due to bass management issues with many universal players.

 

[cjgdiver]

Well I guess both it is. Will follow the advice on skipping the optical connection. Have already long since broke the cable budget.

Will let you know how it goes.

Thanks Again

 

[Nomo]

j garcia is correct. SACDs do not have DTS tracks. I was thinking of DVD-A.
I would not break the bank on cables just yet. If you have some RCA cables, that would be a good test for the sound of SACD/DVD-A.

 

[Leprkon]

Even if you do run a digital connection for movie HT, you might want to run an analog set to a different input on your receiver (ie HT to DVD input, analog to CD input), if you are an audiophile who loves CD in stereo.

Most receivers will not let you use the "Pure Direct" or other "bypass" mode on a digital input. it only works on an analog signal.

 

[j_garcia]

In my case, source direct, the only thing it does is bypass all tone controls, bass management and processing of any kind regardless of analog or digital. You are hearing the source as unaltered as possible, and that means poor DACs will come across as just that, so "pure direct" may not be a good thing in every case. My receiver also cascades all the DACs (3 per channel) when in stereo via a digital feed for a very detailed yet smooth sound, so I mostly listen to redbook via digital.

In nearly all cases, the multichannel analog input is a dedicated source selection on the receiver, so that one is ALWAYS a different input. Using the multichannel inputs, you can also listen to stereo material, so you are covered.

The Oppo is a $200 player, I would not expect world class DACs. The 803 is a nice receiver, and as I said in my first response, I can almost guarantee that the 803's DACs are better.

 

[tbewick]

You can check the specifications (signal to noise ratio, total harmonic distortion, frequency response) of the DVD player or digital receiver (digital output) for D/A converter performance.

The s/n ratio given for the DVD player may only be for the digital outs.