optics

[DanielHull]

does the optical cable replace the analog cables or does it add to them like the digital cable

 

[mtrycrafts]

does the optical cable replace the analog cables or does it add to them like the digital cable

Optical cables in home electronics carry the digital audio signals like the coax cables do.

 

[DanielHull]

i think you misunderstood, does the optical cable replace the l & R analog cables or does it add to the analog cable like the orange digital AUDIO cable

 

[MDS]

The orange colored digital coax cable doesn't 'add' to the analog cables either. You use either analog or digital at one time but there is no problem in having both types connected, especially when you have both analog and digital sources.

How is this question related to subwoofers?

 

[markw]

i think you misunderstood, does the optical cable replace the l & R analog cables or does it add to the analog cable like the orange digital AUDIO cable

I think you misunderstand what's going on here.

An optical (or toslink) cable serves the same purpose as the "orange" digital audio cable. Functionally, they are one in the same. You use one or the other.

With either of these, you don't need analog audio cables. You can remove them.

 

[agarwalro]

The audio signal (assuming optical storage media like CD, DVD, SACD, etc.) follows this path,
Source > Digital to Analog processing > Amplifier > Speaker

Now the digital to analog processing can be done in one of the following,
1) Source - CD or DVD player when you use the RCA outs to pre-pro or receiver
2) Dedicated processor - Digital out from CD or DVD player to a pre-pro
3) Integrated processor - Digital out from CD or DVD player to a receiver

The digital in/ outs take the form of Optical or Coax connections.

does the optical cable replace the analog cables or does it add to them like the digital cable

An optical cable is a digital cable by definition, i.e. due to the nature of the signal it carries. It will replace the analog cables in situations generalized by points 2 and 3 above.

In any situation you will need to run either one, not both.

 

[MDS]

In any situation you will need to run either one, not both.

In some situations you will need to run both. Like TW digital cable - some of the channels are analog audio and some are digital. You need both types of cables with the receiver set to Auto to automatically switch between them.