RCA Interconnect Splitting

[GO-NAD!]

Hi Everybody,

I'm new to on-line forums of any kind, so if I inadvertently violate forum etiquette, please be gentle! Anyway, I have a question for anyone who'd care to respond. I have two systems - stereo in my living room and HT in my basement rec room. I recently bought two Sony CDP-CX355 CD players (300 CD capacity each) to hold my entire collection of 450+ CDs. I had thought about building a media cabinet to store all my CDs in the living room with the stereo, but that would be too space-consuming.

Right now, they are connected to my NAD C372 in the living room. I intend to connect them to my HT receiver, a Yamaha RX-V1800, as well. I've purchased sufficient RG-6 cable, RCA connectors and RCA Y-splitters to do the job.

Anyhoo, to get to my question, I was wondering if the signal from the CD players would be degraded if they were supplying both the stereo amp and the receiver simultaneously. I can't see it being a problem if only one system is in use, which I'm pretty sure will be the case 99% of the time. But, I'm curious about that remaining 1%. Hope I've described the setup clearly enough!

Thanks!

P.S. I'll give the lowdown on my equipment, in its entirety, later on. I gotta run!

 

[BMXTRIX]

It isn't a good thing even with one system off, but it does work reasonably well.

Gotta ask: Why not run digital audio to one of the receivers? That way you can use both the digital audio output as well as the analog audio output from the CD players.

 

[j_garcia]

I agree with BMXTrix. Try analog to one and digital to the other.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Why did I not consider going digital audio out to the receiver? Cause I'm an idiot and it hadn't occured to me! Now, uh, is there any such animal as a 60 foot optical digital cable? And will it cost me just one leg , or both?

Thanks for the advice. I can't believe that it didn't dawn on me before....Stupid brain!

 

[j_garcia]

Does the receiver have coaxial digital inputs? You could use an optical to coaxial converter and then RG6 or RCA for that length. I can't say that I've seen a 60ft optical cable before, so I'll look around.

If anyone would have it, it would be www.monoprice.com www.partsexpress.com or www.bluejeanscable.com

I checked monoprice and they have 12ft.

Bluejeans will make one to your length. 30ft came out to $32 and change.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Hmmm, I just checked Blue Jeans and they can do an optical cable up to 50 feet, for $46.75, which is very reasonable. I'm surprised at the price. The problem is, I definitely need 60 feet. Another complication is that I need to run the cable in-wall. Would there be an in-wall rated optical cable in existence?

 

[j_garcia]

That is a good question. It isn't an electrical connection, however the jacket would likely be the issue that would require the rating. You might have to call someone like Bluejeans and ask them that question. I love those guys, they have excellent customer service and I have bought a lot of stuff from them. I might also ask them if 60ft is an issue due to length, since optical digital cables aren't typically that long. The fact that they sell 50ft already, might suggest that it is fine though.

Another thought might be to use a audio/video switch box (sans video) to switch between the two rooms - that would prevent any issues of having the two connected at once, though you would have to have the box set correctly to listen in the desired room.

 

[GO-NAD!]

So, why would splitting the analog signal be a bad thing? If one system is off, wouldn't there be a "dead-end" for the signal? Therefore the full signal strentgh would have to go to the system inoperation. I have a mechanical background, so I look at these things from that perspective. Electrons and I aren't quite as intimate...

 

[j_garcia]

I don't think you'd be looking at actually causing damage if you had both systems on. The most likely thing you might run into would be noise in both systems by having them connected this way, though it is hard to say if that would happen in your exact situation. There is always the potential, and as a mechanical guys, we know full well that Murphy will make sure the thing you don't want to happen will.

 

[GO-NAD!]

You're quite right about Murphy! I think the switch box may be the way to go. Listening to CDs through the HT system would be a rare occurence, as we normally listen to them in the living room, through the stereo system. So, switching back and forth wouldn't be all that inconvenient.

 

[BMXTRIX]

If you have the coax in place already, then just use one of these...

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042302&p_id=2948&seq=1&format=2

It's $11 and I use two of them in my home system to send digital about 40-60 feet. It works very well.

You use what you already have and not only do you not compromise audio quality by going with a cheap splitter, but you will get the improved performance which digital should offer over the longer distance.

Typically, I do believe that all optical cables are rated for in-wall usage. The biggest issue you see copper cables rated for in-wall usage is because they add the extra insultation to help prevent electrical shorts which can start fires.

No copper in optical, so no ability to short and cause fires.

75 feet of optical for $20.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022901&p_id=3448&seq=1&format=2

 

[GO-NAD!]

If you have the coax in place already, then just use one of these...

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042302&p_id=2948&seq=1&format=2

It's $11 and I use two of them in my home system to send digital about 40-60 feet. It works very well.

You use what you already have and not only do you not compromise audio quality by going with a cheap splitter, but you will get the improved performance which digital should offer over the longer distance.

Typically, I do believe that all optical cables are rated for in-wall usage. The biggest issue you see copper cables rated for in-wall usage is because they add the extra insultation to help prevent electrical shorts which can start fires.

No copper in optical, so no ability to short and cause fires.

75 feet of optical for $20.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022901&p_id=3448&seq=1&format=2

Well, that looks like a good idea also. So, what's the difference between regular analog RCA (using coaxial RG-6 as the cable) and digital coaxial? Is there a difference in the terminations, or is it the cable?

This is the cable I have right now. I didn't buy unterminated, because I got it for a good price.

http://www.omega-electronics.ca/index/page/38/product/640/use_lang/EN.html

I then planned to remove the F-connectors, cut it to the appropriate length and install these:

http://www.idealindustries.ca/products/prodSelect.php?prodId=89-580

I'd have to check into my local electrical code to see if optical cable is acceptable for in-wall use. What you say about the lack of metal in the cable making the fire rating redundant makes complete sense - but you know how bureaucracy can be! I do have another concern about the optical cable in my wall though. There will be some tight radius turns to negotiate while feeding it through. How much can you bend that stuff without screwing up the LED signal?

You guys are being a tremendous help in deciding the right method to use. I appreciate it!

 

[j_garcia]

There is essentially no difference between RG6 and what is used for typical RCA cables, functionally they both work the same. There may be some variances in jacket material and shielding, but functionally they are built to the same specs AFAIK.

I would personally not go with optical in wall for exactly the reason you describe, unless it has a thick jacket. I have had an optical cable go bad on me because the plastic fiber cracked over time and if it is in-wall, it could be a bastard to replace. Coaxial on the other hand, is much more stout. You can either replace the connectors or they have F to RCA adapters as well.

 

[GO-NAD!]

I actually answered my own question last night. I had a couple of RCA/F-connector adaptors on hand, so I put them on a length of coax and connected my receiver to my DVD player. It worked perfectly, as I'm sure you already know. Your concerns about the optical cable settle the question concerning the method to use. I'll go digital coax from my receiver in the rec room up to the living room, connect that to a digital coax/optical converter and optical to the CD player.

 

[cwall99]

It's probably substantially more expensive, but has the potential to be more flexible

Instead of serving your music from CD changers (yes, you already have two...)... have you considered the notion of using a music server? Theoretically, if it were important to you, you could save your music in a lossless format (and use a bunch more hard drives), and then pipe it all over the house (presuming, of course, you had the necessary hardware in each room.

Didn't audioholics just publish a review of a wireless music server system?

 

[cwall99]

They did!!

http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/linksys-cisco-premier-kit-wireless

Boy, talk about serendipity!

 

[BMXTRIX]

I actually answered my own question last night. I had a couple of RCA/F-connector adaptors on hand, so I put them on a length of coax and connected my receiver to my DVD player. It worked perfectly, as I'm sure you already know. Your concerns about the optical cable settle the question concerning the method to use. I'll go digital coax from my receiver in the rec room up to the living room, connect that to a digital coax/optical converter and optical to the CD player.

Unless your receiver doesn't have a coaxial input on it, there is no reason to not just leave the connection as coaxial, so you would only need to covert it from optical to coaxial at the CD player, then leave it as coaxial all the way to the receiver.

Obviously, if you are out of coax digital inputs, you would need to convert it back. Make sure you get the coax to optical converter if you need to do this!

 

[GO-NAD!]

Thanks for the suggestion; sounds like a great idea. But since I already have the CD changers, I feel I'm committed now!

 

[GO-NAD!]

Unless your receiver doesn't have a coaxial input on it, there is no reason to not just leave the connection as coaxial, so you would only need to covert it from optical to coaxial at the CD player, then leave it as coaxial all the way to the receiver.

Obviously, if you are out of coax digital inputs, you would need to convert it back. Make sure you get the coax to optical converter if you need to do this!

BMXTRIX, I'm not sure I understand what you're suggesting, but I think it's what I'd already decided to do. The receiver does have a digital coax input, the CD players only have analog or optical outputs. The analog output is going to my stereo amp right now. So, it'll be an optical cable from one of the CD players (They're "daisy chained" together, so I only need to connect to one of them) to the optical/digital coax converter, then digital coax to the HT receiver in the rec room. Am I making sense?

 

[mtrycrafts]

Hi Everybody,

I'm new to on-line forums of any kind, ..!

Welcome
How did you resist this long?