Do you mean toslink and or coax(rca). If that's the case there is no audible difference.
scott
scott
SACD/DVD Cable vs Fiber optic. Worth it?
I'm new here, and I really don't know too much about audio/video equipment, but I do know what I like and I love the Onkyo HT-S580. My wife and I just got it and hooked it up to our HD Cable box via fiber optic cable and have a sony 5 disc dvd player that has 5.1 input on it. It also has fiber and coax.
Is there a big enough difference between the 5.1 SACD/DVD cables and the fiber optic to make the plunge for them?
I know that buying monster is paying too much, and I opted for some generic brand at best buy, and I think the sound is amazing, and I didn't drop 100.00 for 2 cables (fiber optic and the coax).
I see some people have some good deals on the SACD/DVD on ebay and didn't know if it was worth it. Would I really hear the difference?
Thanks in advance.
Is there a big enough difference between the 5.1 SACD/DVD cables and the fiber optic to make the plunge for them?
I know that buying monster is paying too much, and I opted for some generic brand at best buy, and I think the sound is amazing, and I didn't drop 100.00 for 2 cables (fiber optic and the coax).
I see some people have some good deals on the SACD/DVD on ebay and didn't know if it was worth it. Would I really hear the difference?
Thanks in advance.
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You cannot get multichannel SACD and DVD-A with either fiber optic or coaxial digital cables. You can only get these transmitted via 6 analog interconnects from the player to the AVR. However, no Sony player will play DVD-As, only specific Sony models will play SACDs and, in addition, I do not believe that this Onkyo even has a multichannel analog input to accept SACD/DVD-A.
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See above.
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Apparently, no one can on the Onkyo HT-S580 since it lacks the necessary input.
Kal
| Originally Posted by syerbouti I'm new here, and I really don't know too much about audio/video equipment, but I do know what I like and I love the Onkyo HT-S580. My wife and I just got it and hooked it up to our HD Cable box via fiber optic cable and have a sony 5 disc dvd player that has 5.1 input on it. It also has fiber and coax. Is there a big enough difference between the 5.1 SACD/DVD cables and the fiber optic to make the plunge for them? |
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| I know that buying monster is paying too much, and I opted for some generic brand at best buy, and I think the sound is amazing, and I didn't drop 100.00 for 2 cables (fiber optic and the coax). |
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| I see some people have some good deals on the SACD/DVD on ebay and didn't know if it was worth it. Would I really hear the difference? |
Kal
I'd personally go with toslink over coax just due to the fact that it is more isolating; no current flows through a fiber!
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For SACD, of course, no signal flows through either. 
Kal
| Originally Posted by Grimdeath I'd personally go with toslink over coax just due to the fact that it is more isolating; no current flows through a fiber! |
Kal
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That's a given
| Originally Posted by Kal Rubinson For SACD, of course, no signal flows through either. Kal |
I think syerbouti means to say that he is wondering if he should use the 5.1 analog outputs from the DVD player to the receiver, versus using the digital coax/fiber connections. The reference to SACD/DVD-A simply means a single cable bundle that has 6 cables within it - 1 for each of the 6 channels that SACD/DVD-A can carry. Also could be used for the 6 channels of DD and DTS.
That said, if your Onkyo has 6 pre-amp inputs on it, you could certainly try using the analog 6-cable connection from your DVD player. What will make this sound better than using the coax/fiber connection is if the DACs (that convert digital to analog) and the surround processors are better in the DVD player than the receiver. Hard to say without listening to it both ways.
FWIW, there's likely nothing magical about using the "SACD/DVD-A" cables. You only need 6 decent quality connections. Bundling them into a single sheath makes it easier, but is not required. You could use 6 separate cables, or you could use 2 component video cable bundles (3 in each).
That said, if your Onkyo has 6 pre-amp inputs on it, you could certainly try using the analog 6-cable connection from your DVD player. What will make this sound better than using the coax/fiber connection is if the DACs (that convert digital to analog) and the surround processors are better in the DVD player than the receiver. Hard to say without listening to it both ways.
FWIW, there's likely nothing magical about using the "SACD/DVD-A" cables. You only need 6 decent quality connections. Bundling them into a single sheath makes it easier, but is not required. You could use 6 separate cables, or you could use 2 component video cable bundles (3 in each).
Thanks everyone. dd2 hit it on the head. The Onkyo does in fact have the 6 inputs in the dvd area on the back panel, as does my sony dvd player. So I could get 6 cables instead of the uber pricey bundled ones.
Thank you. I know I am new here, but I will try to pay attention and learn. I appreciate all the help
Here's a pic of the back of the reciever, Onkyo back if you look at the dvd area, there is a spot for front, surround, center and sw. And you're saying I can use individual rca cables to connect each one, right?
Thanks again
Thank you. I know I am new here, but I will try to pay attention and learn. I appreciate all the help
Here's a pic of the back of the reciever, Onkyo back if you look at the dvd area, there is a spot for front, surround, center and sw. And you're saying I can use individual rca cables to connect each one, right?
Thanks again
Yup. You could also use 2 component-video cable bundles which might cut down on some clutter. www.monoprice.com is purported to have good prices on various cables. And these need to be video-quality/75-ohm cables - don't get audio jumper cables.
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Thanks again. I'll make sure they are 75ohm-vid quality cables. I appreciate the help, definite audiophile virgin here.
| Originally Posted by dd2 Yup. You could also use 2 component-video cable bundles which might cut down on some clutter. www.monoprice.com is purported to have good prices on various cables. And these need to be video-quality/75-ohm cables - don't get audio jumper cables. |
Thanks again. I'll make sure they are 75ohm-vid quality cables. I appreciate the help, definite audiophile virgin here.
Ok, I found a great price on a SACD/DVDA cable bundle. It's by Acoustic Research, it's the PR-136
Sorry to be such a pain, but would I notice a difference with this over the digital coax cable?
Thanks
Sorry to be such a pain, but would I notice a difference with this over the digital coax cable?
Thanks
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Digital is Digital regardless of the medium.
| Originally Posted by syerbouti Ok, I found a great price on a SACD/DVDA cable bundle. It's by Acoustic Research, it's the PR-136 Sorry to be such a pain, but would I notice a difference with this over the digital coax cable? Thanks |
As Kal said if you use the toslink or digital coax cables you will NOT be getting the sacd/dvda format to your reciever. This is why you need to use the rca cables. Depending on your dvd player you can probably use both the toslink/coax cable AND the rca cables. The toslink/coax will pass audio for movies and the rca's for sacd/dvda use. This is how my Yamaha c750 is hooked up.
Now I could use just the rca's for both movies and music, but I don't know if the dvd player's DACs are better then my recievers DACs. I haven't experimented yet to find out.
Now I could use just the rca's for both movies and music, but I don't know if the dvd player's DACs are better then my recievers DACs. I haven't experimented yet to find out.
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I tried some pricier bundled 6-ch cables, and honestly didn't notice a difference from the 3 pairs of crappy red/white RCAs I previously had connected. I was hoping to notice a difference but I didn't. They sure look good stuffed behind my TV stand though.
| Originally Posted by syerbouti So I could get 6 cables instead of the uber pricey bundled ones. |
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I do the same with seemingly good results. Digital for movies/TV/CDs and 6ch analog for DVDA/SACD only.
| Originally Posted by augerpro Depending on your dvd player you can probably use both the toslink/coax cable AND the rca cables. The toslink/coax will pass audio for movies and the rca's for sacd/dvda use. This is how my Yamaha c750 is hooked up. Now I could use just the rca's for both movies and music, but I don't know if the dvd player's DACs are better then my recievers DACs. I haven't experimented yet to find out. |
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