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Topic:
Is a digital(RCA) connection equal to optical
This thread has 7 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Friday January 25, 2002 at 13:46
Melvin
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Hello, could someone comment on whether hooking up a source to a receiver with a digital cable is just as good as an optical cable. My receiver has two optical inputs and one digital. I have not used the digital cable as the only component I have that can output digital is my DVD player and I do not want to lose any sound quality. Thanx for your help.-Melvin
Post 2 made on Friday January 25, 2002 at 18:21
Westie
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From a sound point of view they are exactly the same. Some prefer coax (any 75 ohm cable will do) because it is mechanically stronger.
Post 3 made on Friday January 25, 2002 at 18:55
Matt
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The data is the same, just a bunch of 1's and 0's down either light or copper.

I doub't that anyone could hear a difference, although something can be said about ground loops issues by using the RCA (coax) way. With optical you are not physically grounding your signal wire...
Post 4 made on Friday January 25, 2002 at 19:23
automan
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"With optical you are not physically grounding your signal wire..."

Neither are you with copper, as long as the S/PDIF output conforms to spec. and is transformer isolated.
Post 5 made on Saturday January 26, 2002 at 10:06
Matt
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True, if it is transformer isolated. Is that a code thing or a manufacturer thing?
Post 6 made on Saturday January 26, 2002 at 12:42
David Hull
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Matt --

I wouldn't worry about ground loops on a digital signal. There should be sufficient noise immunity so that the data integrity is maintained. The noise would need to be sufficiently bad so that it cause your digital input to make decoding mistakes (bit errors). This is not very likely since you are probably running a relatively short piece of cable between your gear and my guess is that all of your gear is plugged into the same power strip or outlet. If this is the case, your grounds are probably all OK.

There are some who will claim that the coaxial input is better because the optical cables tend to introduce more "Jitter". I have never heard (or had anyone successfully demonstrate) this phenomenon myself.

Dave

OP | Post 7 made on Saturday January 26, 2002 at 16:44
Melvin
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Thank you for your responses.-Melvin
Post 8 made on Sunday January 27, 2002 at 14:53
Matt
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Nah, I know it's extremely rare, but it COULD be a source of problems if your DVD player is on a different phase of power for some reason.

But yeah, generally you cannot tell the difference between digital coax and optical signals, use what you want and use the other when you run out of options..


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