analog or digital

robdel

If I should connect a Denon 3910 to my HK AVR630, to listen to audio CD , how whould I get the better sound, using the analog or the digital output of the denon?
thank you

fireshoes

The Denon has the better DACs I believe, so probably it. Cable quality will be a factor on either. As always, listen for yourself and choose what you like best.

John K.

Rob, it should make little or no difference. Whether the digital to analog conversion takes place in the player and the analog information is transmitted a few feet to the receiver or the digital output from the player is transmitted to the receiver for conversion, the result should be audibly identical. DACs are now a mature technology and either the ones in the player or in the receiver accomplish the task transparently, although slight measurable but inaudible differences will of course always exist. The same interconnects can be used for either(just one for digital, of course)and create no audible difference.

One point in favor of the digital connection arises if some type of digital processing(e.g. bass management for a sub or DPLII/ Logic7 surround processing)is to take place in the receiver. An already-converted analog input from the player would first have to be reconverted to digital(by the receiver's ADCs), processed and converted a third time, back to analog for amplification. Whether the two extra conversions would have an audible effect is highly doubful, but regardless of that it wouldn't seem to be a sensible procedure. So, use the digital output of the player unless the analog output would be fed straight through the receiver and amplified without any digital processing taking place.

F1nut

Once again the theory master (Hi John ) posts on something he has no real world experience with. Cables can and do make a HUGE difference. DAC's also make a difference. So, you need to figure out which DAC is the better one and use the appropriate cable.

Willow

and how are we to know which DAC is better ??

TheReaper

Easy, there are plenty of inputs on the receiver. Just hook the player up both ways. Then switch back and forth, until you decide whether you like the digital or analog connection better.

Willow

hmm seems that would tell me which connection I prefer not which DAC is better...or would it ??

TheReaper

Yep, won't tell you what DAC is better. But then, in the end, what really counts is how it sounds.

The hk avr630 does HDCD and also has an option to upsample 44/48khz pcm to 96khz. So which way will sound better, could be up for grabs.

Willow

this goes back to F1 statement find out which one is the better DAC...that was my question how do we know ?

robdel

So a state of the art hi end player and a cheap DVD-CD when playing audio CD whould sound exactly the same if I connect them digitally to the same receiver (using its DAD) with the same cable? Or there would be some other factor to complicate things?

Willow

different parts and materials used will affect the sound. quality of materials and build.. then so might diff cables the cheapos received with the player non shielded or decent ones they may sound diff as well.

dcarlson

Originally posted by robdel
So a state of the art hi end player and a cheap DVD-CD when playing audio CD whould sound exactly the same if I connect them digitally to the same receiver (using its DAD) with the same cable? Or there would be some other factor to complicate things?

Close, but not quite. The high end player would most likely include a better transport which would reduce jitter but I'm not sure how much of a difference a receiver would actually reveal. So, there may be a difference between the 2.

As for which DAC is better, you can look at the specs but I wouldn't rely on them when talking audio quality. Have a listen and decide. I would NOT use the cheapo cables that came with the receiver period.

Willow

right along with the plastic bags evertyhing comes wrapped in toss out the cheap cables provided

dcarlson

Actually, I lied. I have some cheapos going from my TV to my integrated but I use an antenna on my TV so it's not worth using better interconnects.

Willow

D just rabbit ears ?? you don't care for TV or don't watch enough for cable or sat ??? you are not to north where there is no cable are you ??

dcarlson

We do have cable here. I personally haven't had cable for a little over a year. There's some stuff I miss but for the price and the amount of time I spend watching TV it's not worth it for me. I get 3 channels (4 including the French station) which show most of the big sitcoms and such so I'm not totally out of touch. If there's nothing on, I slap a CD or DVD in and enjoy.

Particularly now, with the amount of work I want and have been doing to my house. As well as the hockey season gone for the dumps. It'd be a waste.

Willow

I undersatnd.....I was only asking cause at our cottage it's sat or rabbit ears and since our cottage is on the quebec side we get 4 french and 1 english channel.....juts wasn't sure how north you are....and there isn't much we watch either it's just there incase

dcarlson

Sorry for the derail Robdel.

I'm in Sudbury.

Willow

thats not far from me in Ottawa.....

as fro the cable question dig or anal..... analogues are usually cheaper if $$ is a an issue

robdel

If I use the TONE IN (bass and treble management) of the HK AVR 630 receiver, using the analog input impies the ADC > tone management in digital> DAC process (like for the Logic 7 o PLII) or the tone management of the HK can work directly on the analog signal?

madmax

Originally posted by Willow
hmm seems that would tell me which connection I prefer not which DAC is better...or would it ??

Psst. Just between me and you, the one that sounds better is the better one...

madmax

Willow

thanks Madmax.....

jawhog

If madmax didn't say it someone was going to have to!

I just went through this a few weeks ago, never thought about it when I hooked up the analog connects from my dvd player, but the difference was notable between the DAC in my older TOSH dvd player and the DAC in the Yamaha receiver.

I had a really tough time deciding which one I preferred , they were just...."different". Ended up going with the DAC in the Yamaha.

Willow

ok...I I want to us ethe DAC in my yammie I connect with analogue cables ...but if I want the DAC in my cd player I use a dig cable ??

dcarlson

Originally posted by Willow
ok...I I want to us ethe DAC in my yammie I connect with analogue cables ...but if I want the DAC in my cd player I use a dig cable ??

The other way around. If you want to use the DAC in your CD player, you'd hook it up with analog cables. If you wanted to use the DAC in your receiver, you'd go digital.

Willow

Thank you !!:D

therockman

Originally posted by John K.
Rob, it should make little or no difference. Whether the digital to analog conversion takes place in the player and the analog information is transmitted a few feet to the receiver or the digital output from the player is transmitted to the receiver for conversion, the result should be audibly identical. DACs are now a mature technology and either the ones in the player or in the receiver accomplish the task transparently, although slight measurable but inaudible differences will of course always exist. The same interconnects can be used for either(just one for digital, of course)and create no audible difference.

One point in favor of the digital connection arises if some type of digital processing(e.g. bass management for a sub or DPLII/ Logic7 surround processing)is to take place in the receiver. An already-converted analog input from the player would first have to be reconverted to digital(by the receiver's ADCs), processed and converted a third time, back to analog for amplification. Whether the two extra conversions would have an audible effect is highly doubful, but regardless of that it wouldn't seem to be a sensible procedure. So, use the digital output of the player unless the analog output would be fed straight through the receiver and amplified without any digital processing taking place.

I have to agree with F1Nut on this one, John you have no idea what you are talking about. If all DACs sounded the same there would be no such thing as a $10,000 outboard DAC. Also, cables make a significant difference. Saying that "the same interconnects can be used for either" shows your lack of understanding of anything digital. There are specific digital interconnects to handle the very wide bandwidth associated with a digital signal, and these cables are all rated at 75 ohm. Also, again agreeing with the consensus, there will definately be a difference in sound quality between the alternative methods of hooking up these two componets, try out both methods and check for yourself.


Rocky