Digital coaxial cables = from CD to Reciever?

[SPACEMANRICK]

Please excuse my ignorance on this, a friend of mine said that I should buy a digital coaxial cable to connect my Denon CD player to my Denon 3805 receiver. Will this make much of a difference from the 2 (analog?) cables that came with my receiver in the sound coming out of my B&W 804 speakers?

[Aldo]

It is a good idea, the normal analog RCA connection is the most basic one, I think your receiver Digital to analog converter is much better than your's CD one, and even though this cable afirmation could start a big discussion most of the people would agree that the digital cable is better!

[Aussie Geoff]

Hi,

I'm moving this to the Audio Hideout as it is not B&W related and you'll get a better range of answers

Geoff

[David Meek]

Just echoing Aldo, your digital connection from the CD player to the receiver will bypass the DACs in the CD player and use the DACs in the receiver to convert the signal to analog. The L/R RCA cables use the DACs in the CD player to convert the signal and then pass it to the receiver where the signal then bypasses the DACs there. It's really a choice between which DACs do a better job (to your ears) converting the signal.

Just to be on the safe side, I'd recommend using a true 75-Ohm cable on the digital out. But, this may just be a requirement for video - someone else more knowledgable chime in here, please.

[jim777]

A 75-ohm cable is required for long runs. Any short (<6ft) cable will work, but 75-ohm is the best. You don't have to pay much $$ for this to work.

You can do a first try with your audio wire to see if you prefer the sound of the digital connection. If so, to get a more reliable connection, get a real 75-ohm cable (SPDIF, video, sub, what-ever it is called, but it must be a 75-ohm one)

[Jesse111]

Spaceman,

Your friend is probably wrong. Unless he knows which DACs are better performers he's just under the impression that a digital connection must be better simply because it's a digital connection.

There are several factors involved. But Davids post makes a long story short and is accurate.

Additionally, if you do go digital, pay attention to the termination quality of any 75 ohm digital cable. That is an important factor in the ohm consistancy.

http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/audioprinciples/interconnects/ComponentVideoCables_3.php

But in the end, as David stated, it mostly depends on which DAC system is the best quality. The player or the processor.

If they are the same, I'd suggest staying with the analog outs as you have them now. By doing that, you completely avoid any digital interface jitter concerns.

http://www.digido.com/portal/pmodule_id=11/pmdmode=fullscreen/pageadder_page_id=28

My DACS are identical so I use analog out left and right in my two channel system. But if the DACs in your processor are better. Go with digital. (Or trade up for a really, really nice player. What better excuse could a fella have? :W)

So your first step is to research the DAC quality of both units.

[JudyLou]

I agree with Jesse111 - it boils down to how good your cd players is - you don't mention what model Denon your cd player is - the Denon AVR3805 has pretty good D/A conversion - comparing that with the more entry level Denon cd players the receivers D/A conversion is better and I would opt for decent digital coax. With a got coax you will not have jitter problems. Try Audio Quest or Ecosse (to my ears Ecosse's got a slight musical edge over the rest)