Best connections

stevee1966

Well-known member
Sep 21, 2007
208
6
18,795
Visit site
With my Hegel H160 connected to my Marantz UD7007, playing standard cd's, hi-res format dvd-a, dvd-v, sa-cd and bluray, am i better off using analogue rca cable to utilise the Marantz DAC, or digital coax for the Hegel DAC ?

Do both of these cables types support all disc formats, and all hi-res frequencies, or are there limits on what they will play ?

Thanks for any info.
Steve
 

muljao

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2016
334
91
10,970
Visit site
I was under the impression that a sacd sound wasn't fully transferred with an optical or co-ax cable (at least using a stereo dac), just something I read some time back (so look into that before taking my word), so I think you need RCA for this (prob something to do with the amount of channel decoded and a sacd player likely having a suitable dac inbuilt)

As for using the marantz or hegal dac, that is probably down to the sound you prefer if you can indeed hear a difference. Whichever cable you buy it's probably worth while ensuring you get a well made one as opposed to one that costs 2 pounds at the discount shop

Edit- most output from the marantz digital might be multi-channel of some description or other so I think an rca is the best option to your stereo amp
 

muljao

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2016
334
91
10,970
Visit site
Al ears said:
Try both, although I'd imagine the DAC in the Hegel is better.

I only have the DAC in my Oppo to contend with so it's an easy choice for me.
Will a stereo DAC be able to decode the digital output from a universal player and all its sources?
 

Andrewjvt

New member
Jun 18, 2014
99
4
0
Visit site
Hi
I have not had my old 160 for ages now so
I stand corrected but for hirez 24 bit flac files etc you need to use the usb digital input. The optical and rca digital coax dont go as high res.

So for playing sadc id stick to rca analog from marantz to hegel

For music files from nas, streamer or pc i'd definately use the usb on the hegel.

Either way its the mastering of the recording that makes it sound good or bad, not so much the resolution or format.

And it will also boil down to taste so why dont you play around and let us know what you think. There is no right or wrong.

You may not even be able to tell the difference either.
 
Hi Steve

Try it however please ensure that the player is set up to output PCM and not bitstream via its coax dig. out.

Btw, and fwiw we've also got a few clients who now use their UD7007 players as transports only as they prefer the performance of the DAC's within their H160 and H360's.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft
 

Gazzip

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
88
2
18,540
Visit site
stevee1966 said:
With my Hegel H160 connected to my Marantz UD7007, playing standard cd's, hi-res format dvd-a, dvd-v, sa-cd and bluray, am i better off using analogue rca cable to utilise the Marantz DAC, or digital coax for the Hegel DAC ?

Do both of these cables types support all disc formats, and all hi-res frequencies, or are there limits on what they will play ?

Thanks for any info. Steve

I am pretty sure your Hegel DAC would have to be capable of decoding DSD if it was going to play the SACD. Also I have read that SACD is a locked format and that even if your Hegel DAC was DSD compatible, your Marantz would not be capable of outputting DSD to it. Something to do with preventing SACD from being copied to a computer file. A form of DRM if you like, so you will only get the SACD to play to your hegel via analogue RCA... PS Audio have made a BIG thing (and a big price tag) of their new flagship CD transport being able to output DSD so I don't think it is a common thing.

I could however be wrong so you might want to read around this a bit...
 
muljao said:
Al ears said:
Try both, although I'd imagine the DAC in the Hegel is better.

I only have the DAC in my Oppo to contend with so it's an easy choice for me.
Will a stereo DAC be able to decode the digital output from a universal player and all its sources?

It really depends what you're going to play that signal through. If you've only got stereo speakers then yes.
 
Gazzip said:
stevee1966 said:
With my Hegel H160 connected to my Marantz UD7007, playing standard cd's, hi-res format dvd-a, dvd-v, sa-cd and bluray, am i better off using analogue rca cable to utilise the Marantz DAC, or digital coax for the Hegel DAC ?

Do both of these cables types support all disc formats, and all hi-res frequencies, or are there limits on what they will play ?

Thanks for any info. Steve

I am pretty sure your Hegel DAC would have to be capable of decoding DSD if it was going to play the SACD. Also I have read that SACD is a locked format and that even if your Hegel DAC was DSD compatible, your Marantz would not be capable of outputting DSD to it. Something to do with preventing SACD from being copied to a computer file. A form of DRM if you like, so you will only get the SACD to play to your hegel via analogue RCA... PS Audio have made a BIG thing (and a big price tag) of their new flagship CD transport being able to output DSD so I don't think it is a common thing.

I could however be wrong so you might want to read around this a bit...

See Musicrafts post.
 

stevee1966

Well-known member
Sep 21, 2007
208
6
18,795
Visit site
stevee1966 said:
With my Hegel H160 connected to my Marantz UD7007, playing standard cd's, hi-res format dvd-a, dvd-v, sa-cd and bluray, am i better off using analogue rca cable to utilise the Marantz DAC, or digital coax for the Hegel DAC ?

Do both of these cables types support all disc formats, and all hi-res frequencies, or are there limits on what they will play ?

Thanks for any info. Steve

Had the following response from Hegel, who unsurprisingly suggested using their DAC :-

"The best way is to connect the U7007 to the digital inputs on H160. Then you will use the DAC inside the amp, which is really good. Coax and Optical supports 24/192 (highres).

The problem is that a 24 bit sacd is a "studio" recording, and therefore will be blocked on digital output for copyright reasons. So SACD from U7007 for 24 bit high res will only play on Analogue.
 

Brokenflame

New member
Oct 23, 2016
3
1
0
Visit site
My personal perference is optical, as there is no electrical current passing between bit of equipment, thus eleiminating any earthing issues.

Depending on your hardware, sometimes the coax's send/recieve data rates are higher than the optical's. But you would need to check your hardware specs. If the transfer rates are the same, chances are the same encoder/decoder are used and thus I would go for the optical.

Also optical cables are not effected by and do not generate any RFI.

Optical cables are also cheap, and damaged ones are easy to identify.

As for copy write protection of SACDs not outputing to digital, I have no idea. I'm not lucky enough to have any SACDs. As I understand it from the options menu on my Oppo 205, it will send the digital signal of SACDs or DVD-As to the digital coax output. So I can only recommend that you try it and let us know.
 

stevee1966

Well-known member
Sep 21, 2007
208
6
18,795
Visit site
The Marantz doesn't have Optical Out, so only choice is coax.

I've used Sa-cd with a surround sound system before via HDMI, but with my 2 channel audio setup sa-cd doesn't work via coax, so i use the analogue connection.
 

macdiddy

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2010
87
3
18,545
Visit site
the people from Hegel are correct in that the sacd signal cannot be passed via optical or co-ax outputs due to copyright and can only be output via the standard phono connection.

I have a Pioneer sacd player and can confirm the above.

*music2*
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts