Sorry if this is covered before, but the search function isn't pulling anything back for me. I want to connect my new equipment in the best way but am confused about how this is achieved. I have all types of interconnect available. According to the manufacturer, this is the recommendation: For optimum sound quality, we recommend to take advantage of the internal DACs of the CXN. This means that the CXC would be connected to the CXN via S/PDIF, and then the CXN connected to the CXA-60 via unbalanced RCA cables. This does mean that you would have to select the digital input on the CXN before sound comes through to the CXA. However, for a quicker and more convenient connection, you can connect the CXC directly to the CXA via TOSLINK optical cable. For the best of both worlds, you can combine both of these connections for different listening occasions. The S/PDIF and TOSLINK optical outputs work simultaneously on the CXC, so you could use the direct connection to the CXA for quick convenient listening, and use the S/PDIF connection to the CXN for optimum performance and quality. What I don't understand is why I would connect the CD transport to the streamer and not directly to the amp? The amp has the DAC in, not the CXN surely? Also, why would it recommend connecting the streamer via unbalanced phono cables? Surely as it's a digital source, I would want to use a digital connection e.g. coax/toslink? The equipment is Cambridge Audio CXA60, CXC and CXN with connections: CXN - toslink + coax input; toslink + coax + phono outputCXC - toslink + coax outputCXA - 2 x toslink input; 1 x coax input; 4 x phono input Wouldn't the 'best' connections be: CXC - toslink out to CXA; coax out to CXNCXN - coax out to CXA This would give a digital connection between the CD and the Amp and the streamer and the amp. Would I gain anything by running the CD via coax through the streamer and setting the streamer input to the CD? I don't see where phono cables fit in at all execpt for the turntable connection. Help! (the speakers aren't run in yet, so I can't do a 'just what sounds best to me' test)
Cabling connection advice
- Thread starter toweliechaos
- Start date
hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004
Well-known member
I thinks you might have over complicated the situation and your question,I can't make head nor tail of it.optical or coaxial for cd's to dac's(coaxial is meant to be better,but it's yet to be proven to me)and most digital sources and then rca from digital source to amp.easy peasy. I don't think you're using balanced xlr's eh?
macdiddy
Well-known member
the search function didn't bring up anything seeing that nearly every day someone starts a new cable thread like yours.
*music2*
*music2*
toweliechaos said:
They both have DACs in them. This seems to be the fundamental source of your confusion. From the recommendation it sounds like they believe that the streamer has the better DAC so you will get the best quality by connecting the transport to the streamer digitally and then use analogue connections from the streamer to the amp.
You can, however, connect the transport directly to the amp if you want to cut out one stage and make it all simpler. And in fact you can connect it to both the streamer and the amp using optical and SPIDF and switching the inputs. This would allow you to see which DAC gives the best results by quickly switching between inputs.
toweliechaos said:
It can function as either a purely digital source (transport) or it can carry out the digital to analogue conversion.
toweliechaos said:
Sure you could do it that way, but on what basis are you assuming this would sound best? Shortest signal distance for the analogue signal by having the DA conversion done in the amp resulting in the least degradation? There are various theoretical arguments about what should sound best assuming both DACs are equal (e.g. using the DAC in the streamer means it would have its own power supply and be better isolated than in the amp).
Why not do as Cambridge Audio recommend until the system is run in and then start playing around with the other options later?
ID. said:
It appears to be the same DAC in the amp and the streamer (although the streamer appears to have dual DACs)
ID said:
Sorry, I'm not getting that? Why would I use phono cables to connect the cd or streamer to the amp? Wouldn't I use digital connections? I feel like I'm missing some basic knowledge here!
ID said:
I probably will, I just wanted to know the theory behind it all as it seems a bit counter-intuitive to me.
Is the issue you are facing.
You are spending a lot of money on the CXN, which has pretty comprehensive dac and pre-amp functions, then more money on an amp with yet more dac and pre-amp functions.
You can use either, I doubt there will be any worthwhile differences in sound quality.
Everything you mention is digital, if you are not using anything analogue like a vinyl player, I can not see the need for the CXA60 at all. If the equipment is all new, consider asking Richers if they will swap the CXA60 for the Azur 651w power amplifier, they are very similar in price but the 651w is simply a power amplifier with much greater capability than the CXA60.
Everything connects to the CXN and you can use it's remote/control App to run the system. You can use balanced interconnects if you wish and can hide the 651w if you want to, leaving just the matching CX components on view.
You are spending a lot of money on the CXN, which has pretty comprehensive dac and pre-amp functions, then more money on an amp with yet more dac and pre-amp functions.
You can use either, I doubt there will be any worthwhile differences in sound quality.
Everything you mention is digital, if you are not using anything analogue like a vinyl player, I can not see the need for the CXA60 at all. If the equipment is all new, consider asking Richers if they will swap the CXA60 for the Azur 651w power amplifier, they are very similar in price but the 651w is simply a power amplifier with much greater capability than the CXA60.
Everything connects to the CXN and you can use it's remote/control App to run the system. You can use balanced interconnects if you wish and can hide the 651w if you want to, leaving just the matching CX components on view.
The_Lhc
Well-known member
macdiddy said:
You shouldn't be surprised, the search function has never worked on the new forum software.
The only reason one would use analogue cables from the streamer to the amp is if the streamer's DAC is better than the DAC in the amp. CA seem to be claiming that the DAC in the streamer is better than the one in the amp. Basically you've got redundancy of preamp and DAC functions by having them in both the streamer and the amp.
Dave's advice is good. Otherwise run in you speakers for a little bit and then experiment and see which you love me better (or whether there is even a difference).
Dave's advice is good. Otherwise run in you speakers for a little bit and then experiment and see which you love me better (or whether there is even a difference).
Well, as I have a ProJect Esprit attached via a phono stage, I think I need the CXA over the Azur anyway.
In the end I've gone with the Cambridge recommended settings including the toslink from CD to amp. I'm sure it will be as good as it's likely to be with this configuration. Maybe it's due to the streamer having dual DACs that makes this the connection of choice? EIther way. thank you for explaining some of the thinking around the use of RCA cables.
Much more useful than some of the responses!
In the end I've gone with the Cambridge recommended settings including the toslink from CD to amp. I'm sure it will be as good as it's likely to be with this configuration. Maybe it's due to the streamer having dual DACs that makes this the connection of choice? EIther way. thank you for explaining some of the thinking around the use of RCA cables.
Much more useful than some of the responses!
don't understand is why I would connect the CD transport to the streamer and not directly to the amp?
The reason is because you will take advantage of the double DAC on the CXN, superior sound quality.
For otimum erformance ..... CXC - toslink out to CXN .... CXN - coax out to CXA
Audio interconnects
Chord Company Chameleon Plus, QED Reference Audio 40, CAMBRIDGE AUDIO 700, Chord Company C-line, Atlas Equator MkIII
The reason is because you will take advantage of the double DAC on the CXN, superior sound quality.
For otimum erformance ..... CXC - toslink out to CXN .... CXN - coax out to CXA
Audio interconnects
Chord Company Chameleon Plus, QED Reference Audio 40, CAMBRIDGE AUDIO 700, Chord Company C-line, Atlas Equator MkIII
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