coaxial over optical
- Thread starter gasolin
- Start date
In almost (?) all applications SPDIF will sound the same, whether over coax or optical.
If you want to get technical about it, there's a theoretical possibility that there could be a difference. But each type of cable has its advantages and disadvantages. To cut a long story short, optical has the advantage of electrically isolating the sending from the receiving component, but the disadvantage of having to convert an electrical to an optical signal and back again, which could theoretically introduce jitter.
If you want to get technical about it, there's a theoretical possibility that there could be a difference. But each type of cable has its advantages and disadvantages. To cut a long story short, optical has the advantage of electrically isolating the sending from the receiving component, but the disadvantage of having to convert an electrical to an optical signal and back again, which could theoretically introduce jitter.
gasolin said:
Optical can theoretically suffer from reflective/refractive anomalies, but I suspect that there is nothing in it between the two. Coaxial has its own issues. 75 Ohms is difficult to guarantee with a push fit connection. This is why the 110 Ohm AES XLR connector was introduced. Once again there will be nothing audibly different between them.
In my limited experience - I say that as the only optical cable I've tried came free with the Xbox360 elite.
With stereo (PCM) from my cdplayer via my old Yamaha, coax sounded superior noticeably so.
You would have to hear it for yourself though, I'm not going to try and convince anyone.
Odd thing is via my ra-1020 using 5.1 the optical sounds fine from my BluRAy player - the sound of 5.1 being less 'direct' requiring less body but I have settled on transferring sound via HDMI from all devices in the HT realm.
To the question.
Why should it sound better - bandwidth over short distances.
You'll never see a optical lead feeding say a Subwoofer for example.
Or the local loop into your home, its still coax (VirginMedia) - though many are convinced it's optical.
As said above more kit is required to convert digital data which allows for more 'information' to be lost its complicated..... *ROFL*
With stereo (PCM) from my cdplayer via my old Yamaha, coax sounded superior noticeably so.
You would have to hear it for yourself though, I'm not going to try and convince anyone.
Odd thing is via my ra-1020 using 5.1 the optical sounds fine from my BluRAy player - the sound of 5.1 being less 'direct' requiring less body but I have settled on transferring sound via HDMI from all devices in the HT realm.
To the question.
Why should it sound better - bandwidth over short distances.
You'll never see a optical lead feeding say a Subwoofer for example.
Or the local loop into your home, its still coax (VirginMedia) - though many are convinced it's optical.
As said above more kit is required to convert digital data which allows for more 'information' to be lost its complicated..... *ROFL*
MeanandGreen
Well-known member
- Dec 26, 2012
- 149
- 69
- 18,670
gasolin said:
The Hi Fi press used to imply that a digital coax connection sounded sonically superior to an optical one. The same press also claimed that a £100 digital cable sounds better than a £10 digital cable. Or that some HDMI leads produce blacker blacks and richer colours etc...
It wasn't true, you will not hear any difference between coax and optical.
MeanandGreen
Well-known member
- Dec 26, 2012
- 149
- 69
- 18,670
MeanandGreen
Well-known member
- Dec 26, 2012
- 149
- 69
- 18,670
gasolin said:
You would need to compare coax vs optical with the same source material (the same master of the track) at the same resoloution to make an accurate comparison. I'm not familiar with tidal so I don't know if it's CD quality or not? Or if the master you were playing on tidal is the same as the CD?
I do how ever feel theres a difference in sound between my pc (coaxial) and my cplayer using optical both supra cable (had to switch between cdplayer and tidal hifi when i had to adjust levels/gain)
But i guess much of the difference is because i use a M2Tech hiface 2
But i guess much of the difference is because i use a M2Tech hiface 2
MeanandGreen
Well-known member
- Dec 26, 2012
- 149
- 69
- 18,670
gasolin said:
Well as long as the track on the CD is exactly the same digital file that is being streamed and they are gong through the same DAC there shouldn't be anything in it.
If you have them both level matched and can tell which one is which when switching between them without looking then something doesn't add up.
As i wrote i use a M2Tech hiface 2 for pc and that might make a difference also the cables could sound difference although it's the same brand and quality
I just manually with no spl meter, test tone match the levels so there isn't any or atleast nothing of important difference in gain/levels like switching from a turntable to a cdplay you have to turn down the volume or else the cplayer would be extremely loud, used mark knopflers tracker since i just had bought it (mostly the track Beryl)
I just manually with no spl meter, test tone match the levels so there isn't any or atleast nothing of important difference in gain/levels like switching from a turntable to a cdplay you have to turn down the volume or else the cplayer would be extremely loud, used mark knopflers tracker since i just had bought it (mostly the track Beryl)
Dave_
Well-known member
- Jul 31, 2008
- 1,254
- 661
- 20,070
Thompsonuxb said:
You do spout some utter tosh!
VM sticking with HFC has nothing to do with bandwidth and everything to do with ROI and just like BT 'sweating' their copper assets for as long as possible.
And have you not heard of FTTP/H?
Several 'altnets' are deploying it even if VM and BT aren't (much)
Think I prefer co ax I think, have optical from tv to pre amp...five metre run...sounds great! Just ordered yet another co ax to try out! I'm going to change my optical today..for a different brand see if I notice any improvement?
Back in the 90's I bought three IXOS cables for linking a CDP and a CDR to a digital amp they had these locking connectors on them , think they where £20 or £25 each . Never knew there was a vaild reason for them to clamp on. can't paste the link they're called WBT-0144.
daveh75 said:
Me, talk tosh......never.
But a simple error - you mistake protocols for the medium/conductors in question.
Bandwidth.
Like I said, it's complicated.
daveh75 said:
Then expand......
Its complicated - I'm not going to attempt to dig deep into this - but it boils down to data/information being carried on an electrical signal across a ....... no, let me stop.... You explain why I'm confused.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram