Questions on Interconnects-Digital or Analog

[admin_exported]

I recently went into a hi fi store and discussed ways to upgrade my system. The first thing the guy mentioned was a new pre-amp. Okay, I get that, but next he mentioned that I should upgrade my interconnects and speaker cables.

After doing a little research I noticed the that there are analog and digital. I have a two channel system hooked up to my cable box. Will there be any difference in if I use analog over digital for CD player to pre-amp and my cable box to my pre-amp??

Also the guy suggested that I spend $1800 on speaker cables. (I spent $4000 on speakers.) Really?? Does this make sense?

 

[Anonymous]

Analogue and digital cables are named according to the type of signal they carry; the cables themselves don't actually work in an analogue way or digital way - they are essentially just bits wire.

The signal from your CD player to your pre-amp will be an analogue (left and right RCA (phono) cables) UNLESS your pre-amp has an in-built digital-to-analogue (DAC) converter: most do not.

I assume you are connecting your cable box too just to get stereo sound coming through your system? This should be another pair of RCA cables - again analogue.

If you have an amp or pre-amp with processing i.e. more geared towards home cinema, then these do tend to have digital-to-analogue processing and are designed to accept digital signals from components which can output digital signals - CD players, DVD/Bluray players, Minidisc players etc.

Digital cables are single cables. There are two basic alternatives which do the same job ELECTRICAL digital (Coax) and OPTICAL digital (Toslink). The first is a copper wire very similar to an RCA phono cable (same connectors but different electrical properties ideally) and the second swaps copper for plastic or glass to carry the signal as light rather than electricity.

Sometimes both digital types are found on components, sometimes only one type.

Finally, if you do have the choice between analogue and digital, it will depend on which component - CD or amp - does the better job of changing the digital signal into an analogue one.

If you list your gear your question about $1800 on speaker cables might be easier to judge.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the input. I have Rotel 1080 amp, 1070 preamp, 1072 CD player and B&W 804s speakers. Right now I have my speakers connected to Monster M series cables. (I paid nothing for them). I'm considering some MIT cables. I was advised that digital would run from CD player to pre-amp and cable box to preamp. I could save money if I used analog.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Anonymous]

OK I have found all the manuals for your gear.

Firstly, I do not know who advised you about cables but they do not appear to understand the difference between analogue and digital.

You cannot in any way attach your CD player to your preamp using the digital out from CD to the preamp!! Therefore digital cables are completely out of the equation. The preamp can only accept a pair of analogue stereo interconnects (RCA phono leads).

The M series of Monster speaker cables are very varied in price. You need to find the specific cable model - see Monster's website and compare the various models with yours or the model may be writen on the cable if they are the grey coloured plastic ones.

Your pre-amp is a 'standard' hifi stereo pre-amp. Your power amp is a bit more up market with its balanced inputs. Curiously it is THX certified and therefore one aimed at the home cinema market rather than specifically for hifi. Nevertheless it does the job I'm sure.

Your CD player is a standard hifi CD player from about 2002/3 and perfectly ok but probably the weakest component now.

Your speakers are the most costly and probably outclass the other components.

Please do not take offence by my crude objective summaries but considering $1800 on speaker cables now seems too much. If you can afford that much I would possibly replace the speaker cables (unless we know the model) using about 1/3rd of your budget and use the rest to buy to upgrade your CD player or even buy a separate digital-to-analogue converter.