Sony DVD/CD player

[browe1967]

I now have my older Sony 5 disc cd/dvd player hooked up to my Yami 665 via a optical cable.

Is there a difference in using optical, coax or RCA or 5.1?

I do not use it for DVD, only cd music.

Is there a difference in sound quality?

I would a/b the wires but they are tough to get at.

Any benefits from one to the other?

Thanks

[Deleted]

Feb 21, 2010 0:09:15 GMT -5 browe1967 said:

I now have my older Sony 5 disc cd/dvd player hooked up to my Yami 665 via a optical cable.

Is there a difference in using optical, coax or RCA or 5.1?

I do not use it for DVD, only cd music.

Is there a difference in sound quality?

I would a/b the wires but they are tough to get at.

Any benefits from one to the other?

Thanks

If you use a digital connection (e.g., optical, toslink, coax) then the D/A conversion occurs in the Yamaha and not the Sony, and that is where the decision lies: which unit, the Sony CD player or the Yamaha receiver, has the better implementation of the DAC and which sounds better to you. The actual cables themselves (both format and brand) make less of on impact than the implementation of the DAC.

The difference between optical and coax is a tough one for me to hear but I have not honestly conducted valid tests to prove either option. My gut tells my the difference is inaudible between those two.

As far as an analog connection between the Sony and the Yamaha, the 5.1 connections are (or should be) a pass through with no additional processing done to the information (remember: in this method, the Sony does the D/A conversion and the signal is merely passed through the Yamaha). This should sound better than the regular CD RCA inputs.

So, the decision of what sounds better between an RCA connection through the 5.1 inputs versus one of the digital connections lies in which unit you think sounds best for the D/A processing. Hope this helps.