Prog. DVD Player to Amp...Digital or Analog 6 Ch????

[WBFAir]

Hello experts

I'm looking to connect my new Yamaha progressive scan DVD unit (DVD-C750) to my new Yamaha receiver (HTR-5950).

For the audio out of the DVD player it has two ways of doing this, either a 6 CH discrete connection (ie L/R front & rear, sub, center) or a digital out of either optical or coaxial.

So which one is the better one to use?

I understand that the 6CH is analog but is the only real reason the digital is used is just so that all the channels can be used on one cable or does the digital also produce better sound quality across the board?

Also I’ve very very concerned about interconnection signal interference, I’m running quite a bit of other cabling behind all this stuff in a media cabinet and I want to reduce the noise contamination, especially from the speaker outs of the receiver, as much as possible.

Lastly, if the digital is the way to go, which is better, optical or coaxial?

Thanks in advance
WBFAir

[yoda313]

No real difference between coaxial or optical from my experience.

I would go with digital personally. Though I'm not sure if you have to use the 6channel inputs for dvd audio or sacd. Do you have either feature on your dvdplayer+surround sound? That would be the only reason to use the multi inputs that I could see.

[WBFAir]

Yeah that’s where I'm kinda confused, the DVD instructions says the digital out is needed for Dolby Digital, DTS or MPEG decoder. Then is says to reproduce multi-channel SADC & DVD-Audio connect the 6CH discrete jacks to an AV Receiver.

Kinda sounds like I need both, to be honest my main use is that I want to watch a DVD in the best surround sound I can and play standard music CD's

I'm guessing that if I watch a DVD in its regular sound it will go though the 6CH, then if I go into the DVD's Sound option and if it has Dolby Digital possible and I choose it, it will use the single digital output.

I would assume that most audio CD's are no in Dolby "Digital" so they would need the 6CH also.

Am I right on any of this?

[yoda313]

no you can do audio cds straight through digital only. THat is how I have mine through a digital coax and it works just like a normal cd player with audio cables.

[WBFAir]

Oh OK, so is that connection alone also what feeds the sound when using a DVD no matter what sound option from the DVD you are using?

[yoda313]

Yes - EXCEPT the special audio discs. But any regular dvd will output the audio through the digital be it coax or optical. You only need the multi inputs for the special audio discs.

[WBFAir]

OK, thanks yodoa313

I'm trying to shop for what cables I need and not spend too much and you've been a big help.

btw you wouldn't happen to have any good or bad knowledge on right angle connectors for the optical or coaxial digital connection.


Thanks again
WBFAir

[yoda313]

right angle?? Sorry I only use standard stuff so I don't have any experience in those.

[WBFAir]

Ok thanks again

[gp2k7]

Ok, it is simple.

To play DVD-Audio and SACD you need for the amp to take a signal from the analog output of the DVD player.

If you are playing anything else (DTS, Dolby Digital) you have a choice of where the signal is decoded - in your player or in the amplifier.

I would personally use the amplifier (the best way is to listen and decide). If you decide the amp is to decode, you should feed the signal either through optical or coax output.

The quality is the same (it's a digital signal, it does not degrade) so I prefer optical for space considerations. It would happily coexist with your 6ch outputs too.

My 0.02

[gp2k7]

Forgotten to add - if you are listen to an audio CD, and using a digital output, the player would just provide a digital signal to the output without conversion, so you are better off if your amplifier's DACs are better than your player's. (My case)

[WBFAir]

Yeah gp2k7, I've learned a bit more since I first posted (btw many thanks to the genius who's idea it was to put that system in that auto pop-outs a definition for common phrases in any post). At first I thought DVD Audio was a movies audio track…now I know what it is, as well as the SACD

I don’t suspect I may be running across either of these much but from the definition of them being a new and upcoming technology I’m surprised they are meant for an analog signal only.

Anyway, thanks for the info.