Optical Digital Audio Out

[Ace H]

I have a DVD Recorder with an Optical Digital Audio Out connection. If I connect the Optical Digital Audio Out to the Optical Digital Audio IN on my Yamaha RX-V659 A/V Receiver, do I still need to make the analog (Red and White) audio connections?

[PDN]

No. Your DVD recorder is giving you the choice of either an analog or digital audio out. You select one or the other. The digital audio out requires only one cable where the analog circuit requires two. Plus the digital audio out circuit should provide superior audio quality over the analog sound.

[musicman1999]

It is by no means certain that the digital out will sound better, but if you want a 5.1 output then you must use digital.Basically the difference is the digital output will allow the reciever to do the digital to analog conversion and the analog connection uses the player to do the digital to analog conversion.

bill

[Mr Peabody]

Yip, Bill tells you right, if it be the DTS or Dolby Digital 5.1, or better, ye be wanting, you have to use the digital connection. The most you get from the red/white analog connection is 2 channel.

Sound quality will depend on which unit does the best digital to analog conversion and has the highest quality analog circuits there aft. Being you have a DVD recorder, my bet on best sound would be from the receiver's DAC. Not to confuse, but if, you had a high quality universal player that happened to have an outstanding DAC, you could use the digital for watching movies and the analog for stereo music playback.

Bill, I saw Musicdirect selling the Moon Orbiter $7,200.00 universal player for $2,499.00 new, they must be closing it out. Rated Class A by Stereophile.

[musicman1999]

Wow $2,499 for an Orbiter,that is a great player,i have a fully loaded Calypso which is one level down from that player.Mine does not do SACD or DVDA and has slightly better video.Both are world class players,true high end machines.When i got mine i walked into the audio shop and a Star Wars film was playing on their video system,i am well known there so i asked if the film had been recorded from the local high-def movie station,no thats a dvd player,i was told.Long story short i left with one.It has a seperate power supply for analog and for digital,you can turn digital off completely and the analog section is lifted directly from am Equinox cd player,which is about a $3,000 cd player.The only downside is that its real big,close to 30 lbs and has a crappy remote.Highest recomendation.

bill