cliveb;153795 Wrote: > I don't necessarily agree with your conclusion. My experience is that > the SB2 DAC is actually pretty high quality. > > Do we know whether the Yamaha digitises its analogue inputs? If it > does, then there is bound to be a gain mismatch between the digital and > analogue inputs, and this could easily account for perceived quality > differences (louder is generally interpreted as better). > > Here's the reason for the gain mismatch. When you use a digital input, > it can simply be passed straight to the DAC. When you use an analogue > input, it has to be passed through an A/D converter. Now, since the > Yamaha cannot possibly know what signal level you might feed it, it has > to operate the A/D converter at a level so that the largest conceivable > input won't cause digital clipping. Therefore more typical input levels > will be operating the A/D converter below its peak level capability. > Apart from getting a quieter digital signal (compared to feeding the SB > digital output into the Yamaha), you'll also be losing a bit of > resolution. But I'd be surprised if the Yamaha didn't have a decent 24 > bit A/D converter, so the resolution issue shouldn't be a big deal - my > money is on the analogue input simply providing less volume. > > (Of course if the Yamaha has a poor quality A/D converter, then that > could be a much more straightforward reason for the reduced quality via > its analogue inputs). > > Incidentally, to test the SB digital coax, just use any RCA lead you > have lying around. As long as the length of cable is not too long, > you'll be fine.
I bought a digital coax cable and tested it with the SB2 to Yamaha and it was indistinguishable in sound and bass quality from the digital optical. Since I can't run the digital through anything but the Yamaha, it is very difficult to say what the difference is. I do appreciate your thoughts about volume, although I don't think that's it. When I play a bass heavy song like "Burning Down the House" at volume with the digital output connections (and tone controls neutral), it punches you in the stomach and shakes the filament of a nearby lightbulb. When I run the same song through the RCA analog at volume, it has no punch and sounds too bright, almost noisy. I should say that the reason for my original question is that I am setting up my SB2 with my NAD S200 separately from my home theater (HT) for space and imaging reasons so the Yamaha is staying with the HT. I plan to first buy the S100 preamp that was designed to mate with the S200. Because it doesn't have digital inputs of any kind (all RCA), I will be testing it with the SB2's RCA analog output. This might solve my problem. Do you think so? If it doesn't, I would be inclined to buy a decent DAC that accepts a digital coax input and run SB2 to DAC to NAD S100 to S200. -- beerbunny ------------------------------------------------------------------------ beerbunny's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2600 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=29526 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
