Digital Recording; Optical or Coax?
Posted by: Rockingdoc on 26 November 2002
Having given up the battle of trying to record with my computer, I have just bought a dedicated CDR recorder. The Phillips CDR600 ,(at only 149 GBP it was worth a try).
It has the option of analogue, and optical or coax digital inputs.
The question is how to choose inputs. For CD I can record in analogue from my CDS2, or digital from my Sugden CD Masterclass. I am fairly sure that the Sugden digital output option will be best, but does anyone know whether optical or coax transmission to the recorder is best?
For vinyl, the analogue input on the recorder might seem obvious, but again the Sugden player offers analogue input to its DA converter, which will be vastly superior to the Phillips one. So again I will probably try to use a digital input on the recorder.
Any experience?
thanks
malcolm
Posted on: 26 November 2002 by Bob Shedlock
The toslink is the lowest fidelity.
It also puts two conversions of the signal
into the chain. (electric to light and back)
One can bend a toslink while playing music and
hear the impact.
Coaxial is much better. The impedance of the
cable is important, so use a digital data built
wire.
Posted on: 26 November 2002 by Andrew L. Weekes
I'd agree, for sensible cable lenghts Coaxial is much better than optical.
For very long runs though, optical can be better - jitter gets worse with long electrical cable lenghts, but can actually be better with long optical runs.
No idea where the crossover point is though...
A.
Posted on: 28 November 2002 by Rockingdoc
How can I find out which impedance cable to use?
My Sugden Masterclass has BNC digital output sockets, while the recorder has phono sockets so I will have to make my own interconnects.
Any specific cable advice (eg. Maplin or RS ref.) would be very welcome.
thanks
Malcolm
Posted on: 28 November 2002 by count.d
QED make superb cables.
http://www.qed.co.uk/They're not cheap.
General opinion is coaxial seems to be the way to go for sound quality. I've just bought the QED SR75 coax for my DVD.
http://www.hifijunkies.co.uk they do price match.
Go for silver plated cables if you can afford it.
Posted on: 28 November 2002 by Martin Clark
quote:
How can I find out which impedance cable to use? My Sugden Masterclass has BNC digital output sockets, while the recorder has phono sockets so I will have to make my own interconnects.
NIce and easy. SPDIF connections are specified as 75ohm impedance, so get some RG59 coax cable from maplin - such as XS52G, at a whopping 49p/metre - a 75ohm BNC plug and a phono plug of moderate quality, and have at it.
Actually the phonoplug will make a mess of the impedance characteristic, but making your own cable is so cheap it's not worth worrying about. It is
very easy to match or outperform commercial cables, within the context of SPDIF being non-ideal in the first place...
Better idea - email me your address and I'll post one of my
experimental cables since I no longer need 'em.
M.
Posted on: 28 November 2002 by Rockingdoc
Thanks Martin
Didn't think it would be that simple. I have all this stuff at home already.
Thanks again
malcolm
Posted on: 28 November 2002 by Andrew L. Weekes
The satellite grade stuff (CTxxx) works well too for longer runs.
Andy.
Posted on: 28 November 2002 by Martin Clark
I second the CT100(etc) recommendation - the only caveat being the solid centre conductor - not good if you rearrange things a lot. RG6 works well too, if you can find it.
Having played with a few cd-->dac cables (yea, heresy, but fun) it does seem that the more complete coverage the braid/screen provides, the better. As ever, you really do get what you pay for, and it doesn't help that the designations - RG6, RG57 etc - are generic descriptions and only constitute a 'meets a minimum spec' type of performance guarantee.
M
Posted on: 29 November 2002 by Rockingdoc
Made up a cable with the best-quality satellite cable that was lying about in my wires-cupboard. Seems fine. Thanks.
malcolm
