Odysseus

I've just purchased a Sony DVP-NC650V which has both digital(optical/coaxial) and 5.1ch output. The instruction said that 5.1ch must be used to benefit from SACD and DVD-audio, which neither will I use.

All I want is to have good surround sound from my receiver (DTS, DD, THX). Which is the best connection? (Cost of cables is not a factor)

A/V: Onkyo Integra DTR7.2 (DTS, DD, THX with multichannels input)
Speakers: 6.1 setup, JBL S412Pii mains

belboz

If you're not going to be listening to any SACD of DVD-A discs, then just use a single cable (either coax or optical will do) to connect your player to the reciever.

That'll let you listen to the DTS or DD surround sound just fine.

Iz Splat

I believe you want to go with Optical. I found that digital coax has a little more noise. Go with a higher-end product. I use Monster cables but I've heard others trash them because of the price tag. I pay for piece of mind. Sad, isn't it?

palebluedot

Not to get into this whole discussion again, but, that is impossible. Both coax and optical will give you the same sound quality. It's just 1s and 0s.

Iz Splat

Ok, let me be more specific. When I'm listening to 5.1 with coax. It does make a little more noise. I can hear my DVD searching through chapters. I never hear that with Toslink. Maybe it's my set-up but it's not impossible because I hear it. I also hear it in my digital heaphones.

Iz Splat

P.S. I believe that you still get the same quality from coax but I believe it picks up interference from other components at the same time (all though it's hard to hear).

Josh Z

The coax cable is a form of digital transmission. It carries bits of data from one end to the other. That's all it does. It is not subject to interference like an analog cable. It is actually impossible for something like that to happen.

I can't explain what you seem to be hearing, but I doubt it is just your coax cable at fault.

Toxygen

I read somewhere that coax is better for a variety of reasons, but I don't remember where or what those where

the main cause of coax sounding "bad" has nothing to do with the fact that it's coax, but either the cable you use, the quality of the connectors, whetehr there's a ground loop in the system, or other physical factors like those. I'm not 100% on this but i think the main reason given for coax being better had something to do with the voltage level given.

Having said that, I must admit that I use optical rather than coax, because it's a) cooler, and b) in my mind i have this idea that fiberoptic is better than electrical.

do a search in avsforums for this (long) debate about coax vs optical.