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digital or analog output?

Hi, recently bought a Harman Kardon AVR 8500. It offers a choice between a coax input and an analog input. My SACD player offers both (apart af course from the 5.1 setup) and I am not sure on what to pick.

In addition this question: I am using MIT cables for the analog input right now. I consider these cables perfect for th edigital in-output as well. Am I right or does "digital" require something different?
blankert
4 responses Add your response
sean
6,231 posts
 
If you want to listen to SACD, you'll have to use the analogue outputs from the player. SACD does not output a signal in digital form at this point in time. The exception to this "rule" would be the EMM Labs gear, which was designed specifically for use with an external SACD DAC system. Sean
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steve_jsd
15 posts
 
I suspect you are mistaken. Except for a few very high end SACD units that digitally output to their own DACs, no SACD units have digital out. Your units digital out is probably only for regular CDs. For those, it all depends on the aquality of the CDPs own Dac versus the HKs.
mhedges
180 posts
 
In most cases the analog output from a CD or DVD player is superior to using the recievers DAC's for redbook CD, but you should try both to see for yourself.

Mark
beavis
272 posts
 
If you want to use "digital" out, you'll have to buy external DAC unless your receiver has. Also, I don't believe there is standard for digital out for SACD, yet.

You can't output SACD via digital out on SACD player. You can, however, output 16/44.1 (redbook) from your SACD player.
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