2. digital
  3. 195223-200743

Need advice on digital inputs

Looking for a little advice on something...still a bit new to all of this. I have an NAD c379 preamp and a Cambridge audio cxn100 streamer. I have the Cambridge hooked up to the NAD from the analog outs on the Cambridge to the analog ins of the NAD. Both of these units have good dacs, so having it hooked up like this which dac am I using, the Cambridge or the NAD?? The Cambridge has digital inputs and outputs, the NAD only has digital inputs, how do I use these on the Cambridge unit? Thank you for all and any advice. 

spoonman16510

Showing 3 responses by soix

soix
10,325 posts
 

@baylinor  More experienced people would know that, but obviously as with here it can needlessly confuse people who are newer to the hobby.  Just call it a digital input like virtually everyone else does because that’s what it is and makes it perfectly clear to all.  Stupid. 

soix
10,325 posts
 

It was stupid of NAD to label the RCA/SPDIF digital inputs as coaxial in as that’s a general term that could mean anything, and for exactly this reason pretty much the whole world calls it a digital input but yes that’s the input you’d use. 

soix
10,325 posts
 

The way you have it now you’re using the DAC in the Cambridge — the giveaway is you’re using the analog outs from the Cambridge so the digital to analog conversion has already been done.  If you use the digital out from the Cambridge to the NAD you’ll be using the NAD’s DAC.  If you want to want to try the NAD’s DAC to compare this is a decent digital cable that’s not too pricey (don’t use a crappy digital cable because they really do matter).  Hope this helps.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264256579076

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