Optical vs coax vs spdif


The local classical radio station 101.1 FM DALLAS. Is giving away their entire CD collection at MY restaurant!!! Awesome 😎, but I haven’t used a CD player in my setup in years. I got on eBay and scored a Marantz PMD321 for like $50 bucks including shipping. 

i want to use my dac (simaudio Moon 280d) but I don’t know what kind of digital connection would work best. 

Should i I use optical, coax, or spdif... 

thanks 
andrewkelley

Showing 3 responses by lowrider57

Most experts agree that 1.5 meters is the optimal length for digital coax. It has to do with having minimal reflections of the data stream as it passes from CD transport to DAC.

You’re going to hear the term jitter used frequently. This "jitter" needs to be controlled and minimized in digital playback. A well designed cable is a key element in preserving the quality of the signal.


Best way to go is with S/PDIF coax. You'll need to get a cable with RCA connectors to mate with your DAC. And the quality and design of the cable makes a difference to sonics.
You should use the archives to research the different cables since this has been discussed many times. 


the Marantz also has digital coax out
Yes, I looked at the images. That's the RCA SPDIF coax that you will use.
And I'll be interested in how your 75ohm cables sound.