If only 2.0 (no subwoofer(s)), then optical carries it lossless.
TV digital audio - Home theatre vs Stereo audio
Hi,
I have a question that is confusing me quite a bit. I just set-up a brand new 2 channel system which also has a Oppo BDP-95 Blue Ray player from my legacy system and a new OLED LG 4K TV. I trying to get the best sound from my TV. I usually view sports through the now-TV (cable TV provider in HK), Netflix (through my TV connect) and Blue-ray through my Oppo.
The TV has a HDMI ARC connection and an optical digital audio out. Currently I have connected the optical digital audio out to my Auralic Vega G2 DAC and then play the TV audio through my McIntosh/ B&W Diamond 2-channel set-up. I also have connected the digital Coax output from my Oppo to the Auralic DAC and hence I have bypassed the Oppo DAC as I consider the Auralic DAC superior.
However, I read up some material saying that an optical connect from the TV and the Coax output from the Oppo will not carry full Dolby Atmos and other higher end digital audio from the Blue-Ray and hence the audio from both my blue-ray discs through the Oppo and the Netflix that I play through the TV will both be downgraded to normal 2-channel audio.
My question is that if I anyways have only a 2-channel music system set-up through which my TV sound plays, does it matter whether I use the optical out from my TV or the more advanced HDMI ARC?
The second question is that the only way I can see to get the higher end digital audio is to buy a surround sound bar and connect it through the HDMI ARC connect on the TV and play the sound through the sound bar rather than the 2-channel set-up. The problem is that I do not have space to keep the sound bar and hence will need to go through substantive pain to get this done. Is it all worth it?
Thanks in advance.
I have a question that is confusing me quite a bit. I just set-up a brand new 2 channel system which also has a Oppo BDP-95 Blue Ray player from my legacy system and a new OLED LG 4K TV. I trying to get the best sound from my TV. I usually view sports through the now-TV (cable TV provider in HK), Netflix (through my TV connect) and Blue-ray through my Oppo.
The TV has a HDMI ARC connection and an optical digital audio out. Currently I have connected the optical digital audio out to my Auralic Vega G2 DAC and then play the TV audio through my McIntosh/ B&W Diamond 2-channel set-up. I also have connected the digital Coax output from my Oppo to the Auralic DAC and hence I have bypassed the Oppo DAC as I consider the Auralic DAC superior.
However, I read up some material saying that an optical connect from the TV and the Coax output from the Oppo will not carry full Dolby Atmos and other higher end digital audio from the Blue-Ray and hence the audio from both my blue-ray discs through the Oppo and the Netflix that I play through the TV will both be downgraded to normal 2-channel audio.
My question is that if I anyways have only a 2-channel music system set-up through which my TV sound plays, does it matter whether I use the optical out from my TV or the more advanced HDMI ARC?
The second question is that the only way I can see to get the higher end digital audio is to buy a surround sound bar and connect it through the HDMI ARC connect on the TV and play the sound through the sound bar rather than the 2-channel set-up. The problem is that I do not have space to keep the sound bar and hence will need to go through substantive pain to get this done. Is it all worth it?
Thanks in advance.
Showing 6 responses by mzkmxcv
@audioengr https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-ifi-ipurifier-... The iFi only works when there is a ton of jitter, which Amir could only get by actually inducing jitter with his AP, most real-world performance actually had the iFi adding low frequency noise. |
@audioengr Direct measurements are more telling. However, if the output of the DAC is worse, shouldn’t the direct measurements be worse as well? Also, Amir states in the review that it’s caused by its switching power supply and small enclosure; it does reduce large amounts of jitter better than cheap DACs, but it’s own native design flaws introduce low-level noise as well. Also, the output of the DAC is what’s most important, as that’s what’s going into your preamp/amp. I know you have measured the jitter out of a SONOS Connect, but have you ever measured the jitter when gone through a DAC, even a “cheap” one like the Topping D30? I know you show your $700 reclocker reducing it to ~7psec, but the D30 on it’s own would reduce it pretty well on its own. I also belive you greatly over-emphasis the audible benefits of your reclocker vs a good DAC on its own. Keep in mind that your room’s noise floor likely doesn’t even allow you to fully resolve 16Bit, I don’t see how you can make audibility claims of 7psec (around -130dB down for 16/44.1), and especially when music is playing, maybe with test tones if you were in an anechoic chamber. Not saying many old/new DACs have great jitter suppression, but most modern ones do reduce it better than CD quality. |
@audioengr I’m assuming you mean jitter immune as in total suppression, or at least past 24Bit. I’m talking at least a fair deal of reduction. You state the 96dB of dynamic range that unditered 16Bit offers is too low. Can you explain how you can hear noises of around 5 decibles in a room where the noise fooor is roughly 30dB? The hum of a lightbulb at 2m away is ~10dB I believe. Also, it may be a different measurement technique than what you’ve used for your Syncro-Mesh, but here is the picosecond amount of jitter when using a Topping D10 as a USB to Toslink convertor, and not using a J-Test like you’ve stated many times. |
You state the 96dB of dynamic range that undithered 16Bit offers is too lowWhat? I never said this Uhh: CD quality (from a CD player) is a low-bar for me. CD is 16Bit, which if undithered has a noise floor averaging -96dBFS. Let’s say your room is so well treated with components so quite that your noise floor is 14dB across the spectrum (even though that’s unlikely), that would still not allow you to hear the benefits of 24Bit over undithered 16Bit, unless the music is mastered with unity being 110dB, which would be uncommon as 105dB is usually what’s chosen (-30dBFS C-weighted with slow measuring registering 75dB). Thats not even accounting for dithering, which can make it better than 110dB. |
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?attachments/topping-d10-spdif-coax-jitter-dashboa... I think that is a “direct measurement” as you would call it of the $90 Topping D10, RMS jitter of ~127psec vs what you measured the iFi Purifier at ~100psec, and peaks jitter of ~397psec vs what looks like 336psec. And again, measurements show some added noise of the iFi, but it’s below -110dBFS (thought you may agrue that’s audible). If using RMS, that’s a dynamic range of ~92.3dB vs ~94.3dB. If usinf peak, that’s a dynamic range of ~82.5dB vs ~83.7dB. Of course, it’s not the same setup nor same measurement gear; so a 1:1 comparison shouldn’t be held under scrutiny. For $100, here is how the $100 Allo DigiOne measured. |