I have a Denon DVD2500 and a Denon AVR3300. The DVD has 2 different digital outputs, Coax and Optical. Which is better and can you tell the difference. I have heard both. It seems to me that Fiber Optics is better but I don't know.

Being that both are digital -- meaning a digital data stream of 1's and 0's -- there's not going to be much of a difference, unless one is of such poor quality it is degrading the signal.

Tom,

general industry assumptions assume that both cables do an excellent job, and sometimes you don't have a choice depending on the input/ output configuration. but the audiophile sect is absolutely convinced that there are deinite sonic benefits to a coaxial digital cable over optic, while optic may perform better in data apps.
We carry a full compliment of both at www.absolutetheater.com if you need. thx, paul.

Tom, i fully agree with paul.....the claim is that co-ax is better.....whether in fact it is always better, remains with the end user....when u have a choice always use co-ax.....whether the 'tweak freaks' are right is another story, but the consensus goes to co-ax......i personally as an audiophile and videophile, dont hear the difference....but you may........oooo welll....and oooops hope my grammer is ok for mr bill lucas, who picked me up on it.....geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzz......lolol...happy new year

I have to agree...Use the CoAx.

I have found that optical cables are somewhat finicky (sp?) and unreliable - You can't bend them tightly if needed, etc. For this reason alone, I always use CoAx, if I can.

Also, quality cabling for CoAx are easier to find and often less expensive. You can even use a good quality video cable (Monster, etc) for the connection.

Derek

Here's a thought (which I haven't verified): the coax connection provides a path for potential ground-loop problems, while the optical connection completely eliminates any such possibility.

I use both types of connection on my Denon AVR3300 and have never had a problem with either. If this connection is not working you will hear no sound at all or sound cutting in and out etc. It will not be a situation where one sounds better than the other. If both are working, they will sound the same.

Where I have the option, I would probably go with the electrical (Coax) conection since the cable will probably be cheeper.

As for the noise and ground loop issue, remember that one of the tennents of digital transmission is its noise immunity. Put another way, digital signals are significantly more tolerant of analog noise, ground loops etc. than an analog signal would be. Because of this, the digital coax connection is probably the most forgiving connection in your system. Therefore, Don't feel that you need to spend the big bucks for an expensive piece of interconnect cable. Just about any good quality cable can be used for this connection and will give good results.

Dave

I agree with the advice to date. When you have a choice use co-ax. I did however come across one caution in perusing the Net. If you are using a LD
player, use the optical. Because of the RF factor
in an LD player, RF interference can be carried
through the Co-ax shield and induce noise into the
audio components part of your system.

So what I'm seeing are two reasons to use coax:
1) It's not as picky about being bent, it's cheaper, etc.
2) It sounds better.

Could somebody explain why #2 could possibly be? For example, with the tube DAC vs. standard DAC, there's actually a scientific explanation: the tube physically responds differently, smoothing the digital waveform (ignoring whether such a difference is audible, which I think it is).

When transmitting a digital signal, it really -- no really -- doesn't matter how good the cable is unless you're losing bits. That's the nature of digital. So unless you're transmitting a bitstream of such a high frequency that the cable can't conduct it, or unless the cable has properties that cause it to lose data, there should be absolutely no difference between optical and coax for digital signals.

And as Jim pointed out, the electrical isolation provided by optical cables is actually better than you could ever get with metal.

Peter --

#2 is NOT true. If both the electrical and the optical connections are passing data, then the sound will be identical. You understand the issue perfectly.

For most of us the run that we are talking about is such that a 1 meter or shorter cable can be used. The digital logic levels are probably 0 and 3.3 volts meaning that it would take 1.5 volts of noise to start inducing bit errors. This level of noise would only be present if something is seriously Fouled up.

Dave

I saw an article that discussed the fact that reflections in the digital cables can degrade the signal. The data streams are fed into phase-locked-loops at your receiver where clocks are derived. Poor quality cables/connectors can cause jitter issues. This is the only reasonable explanation I've seen so far to explain a difference in coax vs. optical. I use coax.

After trying both extensively I found the optical cable always sounds a bit thinner. There may not be a perfect explanation as to why, but the ear is far superior to any measuring device known to man. The "intangibles" are real, we just can't explain them yet.

With the coax, the 0's are more rounded, creating a smoother sound. But with the optical, the serif's on the 1's are crisper resulting in slightly enhanced detail. Or maybe some people just can't come to grips with the digital world.

I suggest using a scrap of RG6, terminating with F connectors, then srewing F to RCA adapters on each end. These cables have performed flawlessly for me at lengths greater than 75 feet. Some of my audiophile customers have pointed out that the white RG6 has resulted in improved performance and are quite willing to fork over $10 a foot. If MonsterCable and others can sell on perceived value then I must follow thier lead for they are Gods.

Wow! Bad attempts at sarcasm.