Optical ins and out for home stereo?

[jeffree]

Folks, just wondering if anyone has experience using the optical ins/outs for a CD player and stereo receiver. I understand the advantage technically, but would any difference in sound be noticeable and worth the extra cable price in a modest home system?

Thanks for any insight,

J.

[gordone]

If the DA converters are better in the receiver, go optical, otherwise use the DA converters in the CD player and use the analog outs.
Remember, the sound has to be converted to analog SOMEWHERE in the chain. :-)

[SRR]

But remember most receivers these days go back to digital no matter what mode you are using surround or other wise, so you could be using the analog outs of your CD player but going straight back to digital for the receiver to do it processing (surround mode, bass management, bass/treble controls, etc.) and then back to analog for amplification. Best bet is probably pick up the $10 optical cable that a fullcompass or a sweetwater most likely carries, last time I bought them they were $10 for a 3 foot cable give or take.

[jeffree]

Thanks for your help, guys. I didn't realize that the optical cable could be had so cheaply, so I think I'll give it a try. Also, that's a good point about the conversion to analog if I use the tone controls--I'll use the EQ bypass and see how things sound.

Take care,
J.