[slinkelist] Sony CDP-CX300 Digital of Analog Out?

[AndyStein@aol.com]

    How would you recommend setting up a system with Sony CDP-CX 90ES, 255, 
235, 270, and 225 CD changers and a Yamaha RX-V995 receiver? I had heard that 
the 90ES offers a better D/A converter but that the RX-V995 might have a 
better D/A converter than the other changers.  Later, the same people who 
said the 90ES has a better D/A converter said that, overall, using one form 
of connection (optical or analog) over the other would provide a negligible 
improvement in sound.  Other factors, such as speaker wire, they told me, 
would make a far more noticeable difference.

    Any opinions? When my new CDP-CX235 arrives, I will have to connect an 
additional changer to an analog input on my receiver.  So far, I have 
connected only the 90ES to an analog input; the other changers attach 
optically.  I don't know whether the 270, which once occupied the high end of 
non-ES changers, would have a better D/A converter than the 235 or whether 
the 235's higher signal-to-noise ratio would commend it for an analog slot.


    Andrew


In a message dated 8/3/00 12:54:24 PM Pacific Daylight Time, weed@lexmark.com 
writes:

<< Terry -
 
 I have a 5600.  In any mode other than direct 2 channel stereo,
 the digital stream is buffered inside the Denon,
     so jitter is not an issue.  Data may be buffered even in
 direct 2 channel mode; I am not sure.
 
 By buffering, I mean that data is fed into FIFO memory,
 then read out by another clock.  The FIFO is required because
 any signal processing in the Denon incurs some delay, so
 the audio must also be delayed so that the (delayed) modifications can
 be applied to the data for which it was intended.  On my Denons,
 (5600 and AVP-8000), there is a substantial delay any time the digital
 input is interrupted.  Part of that delay is for the Denon to decide
 what decoding is applicable, the rest is to 'prime' the FIFOs.
 
 [De]Jitter boxes are no longer popular, because newer equipment
 incorporate SPDIF input receivers that are much more robust to
 jitter than chips of 5 years ago, even without subsequent buffering.
 
 Consider that the optical connection eliminates a possible ground
 loop.  With the CDP-CX300 paused and volume up,
 put your ear close to the speaker with the analog connection,
 then digital. The Denon has nice shielding
 and a good ground plane, so is less likely to hum or buzz than many
 other setups, particularly those with separate power amps.
 
 If you live in an area of frequent lightning,
 optical connections reduce the possibility of surge damage.
 
 If you switch the Denon between analog and TOSlink inputs
 and do not prefer the analog, use the digital;
 I concluded that all my digital music sources sound better
 when the Denons get the inputs digitally.
 
 Anyone, feel free to correct/clarify errors/omissions in the above.
 
 - Steve Weed
 
  >>