I can't keep silent on this old... phenomena...
My Denon DCD700AE compact disc player is connected to my ROTEL RA06SE stereo integrated amplifier via a pair of Van Den Hul's Thunderline RCA interconnects. Previously I had used Denon's PMA500AE (stereo amp).
Why I connect the CD player to say my DENON AVR3310 via a Monster fiber optic cable, I find it sounds poor than the RCA ones. This is with both the electronics on Pure Direct Mode.
Now since I have never had a chance to connect the CD player to a stereo amp via fiber optic, I've never been able to fully compare. But I did connect it to the Denon AVR via fiber optic and was displeased compared to connecting it with RCA cables. Again, Pure Direct.
Even at the electronics store, I heard that it sounds much better when you use dedicated Hi-fi equipment for music rather than expensive Home Cinema receivers and players. There were also other customer witnesses at the store too. The speakers were the same. So that case is pretty much closed.
Does any body else agree that the connection with the RCA cable sounds more pleasing than the fiber optic one? Is it that the Digital/Analogue converters on the player are much better than the AVR.
However do note that I do enjoy listening to surround music from my Acer Desktop when connected via fiber-optic to my AVR rather than the PS3 (HDMI), CD player or Denon 1740 DVD player.
