Regarding sound quality, what is the best way to connect a DVD player to a receiver - coaxial digital, optical digital, or 5.1 channel analog inputs on receiver?
GLH,
Actually you will end up using both optical and analog. In general terms for DVD movies you will want to use the optical connector and let the receivers decoders process the signal. DVD audio however will not output via the optical as they are encoded for analog output. So to play a DVD audio you will need to use the analog output from the DVD player to the analog inputs of the receiver.
There are exceptions to this, but it depends on your DVD player and your receiver. If your receiver does not let you switch between Digital and ext. inputs easily for the same source, and if your DVD player has built in decoders for THX and DTS then you may opt to use the DVD players built in decoder and bass management and go only with the Analog outputs.
Hi GLH
As I understand it, there is only one way to properly hook up DVD Audio - and that is to the 5.1 channel out from the DVD A player to the 5.1 channel inputs in the receiver. (assuming you don't have a separate outboard amplifier.)
The Toshiba SD9200 player (which I use) has separate outputs for center, front L, front R, side surround L, and side surround R (it may have a rear center as well, don't remember, it's been a few days...)
The Toslink is for DTS since the direct outputs from the DVD-A bypass all the fancy stuff in the DVD A player (except I suppose for the high sampling function) and I think it bypasses all those functions in the receiver as well. (that's why I got the ICBM bass management thing, which doubled the number of fancy cables I needed).
The sound from the DVD A playing DVD A discs is very different now that it's playing through 5.1 direct. First of all I now get a "DVD Audio" display for the first time on the Toshiba. Second, the sound from DVDA instead of Toslink is just incredible. I can't even begin to describe the difference except to say it is enormous. I didn't know such wonderful music could possibly come out of my speakers ... as a matter of fact, I used to think wonderful music was coming from my speakers, but the DVD Audio sound is something else altogether.
In a saner world I'd invite you all over to my place to hear it for yourselves.
GLH,
If I'm not mistaken, many DVD-A discs DO have a DD/DTS digital track for use with a generic DVD-V player and external decoder/receivers, though this might not be the case for all of them. I'm almost certain Telarc DVD-As, for example, offer a DD track, as well as a stereo track with higher resolution than redbook CDs (24/96?).
This is definitely not the case with SACD, for which Sony specifically demands you have an SACD player do the decoding.
If the DVD-A disc has a digital 5.1 track, I would almost always let the receiver do the decoding unless your player is far superior in quality to your receiver (the opposite is usually true). The sound quality will almost always be worse when the player does the decoding otherwise.
As far as the TosLink vs. Coaxial debate, I believe any difference you'll hear is one of "expectation bias".
Hi
I haven't heard the difference between Toslink and Coaxial. I have heard the difference between high quality glass cable (CinemaQuest Optilink) and separate cable outputs for each channel. The latter simply blows the former away. No comparison. Glass is good. Separate cable outputs are GREAT.
Yes you are correct that the Optical is better but you cannot output DVD Audio via Toslink