2. digital
  3. 185163-3875

AES/EBU vs RCA s/pdif into dac, RCA analog out

Hi, this seems like it may be a dumb question, but here goes. If you feed the digital signal into the dac via AES/EBU and then use the dac's analog RCA outputs to your preamp (preamp only has RCA input), would this result in a better sound than using the dac's RCA s/pdif digital inputs? Or would the results be exactly the same? I hope I'm making this clear: AES/EBU vs RCA s/pdif coax input in while  using analog RCA out.  I don't currently have an AES/EBU digital cable, or I would just try this out.  I am considering purchasing one just to see if there's any difference. Thanks for any advice.

heymikey
jerrybj
865 posts
 

I'm running AES/EBU from my DDC to my Dac.

I like it better than the I2S. More depth.

heymikey OP
80 posts
 

My source is an Aurender A20 music server feeding it's usb only output to a  Berkeley Alpha USB DDC. From there, I can output AES/EBU or RCA S/PDIF coax into my Weiss DAC202 (no usb input on the Weiss DAC202). The Aurender A20 has it's own internal dac, but I find that to be bettered by the external Weiss dac.

vinylshadow
497 posts
 

Max Townshend felt that unbalanced RCA's sounded better than balanced XLR's due to XLR's added circuitry. That RCA's led to more "pure sound".

That XLR's were designed and good for very long cable lengths. 

So all of my Townshend cables(speaker, IC's, digital cables) are RCA. 

heymikey OP
80 posts
 

@vinylshadow , that's interesting, and makes sense. Now I have to look up who Max Townsend is.

vinylshadow
497 posts
 

Please do. Max Townshend was a genius in understanding sonics and design. And ahead of his time.....

Townshend's Seismic vibration isolation products are fantastic. As are their cables.

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