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New TV: what to do with TOSLINK optical output

Dumb questions incoming: I got a new TV that only has optical out, but I got no optical input on my Cambridge Audio 640A; Do I need a newer receiver or a dedicated DAC to convert the optical out to regular RCA? I see even the new CA receiver (851a) doesn’t have optical input.

Or should I swap to something like the hegel h90 or CA CXA80 with tons of optical inputs?
mrgreenfur
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

I use this excellent Toslink cable:

https://btpa.com/TOSLINK-XXX.html

to go from my smart TV to this reclocker (which lowers jitter for dolby digital as well as PCM):

https://ifi-audio.com/products/spdif-ipurifier/

Then this low-jitter signal is sent using my excellent $275 BNC-BNC coax cable with adapters to my SS processor. It is important to have a 4 foot cable to reduce jitter from the cable. Incredible surround-sound for movies.

You could also cable to a PCM DAC, but I would use a Synchro-Mesh reclocker instead of the iPurifier if you only need PCM playback. Lower jitter.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

auxinput
2,920 posts
 

Those really cheap $8 toslink to single-ended RCA convertors that uberwaltz is showing are basically really cheap garbage DACs.  mrgreenfur can certainly try one to see if the audio is acceptable, but it is definitely not going to be anywhere as good as a separate DAC or even a new receiver with toslink/HDMI inputs.  It's something you can try "for the heck of it".  If sound is bad, you can always upgrade to something else.

The FiiO D3 may be better than the $8 solution, but you still can only put so much into a piece of equipment for a $20 retail.

Another thing.  I know caphill like to present the idea of using an "all HDMI" receiver solution.  Keep in minds that audio transported through HDMI will never be as good as audio transported through digital COAX or even toslink.  It's definitely a convenience thing, but I would suggest getting a receiver that has a toslink input and find a really good glass fiber toslink cable (lifatec / Wire World / etc.).

caphill
674 posts
 
I never said that HDMI would be best connection for audio only but it is the only digital connection that can transmit those lossless surround sound formats eg DTS-HD MA & Dolby True-HD, Dolby Atmos to the fullest resolution bandwiths for his AV sources from his Sony PS4. This setup is mainly for his AV sources, not strictly for two-channel listenings. I’m also aware that HDMI isn’t the best digital connection for two-channel audio only source. Everybody knows that.

The reason I recommended the Cambridge Audio receivers to the OP cause Cambridge makes great sounding av receivers at affordable prices points. The CXR120 is only $1200 and the CXR200 is only $2k but they sounded very good, better than much more expensive Japanese AV receivers that are loaded with features bells & whistles.
With this Cambridge receiver the OP can also connect using other digital connections such as USB, spdif (coax digital) & Toslink (optical digital) for his audio only two-channel music materials and use HDMI for his AV sources from his PS4.
auxinput
2,920 posts
 
@caphill -  yeah I see where you wrote that now.
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
I would have agreed that at $8 the converter would be garbage but maybe I got a good one as I was frankly surprised just how good it managed to sound taking the tv toslink fed into a small receiver.
And it fixed an issue on the cheap and was definitely worth an $8 experiment.
Of course I am not touting it as the last word in fidelity but it is worth considering.
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