Digital And Analogue Cables
I'm confused as to why USB, HDMI, Coax cables are referred to as digital and RCA as analogue cables.
All of the cables transmitt voltage variation through the wires, so how are they digital and the other analogue?
Can someone shed some light on it without manufacturer marketing lingo.
@pegolea Digital cables transmit a digital, binary signal (0’s and 1’s) before a digital to analog converter (DAC) converts the signal into an analog signal. Generally different types of digital cables have required specifications to enable the effective delivery of the digital signal to its destination. Coax, for example needs to have a 75ohm impedance while AES (digital XLR) needs to be a 110ohm impedance cable. |
Its actually an analog waveform which represents a voltage for a one and a different voltage for a zero...I realize I'm splitting hairs but unfortunately too many people (not you, your posts demonstrate an expertise) believe the digital signal is infallable..."its just sending ones and zeros"..."if that were the case then financial transactions would be fraught with errors and they arent"...when I read that stuff from some on Audiogon I just roll my eyes...its usually from an IT/networking "expert". |
@ghasley Digital cables are basically intended to transmit square waves of sorts, right, and not a full analog audio signal (despite whether you classify those signals as analog, they do not contain the analog representation of the music)? Yes, all cables have conductors that can send either type of signal, but the interfaces in which they connect and the spec that they need to transmit the information effectively determine their classification. |
@Op I may be simplifying too much. Analog cables
Digital cables move digital signals - I have a network player/preamp so it’s all in one box. And many folks have separate components for streamer, DAC, Clock and music libraries connected using digital connections.
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I was trying, rather poorly I might add, to communicate that the analog representation of the digital waveform is a pretty fragile thing. Subject to noise, induced jitter, reflection, etc. Too many in our hobby believe its transmitting EITHER a one or a zero. It is transmitting a representation of but it isn’t like say a ribbon cable between a hard drive and a mother board. The cable quality and specifications matter and can positively/negatively affect sound quality...in short, all cables aren’t equal.
Again, your exemplary reputation precedes you and I know you counsel your clients accordingly, I was just trying to make certain that a budding audiophile wouldn’t make incorrect assumptions. Regards. |
