5.1 inputs or optical or digital coax, all the same? (1 Viewer)

[Gary W. Graley]

I am just trying to figure out the deal here,
My receiver, Sony 5ES
has connections for my Sony 560 DVD player;
5.1 separate RCA connections
Fiber Optical connection
Digital Coax
Now they ALL seem to end up about the same, audio out from the DVD player, right?
I've read the controversy with Fiber Optic verses Digital Coax but with the 5.1 hookup, what's the point of that?
On this receiver there is an additional 5.1 hook up for an SACD player which I may get this year if I can hold out, my old CD 8ES player has seen better days. But on that SACD player I'll bet there are all three types of output as well...
If the 5.1 is there, should that be used? If so what benefits would you get from such a setup.
When I first read the instruction manual, much fun had, I get the idea they, Sony, recommend digital coax over the optical, probably for the robustness of it, but didn't really cover the 5.1 option well.
So help me out if you can, I'm just a poor Transplanted West Virginian and only recently got this new receiver, upgraditis had set in and that was part of the result, doc says I'm going to make it but I don't know!
G2

 

[Craig Robertson]

the only difference between the 5.1 analog and the toslink/coax digital cables is the analog won't have bass mgmt. i'd recommend that you use either the toslink or coax connector, i personally prefer the coax.

 

[MTrotter]

My receiver has no DD/DTS decoder, but does have 5.1 inputs, which I use to connect my Panasonic DVD Video/Audio player, which has DD and DTS decoders built in. Many on this board are big on having a receiver or pre-amp do the decoding. There can be problems with some receivers "syncing up" with the digital output from the DVD or CD player. By using the 5.1 inputs, this problem is eliminated. The decoders in my DVD player are really quite good and have ample bass management for me.