HDCD and Audio Cable Outputs (1 Viewer)

[Bill Kane]

Several posters recently have stated that analog audio cables are required for HDCD signal output, and I wonder if this is correct. (Since few AVRs that most of us use come with HDCD decoding, the most prevalent scenario wud be utilizing the CD player HDCD decoding.)

My Denon DCM-370 manual says the higher-rez 20-bit data of HDCD disks are automatically detected and converted into the 16-bit data of regular CDs. Thus it wud seem the HDCD signal is output over the (coaxial) digital audio cable as usual to the rcvr.

The Denon model says nothing about having to use the optional RCA L/R outputs for HDCD. If the HDCD signal has been digitally processed in the CDp, it seems to me it’s ready to go once it gets to the AVR via digital audio cable.

Then there is the question if BOTH digital audio CD input and RCA analog CD inputs are used on the AVR, what priority the AVR will select. For experimenting, I once connected the CDp analog outputs to my rcvr’s 6-Chl L/R inputs for more “direct” path, but today I have DVD-A cables using the 6-chl inputs. Boy, that’s a lotta cabling.

bill

 

[Craig Robertson]

My Denon DCM-370 manual says the higher-rez 20-bit data of HDCD disks are automatically detected and converted into the 16-bit data of regular CDs. Thus it wud seem the HDCD signal is output over the (coaxial) digital audio cable as usual to the rcvr.

the conversion is done at the DAC. if the coax (or toslink) cable is used, the players DAC is bypassed and the HDCD decoding is NOT done. if your rcvr or pre/pro does not have HDCD the only way to get HDCD is to use the DAC in your player and the only way to do that is to use the analog outputs.

 

[Bill Kane]

Craig,

thanks, I had a DAC brainfart and jumped the gun. I'm back on track now. I must've sorted this out some time ago, because I checked and see I have a pair of very nice BetterCables audio serpents outputting from my CDp!

bill

 

[Craig Robertson]

ain't no thing, man.

 

[ChrisWiggles]

Yeah, I tried to clarify another post (http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=126963) then I stumbled on this one. Yeah, the HDCD decoding is done at the DAC. In your case your player is HDCD compatible, so unless your receiver has HDCD compatible decoders, you'd need to use the analog cables. This is NOT like SACD and DVD-A where you NEED to use analog cables, because there ARE receivers out there with HDCD decoding, in which case you'd use the digital connection, unless both your player AND your receiver were compatible, in which case it's your call and your ears.