Help! DVD Player as CD Player + Sony 5ES (1 Viewer)

[Thomas Molnar]

Gang

When I go to pick up my 5 ES this afternoon (anyone want my 50ES?), I would like to know how I should connect my dvd player (new panasonic 32S) to the 5 ES if I am going to use it for movies and music cds? The panny only has an optical out so I know I am going to be using it for movies via this route. How about for music though? I believe the 5ES has an analog pass through. Would I need to connect the red and white rca cables from the panny to the 5ES as well? Is there a menu option I would need to toggle on the dvd player to tell it to use the rca cable when listening to music? Thanks!

Tom

 

[Juan_R]

The music will also come out thru the optical connection when using a music CD. No need to hook up the RCA cables.

 

[peter_anderson]

Thomas! Now that you have a REALLY good receiver, don't waste your good CDs on crappy Redbook playback. I have a H/K AVR 320, and switching from using a Panasonic RP56 for music to a Sony CA70ES made a noticeable difference (even the girlfriend noticed) on six year old bottom of the line Infinity speakers.

I know you may not be ready to shell out another $250, but PLEASE consider it as your next purchase, your ears (and your 5ES) will thank you.

 

[Lewis Besze]

If you use the digital connection the so called differences will either disappear or will be reduced to "meaningless".
While I would also recomend a stand alone CD player,you would have to spend much more then 200-300 bucks to appreciate the difference,[sound]especially when you using the digital connections.

 

[peter_anderson]

Lewis: in my experience, using the DAC of a decent CD player sounds better than using the DAC of most sub $1000 receivers. Of course, what matters most is if the person listening cares about the difference.

Thomas: find a good brick+mortar with a no-strings-attached 30 day return policy and try out a standalone player if you care to.

 

[Phil Tomaskovic]

If you want to use the 3rd room output to play an extra set of speakers, connect the analog out to the cd input on the 5es. You can't play digital inputs to the 3rd room. I have mine set so that for the dvd input, it has the input set to look at only the digital coax input; that eliminates any sound pauses on (missing first few seconds) starting a dvd. I use the cd input for analog playback when listening to my second speakers.

 

[John Garcia]

What really matters is your tolerance for sound. If the Panny sounds fine for music to you via digital, then you are all set. Nothing to change.

I also have a CA70ES and the DACs are superior, without question, to any of my DVD players in analog or digital (1 Panny, 2 Sonys)