Question:
Just finished installing my new Sony DB780s and in the ever ongoing need to further my credit card debt i'm going to finally buy some decent interconnects.
So to go with these i may as well change my speaker cable..... but what do i get..
I can remember BAps hinting that bi-polar cables were his reccomendation but i can't really remember...
Any advice would be greatly apprecaited.... and as i'm going to only wire up the front pair and the centre to begin with i'll only need 6-8 metres to start me off..
Oh and if you have staunch opinion on digital coaxial vs optical , and what analogue cables please.... let me know!
Bipolar ?
Isn't that a mental condition ?
Originally posted by The Icebun
Bipolar ?
Isn't that a mental condition ?
I was thinking that. Bi-wire I'm guessing???
Anything decent other than bell wire appears to be the consensus on here.
Originally posted by silent g
Oh and if you have staunch opinion on digital coaxial vs optical , and what analogue cables please.... let me know!
Please please don't ask that. Things will get messy very quickly.
(short answer is that coax-coax doesn't require a re-conversion so should technically be less lossy).
What are Sony DB780s ?
If they're speakers, they won't automatically be biwirable.
The sony db780 is a home cinema reciever
IMHO a digital coax connection is better than an optical connection because....
You can just use a standard 75ohm phono lead. Its digital, it works, or it don't, so don't gimme that crud about taught baselines and better treble. You could use a coathanger if it'd fit the socket (but not a wooden one).
Speaker wire, get thee to a Richers and pick whatever you fancy. The fatter the better (normally) unless you're trying to be all discreet with it.
Okay, where's the can? Worms all over me.
A²
Edited, cos I managed to miss the word coax out. Fool.
OK, coz I'm bored, here's the gospel according to me when it comes to wires:
Short version: Broadly, wires is wires.
Long version:
For digital, I use coax for two reasons. 1) My first CD player only had a coax output, so when I bought a MD recorder, I got one with coax so when... well you get the idea. 2) I figure that the interconnects are more robust if you accidentally kink one when moving stuff around. I don't buy into the jitter thing because, if you look at the S/PDIF interface spec. the level of jitter due to the data (programme dependent jitter) is far higher than any clock jitter would ever be, so I reckon that bits-is-bits. In fact, my DD/dts interconnect is currently half of an analogue interconnect supplied with one of my components. If I was getting errors, some fo the frames would fail to decode and I would get audio drop-outs - which I don't. However, the S/PDIF spec. was written so that you can use any old video cable for the interconnects so, if you need to get an interconnect, go to www.maplin.co.uk and order some 75Ohm video cable and some phono connecters - a 1m interconnect should cost you about £5.
For analogue line interconnects, I did hear a difference between the ones that came with my first CD player and a set that I made up for the extortionate cost of £10. However, a friend with a similar, home-made set tried them against some ridiculously expensive and esoteric interconnects on some high-end kit and couldn't tell the difference. Mine are this cable (http://www.maplin.co.uk/products/module.asp?CartID=030501173238393&moduleno=131&modulecode=) and these connectors (http://www.maplin.co.uk/products/module.asp?CartID=030501173238393&moduleno=1007&modulecode=).
For speaker cables, I can imagine the some cables could change the sound of some amplifiers - but only it the cables have huge parasitic capacitance or something, or the amplifier is, technically, crap. For a regular amplifiers, I would use regular cable with a reasonable cross-section which is suitable for where you need to lay it. Can't remember how much I spent on mine, but I can't have been much more than a couple quid a metre. Oh, and don't buy anything which claims to be directional, on principle.
I'm sure that others will disagree, DYOR, YMMV and all other caveats apply, but that's the sum total of my experience in the area.
HTH,
_
mmmm can of worms ...... what have i done!
WEll I bought a digiatl coaxial cable in addition to the optical one i already had. The difference ...... zip....nada... well in my opinion anyway
Except i did make the right choice as i disccovered on plugging in the cable that my Pioneer cld-925Laserdisc player doesn't have a coaxial socket only an AC3 (which isn't truly digital according to certain laserdisc websites so i've switched the cables.
Now my dvd player is using the coax, and my Ldisc is using the Optical.... problem solved...
I ended up buying some 16ohm cable 9 strand which cost about £18 for 20 metres which should do me nicely........ The interconnects for the audio can stay as they were as i've tried a nice soxygen free one and didn't really notice the difference on my setup.
The only thing i now really need is a Scart-s-video/analogue video if one exists with both on....to connect the tv up.
And if anyone has ever heard of a svideo splitter.. where can i get one as now i only have one svideo out from the amp and i have to connect both my Sony Projector and my Wega TV.
Svideo is analogue.
Weirdo. ;)
What do you want to split from/to?
s-video (the mouse-a-like multi pin one) to s-video
or
s-video to composite (the phono version)?
(edit - or s-video on SCART?)
Incidentally, is there any reason you aren't you feeding the TV (and the projector) RGB scart?
A²
[i]Incidentally, is there any reason you aren't you feeding the TV (and the projector) RGB scart?
A² [/B]
Yes simply because the projector only has 3 inputs
xvga- which is hooked to my HCpc
vga -2 my !/2 built W2k server
s-video which is running via a 10 metre cable around my room to the amp.
The amp doesn't have RGB so my only choice is S-video for things running through it i will still have my Tivo and DVD running into the RGB scart sockets on the tv. But i am trying to make the best of the video inputs on the amp .
what i meant by analogue was normal rca /phono type video lead.
The back of the amp has 4 svideo inputs and 3 rca type video inputs. Meaning that whatever is fitted in the respective input can be outsourced when that audio componant is chosen.
Except it doesn't switch inputs; if the oroganol input is svideo it will output via the svideo port........ because i have a tivo and a Vcr that don't have svideo there upput comes out of the rca video.
meaning that to cable up to my tv properly i need a scart lead that has both a svideo and a rca/phono video lead
sound strange?
hheheeehee.
Ok, so the issue is how to get the switched signal out of the amp to the TV and the projector, right?
Doesn't the 780 have 2 svideo outs?
(3/1 optical digital in/out & 1 coaxial in.
7 audio input / 3 output
4 A/V input / 3 output
3 S-video input / 2 output)
Can you not just connect directly to the second out, or does the TV only want to see composite? Isn't there a composite out too?
Am I not getting this? Sorry, its a friday....
nope it has one s-video and one composite video
[http://www.homecinemachoice.com/testbench/index.html
look for sony av reciever 1080 and look at the rear view pic
this is a simailar amp mine just doesn't have the pre outs in the top right hand corner.
Does that lovely red X mean this? (http://www.tronika.no/receiver/str_db780.html)
Wow. Crazy nuts. Ok.
If you want a better signal, you'll have to split the svideo out then. I'm pretty sure you could find a cable, but I haven't found one yet. That said, I've never looked.
Edit. Ah, you've edited your link.
Ah. It still doesn't work :)
Once you see the back of the amp you see what io mean
the row of yellow composite rca inputs only output via the composite monitor out
and the same goes for the svideo
From top left to right
My tivo is connected to the tv/sat
The next two are shared!
I've got my dvd player runnig into th svideo in and using digital co-axial for the sound
my laserdisc is runnning via composite video in and optical for the sound
Video 2 is my pc sound (the video goes via vga to the projector) but i'm gonna run composite to the rca so i don't rely to heavily on the projector
Video1 is Svideo gamecube connection
The rest are just audio...... turntable, Md, etc
I still have my dvd player connecte via rgb to the TV and the tivo the same.....
Wow.
Did you try the "Connectivity Information & Diagrams" link here:
http://products.sony.co.uk/pro_runproducts.asp?pid=1187&cat=HiFi+Separates&sProdName=STRDB780B%2FS&Ire=?
Ah yes, right you are, one composite out, one svideo out
http://www.techtronics.com/uk/shop/612-sony-str-db780-sacd-receiver.html
Fair enough. Maybe try here:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search/Results.asp?CartID=030502130529817&Level=1&Menu=24546
If the link doesn't work, head to maplin.co.uk, and navigate to product menu, Sound and Vision, Audio Video Cables + Accessories.
So to go with these i may as well change my speaker cable..... but what do i get..
I can remember BAps hinting that bi-polar cables were his reccomendation but i can't really remember...
Any advice would be greatly apprecaited.... and as i'm going to only wire up the front pair and the centre to begin with i'll only need 6-8 metres to start me off..
Oh and if you have staunch opinion on digital coaxial vs optical , and what analogue cables please.... let me know!
Answers:
Bipolar ?
Isn't that a mental condition ?
Answers:
Originally posted by The Icebun
Bipolar ?
Isn't that a mental condition ?
I was thinking that. Bi-wire I'm guessing???
Anything decent other than bell wire appears to be the consensus on here.
Answers:
Originally posted by silent g
Oh and if you have staunch opinion on digital coaxial vs optical , and what analogue cables please.... let me know!
Please please don't ask that. Things will get messy very quickly.
(short answer is that coax-coax doesn't require a re-conversion so should technically be less lossy).
Answers:
What are Sony DB780s ?
If they're speakers, they won't automatically be biwirable.
Answers:
The sony db780 is a home cinema reciever
Answers:
IMHO a digital coax connection is better than an optical connection because....
You can just use a standard 75ohm phono lead. Its digital, it works, or it don't, so don't gimme that crud about taught baselines and better treble. You could use a coathanger if it'd fit the socket (but not a wooden one).
Speaker wire, get thee to a Richers and pick whatever you fancy. The fatter the better (normally) unless you're trying to be all discreet with it.
Okay, where's the can? Worms all over me.
A²
Edited, cos I managed to miss the word coax out. Fool.
Answers:
OK, coz I'm bored, here's the gospel according to me when it comes to wires:
Short version: Broadly, wires is wires.
Long version:
For digital, I use coax for two reasons. 1) My first CD player only had a coax output, so when I bought a MD recorder, I got one with coax so when... well you get the idea. 2) I figure that the interconnects are more robust if you accidentally kink one when moving stuff around. I don't buy into the jitter thing because, if you look at the S/PDIF interface spec. the level of jitter due to the data (programme dependent jitter) is far higher than any clock jitter would ever be, so I reckon that bits-is-bits. In fact, my DD/dts interconnect is currently half of an analogue interconnect supplied with one of my components. If I was getting errors, some fo the frames would fail to decode and I would get audio drop-outs - which I don't. However, the S/PDIF spec. was written so that you can use any old video cable for the interconnects so, if you need to get an interconnect, go to www.maplin.co.uk and order some 75Ohm video cable and some phono connecters - a 1m interconnect should cost you about £5.
For analogue line interconnects, I did hear a difference between the ones that came with my first CD player and a set that I made up for the extortionate cost of £10. However, a friend with a similar, home-made set tried them against some ridiculously expensive and esoteric interconnects on some high-end kit and couldn't tell the difference. Mine are this cable (http://www.maplin.co.uk/products/module.asp?CartID=030501173238393&moduleno=131&modulecode=) and these connectors (http://www.maplin.co.uk/products/module.asp?CartID=030501173238393&moduleno=1007&modulecode=).
For speaker cables, I can imagine the some cables could change the sound of some amplifiers - but only it the cables have huge parasitic capacitance or something, or the amplifier is, technically, crap. For a regular amplifiers, I would use regular cable with a reasonable cross-section which is suitable for where you need to lay it. Can't remember how much I spent on mine, but I can't have been much more than a couple quid a metre. Oh, and don't buy anything which claims to be directional, on principle.
I'm sure that others will disagree, DYOR, YMMV and all other caveats apply, but that's the sum total of my experience in the area.
HTH,
_
Answers:
mmmm can of worms ...... what have i done!
WEll I bought a digiatl coaxial cable in addition to the optical one i already had. The difference ...... zip....nada... well in my opinion anyway
Except i did make the right choice as i disccovered on plugging in the cable that my Pioneer cld-925Laserdisc player doesn't have a coaxial socket only an AC3 (which isn't truly digital according to certain laserdisc websites so i've switched the cables.
Now my dvd player is using the coax, and my Ldisc is using the Optical.... problem solved...
I ended up buying some 16ohm cable 9 strand which cost about £18 for 20 metres which should do me nicely........ The interconnects for the audio can stay as they were as i've tried a nice soxygen free one and didn't really notice the difference on my setup.
The only thing i now really need is a Scart-s-video/analogue video if one exists with both on....to connect the tv up.
And if anyone has ever heard of a svideo splitter.. where can i get one as now i only have one svideo out from the amp and i have to connect both my Sony Projector and my Wega TV.
Answers:
Svideo is analogue.
Weirdo. ;)
What do you want to split from/to?
s-video (the mouse-a-like multi pin one) to s-video
or
s-video to composite (the phono version)?
(edit - or s-video on SCART?)
Incidentally, is there any reason you aren't you feeding the TV (and the projector) RGB scart?
A²
Answers:
[i]Incidentally, is there any reason you aren't you feeding the TV (and the projector) RGB scart?
A² [/B]
Yes simply because the projector only has 3 inputs
xvga- which is hooked to my HCpc
vga -2 my !/2 built W2k server
s-video which is running via a 10 metre cable around my room to the amp.
The amp doesn't have RGB so my only choice is S-video for things running through it i will still have my Tivo and DVD running into the RGB scart sockets on the tv. But i am trying to make the best of the video inputs on the amp .
what i meant by analogue was normal rca /phono type video lead.
The back of the amp has 4 svideo inputs and 3 rca type video inputs. Meaning that whatever is fitted in the respective input can be outsourced when that audio componant is chosen.
Except it doesn't switch inputs; if the oroganol input is svideo it will output via the svideo port........ because i have a tivo and a Vcr that don't have svideo there upput comes out of the rca video.
meaning that to cable up to my tv properly i need a scart lead that has both a svideo and a rca/phono video lead
sound strange?
Answers:
hheheeehee.
Ok, so the issue is how to get the switched signal out of the amp to the TV and the projector, right?
Doesn't the 780 have 2 svideo outs?
(3/1 optical digital in/out & 1 coaxial in.
7 audio input / 3 output
4 A/V input / 3 output
3 S-video input / 2 output)
Can you not just connect directly to the second out, or does the TV only want to see composite? Isn't there a composite out too?
Am I not getting this? Sorry, its a friday....
Answers:
nope it has one s-video and one composite video
[http://www.homecinemachoice.com/testbench/index.html
look for sony av reciever 1080 and look at the rear view pic
this is a simailar amp mine just doesn't have the pre outs in the top right hand corner.
Answers:
Does that lovely red X mean this? (http://www.tronika.no/receiver/str_db780.html)
Wow. Crazy nuts. Ok.
If you want a better signal, you'll have to split the svideo out then. I'm pretty sure you could find a cable, but I haven't found one yet. That said, I've never looked.
Edit. Ah, you've edited your link.
Ah. It still doesn't work :)
Answers:
Once you see the back of the amp you see what io mean
the row of yellow composite rca inputs only output via the composite monitor out
and the same goes for the svideo
From top left to right
My tivo is connected to the tv/sat
The next two are shared!
I've got my dvd player runnig into th svideo in and using digital co-axial for the sound
my laserdisc is runnning via composite video in and optical for the sound
Video 2 is my pc sound (the video goes via vga to the projector) but i'm gonna run composite to the rca so i don't rely to heavily on the projector
Video1 is Svideo gamecube connection
The rest are just audio...... turntable, Md, etc
I still have my dvd player connecte via rgb to the TV and the tivo the same.....
Answers:
Wow.
Did you try the "Connectivity Information & Diagrams" link here:
http://products.sony.co.uk/pro_runproducts.asp?pid=1187&cat=HiFi+Separates&sProdName=STRDB780B%2FS&Ire=?
Answers:
Ah yes, right you are, one composite out, one svideo out
http://www.techtronics.com/uk/shop/612-sony-str-db780-sacd-receiver.html
Fair enough. Maybe try here:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search/Results.asp?CartID=030502130529817&Level=1&Menu=24546
If the link doesn't work, head to maplin.co.uk, and navigate to product menu, Sound and Vision, Audio Video Cables + Accessories.
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