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 Post subject: DA converters?
PostPosted: 17 Sep 2018, 18:10 
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I've been wanting to buy a proper amp so I can get my audio out through proper speakers instead of the TV for a long time, but there's one minor problem; the TV has an optical audio out only, so whatever amp I buy must have an optical input - which limits my options since I could otherwise just get any old vintage amp with RCA inputs, but the more modern amps with that connection and within my budget don't often offer dedicated photo inputs which is what I'd like when/if I finally get a turntable.

Except I could do that anyway if I had one of those basic DACs that take in optical or coaxial digital signal and convert it to analog stereo RCA. Would I be better off buying one of those and then just getting any affordable receiver/amp which would include some nice vintage models, or should I just keep my eyes peeled for one with a dedicated optical input and get a turntable with a built-in preamp?
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 17 Sep 2018, 21:17 
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takeshi666 wrote:
I've been wanting to buy a proper amp so I can get my audio out through proper speakers instead of the TV for a long time, but there's one minor problem; the TV has an optical audio out only, so whatever amp I buy must have an optical input - which limits my options since I could otherwise just get any old vintage amp with RCA inputs, but the more modern amps with that connection and within my budget don't often offer dedicated photo inputs which is what I'd like when/if I finally get a turntable.

Except I could do that anyway if I had one of those basic DACs that take in optical or coaxial digital signal and convert it to analog stereo RCA. Would I be better off buying one of those and then just getting any affordable receiver/amp which would include some nice vintage models, or should I just keep my eyes peeled for one with a dedicated optical input and get a turntable with a built-in preamp?


Why don't you just use the audio outs on your player direct to an amp?

Or are you concerned with watching actual broadcasts?
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 17 Sep 2018, 22:22 
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Yeah. I almost never used the audio out of my TV for anything. It’s good for taping stuff or...watching actual broadcast TV which I don’t recomend anyone do.
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 18 Sep 2018, 01:28 
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forper wrote:
Or are you concerned with watching actual broadcasts?

Yes, but mostly PC audio. I have my TV hooked up as a second monitor, and I have my media player software configured to play the audio via HDMI through the TV rather than the speakers hooked up to my PC.

I know there's amps with A&B configurations and I could just hook up my PC to that too, but I prefer a bit more control over what sounds are coming from where than that provides.
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 19 Sep 2018, 16:50 
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Well if your TV has the option to output PCM from the digital out and you only want stereo sound, you can probably make due with finding a Minidisc recorder and use that as your D/A converter.

I used my Yamaha MDX-793 for a D/A converter for my Runco LJR II when I didn't have my receiver setup yet and wanted to watch some LDs on my Plasma just after I moved into my new apartment (and the Runco LJR II Basic doesn't have a built in D/A converter, so only the analog audio tracks would be output from the RCA audio outs.)

Now if your TV can't output PCM, then you either have to get a receiver with digital inputs or a DSP like this:

Technics SH-AC500D
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 19 Sep 2018, 23:08 
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takeshi666 wrote:
forper wrote:
Or are you concerned with watching actual broadcasts?

Yes, but mostly PC audio. I have my TV hooked up as a second monitor, and I have my media player software configured to play the audio via HDMI through the TV rather than the speakers hooked up to my PC.

I know there's amps with A&B configurations and I could just hook up my PC to that too, but I prefer a bit more control over what sounds are coming from where than that provides.


If you have a PC as a source I don’t see why you can’t just get whatever you need from that instead of trapping the audio into an HDMI signal just to get it out again with more hardware. Connect your PC to the amp. Done.

Am I missing something?
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 20 Sep 2018, 02:53 
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elahrairrah wrote:
Well if your TV has the option to output PCM from the digital out and you only want stereo sound, you can probably make due with finding a Minidisc recorder and use that as your D/A converter.

That seems a bit excessive. I'm shopping on a budget here!

signofzeta wrote:
If you have a PC as a source I don’t see why you can’t just get whatever you need from that instead of trapping the audio into an HDMI signal just to get it out again with more hardware. Connect your PC to the amp. Done.

Am I missing something?

Yeah, my PC infuriatingly only has a single audio out. Well, there's another one, but it's on the front and that'd look stupid.

I'm thinking about buying one of those basic "plug in and forget" type converter boxes that'd let me hook up the TV to any old amp with RCA inputs - I could just buy a more modern amp with HDMI inputs and then use that instead of the switch I use now (because my TV only has one HDMI in), but I seriously doubt I'm gonna find one that has both HDMI and phono/tape inputs and still cost me less than $100. I have two blu-ray players and the only way to get the audio out of those is through HDMI, but I don't really care if the signal gets converted to stereo PCM through the TV because I have no room to place surround speakers anyway.
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 20 Sep 2018, 15:28 
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takeshi666 wrote:
elahrairrah wrote:
Well if your TV has the option to output PCM from the digital out and you only want stereo sound, you can probably make due with finding a Minidisc recorder and use that as your D/A converter.

That seems a bit excessive. I'm shopping on a budget here!

I was going to say that you can probably get a used Minidisc deck for cheaps these days (especially since I always thought that MD was pretty popular in the UK--not far from you), but checking amazon UK, the prices for even used decks are pretty outlandish!

Yeah, maybe something like this would work best for you:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?I ... gJIJPD_BwE

https://www.amazon.com/Musou-Extractor- ... ctor&psc=1
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 20 Sep 2018, 21:20 
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You can buy a USB DAC for like $10 I think nowadays. You just want stereo, right? I really think it’s going to be way easier to add an analog out to the PC. It doesn’t even have a headphone jack or something?
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 16 Dec 2018, 02:21 
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Yeah, but only in the front so that's not really feasible. There's only a single audio out in the back.

I saw a listing by a guy selling a Pioneer VSX-D511-K nearby for a reasonable price, which would have it's own optical connections. If I ever buy a turntable, I'll probably just buy one of those more modern ones with it's own RIAA preamp built-in so I wouldn't even need a dedicated phono connection.
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 17 Dec 2018, 03:11 
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takeshi666 wrote:
Yeah, but only in the front so that's not really feasible. There's only a single audio out in the back.

I saw a listing by a guy selling a Pioneer VSX-D511-K nearby for a reasonable price, which would have it's own optical connections. If I ever buy a turntable, I'll probably just buy one of those more modern ones with it's own RIAA preamp built-in so I wouldn't even need a dedicated phono connection.


Sony now sells a TT that basically converts phono level to 5.6 MHz DSD and then...presumably converts it to line level since almost nothing takes raw DSD format.

Combining the mysterious and inscrutable ancient magic of vinyl with the deliberately incomparable and eternally niche status of SACD. A foot in both graves, genius!
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 17 Dec 2018, 13:53 
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That's our Sony! *canned laughter*
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 21 Aug 2019, 10:58 
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I'm still considering this option just so I'll have sound coming out of SOMETHING that isn't the TV's own internal speaker. I've seen some powered speakers that not only have their own RCA inputs but even take optical so I could hook up the TV and the player into those, but the prices on those are a bit crazy.

I was looking at these in particular;

https://www.audiopro.com/en/product/addon-t20/#black

They're on towers so placing them around the TV would be easy, too.
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 21 Aug 2019, 11:21 
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You should be able to get an old pre-hdmi amp (with optical & coaxial input) cheap enough but speakers are another thing (well ok ones anyway but you might pick up something old but nice if you look around).
I've got an old Yamaha HTR-5930 receiver here that does the job, it's just budget. It doesn't have dedicated input for TT though.

If you wanna use hdmi as well you can get a Chinese box to split optical off from the hdmi (to a pre-hdmi amp) and then still run hdmi to your tv.

For TT I have an even older Yamaha RX-V480 (pro-logic), also a Pioneer SX-990 which I suspect is older than me :lol:

The only TT I have atm is a Marantz TT-2000 which isn't even hooked up.
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 21 Aug 2019, 11:38 
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Yeah, the speakers are probably the biggest issue. If I invest in a pair of powered speakers like the ones I linked, I'll at least have sound coming out of a decent set and since they also have regular banana plug inputs, I won't have to buy another pair when/if I eventually get an actual proper stereo amp.
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 21 Aug 2019, 11:45 
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Those prices are crazy, but I guess there are connection options there unlike traditional speakers.
Last time I spent what I consider decent money on a pair of speakers was back in the 90's. I'm still using them.
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 21 Aug 2019, 12:36 
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cdon also sells them at a considerable discount. 400+ euro is still a lot to me, but it's also a lot less than 700+. And if they can last me 20 odd years, I'd consider that worth the investment.
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 21 Aug 2019, 12:48 
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takeshi666 wrote:
cdon also sells them at a considerable discount. 400+ euro is still a lot to me, but it's also a lot less than 700+.

$650aud seems reasonable but I haven't looked at them closely. I'd never buy new speakers without testing them myself though.
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 21 Aug 2019, 13:40 
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I've got a Parasound ZDac that I've been meaning to upgrade. Might be out of your acceptable range however.
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 Post subject: Re: DA converters?
PostPosted: 09 Sep 2019, 23:54 
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Well I ordered those Audio Pro speakers from another store that had them for sale for even less than cdon, I think they were "only" about €350. At the very least I can always return them if they don't work out but they'd pretty much have to sound really crappy or not work at all for me to send them back.
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