Optical to RCA sound quality

[Drumhead]

I'm planning to buy an inexpensive optical audio to RCA converter box so that I can connect a smart TV to an older amp. Anyone have experience with these devices? Is there significant degradation of sound quality? Thanks.

 

[drumbum]

I'm planning to buy an inexpensive optical audio to RCA converter box so that I can connect a smart TV to an older amp. Anyone have experience with these devices? Is there significant degradation of sound quality? Thanks.

If you a refering to a little toslink box...not that I could tell.

 

[charles 1973]

I bought a $60 AMX AA-53 DAC to convert my Blue Ray player's coax digital output to RCA so I could use it with my vintage receiver. I also hooked it up to the TV's optical digital output. I was surprised how much detail this cheap tiny box can extract from music, and of course TV video. Probably on par with most mid priced CD players. My guess is if reviews are favorable for the units you are looking at, there likely fine for TV and music too for most of us. I'm am very critical of new equipment, and couldn't find anything to complain about with this. WAY better than it's price and size would suggest.

 

[Drumhead]

Thanks Charles and Drumbum.

 

[keilau]

I'm planning to buy an inexpensive optical audio to RCA converter box so that I can connect a smart TV to an older amp. Anyone have experience with these devices? Is there significant degradation of sound quality? Thanks.

In reality, most cheap DAC with optical input do not work too well due to a host of issues, mostly digital noises. But TV audio are usually so poor in quality, you may get by until you want to play a better quality DVD.

You can get a decent performance DAC at the $100 level. Check out this thread at the Audioreview.com. You may find it useful.

http://forums.audioreview.com/digital-domain-computer-audio/cheap-dac-working-well-36580.html

Most better quality, inexpensive DAC are PCM only (a digital coding method) while most TV signal are Dolby Digital or DTS encoded. They are not compatible. If the TV setup allows you to turn off the DD/DTS signal to go PCM only, you will be ok. But not all the sets have that option.

Some very cheap DAC claim that they are DTS compatible and they are. But the sound quality is not most audiophile can live with when you want to keep the older high-end amplifier.

I use an older stand alone digital surround sound process, Technics SH-AC500D. It is not state of the art, but handles TV and DVD optical signal very well and has the DTS 5.1 option. I got it for less than $100 on Ebay.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

[hnash53]

I'm using one, however it converts HDMI audio to RCA audio. I've not noticed any degradation in sound quality, but I have had some persistent issues that are likely related to this converter box...and the actual "conversion" process... but none of them have to do with the audio quality.

So, no... not that I have noticed... and I listen a lot.

 

[Velocityboat]

If you use a cable box or blueray you can also use RCA audio feeds on each. I did that originally. A quality DAC taking 2.0 PCM off the first source is preferrence if you use an asynchronous Bit Rate matching DAC. Some TVs will upscale digital bit rate from HDMI source to optical source and sound degrades considerably. I have first hand knowledge having compared source before and after it went to smart TV.

 

[pdm4606]

cheapo DAC

I got mine on the bay for around $12 each.
The things came with a toslink cable and wall wart. I use them in 3 places around my systems.
I think they sound ok. If I were you I'd get one and see if it meets your expectations. They don't cost that much.
Sound is clean and clear. If no signal into the unit there will be a hashy/wistly sound but that is the only thing I question. Once it locks onto a signal it is very quiet. Very simple Chinese circuit with no bells or whistles. Just a DAC with toslink or coax in and RCA stereo out.

Paul

 

[KeninDC]

I am super happy with my FiiO toslink to RCA DAC. I connect a Samsung Smart TV to my Krell amp. Way better than expected sound. If there were noise - and there isn't - the Krell would find it and amplify it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BVSRD2I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ken

 

[whoaru99]

In reality, most cheap DAC with optical input do not work too well due to a host of issues, mostly digital noises. But TV audio are usually so poor in quality, you may get by until you want to play a better quality DVD.

You can get a decent performance DAC at the $100 level. Check out this thread at the Audioreview.com. You may find it useful.

http://forums.audioreview.com/digital-domain-computer-audio/cheap-dac-working-well-36580.html

Most better quality, inexpensive DAC are PCM only (a digital coding method) while most TV signal are Dolby Digital or DTS encoded. They are not compatible. If the TV setup allows you to turn off the DD/DTS signal to go PCM only, you will be ok. But not all the sets have that option.

Some very cheap DAC claim that they are DTS compatible and they are. But the sound quality is not most audiophile can live with when you want to keep the older high-end amplifier.

I use an older stand alone digital surround sound process, Technics SH-AC500D. It is not state of the art, but handles TV and DVD optical signal very well and has the DTS 5.1 option. I got it for less than $100 on Ebay.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

Even if the cheap DAC isn't the ultimate in fidelity, using one to connect an external system is almost certainly orders of magnitude better sound than from the TV's speakers.