Digital Out To Phono - Possible?

[JD™]

Hey,

I've just been starting to sort out my home entertainment setup. Here's what I've got so far:

- 36" Full HD Samsung TV

- Laptop running as server

- Xbox 360 to play movies and music through

- Sony separates:

- Amplifier

- CD Player

- Tuner

- Minidisc player

- Bose 2.1 Speaker system

I have the Xbox and server connected to the TV through Composite and VGA respectively, which works and worked fine for ages. I acquired the Sony and Bose stuff (second hand and pretty old) yesterday and wanted to get it running the sound for TV, Xbox and server. I thought 'ah that'll be simple, just connect the phono on the TV to phono on the amp and sorted'. Which it would be if the TV had any phono outputs.

The only 2 outputs it's got at the moment audio wise is a headphone socket and an optical digital out (which I believe is called TOSlink?)

Right now I've got it setup through a headphone to phono lead which works, but it's just not great quality - when I play a CD direct from the Sony kit it sounds awesome, and the same from the laptop or xbox (through the TV) sounds good, but not Sony/Bose good.

Basically I want to use the digital output on the TV but I only have phono inputs on the amp - are there any adaptors or anything I can use? Or am I consigned to needing an amp with a TOSlink input?

[Dr. Nick Riviera]

It sounds awesome, but not sony/bose awesome?

Keep chasing that dragon...

[JD™]

It sounds awesome, but not sony/bose awesome?

Keep chasing that dragon...

I said good

Am I right in saying that TOSlink only outputs in mono then? As the results from that search (which I'd done already, obviously) seem to suggest that.

[Krisboats]

Yeah you're trying to convert an optical (digital signal) to phono (analogue). So as pointed out by the good Dr.... you need a DAC (digital to analogue converter).

Toslink sends a signal via digital, which i guess is kind of monologous as it's an on-off signal. However it isn't limited to one channel of audio, it can in fact carry 5.1 and 7.1 DD and DTS as well as stereo on mono, though doesn't have the bandwidth for HD audio.

How is the amp set up? You may have another force at work in that the signal from xbox to amp is non converted or full surround and is coming out the speakers that way and by using the stereo output either the TV or the amp is converting the audio to send it via 2 channels. The tv would most likely downmix (which "shouldn't" result in a loss of quality from a stereo audio source) and the amp might be doing something like turning the 2 channel to surround via pro logic.

The thing with DAC's is generally the more you spend the better they sound. you can spend thousands on a DAC if you want, or you could DIY one for under a fiver.

[JD™]

Cool, cheers for the info. I think I'd found most of that so far and it's good to hear it from someone else. My knowledge of home audio is pathetic for someone who's spent so long around all sorts of musical audio gear and recording rigs.

Regarding the amp setup, it has various input - all phono - which it can switch between. The TV currently goes into the 'Aux' input via a headphone to phono cable, and the Xbox goes into the TV using the composite HD input. My thinking is that the headphone socket is just not great quality which is resulting in the slight quality loss in the sound. It's not a massive issue, but I thought I'd at least find out how I could make it better if I could. I'll try a cheap DAC and go from there.

Thanks!