Thread: Finding an amp with a digital input vs. Buying a sound processor vs. Good ol' Analog

So it has absolutely nothing to do with the HU and sound source. Cool.

Originally Posted by PhilG

In my experience, I went from a $700 Alpine headunit running RCA's to a laptop and X-fi optically connected to a processor then 1 foot RCA cables into the same amps in the same location. The difference to me was night & day. I eliminated 3 runs of 16' RCA cables. I just can't see how that cannot help I have NO noticable vehicle electrical noise, just the stupid little sounds that windows makes randomly from time to time.

What exactly was bad about the Alpine setup? Alternator whine? If so, had you moved the Alpine closer to the amp and used shorter RCA cables, would that have made a difference? And what if you had run the Alpine from a different power source, like the laptop does? (Alpine directly connected to the battery, thus part of the overall car grounding system vs laptop that is not part of the car grounding system.) Of course, the location of the RCA cables and type used would also make a huge difference. My $300 Alpine head unit had some nasty whine until I found a decent set of shielded RCA cables - and then the noise completely disappeared.

Wow, cannot believe a question about finding an amp capable of digital inputs has created such a debate whether or not digital is better than analog or not.

The link between audio source & amplification has always been the weakest link of the system, and anybody who has ever had noise issues they could never remedy would know exactly how significant the move to digital signaling would be. Huge difference in sound quality could be realized, because the better the signal the amp gets the equally better the output would be.
Digital signal would be immune to noise, and not only would it not pick up noise in a car, but any noise created by the source would not be transmitted into the digital output, so ground loop issues from the PC components itself would no longer pose an issue either. Anyone who thinks the signal difference is negligible in a car probably cannot hear a differnce between the radio, CD, or Sat radio sound quality either. (which is more than evident in a half decent car stereo system)


I think it is a very valid choice, & I read this thread because I was equally curious & hoped to find a few answers in here myself.

So absence of noise makes a better system?
And digital is the only way to avoid noise?

Wow!

Let's hope the digital is not fairly compressed mp3!!

These are valid points though. Removing one section that is susceptible to RFI/ground issues. Still get it from the amp down the line, but it cuts down the PITA factor a bit for those that might otherwise have some issues with that section. Which is most often the case, especially due to the PSU. Of course not the only way, just the easiest method, were they to be readily available.

Originally Posted by OldSpark

So absence of noise makes a better system?
And digital is the only way to avoid noise?

Wow!

Let's hope the digital is not fairly compressed mp3!!

You missed the entire point of my post. What do you think a cd player does with a disk when you play it? It surely isnt an analog to analog sound conversion, so digital is more important you think.

I am not saying digital is key to anything, but a digital signal is not susceptible to nearly as much interference or noise induction issues as an analog signal.
Analog needs to be boosted or amplified to span longer distances, digital does not.
How else do you explain why HD radio sounds so much better than traditional analog radio?

MP3s are a different topic all together, and you are talking about the conversion itself from a digital format to an analog format, which does tend to come up short. This thread is about the benefits of using digital transmission vs analog transmission, an entirely different subject.

I only thing I could find was some options to get Toslink from your HD to Amp.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ALPINE-IVA-W200-...34184&x=53&y=2

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...gital-amp.html

And also if you really,really need optical all system. Try this......

http://www.turboegt.com/Audio/Car%20...al_outpu-f.htm

And also found the pdf for The ALPINE HD if this helps.

I know this is older audio options, but there seems to be nothing in todays car audio market. Good Luck.

Originally Posted by audiophyle_247

You missed the entire point of my post.

You missed the point of mine... converting to digital to remove interference, and noise.

If only things were truly digital instead of merely digitally encoded....

(I'll leave digital versus analog corruption & quality... ie, significantly interfered digital TV or radio signal; cd vs vinyl (since solved with "dirty" amplifiers....).)

No I am aware of what you are talking about, and it is not the issue of this thread so why must you argue about it?


I can only conclude what your point was from what you typed, I nor anyone else here can read minds.

Originally Posted by OldSpark

So absence of noise makes a better system?
And digital is the only way to avoid noise?

Wow!

Let's hope the digital is not fairly compressed mp3!!

Absence of noise to many does make a system better. I for one cannot stand the scratch sound of an old record, but some enjoy that sound. Do you think someday in the future people will think back fondly to alternator whine in the background of a car stereo? I highly doubt it.

Digital signals are not the only way to avoid noise, but the s/n ratios of digital far exceed even a high voltage analog output (line driven 8v rca), and do not degrade over path length like an analog signal does. Is it the only option? No, but it is a damn good one.

Compressed MP3 audio is different, because it can only be reproduced as best as the source file, and no matter how perfect the signal path & amplification, the source of the music is flawed to begin with. This strays from the topic, and is not what the OP was asking so why even talk about it? Source quality was never the issue here, it was the means of connection between source & amplification.

So what do you intend to accomplish from diverting the thread in this direction?