Topic: CD Player - optical or analog

[NADphyle]

Assuming that your amp and CDP has both options, which one is better sounding?

What are the pros and cons?

[JoeyGS]

For a pure audio set-up the optical may need an external dac and generally the analog player would have the dac built into the unit.

So in the end, you still have to audition and let your ears decide.

Just my 2 cents.

[stereophile]

I use a Rotel 971 cdp w/c has both digital & coax outputs w/c I pass to a Monarchy Audio DIP then MF A324 DAC before it enters my pre-amp. I compared Digital output vs Coax to DIP/DAC. The coax(75-ohm) has a warmer more analog presentation vs the digital w/c seemed dry/lean and uninspiring. The DIP is an anti-jitter w/c re-clocks the digital signal from your cdp. This smoothens the signal prior to entering your DAC. Yes, the effect of a DIP is noticeable.