i-Link: 1394 for SACD and DVD-Audio

curiouskeith · Post by **curiouskeith** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 1:44 pm

Chuckken

I should probably start a new post for this, because I'll bet it opens a can of worms. Please tell me the virtues that I would actually see or rather hear, currentley, using I-link over toslink or coax. Also keep in mind we are talking about a home theater set up, and not home audio.

chuckken · Post by **chuckken** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 5:30 pm

curiouskeith...from what I understand i-Link offers a higher resolution signal and apparently it's faster and said to be "jitterless"...I could tell the difference when I originally set up my DV-59AVi to the VSX-55TXi receiver...I was watching "The Matrix" (the original movie) and I compared optical to coaxial...(couldn't tell a difference)...then I compared optical to i-Link and I definitely could hear a difference immediately...The difference is subtle...but it's a cleaner, higher definition sound...(thats the best way I can explain it)...BTW, If there are any experts on i-Link audio out there, feel free to jump in here and elaborate more on this subject...(I'm merely a autobody tech who farts around with halfway decent AV stuff)...

BTW, I posted a new thread in "General Discussion HD Audio"...on this subject, so we should probably move this particular discussion over there...

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 7:35 am

None of that makes any sense. The main purpose of i-Link is to defeat the need of 6 analog interconnects for multichannel applications. The sonic benefit will vary and you are comparing processing this in the analog domain plus D/A conversion of the player versus the receiver.

Based on your post though I do not have a clue how i-Link could be superior to an RF cable or optical connection...

Jitter is supposed to be an issue from the past that current product has eliminated, or so they say. That is the only thing I can think of.

curiouskeith · Post by **curiouskeith** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 9:26 am

It will I hope be interesting to see what the more informed members have to say about this. Although the original post asked what we would buy had money not been an issue, How much is absurd? Heck you can buy an AV receiver for $18,000. Can the average Joe really here that much if any difference from the top end consumer products? Although we were to not worry about money, the Onkyo is an excellent receiver at about $1000. An absolute steal. It is my next purchase unless someone can tell me where a receiver with only 1 firewire audio plug will be beneficial to my future purchases.
If I-link were truly embraced where daisy chaining an entire "smart" system that will handle video as well as audio, searching for the asked for components with out macro remotes, now you'd have something.

Keith

chuckken · Post by **chuckken** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 10:04 am

Richard...Again, I only know what I hear...if the i-link hook up wasn't an improvement I would probably have left it in Optical or coaxial mode...cause it would have been an easier hook-up for my system. But I spent hours listening to both loud and quiet scenes...I even had my wife sit down and listen while I switched...(she agreed to an improvement with i-Link)...believe me, I'm kinda barbaric when it come to electronics, but if something sounds better I'll sacrifice and tough it out...

Keith...To me I can't see spending that kind of money and "not" getting i-Link (if not just for the DVD-Audio and SA-CD benefits)...You may have a point with the daisy chaining aspect of home hook-ups...the reason I say this is because HDMI may take over in regards to audio/video sound systems...My gut feeling is that it will. You may want to hold off till next year when Pioneer and Onkyo and Denon along with other top brand receivers will have HDMI video and audio inputs. In a way I wish I would have waited a little longer...so I wouldn't have to have an extra DVI switcher in my system...Pioneer elite receivers next year will have 2 HDMI in and one out for video. For the future I personally see HDMI as the Daisy chain...so one may want to build their systems accordingly...

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 10:28 am

if the i-link hook up wasn't an improvement I would probably have left it in Optical or coaxial mode

Jitter is the only thing that would make sense.

the reason I say this is because HDMI may take over in regards to audio/video sound systems

Maybe so but I have not heard of SACD or DVD-Audio supporting HDMI. That said DVD-Audio is a no brainer for HDMI implementation due to the video content of the format.

chuckken · Post by **chuckken** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 4:12 pm

Richard wrote:
if the i-link hook up wasn't an improvement I would probably have left it in Optical or coaxial mode
Jitter is the only thing that would make sense.
the reason I say this is because HDMI may take over in regards to audio/video sound systems
Maybe so but I have not heard of SACD or DVD-Audio supporting HDMI. That said DVD-Audio is a no brainer for HDMI implementation due to the video content of the format.

Richard...good point. And this is exactly why I feel that HDMI will be the preferred route...No sense in having 2 separate cables for audio and video. So I guess what I'm saying is if it comes down to a war between HDMI and i-Link, HDMI will succeed. Then they could dispense with the additional coaxial and optical connections...I think it would be a good thing as far as consumer simplistics...(I know the audio/video pirates won't like it)...but the average Joe could just plug in the appropriate HDMI cables into each HDMI input on each component and be done...I mean, it does make sense...

curiouskeith · Post by **curiouskeith** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 7:38 am

Chuckken

Now your talkin. A receiver with at least two inputs that wil act as the control center. Tell the receiver your going to watch a dvd, and bang it happens. I used to have an all Sony setup where it had something called s-link. If I threw in a dvd it automaticley went to the right video and audio input on my Tv and Stereo. Very sweet!
I was critisized a bit ago because I said the Harmony remote was just OK. This week my daughter plug her xbox in the aux input on the side of my Tv. Suddenly the Harmony can't find the right video inputs, and has to be reprogrammed.
Wheather it is hdmi, or I-link, I don't care. I just want the smart system

chuckken · Post by **chuckken** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 4:12 pm

Keith...I hear ya bro. Well, actually Sony is the only one at the moment who has a receiver with 2 HDMI in's and 1 out...I believe the unit is around 4500.00 smackoli's...

Richard...I'll tell you if DVD-Audio and SA-CD go the HDMI route, I'm gonna be one rootin tootin hot tamale'!!!

...(BUT YOU KNOW THEY PROBABLY WILL

)

tombanjo1 · Post by **tombanjo1** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 4:36 am

curiouskeith wrote:It will I hope be interesting to see what the more informed members have to say about this. Although the original post asked what we would buy had money not been an issue, How much is absurd? Heck you can buy an AV receiver for $18,000. Can the average Joe really here that much if any difference from the top end consumer products? Although we were to not worry about money, the Onkyo is an excellent receiver at about $1000. An absolute steal. It is my next purchase Keith

I don't think there are any one box $18,000 receivers, but there are a few high end pre amp/processers around for that price. To answer your question, YES, the average Joe can hear the difference. It's like night and day. Of course you don't need to spend more then a few thousand on a pre/pro and an amp to hear that difference.

For example, I recently decided to scrap my high end multi channel set up. I then took my Sunfire 5.1 ch amp and Sunfire Theater Grand pre/pro and placed them in my HT set up. They replaced my Denon 3805, a $1200 unit that sounded real nice. Real nice that is, until I fired up the Sunfire set up. Then by comparison, the Denon sounded noisy, hollow, shrill and thin. Of course $7000 worth of electronics should sound superior. My long winded point here is to say that the big difference is less noise. A "blacker" background. Most people react by saying how smooth and effortless the sound is.

You don't need to spend $7000 on seperates, I didn't. I got them on the used market for about $3500. You also don't need to spen $3500 to get that smooth sound. There are several ways to go for better bang for your buck then shelling out a grand for a brand new Onkyo, which is a brand I dislike. The word plastic comes to mind when I think of Onkyo. They cut a lot of corners to keep their prices low. Try audiogon.com and go to "receivers" and check out the classifieds. Your $1000 should get you something close to a $3000 receiver, or a nice seperates (amp&pre amp) set up for a little more money. I've bought (and sold) a bunch of gear there and never was burned with any bad equipment. It's seems to be a much better enviroment then eBay is. Just check the seller's feedback and you should be alright.