[appar111]

I just picked up one of these for a decent price ($100) at a music store after hearing about people on the boards using them with their headphone amps.

After getting home, I got to looking at it and wondering how I'm supposed to use it with something like my pcdp. I know people use them with the digital out of their pcdp's, but the only inputs are analog L/R in's and outs (1/4" ones) and then some other in and out that looks like the same size as RCA jacks, but digital.

I guess the question I have is, is there an adaptor to use with my optical cable (1/8" size on each end) so that I can plug it into the RCA-size digital in on the amp?

What sort of difference will I notice with the ART in my setup as opposed to just a pcdp or cdp and an amp?

If I can't get this to work w/ my setup, I'll probably just sell it (I put a post up last week selling it for $80 shipped, PM if you want it).

 

[MisterX]

That digital input that looks like a RCA jack is a Coax input.

You need a optical to coax convertor to use your CD player with the DIO

 

[cfo]

There are 2 ways to use it.
One is with the digital output, as stated above.
There are very few portable cd players with coaxial digital outputs. I have a radio shack cd-3400 which does and which I used to feed an Art Dio. I would sell the radio shack player very cheap ($20 plus ship) if you're interested, but please beware that it is an old player that would no longer be serviceable if it breaks. It also has a fair amount of jitter coming out of its digital jack and its analog outputs are not competitive with current cd players. I'm not that interested in selling it-only offering it if you really think you need it.
The better option is to feed the analog output of your cd player into the analog inputs of the Art dio. This converts the analog signal to a digital signal. Connect the digital output of the Art Dio to its digital input using a coaxial digital cable, which will convert the signal back to analog. This will also enable you to use the "tube warmth" adjustment of the Dio. I got much better sound using the Art Dio this way as opposed to feeding it directly from the digital output of a cd player.
Also, you will need to buy 1/4" to rca adaptors in order to use the analog inputs and outputs of the Art Dio. Those should be available at radio shack, parts express, etc.

 

[appar111]

I bought the 1/4" to RCA's when I bought the ART, so I'm set there. Just need to get the coaxial digital cable. That should be readily available at places like Radio Shack, right? I won't need to long of a length either.

thanks for the advice!

 

[cfo]

You should be able to get a decent coaxial cable at radio shack. The music store that sold you the Art may have a cheap Canare digital cable that would work ok, also.
If you need to send away for one, then Blue Jeans Cable has Belden 1695 for around $25, which should be good.
Crutchfield.com has Phoenix Gold DRX.910 for $30 which is excellent for the money.
I wouldn't spend more than $30 or so for your application.

 

[PFRfan]

A plain old RCA to RCA will work, too. I haven't measured the jitter, but just one half of a decent patch cable has always worked for me.

 

[appar111]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PFRfan A plain old RCA to RCA will work, too. I haven't measured the jitter, but just one half of a decent patch cable has always worked for me.

You mean for the digital side? I thought it had to be digital coaxial in order for it to work?

So, if I understand it correctly, this would be my setup:

line out of my pcdp or cdp into the RCA in on the ART (using the 1/4" adaptors). Then out of the digital S/PDIF out, back into the digital S/PDIF in on the ART, then tweak as necessary, then out to my headphone amp via the 1/4" outs, using another set of RCA->1/4" adaptors.

Whew! Sounds like a lot of wires going back and forth on the ART. Will I notice much improvement of the sound with the ART in the chain versus not?

 

[cfo]

You have the set up right. If you have an extra rca cable, I would use it as a digital cable just to see if everything works for you.

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

line out of my pcdp or cdp into the RCA in on the ART (using the 1/4" adaptors). Then out of the digital S/PDIF out, back into the digital S/PDIF in on the ART, then tweak as necessary, then out to my headphone amp via the 1/4" outs, using another set of RCA->1/4" adaptors.

your PCDP is going to have to have a digital out (optical or coax, etc) to work with the Art DI/O. if you were just planning on using the line out (which is anaglog) it isn't going to work. the Art DI/O is a DAC, and it requires a digital signal to convert to analog.

if you are going from optical, you can get an optical to S/PDIF convertor, probably from radioshack.

 

[MisterX]

Quote:

the Art DI/O is a DAC, and it requires a digital signal to convert to analog.

The DIO is also a ADC.
That is where the O in the name comes from.

 

[appar111]

Edipisreks-
Yep, it has an optical out (SL-CT570) so I'm covered there. I think the analog-to-digital, then digital-to-analog route might work better for me though, that way I can use the tube warmth feature.

 

[EdipisReks]

.

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by appar111 Edipisreks- Yep, it has an optical out (SL-CT570) so I'm covered there. I think the analog-to-digital, then digital-to-analog route might work better for me though, that way I can use the tube warmth feature.

i personally think that is a weird way to go about it, but see if it sounds good.

 

[appar111]

Actually, I think I'm going to sell it and get some decent interconnects. I just bought a Headroom Home (one of the pre-2000 ones) for $235 shipped. I'll be using it with either a home cdp, pcdp or an iPod Mini and some SR325's.

So it looks like I'll need something a little better than the no-name mini-RCA's and RCA-RCA's that come with dvd players and pcdp's, huh?