[kjhman]

I have a Wa7d and I can connect to it either via Optical, RCA or USB. Is there one i should do over the other? If so, why?
 
thanks!

 

[ChavaC]

IMO Coax > Optical > USB. RCA is not a digital signal.

 

[kjhman]

Ok. So if it's your opinion, that's doesn't mean one is "better" than the other? Just based on personal preference?

 

[Rhamnetin]

As ChavaC said RCA isn't digital so it bypasses the DAC function of the WA7, just using its amplifier.  
 
USB may have more noise/interference which is the concern people have with it.

 

[kjhman]

Ohhhhhh. That is super helpful to know. I had no idea it bypasses the DAC. (yeah i know, I'm a sad excuse for an audiophile) Thank you very much. Time to use USB or optical then. Thanks!

 

[billybob_jcv]

Let's be clear: RCA is a type of jack, not a type of signal. SPDIF signals can be carried over TOSLINK optical cables or over coax wire cables. Coax wire cables typically use RCA connectors. These are the same RCA connectors used for analog line-level signals. There are also SPDIF digital cables that use 3.5mm optical connectors and also 3.5mm coax connectors (see the Fiio E17).

Is one superior to another? I don't know. Bits are bits, and as long as the entire bitstream can be delivered to the decoder chip, then no information is lost. However, timing and jitter do matter, and it's not enough to just get the bits from A->B. It's not clear to me what level of accuracy in timing and jitter is actually audible.

 

[billybob_jcv]

FYI - I just checked the Woo website. The RCA jacks on the back of the WA7d are analog jacks, not digital. There is a switch that allows you to choose whether they are analog input jacks (with output on the front headphone jacks), or analog output jacks (with input from the USB or optical).

 

[kjhman]

Ok. I guess I'm getting confused now lol. So I guess let me ask this... Is using a 1/8" headphone jack to RCA cable from my Mac computer to my Wa7 going to bypass the internal DAC?

 

[billybob_jcv]

No. Use USB or Optical.

 

[kjhman]

I think you meant "yes" . But thank you very much for your help. Much appreciated

 

[Solrighal]

I think you meant "yes"

. But thank you very much for your help. Much appreciated

 
I think you'll find he meant No.

 

[kjhman]

Oh duh. Lol sorry

 

[PurpleAngel]

Ok. I guess I'm getting confused now lol. So I guess let me ask this... Is using a 1/8" headphone jack to RCA cable from my Mac computer to my Wa7 going to bypass the internal DAC?

 
Using a 3.5mm 1/8' stereo (analog) mini-jack from the Mac to the dual RCA (red/white) connections on the Wa7d, it will bypass the Wa7d internal DAC chip.
With this type of connect, the MAC's built in DAC will do the conversion for Digital to analog.
 
If you connect the MAC to the Wa7d using a S/PDIF optical cable or USB cable, then the Wa7d's built in DAC chip will do the digital to analog conversion.
 
Some Macs use the same 3.5mm jack to output an stereo analog audio signal and an digital optical signal.
(Just depends if the cable is analog electrical or digital optical)
A S/PDIF mini-toslink optical plug is the same size as a 3.5mm stereo analog audio plug.

 

[kjhman]

Thanks for the detailed explanation. Much appreciated.