[gimmeheadroom]

Its not weird to use BNC connector for SPDIF. That is the best way.

I never saw that on any pro gear. It's huge overkill. But thanks for pointing it out, it is unclear. Anybody speaks Chinese who can get clarity from Kingwa on this? Maybe @DACLadder ?

 

[sajunky]

I never saw that on any pro gear. It's huge overkill. But thanks for pointing it out, it is unclear. Anybody speaks Chinese who can get clarity from Kingwa on this? Maybe @DACLadder ?

It is correct what is said that BNC connector is better than RCA. It is weird that audio industry have adopted such poor connector for digital transfer. The same, RCA never was better than DIN for the analog connection.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

It is correct what is said that BNC connector is better than RCA. It is weird that audio industry have adopted such poor connector for digital transfer. The same, RCA never was better than DIN for the analog connection.

I'm aware of it. In radio we use BNC connectors for UHF, and they lock and RCA doesn't That's why I've gone to AES when possible. But still, using BNC for S/PDIF is not at all common from what I have seen.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

If you look here on the DI-20 page http://audio-gd.com/R2R/DI20/DI3.JPG it says STD and ACSS under S/PDIF on the output side. STD is RCA, ACSS is BNC. At least as I can tell from the photo. So it seems Kingwa is calling ACSS digital S/PDIF for some reason.

 

[sajunky]

If you look here on the DI-20 page http://audio-gd.com/R2R/DI20/DI3.JPG it says STD and ACSS under S/PDIF on the output side. STD is RCA, ACSS is BNC. At least as I can tell from the photo. So it seems Kingwa is calling ACSS digital S/PDIF for some reason.

Not sure. It is what it should be clarified whether it is ACSS or not. However the most important is to find out whether ACSS output from Di-20 is compatible with r-8mk2 BNC input. If it is a case, then we don't need to worry about and there is a broad compatibility with other brands as a bonus.

 

[Articnoise]

If you look here on the DI-20 page http://audio-gd.com/R2R/DI20/DI3.JPG it says STD and ACSS under S/PDIF on the output side. STD is RCA, ACSS is BNC. At least as I can tell from the photo. So it seems Kingwa is calling ACSS digital S/PDIF for some reason.

Kingwa wouldn't state that most DACs can receive the ACSS signal and will benefit from it if you would need a special ACSS SPDIF input, because no other company is using current transmission technology over coaxial.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Kingwa wouldn't state that most DACs can receive the ACSS signal and will benefit from it if you would need a special ACSS SPDIF input, because no other company is using current transmission technology over coaxial.

I don't know how to resolve that given he states the DI-20 has ACSS output up to 384 KHz and labeled the back panel the way he did, and has a BNC jack.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Not sure. It is what it should be clarified whether it is ACSS or not. However the most important is to find out whether ACSS output from Di-20 is compatible with r-8mk2 BNC input. If it is a case, then we don't need to worry about and there is a broad compatibility with other brands as a bonus.

Agreed. But I'm hoping to use it for DSD and high rate PCM and use the AES/EBU output to drive another device. So I hope it does not stop at the normal 24/192 that S/PDIF is supposed to support.

 

[PhMZ4]

Can someone explain why BNC is the better SP/DIF interface, as I was thinking AES/EBU over a balanced cable would reduce noise and therefore a better signal fidelity?

and all audio PRO industry used AES 110ohm instead of BNC as a standard, there should be a reason...

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I sent an email to Kingwa. But if somebody who speaks Chinese can get the info it will likely be more helpful.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Can someone explain why BNC is the better SP/DIF interface, as I was thinking AES/EBU over a balanced cable would reduce noise and therefore a better signal fidelity?

BNC connectors are good to many hundred megahertz. The S/PDIF spec only calls for max of 24 bit 96 KHz I think, but later it was extended to 192 KHz. Anyway, BNC connectors for S/PDIF are uncommon.

AES/EBU uses XLR connectors but it is not balanced. It just supports two channels and a ground. And there is no S/PDIF over AES. They're two different standards. AFAIK...

 

[PhMZ4]

Thank you.... clear for the superiority of BNC.

what about BNC vs AES in terms of SQ On our AGD DACs?

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Thank you.... clear for the superiority of BNC.

what about BNC vs AES in terms of SQ On our AGD DACs?

BNC is the connector itself, it is not the protocol.

AES/EBU is a protocol. AES/EBU is rated 24/192. Kingwa says his ACSS supports 384 KHz. So ACSS wins, regardless of the connector. The only question now is whether the BNC connector on the DI-20 and R-8 MK2 are normal S/PDIF or ACSS...

 

[sajunky]

BNC connectors are good to many hundred megahertz. The S/PDIF spec only calls for max of 24 bit 96 KHz I think, but later it was extended to 192 KHz. Anyway, BNC connectors for S/PDIF are uncommon.

AES/EBU uses XLR connectors but it is not balanced. It just supports two channels and a ground. And there is no S/PDIF over AES. They're two different standards. AFAIK...

The first part is correct, my comment is to the second part.

AES/EBU is not balanced (this term is more appropriate for analog signals), but consist of a twisted differential pair, similar to the Ethernet UTP. It support two channels with embedded clock, NRZI encoded, it means a wires can be swapped (wrongly soldered) without a negative effect. A variant is a single-ended BNC connection. A logical protocol is common for XLR/BNC and RCA, but the later (as defined by the Sony/Philips and refered as S/PDIF) has a different electrical signaling levels and impedance. It answers a question why RCA connection is worse than BNC. A poorer connector coupled with inferior electrical specification. It is covered in Wikipedia.

In summary, there are three types of connectors: both (1) XLR and (2) BNC conform to the AES/EBU specification, while (3) RCA is a part of Sony/Philips S/PDIF specification (with a protocol borrowed from AES).

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Ok here is the answer I received. It seems the DI-20 sends ACSS out the BNC jack and the R-8 MK2 accepts ACSS on both the coaxial and BNC jacks. BTW I did ask specifically about the R-8 MK2. I can't understand the text definitively so I'll ask further unless somebody who speaks Chinese can understand the English better than I can.

"The BNC has the fixed impedance for example 75 ohm that is match with the SPDIF require , the RCA has not the fixed impedance so apply for SPDIF transmit just for easy to find the cable , but it is not good for SPDIF require .
As you know the SPDIF cable must with 75 ohm impedance, but the RCA socket is not 75 ohm impedance cause the impedance unmatch ,bad thing on the sound .

Please note the BNC and RCA just the sockets different , it is not mean BNC is the ACSS output or input .
The Di20 ACSS output is the inside output design conversion the signal from voltage to current , it can through BNC or RCA output but we choice the BNC .
The R8 has BNC and RCA spdif inputs, that can get the normal spdif signal or the ACSS spdif signal because its input built with the 75 ohm pure resistor that can conversion the current signal back to voltage signal ."