[redstar]

Hi, I hope this isnt going to sound too stupid.
 
What I want to do:
Use my AMP/DAC with all my entertainment sources. 
My Amp/Dac hasnt arrived yet, but is a Burson Conductor SL 1793
 
Sources I currently have:
Sky box - direct to the TV via HDMI
PS4 - Direct to the TV via HDMI
(Am going to be getting a dedicated BR player - direct to the TV via HDMI)
 
The part that confuses me the most:
If I run the on-board optical out from my TV, to the Burson Conductor, does this render the DAC in the Burson useless? (I am assuming the on-board DAC in the TV will not be near as good as the Burson) as the TV has already done the conversions before it reaches the Conductors Dac
In my TVs audio settings, if I go to the optical section, I see two options, which one is greyed out. These options are PCM and Dolby (Dolby is greyed out). There appears to be no Bitstream (I am assuming Bitstream is what I will need, however it doesn't seem to be there). I am guessing that Bitstream, allows a bypass to an external DAC to process?
Will any differences be noticed, between running an optical direct from the source optical out (Skybox and PS4), versus the TV's on-board optical out?
 
What I am considering, and I am not sure if its the right thing to consider:
A HDMI and Optical switch box: Octava HD41-ARC-UK
https://www.octavainc.com/HDMI%20switch%204x1%20ARC%20port_pro.html
 
I would connect:
Skybox HDMI to the IN on the Octava
Skybox Optical Out to the IN on the Octava
PS4 HDMI to the IN on the Octava
PS4 Optical Out to the IN on the Octava
 
Then HDMI Out to the TV
Optical Out to the Burson.
 
By using this switch box method, will I get the best from my Burson? Is this a waste of time? May I as well just use the optical out on the TV for this.
Will i get audio sync issues from my video sources?
 
Perhaps I should be looking at an AVR, however I couldnt find anything that doesnt cost the earth, which has an optical out. It seemed to be flagship models that have an Optical Out on them.
 
I hope this all makes sense, I feel rather stupid writing this :/
 
Hope one can help
Daniel.

 

[davidsh]

You shouldn't suffer from quality issues with going digital out from your tv, as you use the conductor dac. PCM is the setting you want.

 

[redstar]

Thanks for the reply, im not sure if im understanding correctly, but hasnt audio from the source already been converted (via the tvs poor dac) before it reaches the burson? The burson will take the signal and improve it, even tho its already used the tvs dac?
So are we saying, that the quality will be identical from both ps3 optical out, and the tvs optical out?

 

[davidsh]

  Thanks for the reply, im not sure if im understanding correctly, but hasnt audio from the source already been converted (via the tvs poor dac) before it reaches the burson? The burson will take the signal and improve it, even tho its already used the tvs dac?
So are we saying, that the quality will be identical from both ps3 optical out, and the tvs optical out?

Do you connect the ps3 to the tv with optical input or something else?

 

[redstar]

the PS3 goes into the tv via HDMI only atm

 

[davidsh]

the PS3 goes into the tv via HDMI only atm

Which means it is a digital connection.. And you go digital out of the tv. Shouldn't make the quality worse, except problems as jitter and sound cutting out might occur if the components are very badly implemented.
 
I don't know at what bit-rate the playstation outputs through hdmi, nor the tv with optical for that matter, but I suppose it'll be lossless.