Digital Audio and Analog Balanced audio

[jijo_robert]

Can someone help me what is the difference between digital audio and balanced analog audio. I got these terms from Audio Video matrix switch company.

I think I know what is analog balanced audio, Is it for home theater speakers? 5:1 or similar for left and right?

Which one should I select, if I need to have home theater audio, with surround sound, dolby dts.,

Have anyone integrated ConvergentLiving matrix switch with Homeseer?

Thanks

 

[DavidL]

Can someone help me what is the difference between digital audio and balanced analog audio. I got these terms from Audio Video matrix switch company.

I think I know what is analog balanced audio, Is it for home theater speakers? 5:1 or similar for left and right?

Which one should I select, if I need to have home theater audio, with surround sound, dolby dts.,

Have anyone integrated ConvergentLiving matrix switch with Homeseer?

Thanks

From Wikopedia:
Balanced audio is a method of interconnecting audio equipment using impedance-balanced lines. This type of connection is very important in sound recording and production because it allows for the use of long cables while reducing susceptibility to external noise.

Balanced connections use three-conductor connectors, usually the XLR or TRS jack plug. XLR connectors, for instance, are usually used with microphones because of their durable construction, while jack plugs are usually used for mixer inputs and outputs because of their smaller profile.

Digital audio is not Analog (hence the name ) It comes across as "bits and bytes" that a digital to analog conversion creates and analog signal (that might even be distributed via Balanced Audio cables) to an amplifier to the speakers.

Digital, if uncompressed is the best quality and the best noise free way of distributing the recording. Balanced Audio connections are the best way to distribute the signal when in an analog form.

 

[AnthonyZ]

All audio will be converted to an analog form at some point between the source and the speakers. The trick is to determine at what point it is best to make the conversion. Put another way, which piece of equipment has the best DAC, digital to analog converter. In my own home system, I run analog out of my Marantz DVD player to feed the Marantz SR7500 AV rcvr. Why? Because the player handles the ones and zeros better. The zit covered kid at BestBuy will always tell you to run digital to preamp. Sometimes they're right/lucky. Sometimes they're wrong. Depends on the gear and the use. Since you're looking at CL´s matrices, we would need to know what you are using it for. Are you distributing video throughout the house? Switching audio only? Is surround sound involved?

As for the matrix switch, I would be surprised if I wasn't the only person at CT that's plsyed with 'em.I've installed 3 of them after placing order number one when CL released them. The pedigree is some 18-20 years old through R.Reisbick, though. I can't say anything about the Homeseer integration as I don't use it but, the matrix switch is very well controlled via IR, 232, 485 or IP. As important as the control is the quality of what comes out of the darn thing. Very, very good. This is no cheap LattisVaux. They are the real deal a la Extron or good Autopatch.

 

[CollinR]

It is unlikely for you to find balanced analog audio in residential and will become even more rare in the future. Do not consider this a major selling point unless you know you need it.

Normal RCA style analog audio is unbalanced and although you can get balanced to unbalanced adapters at radio shack I have had poor experiences with them (volume fluctuations). This may be configurable on the equipment though.

Digital Audio is basically either optical or coaxial, if coaxial IIRC you want to use RG6 rather then RG59 like you would for analog.

IMO digital is almost always superior to analog however exactly what AnthonyZ noted should be a concern. This is very subjective as well, I will 99% run digital to the reciever and let it decode it. That said I only deal with PC based stuff and as such I have much more control over that signal compared to consumer stuff. So often in my case the difference can also be accounted for before it goes into the reciever. The major bonus to digital is the crazy lengths you can run it optically with no loss of quality and no interference. I dunno whats going to happen with this as HDMI grows as it carries the most common digital audio (SPDIF) format already. Sometimes you don't want the audio going everywhere the video goes, my plasma will only put out digital signals on its digital output. Nicer recievers will have AD conversion inside allowing for switching of all sources.

If this is a high dollar component matrix you might hold off a while and see what the future brings, if you want HD content anyway.

 

[Herdfan]

I am using a Neothings Avalon 8x4 Matrix switch. The Avalon inputs digital audio and is able to transcode optical to coax and vice versa. The Borrego IIRC takes standard RCA inputs. Both are controllable via IR or an RS232 port, so if Homeseer canout put RS232 strings, then either work work.