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Re: Beolab 5 - feeding the speaker with S/PDIF or Powerlink with Beosound 9000???

Electrified — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:50:44 GMT

No problem, Martin. Audio isn't voodoo, it just isn't something most people know how to attack (and most people listen to that friend of theirs who's an "audiophile" with all that entails of superstition and bad science).

Re: Beolab 5 - feeding the speaker with S/PDIF or Powerlink with Beosound 9000???

martin01 — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:29:53 GMT

Hi Electrified,

Very good written!. You really have a good point in what you describe regarding this subject.

Thank you for your very good comment about this.

/Martin

Re: Beolab 5 - feeding the speaker with S/PDIF or Powerlink with Beosound 9000???

ollie75 — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 04:12:18 GMT

Hi Guys

Re: S/PDIF

What happens with a connection to a BV40? Does it have an output. From what i've been told the S/PDIF is only for external components. ie: BS9000, Blue Ray player

I'm about to take delivery of a set of BL5's so just want to get all cabling sorted. Tks

Re: Beolab 5 - feeding the speaker with S/PDIF or Powerlink with Beosound 9000???

Electrified — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 23:04:18 GMT

Most people when they hear something that has slightly more treble will proclaim it has more detail, because the ears (brain) trick them.

When hearing things we listen after the higher frequencies (mid-high) even if most of what we say is in the mid-band. This is the reason why people whose hearing isn't as good anymore has a lot of trouble when sitting around a table at a bar or restaurant. They can't hear the higher frequencies so well anymore, and it wreacks (spl?) havoc on their sense of direction and the ability to single out the person they're talking to.

As a footnote, the louder something is, the more our own ear distorts. This is the reason we can put our fingers in our ears and suddenly have a conversation in a noisy place.

This also means, that we perceive loudness through distortion, so the more a speaker distorts, the sooner it will sound "too loud".

Anyway, in short, you will getter better audio quality through the S/PDIF. What you perceive as more "detail" is a trick your brain is doing to you.

Re: Beolab 5 - feeding the speaker with S/PDIF or Powerlink with Beosound 9000???

Vienna — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 19:03:54 GMT

martin01:

I feel that the sound, when using S/PDIF, has less treble and the sound overall is a little bit more shy
and have not so much detail as when I feed the speakers with Powerlink-cables.

... less "treble" can be the result of "absence of distortion & more coherence in the sound".
Music lovers often describe good sound beeing: "not forward", "not spectacular", "not pseudo airy",
"not pseudo detailed", ...

martin01:

... has anybody experienced the same thing?

Yes, every time I'm listening to an excellent music system.

PS: if BLb 5s are connected via SPDIF sound controls like loudness, bass, treble do not work !

Re: Beolab 5 - feeding the speaker with S/PDIF or Powerlink with Beosound 9000???

martin01 — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 17:36:02 GMT

Hi Beobuddy, Thank you for your reply.

I do understand the technical differences between the ways of connect the speakers. But I do not understand why the sound is a little bit more shy and less detailed with S/PDIF vs the powerlink-connection. It should be the reversed instead.

I dont think there is something wrong with my speakers, it is just like the sound is different with S/PDIF and less detailed at lower volume. The sound-picture has more "air" and is has more treble when feeding the sound with powerlink-cables.

Have you noticed any differences in the sound-picture if you try switching between the two ways of connections?

/Martin

Re: Beolab 5 - feeding the speaker with S/PDIF or Powerlink with Beosound 9000???

Beobuddy — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:30:52 GMT

Scroll down here: http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/t/37339.aspx?PageIndex=2

I've tried to explane why digital is better (in dutch)

You can see that the digital input passes the analog/digital convertor. So less conversions, less distortions.

Beolab 5 - feeding the speaker with S/PDIF or Powerlink with Beosound 9000???

martin01 — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:59:11 GMT

Hi, I have Beolab 5 and I have had this speakers in 2 years now. I am still struggling between feeding the speakers with the direct digital connection (S/PDIF) or with the powerlink, when listening to music.

I feel that the sound, when using S/PDIF, has less treble and the sound overall is a little bit more shy and have not so much detail as when I feed the speakers with Powerlink-cables.

B&O-themselves says that "to get the best sound, you should use the spdif-connection". And I read from other reviews of the speakers that you will get the best sound out of the speakers when feeding them with the digital connection.

Has anybody a clue why, and has anybody experienced the same thing?

Regards
Martin