CD players have built-in digital-to-analog converters (DACs) so they can deliver a regular analog audio signal to the input of
your receiver. If your CD player has a digital output, and your receiver is equipped with a compatible digital input, you can bypass
your CD player's DAC and send the digital signal directly to your receiver. Depending on the quality of your receiver's DACs, this
may result in better sound for all of your CDs.
The two most common types of digital outputs are coaxial and optical. Although coaxial connections usually have standard
RCA-type connectors, the cable itself is specially designed to handle the much wider frequency bandwidth of digital signals. With
optical connections, the signal is transmitted as pulses of light through a cable housing glass or plastic fibers. Optical transmission
offers extremely wide bandwidth, ultra-low signal loss, and immunity to RF (radio frequency) interference.
If you are planning on making a digital copy of a CD, using a CD player with a digital output as your source deck will help you
greatly. Since the music flows as digital data from your player to the recorder, you will get the best possible sound quality. In
addition, the recording process will be much simpler – track ID’s and record levels are normally pre-set in direct digital recordings
and will be transferred to the copy automatically.