SPDIF via Coaxial to Audio Monitors

[Dale Stoltzfus]

Hi!

I'm considering getting the JBL LSR4326P monitors for my editing studio. I plan to connect them via coaxial, but since I have never worked with coaxial before, I have a few questions. Since there is only one "SPDIF Out" coaxial connector, does that mean that the signal is sent to one monitor and from there to the second monitor via a second cable connected to the coaxial out on the first monitor? If so, how is the stereo sound handled? I "right" sent to the first speaker or the second? Does coaxial SPDIF handle 5.1 sound as well?

Thanks a lot,

Dale

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Dale Stoltzfus

Hi!

I'm considering getting the JBL LSR4326P monitors for my editing studio. I plan to connect them via coaxial, but since I have never worked with coaxial before, I have a few questions. Since there is only one "SPDIF Out" coaxial connector, does that mean that the signal is sent to one monitor and from there to the second monitor via a second cable connected to the coaxial out on the first monitor? If so, how is the stereo sound handled? I "right" sent to the first speaker or the second? Does coaxial SPDIF handle 5.1 sound as well?

Thanks a lot,

Dale

On the JBL's there's a set of DIP switches on the back to indicate what position the speaker has in the setup. You connect the S/PDIF output to one of the speaker's digital input and daisy-chain another cable from that speakers digital output over to the other speaker's input. A single S/PDIF channel carries two audio channels, an "A" and "B". In stereo A corresponds to left and B corresponds to right and with the JBLs the speakers take care of decoding it so the correct channel comes out of the correct speaker. All the details for stereo and 5.1 setups are fully explained in the manuals which are downloadable from the JBL Pro website.

---added ---

Note that the S/PDIF inputs on the speakers do not decode 5.1 surround. You still need to use an external decoder that provides three digital outputs or an audio interface with 3 digital output channels. Each digital channel carries two audio channels, "A" and "B". Typically one channel will feed Left and Right Main, another Left and Right Surround, and the third feeds LFE and Centre. For stereo with the sub and bass management only 1 S/PDIF channel is needed.

[Dale Stoltzfus]

Thanks a lot Steve, that's all the info I need.