How to Connect an Amplifer to a DVD Player for the Best Sound

DVD players revolutionized the home movie viewing experience when they were introduced to the American public in March of 1997. They offered unsurpassed video clarity, crystal clear audio and the incredible flexibility to control your movie watching experience. Today's newer DVD players offer even more benefits, like true 5.1, 6.1 or even 7.1 audio performance. For the audiofile, who loves movie soundtracks as much as the movies themselves, here is how to connect an amplifier to a DVD player for the best sound.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• DVD player
• Amplifier
• Toslink cable (digital optical cable)
• Digital coaxial cable (if necessary)

1. In order to get the best clarity and ultimate sound from your DVD movies, you should connect your DVD player to an amplifier using a pure digital connection.
   
   Your first step is to look on the back side of your DVD player and determine whether or not the player offers digital audio.
2. If the only audio outputs available are the red and white composite outputs, then your DVD player doesn't support digital audio. It can only process regular stereo sound.
   
   If you see an orange-colored output, then the DVD player supports a digital coaxial connection. If you see what looks like a small "swing door," then your DVD player supports digital optical audio. The outputs are usually labeled as well.
3. Next, you will have to check your amplifier to determine which type of connection it supports.
4. If both the DVD player and the amplifier have ports for Toslink cable (the digital optical), then go with that one. Buy a Toslink cable at your local audio/video store and snap one end in the DVD player output and the other end in the amplifier input.
   
   Toslink cable enables you to enjoy true digital 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 sound. Since the signal is delivered via light, the sound is clean, crisp and clear.
5. Digital coaxial cable also provides true digital audio, but most audiophiles prefer the Toslink connection. However, if you only have digital coaxial capability, it is still an excellent source of digital sound.
6. With the DVD player connected to the amplifier, use the amplifier's remote to change the input to "DVD." Insert a DVD movie into your player and listen for the audio.
   
   Most amplifiers will display that the audio being input is "Digital 3/2," "Digital 5.1" or some other audio configuration. If the amplifier supports DTS and the DVD has a DTS soundtrack, then the DTS soundtrack should automatically be played if a digital connection is made.
7. With Blu-Ray discs and HD-DVD players, you really want to get the best audio to keep up with the upgrades in video quality. By connecting your DVD player to your amplifier with a Toslink or digital coaxial cable, you can be enjoying the best audio your system has to offer.