Phono stages with digital S/P-DIF output

Digital S/P-DIF

— digital audio output. There are two types of such connectors — coaxial (electrical) and optical; in phono stages, both options can be used, and sometimes both at once. At the same time, the optical interface is absolutely immune to electromagnetic interference, but the cable for it requires careful handling. Coaxial connection uses an RCA type connector and a special shielded wire; such a wire is somewhat more susceptible to interference than optical fibre, but not as fragile.