Proprietary Link Output
The named manufacturer-specific digital-audio links provided as outputs.
A proprietary link requires explicitly compatible receiving equipment. It can use a familiar connector or cable while carrying a different protocol from standard HDMI, Ethernet, S/PDIF or I²S.
Proprietary Link Output — SACD Transport
On an SACD Transport, a proprietary digital link may provide a supported path for SACD data that is unavailable through other outputs. Its exact format and compatibility depend on the named system and version.
Check the receiving DAC or processor against the transport’s stated link support. A link using HDMI cabling is not automatically standard HDMI, and ES-LINK Analog is a different analogue connection from ES-LINK digital.
Compare the supported PCM, DSD and channel modes for the complete pair. Do not assume that every generation of a branded link interoperates or carries identical formats. The connector’s appearance alone cannot establish a suitable SACD signal path.
Proprietary Link Output — Streamer
On a Streamer, a proprietary output can connect playback to a matching DAC, digital speaker or other supported component. It describes a particular ecosystem link rather than an ordinary network or digital-audio socket.
Read the exact link name, version and output direction. Some connections use common cable types but do not accept the signals normally associated with those cables. A proprietary input does not establish transmission capability.
Compare the receiving device’s documented compatibility and the formats available over the link. The streamer’s general file support may differ from that output’s limits. Shared branding or matching plugs alone does not guarantee interoperability or improved sound.
Proprietary Link Output — CD Transport
On a CD Transport, a proprietary output provides a manufacturer-defined route to a compatible DAC or digital system. The exact link name and version identify the connection more usefully than the socket shape.
Read the output direction and supported link generation. A similarly named input is not an output, and a standard AES/EBU or S/PDIF connection is not proprietary merely because it appears on the same product.
Compare the receiving component’s explicit compatibility and supported output rate. Link families can change between generations, so shared branding alone is insufficient. The link name does not guarantee an audible improvement or compatibility with another manufacturer’s connector.