TheRetroChannel is now selling a digital audio mod, that’s compatible with basically all PlayStation 1’s with a parallel port. This is a true digital-to-digital mod, giving you pure 44.1KHz/16bit digital audio with zero analog noise. While this mod still requires soldering two wires internally, it’s still much easier than other methods and since the breakout box contains the connector, this is a #nocutmod. Check out the video above for all the details you’d need, including audio comparisons. The price is $39 plus shipping and please reference the same page before buying to double check that your motherboard revision is compatible:
Purchase Here: https://www.tindie.com/products/theretrochannel/playstation-ps1-digital-audio-adaptor/
I think this mod is something anyone who uses analog video output while connecting their consoles to a nice receiver should think about. Obviously existing HDMI mods pull audio digitally, so if you were looking into that, there’s no need for this…but I think there’s still a lot of people who use RGB output, but want an upgraded audio signal.
And of course while high quality, shielded analog cables are an excellent solution for audio, it’s impossible for analog signals to be as “clean” as digital with zero noise floor. So basically, if you love your current PS1 setup, or if you’re using a PS2 to play your PS1 games, there’s no need for this. But if you’re a PS1 gamer with a free parallel port and want an easy mod for digital audio, I think this one is your best option at the moment!
