Optical Cables "Toslink"

[SIY]

There has to be a reason why higher priced cable are still well rated and the companies are still in business.

Yes indeed there is, but it has nothing to do with performance in this application.

 

[Ravzilla]

Then go to Ace. That's where I got the long optical cable I use in my main system. Under $10, works perfectly

Works perfect is a relative terminology. 1 long line will look short if you draw a longer line beside it. Please, this wasn't the whole idea for discussing here. I wouldn't encourage this anymore.

 

[SIY]

Nope, in digital data transmission, something either works perfectly or not at all.

 

[FooYatChong]

I have a €5 optical cable i bought in the supermarket and a Oehlbach Opto Star Black 150 which sells for €35. The Oehlbach looks more robust but they "sound" just the same.

 

[M00ndancer]

Spot the difference:
Hint: Both works as they supposed to do.

 

[Killingbeans]

I totally get what you trying to convey but aren't people in this audio science society above all this homedepot and amazon basic stuff?

The goal of the scientific approach is not to be "above" anything. It's about examining the evidence and weighing it on the scale of common sense.

Common sense says that s/pdif cables (toslink or coax) in different price categories neither adds nor subtracts anything to the signal. All of them either work or they don't. So, if functionality is the most important factor to you, Home Depot/ Amazon Basic is the way to go. If aesthetic and/or sturdiness is also important in your particular application, feel free to throw some money at those as well.

Homedepot markup there prices by 85% of the cost they purchase at, to account for shipping, handling, employees salary, damage and returns. Imaging the $10 cable was originally $1.5 and even the manufacturers make atleast 60% margin on them.

This is only a speculation, but I would imagine that if you carsh a meeting at AudioQuest and shout: "60% margin!" everybody would start laughing uncontrollably.

There has to be a reason why higher priced cable are still well rated and the companies are still in business.

Yes, the same reason why companies that make "magic" bracelets that improve your balance when you wear them are still in business.

EDIT: Didn't mean to be condescending (had a pretty rough yesterday). Just saying there's a lot of money to be saved if you get past the confirmation bias of fancy looks and higher price tags equaling higher performance

 

[D700]

Digital signals are 1s and 0s...that’s it, binary data. I’ve been using the same el cheapo toslink cables I bought in a clearance bin 12 years ago. Handles 24/96 from a Squeezebox Touch flawlessly in 6 foot run. Spend your money on music.

 

[solderdude]

the 1's and 0's could be represented by positive or negative transitions in voltage, or in some specified range voltage levels, current levels, magnetic directions, light levels and may not be immune to certain variation in those levels or in the timing in which they arrive.

But... when the circuitry and transmission (interfaces and conductors) are well designed and suited for their task the 1's and 0's should be perfectly recoverable within specified parameters.

 

[svart-hvitt]

Digital signals are 1s and 0s...that’s it, binary data. I’ve been using the same el cheapo toslink cables I bought in a clearance bin 12 years ago. Handles 24/96 from a Squeezebox Touch flawlessly in 6 foot run. Spend your money on music.

On 1s and 0s, read @amirm ’s review of a USB cable:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ents-of-wireworld-starlight-7-usb-cable.6599/

 

[D700]

On 1s and 0s, read @amirm ’s review of a USB cable:

svart-hvitt, not sure of your point but I find little in that thread that pertains to an optical cable. USB cables carry power and are subject to interference; optical cables are not, provided you don't bend them past their breaking point. different animal.

 

[D700]

But... when the circuitry and transmission (interfaces and conductors) are well designed and suited for their task the 1's and 0's should be perfectly recoverable within specified parameters.

...as are any inexpensive toslink cables manufactured this century. No?

 

[solderdude]

There are differences in POF cables and newer types of POF (Plastic Optical Fiber) are still being developed.
Also there are quality differences in how well the connector is glued/clamped on for instance.
Allignment and cleaving as well as polishing is not needed and is the advantage of 1mm diameter POF cables.
We (in the glass fiber tech business) affectionately call TOSLINK 'light sewers'.

Then there are some TOSLINK cables that are made from a bundle of 'normal' 62.5/125 MultiMode optical fibers (made with glass) that allow for longer distances as the attenuation is less than for POF.
There are also differences between optical receivers (some are faster than others) but indeed when jitter reduction and signal conditioning is done properly there should not be any differences between optical cables (used within their specs).
When poor jitter reduction/signal handling is there (some very early TOSLINK receivers in older DACs) then jitter may become audible.
Most current DACs will perform fine on TOSLINK and have the benefits of ground loop breaking galvanic separation.

 

[jthj]

I just buy my cables from Monoprice. So far so good and I have a 25’ plastic optical going from tv through the tube to receiver that works perfectly and only cost a few bucks.

 

[restorer-john]

svart-hvitt, not sure of your point but I find little in that thread that pertains to an optical cable. USB cables carry power and are subject to interference; optical cables are not, provided you don't bend them past their breaking point. different animal.

The optical cable attenuates, but it is the transmission end (LED) and the receiver end (PD/PT) where the issues arise. The switch on vs. switch off time in receivers is where timing problems occur. These issues are solved by a relatively simple circuit but shouldn't be ignored.

 

[Theo]

Spot the difference:

$?

 

[M00ndancer]

$?

Actually three : length, price and thickness.
The thick one was €7 and the thin, short one was for free. They are at least 10 to 15 years old. Still works fine. The short one is connected to the CCA and my HAD-1. The thick one is put in the cable bin for later use.

 

[D700]

I just buy my cables from Monoprice. So far so good and I have a 25’ plastic optical going from tv through the tube to receiver that works perfectly and only cost a few bucks.

Twenty Five feet? Dang, that’s a long run.

 

[Alisterkoran]

If only Amazon Basics made Hi-Fi equipment! I'm sure they would put many brands to shame . . .

Twenty Five feet? Dang, that’s a long run.

I've got an 8 metre toslink cable from my computer to my pre-amp. Cost under £10. Bit perfect as well (if one believes the DTS bit perfect test).

 

[jthj]

This is the one I’m using. Amazon basics is good stuff as well.

https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=301&cp_id=30109&cs_id=3010905&p_id=6273

 

[Alisterkoran]

Here's mine https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Optical-Cables/XO-Optical-TOSLINK-Digital-Audio-Ultra-White/B06WW8K199

Mine goes underneath a rug just where I walk a lot (in front of a doorway and right next to the stairs) so I guessed if I got cable with a thick protective jacket it would hold up to the abuse. So far it has.

And no, it wasn't the gold plated connectors that swung it for me. Honest!