Toslink cables

[DonH56]

I posted this the other week:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...nt-work-with-airport-express.3251/#post-80377

The early Toshiba (TOShiba_LINK) receivers were simply not fast enough and needed 'help' to even out the duty cycle.

I love optical transmission- it's still a wonder to me. The red LED light carrying perfect digital data from one device to another.

Looks like an analog de-emphasis filter? These days we do it with DFEs. Years ago I included a programmable analog emphasis circuit in a VCSEL driver (someone else was doing the receiver, arguable the harder part).

 

[amirm]

It would be interesting to measure some coaxial cable. Do you remember the myth of no cable shorter than 1.5m?

I do. I also tried to build a ridiculously long cable out of audio interconnects but could not detect any difference in the output of the DAC I was testing. I should re-test that too.

 

[Sal1950]

I love optical transmission- it's still a wonder to me. The red LED light carrying perfect digital data from one device to another.

Me 2, I marvel at the wireless transmission of data thru a little piece of glass.
I also like the total electrical isolation of the system, maybe it is without value, but it lets me sleep without nightmares. LOL
The Toslink output of my computers motherboard does 24/192 to the input of my Emo DC-1 without issue.

 

[restorer-john]

I do. I also tried to build a ridiculously long cable out of audio interconnects but could not detect any difference in the output of the DAC I was testing. I should re-test that too.

No need to do that Amir. Years ago (2007), I posted this somewhat tongue in cheek post on Audiokarma.

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....nnects-tested-and-exposed.98923/#post-1008536

It didn't matter what I used- the bits were bits...

 

[eyes-on-you]

Is there any measurable difference between glass vs plastic toslink cable?

I have two types of them.
1) DH Labs Glass Master 0.5m
2) Philips POF 1.5m

I tried on Benchmark DAC2 and i think Philips so much better on sound quality.

We did blind test with my friend, our every pick is POF i/o glass.

POF has more airy and dynamic sound. Glass lose upper trable details and it has boomy bass too.

Is it related to jitter or DH Labs is a bad designer?

 

[Leporello]

Is there any measurable difference between glass vs plastic toslink cable?

I have two types of them.
1) DH Labs Glass Master 0.5m
2) Philips POF 1.5m

I tried on Benchmark DAC2 and i think Philips so much better on sound quality.

We did blind test with my friend, our every pick is POF i/o glass.

POF has more airy and dynamic sound. Glass lose upper trable details and it has boomy bass too.

Is it related to jitter or DH Labs is a bad designer?

Do you realize that if those differences really exist you have actually discovered something that casts doubt on everything we currently know about digital signals and transmission? What is the probability of this happening?

 

[Harmonie]

Is there any measurable difference between glass vs plastic toslink cable?

I have two types of them.
1) DH Labs Glass Master 0.5m
2) Philips POF 1.5m

I tried on Benchmark DAC2 and i think Philips so much better on sound quality.

We did blind test with my friend, our every pick is POF i/o glass.

POF has more airy and dynamic sound. Glass lose upper trable details and it has boomy bass too.

Is it related to jitter or DH Labs is a bad designer?

When you mentioned glass, I thought you were referring to AT&T glass optical cable , not Toslink like this

 

[SIY]

Is there any measurable difference between glass vs plastic toslink cable?

I have two types of them.
1) DH Labs Glass Master 0.5m
2) Philips POF 1.5m

I tried on Benchmark DAC2 and i think Philips so much better on sound quality.

We did blind test with my friend, our every pick is POF i/o glass.

POF has more airy and dynamic sound. Glass lose upper trable details and it has boomy bass too.

Is it related to jitter or DH Labs is a bad designer?

Badly implemented controls.

 

[Marc v E]

I have a dirt cheap cable I use everyday and a premium glass based cable in a box. Do you want me to test or does this answer your question?

 

[SIY]

I have a dirt cheap cable I use everyday and a premium glass based cable in a box. Do you want me to test or does this answer your question?

No need.

Cheapest crappiest literally bought at the grocery store plastic TOSLINK:

 

[eyes-on-you]

Do you realize that if those differences really exist you have actually discovered something that casts doubt on everything we currently know about digital signals and transmission? What is the probability of this happening?

Rather than a new discovery, one of the two cables must be outside of the standards.

 

[eyes-on-you]

When you mentioned glass, I thought you were referring to AT&T glass optical cable , not Toslink like this

View attachment 131509

Nope, i mean glass fibre toslink cable.

 

[eyes-on-you]

Badly implemented controls.

What does badly implemented means?

Benchmark dac2 has two optical inputs.

one of us was sitting at sweetspot with blindfold, the other randomly changed the optical input.

8 philips were selected at 10.

 

[eyes-on-you]

I have a dirt cheap cable I use everyday and a premium glass based cable in a box. Do you want me to test or does this answer your question?

I'll be grateful if you test it and share your results.

I think, my glass master must have a structural problem or damage.

 

[solderdude]

Is there any measurable difference between glass vs plastic toslink cable?

I have two types of them.
1) DH Labs Glass Master 0.5m
2) Philips POF 1.5m

There sure are measurable differences in damping/km and bandwidth between real optical fibre (exists in various diameters) and plastic 'light sewers' as they are 'affectionately' called in the world of fibre optics.
The limits in TOSLINK are the receivers and for longer distances the damping of optical (1mm) plastic 'fibre'.
Audible... no.
Perhaps one of them can do 24/192 on specific DACs and the other one may have issues at that speed which is just above what it can do.

 

[eyes-on-you]

There sure are measurable differences in damping/km and bandwidth between real optical fibre (exists in various diameters) and plastic 'light sewers' as they are called n the world of fibre optics.
The limits in TOSLINK are the receivers and for longer distances the damping of optical (1mm) plastic 'fibre'.
Audible... no.
Perhaps one of them can do 24/192 on specific DACs and the other one may have issues at that speed which is just above what it can do.

According to DH Labs, their Glass Master Optical Cable supports 24/192. Benchmark DAC2 HGC don’t support 24/192 via optical toslink but my network transport supported 24/192 output via toslink.

I have no idea about Philips POF but i think it supports only 24/96.

 

[eyes-on-you]

Gold plated metal connector ends affect something negativly?

Because Glass master has metal ends, POF has not. (only plastic)

I wish i can measure two of them but i don’t have any measurement device.

 

[eyes-on-you]

I would like also to mention; When I hold the phone flash at one end of the Glass Master toslink, I see little black spots in the light coming from the other end. In addition, the glass surfaces seemed rough to my eye.

I tried to clean it but i couldn’t.

There is a homogeneous light beam at philips POF.

 

[formdissolve]

Another thing about glass cables is that they still use cheap plastic connectors, and DACs also use connectors with plastic lenses. Why spend the extra on glass when the light has to travel through 4 plastic lenses anyways?

 

[eyes-on-you]

Another thing about glass cables is that they still use cheap plastic connectors, and DACs also use connectors with plastic lenses. Why spend the extra on glass when the light has to travel through 4 plastic lenses anyways?

Maybe for vibration but i think havier cable ends might decrease contact point becase of the weight.