Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions how to connect optical toslink cable?

Is coax as good as optical cable? NOPE All things being equal coax is BETTER than Toslink almost universally. This is especially true if you're not using the new all glass Toslink as opposed to the cheaper plastic type. Put another way it's possible to buy coax cable that's better than Toslink but not the other way around.

Mike

In reply to:

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sushi, are you saying your pio knows or remembers if the source is a dvd or a dvd-a on it's own?

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Dan, not really. You do have to tell the receiver each time whether you want to use the multi-channel analog input or the coax/optical digital input. The receiver does "remember" the last setting you used for the particular source equipment (e.g., the DVD/DVD-A player), though.


Mike, are you suggesting that optical cables often drop those 0s and 1s??? -- something I've never heard of, unless the cable is overtly defective. It is true though, that optical cables tend to be more easily damaged mechanically as compared with coax coppers.

I'm suggesting that the cheap plastic $30 Toslink cable most people buy can easily be outdone by a digital coax cable. This is especially true as the runs get longer. Toslink cable is susceptible to kinks and other sorts of maladies. Anyone who'd like to make a better coax cable ( as opposed to shelling out big $$ for one) would do well to checkout Allan Wrights SuperCable Cookbook. For very little money you can make a great coax cable. IMHO

Mike

Define outdone.

I was resisting, but I too am curious as to the reasons why copper carries 1s and 0s better than glass over moderate length runs -- all things being equal.

If toslink works, it works. If coax works, it works. It is my semi-educated understanding that digital is not as sensitive to cable quality as analog. If the receiver is getting a stream of 1s and 0s, how does one cable provide a better stream of 1s and 0s better than another?

Unlike analog, digital signals have no gradients of info along a spectrum. It's on or off.

The following quote is from George Cardas ( maybe you've heard of Cardas Cables?)

". The Toslink is not particularly a good system. It is inferior to the better digital cables. The problem is, the signal is electrical to begin with and in the end it must be converted back to electrical. So in short runs, the advantage is with electrical cable, because you don't have to go through the conversion from electrical to optic and back. I believe Neutral Reference has the lowest overall jitter of any system in the lengths used in audio. - George

Mike

I would suggest you look into the thoughts by those that aren't actually trying to sell you something.

May I point out that when dealing with computers, gigabit copper works just as well as gigabit fibre. (ie copper vs. optical). In fact, I think (correct me if I'm wrong) optical works much better than copper over long runs. I think they've got the optical to electrical transcievers worked out just fine, thank you verra much.

May I point out that the standard digital connector for professional audio use is an AES/EBU connector. This is a 110ohm CABLE.If TOSLINK was a better connector I'm sure the pro's would use it. I don't think digital computer connections are relevant in any way. I'm not worried about the sound quality of my USB cable.

Mike

It's...just....1s...and...0s. Period. The music does not change the 1s and 0s. It's not like it gets compressed in the cable.