| Author | Subject: Is "optical" connection superior to "digital coaxial"? |
| mike | Posted At 18:16:05 05/16/2001
Is one better than the other? |
| Matthew Valentini |
Re: Is (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 21:44:08 05/16/2001 I wondered the same thing so I bought both a monster coax and an optical. I noticed absolutely no difference and the copper was $15 cheaper for the same length of wire, so I returned the optical. The greatest part about digitial is that it's lossless (in transit, of course). In fact a cheap RCA cable sounds the same as the $60 monster cable. But why would you be asking on an analog-junky bbs? |
| Eli Duttman |
Re: Is "optical" connection superior to "digital coaxial"? (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 00:00:20 05/17/2001 No, it most definitely is not! As a matter of fact, the coaxial cable is clearly superior. TOSLINK has significant problems with jitter. As for an inexpensive cable being good, it's possible if the characteristic impedance of the wire and the RCA connectors are true 75 Ohm. Otherwise, you get signal reflections in the cable and as a consequence jitter. The interconnect I use between my "transport" and my jitter reduction unit (yeah, I'm a "dyed in the wool" audionut) cost me a lot less than that $60 "Monster" is charging. It's made from Canare 75 Ohm Coaxial cable (RG6U class) and is terminated with Canare true 75 Ohm RCA males. I bought my cable (fully assembled) from Michael Percy, a DIY parts seller ("http://www.bainbridge.net/percyaudio/"). |
| Matthew |
Re: Is (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 11:17:51 05/17/2001 Oh really? Thanks Eli, I didn't know that. That's $60 canadian btw. |
| Skeptical |
Re: Is (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 09:17:40 05/19/2001 I'd say it depends on the particular situation. While what Eli says is fundamentally true, and in most cases coax may be preferable, it's not always the case. Apart from it's relatively poor TOSLINK connector, and the fact that some manufacturers often use less than ideal optical conductors, optical cables do occasionally have some advantages. Coax carries an electrical signal and is therefore succeptable to many more external influences such as EMI and RFI. It's then occasionally unsuitable for longer cable runs (although that probably isn't an issue in the average audio or home theater set up). But some systems do have issues with EMI and/or RFI, and an optical connection may be preferable in that case. But ultimately, it's up to you. Which ever is preferable due to distortions or lack thereof is your decision (unless you'd just feel better owning an "audiophile approved" cable, then it doesn't really matter, does it?). |
| Randy |
Re: Is (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 17:27:53 05/25/2001 Hi, just my two cents...the conventional audiophile wisdom (endorsed by the Absolute Sound for years) is that the coax is much better than the Toslink. So I used coax (the Canare mentioned above is excellent). Then Bound For Sound came out with the heresy that he got better results listening with the Toslink. Apparently that interface has improved over the years. So I installed the Toslink (Monster Cable) between the source and my jitter box, and voila! Much better sound! More relaxed, and less sibilant... Advice? Try both. |