Optical cable glass or plastic

[gilesw]

Hi Aosers,

I was looking to buy some new optical cables after testing out my current ones which are pretty scratched compared to a decent coax. Markgrant are sold out of their optical ones, is there somewhere else I can get glass optical cables that aren't covered in some expensive brandname or should I just use plastic?

[YNWaN]

I would use coax.

How did your cables get scratched? In fact, I don't know what you mean by this:


which are pretty scratched compared to a decent coax.

[johncaul]

Hi Giles, Stan Beresford Sells a decent one, i use it to link my PC to my DAC. ref toslink vs coax, I'm unsure coax is better- particularly for PCs given their preponderance to introduce ground hum. I tried a side by side comparisons using a Cambridge spdif coax and the Beresford toslink. I used music types across the board and different formats varying from Linn high res downloads to ripped CDs. My view is the toslink sounds better, the dynamics are better, instruments have better definition and are placed more accurately in the sound stage. I can't help thinking coax cables allow all sorts of electronic muck from the pc into the DAC. Incidentally Stan Beresford recommended toslink for computer audio (he sells toslink and coax so should be unbiased), but then again the designers at Schiit (I own a bifrost DAC) recomend coax! I wonder if toslink has a poor reputation because the cables are much cheaper than high end coax, i.e. less profitable! Anyway, this article is pretty interesting: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/toslink/toslink.html

Cheers
John

[Mike]

As someone who's livelihood depends on fibre-optic cables.... Glass!

It's just not worth the compromise! :nono:

[Stratmangler]

As someone who's livelihood depends on fibre-optic cables.... Glass!

It's just not worth the compromise! :nono:

Yes, but you look at luminescence reduction over tens of kilometers :eyebrows:

[Mike]

No I don't!

You, Sir, are implying that I might actually do something that constitutes "work". How very dare you! :D

[Stratmangler]

My cat (or should I say my master?) has a similar revulsion to the "W" word :D

[Stratmangler]

There is, of course, the remote possibility that the means by which you earn credits with which to line The Chancellor's coffers is in fact something you enjoy.

So you fulfill the "Spinal Tap" maxim of "have a good time, all the time" :D

[Butuz]

Always use glass!

Butuz

[theriskdude]

Always use glass!

For the unenlightened amongst us could you elaborate on why glass is best ?

Cheers

Mike

[Stratmangler]

For the unenlightened amongst us could you elaborate on why glass is best ?

Cheers

Mike

:popcorn:

[Stu @ M Developments]

Back to back I have found no audible difference on my system at all between Coaxial and Glass Toslink, but I discovered the Toslink doesnt support 24/192 on the DAC so that was my deciding factor.

[goraman]

I use these they are all glass and work wonderfully.
Do not bend under a 2 inch radius and it will last forever, no degrading.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-3-ft-GLASS-TOSLINK-DIGITAL-OPTICAL-CABLE-Premium-/390377015521?pt=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item5ae44888e1

[goraman]

I use these they are all glass and work wonderfully.
Do not bend under a 2 inch radius and it will last forever, no degrading.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-3-ft-GLASS-TOSLINK-DIGITAL-OPTICAL-CABLE-Premium-/390377015521?pt=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item5ae44888e1

[Butuz]

Basically plastic has much higher transmission loss than glass.

Now whether that difference is noticeable on a 0.5m toslink cable is a whole nother matter, but as the cost differences between plastic and glass on "non wanky audiophile" toslink cables are so small I frankly don't see the point in even bothering with plastic.

Butuz

[Stratmangler]

Basically plastic has much higher transmission loss than glass.

Now whether that difference is noticeable on a 0.5m toslink cable is a whole nother matter, but as the cost differences between plastic and glass on "non wanky audiophile" toslink cables are so small I frankly don't see the point in even bothering with plastic.

Butuz

Ah, so you use the glass because it makes you feel better, having left no stone unturned as it were?
Nothing wrong with that :eyebrows:

[AlexM]

What diameter is the fibre on a toslink cable?. The benefits of lower loss and scatter from glass may not be significant at the wavelengths and bit rates we are talking about here. I think toslink uses leds rather than lasers so the waveguide must be a lot thicker.

I know that some glass cables use a bundle of single mode fibres, but not sure that this is a good idea. A non standard single fibre thickness would be expensive and possibly impractical. A single or. multitude network fibre wouldn't work well with the 'wrong' frequency (450mm?). A single plastic core with the optimum diameter may well be better than glass with the wrong diameter.

I wonder who will be first to offer an spdif toslink - toslink spdif connection with a decent laser transciever. I think the toslink modules themselves are more likely to be the limiting factor than the cable itself.... All IMHO.

Alex

Regards,
Alex

[NRG]

1mm core with LED. We're talking 2.8Mbit transmission rate @ 44.1KHz so single core plastic Toslink over 1m is just fine ;)

[StanleyB]

Now whether that difference is noticeable on a 0.5m toslink cable is a whole nother matter,
but as the cost differences between plastic and glass on "non wanky audiophile" toslink cables are so small I frankly don't see the point in even bothering with plastic.
The glass version is far more expensive to make. It is not small at all.

[Butuz]

The glass version is far more expensive to make. It is not small at all.

Your talking £30 for a decent glass cable and a tenner for a plastic one?

Yes that £20 is very very very small difference compared to what many people on this forum spend on mains cables or speaker cables.

Butuz

[Butuz]

I think the toslink modules themselves are more likely to be the limiting factor than the cable itself.... All IMHO.

Alex

Regards,
Alex

Spot on :)

I am not arguing for or against that the difference between glass or plastic is hearable, I am just saying why bother to use a cable known and scientifically proven to be inferior over distance just for the sake of a £20 saving compared to the many hundreds or even thousands of pounds people spend on other bizarre items that may not have been scientifically proven or measured such as speaker cables or mains cables?

It's like pouring a nice pint off fine ale into a plastic glass. Noooooooo :cool:

Butuz

[goraman]

Spot on :)

I am not arguing for or against that the difference between glass or plastic is hearable, I am just saying why bother to use a cable known and scientifically proven to be inferior over distance just for the sake of a £20 saving compared to the many hundreds or even thousands of pounds people spend on other bizarre items that may not have been scientifically proven or measured such as speaker cables or mains cables?

It's like pouring a nice pint off fine ale into a plastic glass. Noooooooo :cool:

Butuz

WOW! there is something wrong about that, would you drink a fine single malt scotch out of a plastic cup? Some things are just wrong.

[StanleyB]

Does it sound better if you pay with cash or a credit card though?

[istari_knight]

I've always used glass so cant tell you if there's any difference... Keep an eye out for "Cable Talk Optical 3" it uses glass core & sells for a tenner or so normally so not worth messing about with others IMO.

[Reid Malenfant]

I think the toslink modules themselves are more likely to be the limiting factor than the cable itself.... All IMHO.
Well said, they are a lot slower than the leading & falling edges of something squirted through a coaxial connection.

It's why I try to avoid the things like the plague :eyebrows: Give me coaxial any day, even if it's the compromised phono connected S/PDIF ;)