Optical to coax convertor?

[CageyH]

Can anyone recommend a good, but cheap optical to coax convertor?
A PC upgrade means I have lost my coax out, but have a digital optical.
I use a 5m long cable to run to my DAC, so changing to an optical cable is out of the question.

[Gazjam]

Hi mate

I'd go with this one.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/POF-830-Optical-Coaxial-Converter-Optical/dp/B0015LNV2M?tag=whhifi-21

Any jitter it introduces (if any and probably not?) would be sorted by your Standac.

[CageyH]

Thanks for the suggestion Gaz.
I plugged it in yesterday, and immediately disconnected it. Unfortunately it is distorting the sound, so it will be going back.

Back to the drawing board.
I have reverted back to the USB cable for now, but I am still looking for a decent optical to coax converter.

[JimC]

With Optical and Coax you're limited to 192kHz or maybe even 96kHz.
Using your USB you will have access to the higher Sampling rates, if your DAC accepts them and your PC outputs them.

Searching online just shows up the same box that you tried.
There's not a lot in these things to go wrong, TOSLINK receiver, 74HCU04 or similar, an O/P matching Transformer and an RCA Socket.
Have you another coming?

If you really get no-where I may have all the bits needed to make you one !!

Jim.

[CageyH]

Jim,

Thanks for the offer.

I need to check what the PC outputs on the optical output.
I am currently looking into a decent sound cad for the new PC, or building my old PC into a smaller case to have a dedicated media server. The other option is a new USB card as most of my USB ports are full, and to stream, I need to disconnect something.

As you mention, the other option is to try another of these boxes as I think mine is faulty. That will only cost me a bit of time.

[mikmas]

Can anyone recommend a good, but cheap optical to coax convertor?


Lindy do an optical/coax converter - I have one of their mini-DACs and it does a good job.
https://www.lindy.co.uk/audio-video-c2/converters-scalers-c105/spdif-digital-toslink-audio-converter-and-repeater-p2732

[JimC]

.......I need to check what the PC outputs on the optical output.......

Good point this. PC upgrade, it could be outputting in Dolby Digital or DTS or similar which a Stereo DAC will reprduce as noise.

Jim.

[StanleyB]

With optical from a PC you get isolation from mains and ground noise born interference. You also get a far stronger digital signal. On Toslink it is typical 3.3V or 5V. On coax it is just 0.6V. But the added noise in the coax connection does give an added sense of more info in the audio.
Most optical to coax converters struggle to convert anything above 48kHz. I tested quite a few with the intention of selling one. But they all failed to play 96kHZ or above. But that is some time ago. Maybe they have improved since then.

[wee tee cee]

A 5m fisual optical like the pearl or hollywood are round about a tenner. Convertors cany vary quite a bit sonically, then different co-ax!!

The fisuals are great bang for buck-think the holywood is glass if memory serves.

[CageyH]

Thanks.
I will look into an optical cable. The good thing about the RG316 coax is that it is very easy to hide. I think the optical cable will be a bit bigger.

[CageyH]

I have just ordered an optical cable.
I could not get a fisual pearl, so went with something else.

[CageyH]

Optical cable has arrived, and I have the same issue with distorted sound.
Looks like it is the digital output of the PC playing up.

[CageyH]

Fixed with a driver update. :doh:

[CageyH]

Just to update the progress on this thread, I bought an Asus SPDIF output card (like this) (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPDIF-Optical-and-RCA-Out-Plate-Cable-Bracket-for-ASUS-Gigabyte-MSI-Motherboard-/182484182912) which has given me back my coax out. Now I can do a back to back comparison between the optical and coax outputs on my PC.

[wee tee cee]

Great news.....glad you got it sorted.

My son had a pal over last night and was playing around with his system....he runs a mac book i think!

He has a wee opto coupler because i ordered a normal 5m fisual glass with the toslink connections-it needs the 3.5 mm convertor for the mac.

My son can control the mac with his phone so i went down to the cellar and brought up a pure glass optical Mark Grant sold me years ago.

Plumbed in the difference was very apparent-real jump in resolution and soundstage/separation.

Had a bake off years ago-thread on here somewhere.

Optical vary quite significantly sonically.

[technobear]

This is the answer for long distance S/P-DIF (or crappy sources): https://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-spdif-ipurifier/

[montesquieu]

Jake is selling a Genesis Digital Lens that does all sorts of conversions .. possibly worth a look as well.