Optical or Coaxial Cable which is better?

[Jazzartist]

I have used Coaxial cable so far and thinking about switching to Optical cable . No one in our Hi Fi Community can come up with the proper answer. I would like some input form our
Knowldgeable Board members to answer to my question.

Jazzartist


PS : If this question is alraedy answered in any other thread please let me know .

 

[buns]

I have always been under the impression that coaxial was marginally better in most instances. Im not an expert, but i can make an educated guess!

Coax i guess is going to be prone to picking up external interference and it is going to also have resistive losses.

Optical will probably not gain interference (i assume) but it may well have problems with losses.....certainly a number of the waveguides we use for precision stuff are very expensive.......

On that short thinking, i would say optical could be better, but i'd not be sure!

not much use really!

ad

 

[mjn]

the question has been asked numerous times.....

but i'd say that optical is the better option, as like buns says, it cannot be affected by interference. You won't suffer any signal loss, unless you start bending the cable past about 140 degrees!!

 

[buns]

and another question that has frequently asked is about cable quality. I would say that cable quality for optical is more important than for coax. But that would be another can of worms!

ad

 

[mjn]

well, since the usual cable length for optical in home use is about 1m, i don't think the quality of the glass is an issue.

In a day when optics can go for thousands of km, i don't think 1m is gonna cause any signal loss!!

 

[buns]

Originally posted by mjn
well, since the usual cable length for optical in home use is about 1m, i don't think the quality of the glass is an issue.

In a day when optics can go for thousands of km, i don't think 1m is gonna cause any signal loss!!

But as you mention, the angles are important. In the set up we are considering, it is higly possible there could be quite a bend......

but anyhow, optical should be better and i wont argue that.

ad

 

[Nic Rhodes]

This has been done to death

try:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=31891&referrerid=15820

long but worth a read

I particularly like What Hifi answer on this, this month, basically electrical is better than optical because of all the changes. Haven't they ever listened to the best cable connection, ST optical? Quality press.....

 

[buns]

I didnt know about that thread...... prior to my main posting days. Thanks.

The 'what-hifi theorem' is unfortunately a very good example of people thinking they know then from a position with the power of the press, spreading gobbledeegook which manages to confuse everyone. Result being those who know the truth spend their time explaining it rather than doing more constructive things. But thats not the thread topic.

Thanks beekeeper.

ad

 

[CJROSS]

http://forum.hifichoice.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1580

 

[WhyAyeMan]

Cheers CJ, actually I started that thread because I saw this one.... and also because I was genuinley curious myself.

 

[Big_AL007]

According to the knowledgable guys at my local HIFI emporium, coax is better as the signal dont get turned in to light then turned back again !!!!
Never tried it though myself...

 

[buns]

but coax will experience greater losses. It is a bit of swings and roundabouts, the difference is quite small in any instances i have seen. To my mind, the conversion between optical and electrical digital should not cause problems.

ad

 

[WhyAyeMan]

My opinion is this. Try them both, see which one sounds best. Its likely the difference will be very small, but I reckon the co-ax will be the best as its likely as someone already said to be the conversion from electric to light that has any noticable side effects to the sound quality IMO. Got co-ax now? I wouldnt waste any more money if i was you.

 

[buns]

this is an impossible topic! lets stop revisiting it!

ad

 

[Big_AL007]

OK then....