Long optical / normal interconnect or normal optical / long interconnect

A 3m optical cable will cause no issues - i'd go that route. 

james n posted:

A 3m optical cable will cause no issues - i'd go that route. 

+1. I use AQ Forrest 5m because I wasn’t expecting TV to be worth the extra cost. But to my surprise I get great SQ through my nDAC. Every time the system gets better the TV bits also get better, and I know the TV and the HiFi system are isolated. I think that Simon in S has said that maybe a little noise makes a more enjoyable sound. The TV is also a great Media Player from my NAS when I don’t want to play a CD.

Phil

I also use AQ Forest 5 m from my virgin box to Naim Nova as the Pioneer has no sound card. Surprisingly good SQ, watched Old Grey Whistle test last night, very good indeed

I have 5m of optical between TV & NDX.  Optical carries a better SQ in my experience,   My new TV only has optical so I have no choice,  but on a previous TV I had both wire & optical possibilities & I tried it with both.  

Thanks everyone! Looks like longer optical is the way to go. I'm just had a quick measure and it seems 5m will be a more comfortable length (but Mike's post reassures me that's not a problem!).

Haha, I take your 5m connections and raise you 10m optical S/Pdif connections from my PVR and my Blue-Ray player to my 272!

In those days new tv's has no analogue audio outputs, only digital (toslink). I think as long the toslink cable stays straight (+,-) and not bent (too much) there is no problem with length 5m.

With TOSLINK (the connector ends) It seems 5m is an OK length but 10m is possible with good quality cables.  So that begs the question,  what is the measure of best quality with optical 'cables',  what construction/fibre/glass type,  what recommended brand(s).    I bought mine because the vendor said it was more flexible than others & that was something I needed for the install.

Both mine are 10m and both are v. cheap (<£10 ea.) simple step index plastic fibres, both end up with bends on a 50mm radius.

I would guess that glass fibre optic Toslink would be better over longer distances that the cheaper plastic (POF) cables. They can be stiffer, though, and awkward to handle. I have a Flashback Toslink which is good, but stiff and uncooperative - the NACA5 of digital cables! 

Another consideration is rack space, no point in putting any source component on there if you have to squeeze it in next to a PSU. 

Hi Toslink has a recommended length of 5metres with a technical maximum of 10 metres, so you should be fine with 3 metres. Best keep interconnects, especially unbalanced ones, relatively short.

Simon

Single mode graduated index glass fibres are good for 100s of km.
Multi-mode glass fibres are good for many km.

In the 10s of metres, plastic is fine.

I believe the limit is with the Toslink connectors rather than the 'cable'.

The limit is with the entire 'system' - interface, connector and fibre cable.... as far as fibre tech goes, Toslink is very basic indeed..

The technology  in long distance fibre and its interfacing is fascinating - especially when you drive the frequency up... In telecommunications both plastic glass fibre and glass fibre have their specific uses and one is not automatically better than the other for all applications.... but Toslink really is not  anywhere near the same league of application...... whether Toslink uses plastic-glass fibre or glass fibre I suggest is entirely moot.

To use an analogy, comparing Toslink to long distance Telecoms optics is like comparing a garden hose to aircraft hydraulics (and the levels of technology involved are similar!).

hmm - I like that