Coaxial or optical for digital sound?

[Reverend Maynard]

Howdy all. This came up when I was hanging out back in the audio department, at BB where I rarely work, and noone back there could agree upon which was better for stereo hook-uping, coaxial or optical.

Anyone have any insight on this topic? I am terribly curious on the subject.

[Greebe]

digital is digital... tho if those so called audiophiles would like to challange me on the dithering effect go right ahead

RG6 provides more than enough bandwidth for your purposes

[Dogbert]

Errr... well,

A bad coaxial will cause inerferences to the signal (try using a non coaxial cable and turn on a neon light).
An optical cable either works or not. Let's say it's much harder to cause interferences on optical data

[KvHagedorn]

If the cables are decent and make good connection, it makes no difference whatsoever. If anyone starts arguing about sound quality here, it's just mental masturbation for pseudointellectual audiophile wannabes..

There might be a preference among some for coaxial, simply because the connection is more positive, no other reason.

[Gurm]

The issue in my mind isn't sound quality as much as compatibility. You have a greater chance of the components "disagreeing" or "not seeing each other" with optical. That said, there is no (zero) chance of interference on an optical connection.

So if optical works, use it. If not, coaxial should be fine. And the interference won't cause sound quality degradation anyway, but rather dropouts. Digital is digital, after all.

- Gurm

[DentyCracker]

Dropouts are soud quality degradations aren't they. If what you hear is different from what is being output I call that degradation . But I know what you mean I'm just being an idiot.
No work this week (though I'd rather they had paid me before Christmas Eve and worked today and tomorrow)

[Greebe]

The only way any decient quality coax can have dropouts is if it's poorly terminated.

[ahartman]

You should go with optical cables with gold-plated connectors.

(yes, I realize the silliness in that statement - but there is a company pushing gold plated connectors on their optical cables - it cracked me up enough to post it here).

I've read nothing that leads me to believe that either medium of transporting digital signals is better than the other, all things being equal. Now, if cost is an issue, you can make your own coax cable for about $5. Try that with an optical cable...

Also, if the 2nd paragraph wasn't enough, please realize I was kidding with the first sentence.

[Jammrock]

The arguement I heard against optical cables is when the recieving end has crappy photoelectric diodes, or the fiber isn't seated right, so all the information isn't sent/recieved correctly. That's the main reason people prefer coax, for the positive connection like several have said. I have personally never used the optical connection on my system, even though I have a few devices that could use it. I may test it one of these days. The cables are rather expensive...per say.

Jammrock

[Sasq]

From an ex-telecommunications tech who used to splice and test interstate trunk lines.

The fibre used in audio equipment – well all that I’ve run across here anyway seems fairly robust if seated properly. However I really don’t see any benefit in using it.

Coax you can make to your own length, specifications etc. much cheaper then you could even begin with fibre. For low bandwidth (compared to my last job) it doesn’t really make any difference (except cost) from a data standpoint.

Gold plated connectors – bwhahahahahahahahahaha

Dan

[2Whyzzi]

for what its worth (not much, anyway)

Can't say I've used Coax digital

but my 3foot optical cable from my cheapass GE/Thompson/RCA DVD player to my Cheapass Kenwood Digital (not DTS) receiver works OK.

[borat]

never used either but what hifi magazine which i think is the most widey read in the uk recommend coax over optical any day. cant verify that though.

[Liquid Snake]

I use coax for digital audio. It tends to be more durable than optical cables, and as many said, you can easily make your own.

[Dogbert]

http://www.audioholics.com/F&Q/F&Q_07-05-00.htm

[Greebe]

Oh lordeee...

1) Cable runs over 10ft

2) Cable runs in close proximity to video and power cords emanating RF noise

A 1.) over ten feet (3.3m) Bwahahahahahahaa... what a laugh... "digital cable" (like from the cable company) uses RG6 for runs that are 100's of feet long without impairment... why should more than 10 feet be an issue?

A 2.) If you make your digital interconnects with good quality RG6(or any high quality coax) then common mode noise won't be an issue... It is shielded! DOH!!!
(does this guy even know what common mode noise is... I think not!