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In Reply to: Cinequest Optilink 1 Toslink, User Comments? posted by 2x6spds on August 19, 2002 at 16:07:33:
This is similar to the Kimber OPT1, which costs about the same, I believe. This grade of Toslink cable has a plastic light conductor and performs adequately IMO (I use the Kimber in my system). The higher priced AudioQuest cables with the quartz conductor are better, but there is only so much performance you can squeeze out of the Toslink interface. I convert my Toslink signals to coax and reclock them using the Monarchy Audio DIP dejitterer.Todd
Follow Ups:
Could you elaborate on the conversion to coax and the reclocking thing? Sorry, but no understanding here.Queries:
What were the problems you intended to correct by converting to coax?
How did you do this?
Why do you have to reclock?
How did you do this?
How much did it all cost?
Do you like the results?Thanks!
Audiophiles have recognized for years that the Toslink digital interface leaves a lot to be desired because of its poor bandwidth and crummy jack design. This makes the interface more prone to digital jitter, which some people feel has a detrimental effect on sound. Others feel this is nonsense.I don't do that much critical listening anymore, but when I was a hardcore audiophile, I did some comparisons on Toslink vs. coax, and also different types of Toslink cables. There did seem to be a difference, even between different types of Toslink cables. I tried out an expensive AudioQuest Toslink cable, and it did sound different from the Kimber I typically use. The Kimber also sounded a little different from a Monster. Assuming the differences I heard were legitimate and not just in my head (as many would claim), digital jitter is the only reasonable explanation for the difference in sound quality. Lower jitter is generally associated with better sound quality.
So what one can do is use a device such as the Monarchy 24/96 DIP (available from Audio Advisor for $249.95 plus shipping) to convert the jitter prone Toslink signal to the wider bandwidth, lower jitter coaxial digital interface. I use this to convert the Toslink-only digital outputs from my Pioneer CLD-95 and LD-S2 laserdisc players to coax. This device also reclocks the signal to lower the jitter coming in from the damned Toslink cable. I then used a relatively high quality but not terribly expensive coax digital cable--Illuminations DV-30 for around $70--to run into my preamp/processor.
If you are not unhappy with your system's performance with Toslink, you can just keep using it, however. The AudioQuest cable you mentioned is a decent product that will get the job done without costing an arm and a leg.
Todd
Thanks for your clear, informed and detailed response. Much appreciated.
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