HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

Been looking for a good 0.5mtr Male to Male TOSLINK lead. Why is it that the prices = Taking the piss?

Because that is what the industry has become.

The Beresford Toslink cable is very good and not expensive.

The best Toslink cable I have found is the Profigold Oxypure OXYA5601. Has an RRP of 45 pounds in the UK.
Absurdly good SQ.
Mass-market manufacturer with zero audiophile credibility. Their Oxypure range is astonishing VFM.

I've just got a woven outer lead 5m for 5 quid

Look on CPC Andr'e. There's a Beresford looking one there for not much, but not sure about lengths though. Loads to choose from there. Mine is woven jacket and I'm sure less than a fiver.

Fretless wrote: ↑Thu May 31, 2018 7:46 pm The Beresford Toslink cable is very good and not expensive.

The best Toslink cable I have found is the Profigold Oxypure OXYA5601. Has an RRP of 45 pounds in the UK.
Absurdly good SQ.
Mass-market manufacturer with zero audiophile credibility. Their Oxypure range is astonishing VFM.

Found one £20 cheers

CPC is part of the Farnell Group - Google is your friend.

So what is better a Toslink cable or a Digital Coax cable ?

Coax is better as there is less processing of the signal involved. With optical, the electrical data stream in converted into laser pulses and reconverted to electrical at the other end.

Any extra processing can lead to jitter, which is when the data stream starts to lose integrity and synchronicity.
Cheap optical cables use plastic rather than glass to carry the light-signal and the lesser-quality materials can also create jitter.
Jitter is then audible as a slight 'veil' effect in the music where detail and definition are compromised.

The advantage of optical is that it is immune to RF or magnetic interference. Which can affect the SQ of a coax link.