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Searching for quality fiber-glass cables

post #1 of 16
12/16/11 at 12:02am
Thread Starter 

I'm trying to find a nice DAC+Amp combo (preferably in one device) and give it the sound via optical cable SPDIF.


After reading much here on the Forum about differences between optical & coax SPDIF, I choose optical because I have a PC.

 

But then I ran into yet another dilemma! Plastic optical cable or Fiber Glass optical cable!

 

Ok, so I found a quality fiber glass cable: Van Der Hul. It's outrageously expensive however. Also, it doesn't have square interface. The end is round. I need square end for my motherboard's output.

 

Any other more decently priced fiber glass cables?

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post #2 of 16
12/16/11 at 4:14am

Good question, anybody?

I need a good optical cable for an Apple TV.

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post #3 of 16
12/16/11 at 5:37am

The two difference that I am aware of between plastic and glass is that glass has less attentuation but plastic is tougher.

 

I know that in telecommunications they have switched to plastic for relatively short lengths because you can literally tie it into a knot and untie it and it will not snap like glass and will still transit light.

 

For very short distances like what you are likely to need I would go plastic.

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post #4 of 16
12/16/11 at 9:41am

 

I suspect that I would hear no difference between glass and plastic with a cheap Apple TV box.

I ham having a hard time even finding a reasonable priced glass fibre.confused.gif

 

BTW, thanks for the kind words about the headphone impedance link.

Somebody else can take credit for finding it, I can't remember his name..............

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post #5 of 16
12/16/11 at 4:47pm
Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris J View Post

 

I suspect that I would hear no difference between glass and plastic with a cheap Apple TV box.

I ham having a hard time even finding a reasonable priced glass fibre.confused.gif

 

BTW, thanks for the kind words about the headphone impedance link.

Somebody else can take credit for finding it, I can't remember his name..............

 

Is glass w/Toslink what you would need? http://www.uniqueproductsonline.com/gltodiopca.html

 

I don't think anyone can hear any difference between a few feet of glass Vs. plastic.

If they can there is something wrong - dirty connectors or something like that.

Do they clean these audio fiber connectors?  They stringently do so in the telecom biz.

 

That's a good link. Thanks again for pointing it out.

OK, I'll no longer credit you for the link - that keeps you off the hook - <LOL>



 

 


Edited by Tribbs - 12/16/11 at 4:53pm
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post #6 of 16
12/18/11 at 5:37am
Thread Starter 

Hey Tribbs! That's exactly what I was looking for. Unfortunately, I can't find that brand "glass toslink" over here in Sweden ::- (.

 

These are the brands I can find:

 

http://www.prisjakt.nu/#rparams=ss=toslink

 

But I don't know which one is fiber glass.

 

I'm trying to click on them and see more data about them, but I don't know how to read it.

 

For example:

 

http://www.proshop.se/Ljudkabel/Toslink-kabel-10m-2152546.html&utm_source=prisjakt

 

It sais that the "mantelmaterial" (mantle material I suppose) is PVC. PVC = plastic (mostly). So I guess this is NOT a  fiber glass one.

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post #7 of 16
12/18/11 at 7:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Axonn View Post

 

It sais that the "mantelmaterial" (mantle material I suppose) is PVC. PVC = plastic (mostly). So I guess this is NOT a  fiber glass one.

 

"Mantelmaterial" means sheath in Swedish.

 

You could use Google to translate words, sentences or web sites.

Just cut and paste the link: http://translate.google.com/?hl=en&tab=wT#sv|en|Mantelmaterial

 

Wait!  Your in Sweden and you can't speak the tongue?

 


Edited by Tribbs - 12/18/11 at 7:47am
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post #8 of 16
12/18/11 at 8:43am

I pulled the trigger on a 4 meter XLO Toslink cable, got it for dirt cheap, I guess XLO is getting out of the optical audio cable business.

I'm gonna research this thing to see if it is plastic or glass,    thanks for the link to glass cable!

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post #9 of 16
12/18/11 at 10:15am

Others have found the Lifatec outperforms the Van Der Hul, haven't compared the Van Der Hul myself. Finding a very well regarded quality cable with the Mac mini-toslink connector is challenging enough, that it comes in at the price of the Lifatec is a bonus.

 

http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html

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post #10 of 16
12/18/11 at 4:25pm
Thread Starter 

Tribbs: I live in Sweden, but that doesn't mean I was born here ;;- ). Also, I know about Google Translate. I guessed what Mantelmateriel is since I do know a bit of Swedish. Just wanted to make sure. Ok, so that's not good.

 

northshore: Damn, I can't find Lifatec here either. Fckin Europe stock ::- D.

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post #11 of 16
12/20/11 at 11:37am
Thread Starter 

Any other brands which make glass fiber cables?

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post #12 of 16
12/20/11 at 3:37pm

I think Nordost used to make them, maybe you can pick up something used, but they are crazy expensive.

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post #13 of 16
12/26/11 at 5:29pm
Thread Starter 

Nah, can't find that either ::- (. I wouldn't buy used fibers. Big big chance of getting ripped off, since I can't inspect if it was used properly during its lifetime.

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post #14 of 16
12/26/11 at 8:19pm

I have seen them on ebay.  

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post #15 of 16
12/30/11 at 6:13am

 

Hmmmmm,  as far as I can make out, the XLO VDO Toslink seems to be a plastic fibre cable.

It is very thick, but very flexible and soft, the connectors fit very snug and it works fine with my Apple TV box.

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