Ian Molton wrote:

On Wed, 7 Jan 2004 22:27:59 +0100
"Arild Ingebrigtsen" wrote:

I am about to invest in a high-end Toslink optical cable, and I have
narrowed the field down to these cables: Supra X-ZAC, van den Hul
Optocoupler Mk. II or Transparent High Performance TosLink.
Does anyone have a view on which cable is the better one of these?

Neither. They are both junk.

but did you know that long TOSLINK cabling can 'stretch' the digital bits?
this stretching has a terrible effect on sound quality. You should try to
stick to a shorter length, using an opto-dynamically compensated cabling
run.

It just so happens that I have a three meter run of such a cable here
which I purchased for only 48,000 pounds (and 99 pence).

I'd be happy to let it out of my hands for offers around half that amount
- bearing in mind that I have regularly cleaned the contact area with oil
of ophidia in order to ensure the absolute crispest of digital
reconstruction at the far end of the cable.


You also need to be very careful how you set out the cable. You *must* have
an even number of left/right bends in it else the stereo image loses
definition, and if you have perfect pitch make sure the start and finish of
the cable are at *exactly* the same height. because of the high speed of
light compared to the speed of sound, a fraction of a mm can make all the
difference.

Ian

"Laurence Payne" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 7 Jan 2004 22:27:59 +0100, "Arild Ingebrigtsen"
wrote:

I am about to invest in a high-end Toslink optical cable, and I have
narrowed the field down to these cables: Supra X-ZAC, van den Hul
Optocoupler Mk. II or Transparent High Performance TosLink.
Does anyone have a view on which cable is the better one of these? Are
there
any other cables I should add to my list?

There's no such thing as a high-end toslink cable. Just overpriced
ones, that will perform precisely the same as cheap ones.

what about the flashy packaging!
the expensive ads in the comics!
thats got to be worth the extra dosh...

"Laurence Payne" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 7 Jan 2004 22:27:59 +0100, "Arild Ingebrigtsen"
wrote:

I am about to invest in a high-end Toslink optical cable, and I have
narrowed the field down to these cables: Supra X-ZAC, van den Hul
Optocoupler Mk. II or Transparent High Performance TosLink.
Does anyone have a view on which cable is the better one of these? Are
there
any other cables I should add to my list?

There's no such thing as a high-end toslink cable. Just overpriced
ones, that will perform precisely the same as cheap ones.

what about the flashy packaging!
the expensive ads in the comics!
thats got to be worth the extra dosh...

"Arild Ingebrigtsen" wrote in message
...
I am about to invest in a high-end Toslink optical cable, and I have
narrowed the field down to these cables: Supra X-ZAC, van den Hul
Optocoupler Mk. II or Transparent High Performance TosLink.
Does anyone have a view on which cable is the better one of these? Are
there
any other cables I should add to my list?

Thanks!

Arild




Hi Arid,

I got a Supra X-ZAC and it does seem to sound better than the "cheapie"
Toslink cable that came with my Meridian DAC.

So, I would recommend the X-ZAC. (But I haven't tried the others you named).

Thomas

"Arild Ingebrigtsen" wrote in message
...
I am about to invest in a high-end Toslink optical cable, and I have
narrowed the field down to these cables: Supra X-ZAC, van den Hul
Optocoupler Mk. II or Transparent High Performance TosLink.
Does anyone have a view on which cable is the better one of these? Are
there
any other cables I should add to my list?

Thanks!

Arild




Hi Arid,

I got a Supra X-ZAC and it does seem to sound better than the "cheapie"
Toslink cable that came with my Meridian DAC.

So, I would recommend the X-ZAC. (But I haven't tried the others you named).

Thomas

On Fri, 09 Jan 2004 03:01:21 GMT, "malcolm"
wrote:

There's no such thing as a high-end toslink cable. Just overpriced
ones, that will perform precisely the same as cheap ones.

what about the flashy packaging!
the expensive ads in the comics!
thats got to be worth the extra dosh...

Unfortunately, the questioner may have read our rational responses,
decided he KNOWS we're completely wrong, and wasted his money anyway.

Maybe we should have recommended the least-overpriced, suggesting
they're under-rated, surprisingly musical, even our wives
noticed........
Then, at least he'd have saved SOME dosh :-)

On Fri, 09 Jan 2004 03:01:21 GMT, "malcolm"
wrote:

There's no such thing as a high-end toslink cable. Just overpriced
ones, that will perform precisely the same as cheap ones.

what about the flashy packaging!
the expensive ads in the comics!
thats got to be worth the extra dosh...

Unfortunately, the questioner may have read our rational responses,
decided he KNOWS we're completely wrong, and wasted his money anyway.

Maybe we should have recommended the least-overpriced, suggesting
they're under-rated, surprisingly musical, even our wives
noticed........
Then, at least he'd have saved SOME dosh :-)

On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 01:29:43 +0000
Laurence Payne wrote:

Maybe we should have recommended the least-overpriced, suggesting
they're under-rated, surprisingly musical, even our wives
noticed........
Then, at least he'd have saved SOME dosh :-)

Why? if he didnt take the advice he *deserves* to learn the hard way...


--
Spyros lair: http://www.mnementh.co.uk/ |||| Maintainer: arm26 linux

Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are tasty and good with ketchup.

On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 01:29:43 +0000
Laurence Payne wrote:

Maybe we should have recommended the least-overpriced, suggesting
they're under-rated, surprisingly musical, even our wives
noticed........
Then, at least he'd have saved SOME dosh :-)

Why? if he didnt take the advice he *deserves* to learn the hard way...


--
Spyros lair: http://www.mnementh.co.uk/ |||| Maintainer: arm26 linux

Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are tasty and good with ketchup.

This works now wrote:

I got a Supra X-ZAC and it does seem to sound better than the
"cheapie" Toslink cable that came with my Meridian DAC.

What improvement(s) did you notice?


--
Wally
www.art-gallery.myby.co.uk
On webcam: Black Cat In Coal Cellar