Topic: Favorite Optical Cable??

[Nick in Edinboro]

I use a 1.5 foot Dayton Digital Optical Cable, for $6.90 I don't think it can be beat

Take care,
Nick

[Brian Skalinder]

whats jitter???

Put on yer thinkin' cap, Bean:

http://www.digido.com/portal/pmodule_id=11/pmdmode=fullscreen/pageadder_page_id=28

[zhianosatch]

FUCKIN' SHIT
are you guys reading that jitter business? can we even hear it?

[Tim]

can we even hear it?

maybe, if you're playback is good enough.

in the field jitter is what limits the length of digital patch chains.

[fozzy]

Are these acceptable for patching a pair of jb3's
http://www.national-tech.com/images/40av-81002.jpg

ie.
                        > jb3
ua5 > splitter
                        > jb3


http://www.national-tech.com/images/40av-81002.jpg

[BCostigan]

whats jitter??? i had an electronics class, but i dont think we got that far

Bean...it's what happens after a few nights of real hard dinkin'  .

 

[Nick in Edinboro]

Are these acceptable for patching a pair of jb3's
http://www.national-tech.com/images/40av-81002.jpg

ie.
                        > jb3
ua5 > splitter
                        > jb3


http://www.national-tech.com/images/40av-81002.jpg

From my one physics class (Nature of Light and Color) I think all it's doing is splitting the signal--however I believe this refraction will weaken the signal (by what magnitude I have no idea).  

Provided two things it should work:
 a. the signal path after the splitter is fairly short (I'd assume it would be anyways)
 b. the JB3 isn't as picky about the optical input as it is about it's power

Forgive me if it's not refraction, my terminology is rusty  Experiments with water and a light and refracted angles comes to mind when I see that part.

[Nick in Edinboro]

Alright, this kinda intrigues me so I did some more googling..

Some sites say that a splitter weakens the signal only a little bit.  The Y couplers you mention are probably passive spliters, apparently they make active ones too which couple the input with some electricity to help even the distribution of the signal.

One site I found mentions this:

Fiber optic couplers attenuate the signal much more than a connector or splice because the input signal is divided among the output ports. For example, with a 1 X 2 fiber optic coupler, each output is less than one-half the power of the input signal (over a 3 dB loss).

An optical splitter is a passive device that splits the optical power carried by a single input fiber into two output fibers. Figure 4-25 illustrates the transfer of optical power in an optical splitter. The input optical power is normally split evenly between the two output fibers. This type of optical splitter is known as a Y-coupler

Lots more there to read, including some helpful graphics if you visit the site.  Seems competent.

[Nick in Edinboro]

This might be a good read too:
http://www.fiber-optics.info/articles/op-amp.htm

[willndmb]

I have and use the Sound Pros SP-TMOC-RA toslink right-angle to mini right-angle.

I also picked up from CablesAmerica (the obsessive side of me insists I have 2 cables in case one fails):

1m Sonicwave Glass Optical ($24.91, compare v. $50 Sound Pros SP-TOC-99HQ)
Velocity toslink to mini right angle adapter ($2.22, compare v. $5 Sound Pros SP-MINI-90)

Right now, I'm mostly using the SP one because I like the integrated right-angles instead of the adapters.  But I like the robustness of the SonicWave cable and the metal connector grips (though, of course, the toslink connector itself is still plastic) and plan to use that combo for a while to figure out which I prefer.  See attached pic for the SonicWave + toslink/mini adapter v. SP right-angle cable.

withe the SP cable
when its plugged into a ua5 or anything for that matter
which way does the cable "turn"?  if i am looking at the front would it turn right,left,up,down

this is important based on the way my gear is set up in my bag
thanks

[Brian Skalinder]

when its plugged into a ua5 or anything for that matter
which way does the cable "turn"?

It rotates freely through 360º so you can set it wherever you want it.  Check this thread for a less expensive source of the same SP cable.  I think they've raised the price since I got mine, but it's still much less expensive than SP.

[willndmb]

when its plugged into a ua5 or anything for that matter
which way does the cable "turn"?

It rotates freely through 360º so you can set it wherever you want it.  Check this thread for a less expensive source of the same SP cable.  I think they've raised the price since I got mine, but it's still much less expensive than SP.

ohh nice +t

[Weirdness]

There's a guy who's on ebay and audiogon that does the glass optical cables for I think $17 for a 1m and $20 for a 2m.  I have heard that these are somewhat fragile, so it might not be a good bet in the field.  People rave about them, say they're better than alot of high end coax cables, but I haven't heard one yet to say.  Ordered a 1m to go from my CD burner to my DAC and one for my home theatre system, I'll report back if my mind is blown when I get them in...

[Kindguy]

I use a 1.5 foot Dayton Digital Optical Cable, for $6.90 I don't think it can be beat

Take care,
Nick

I also use this it's the perfect length. Put the SP right angle in the Tupperware for backup. The SP cable is just a little to long for my liking.

[F.O.Bean]

I use a 1.5 foot Dayton Digital Optical Cable, for $6.90 I don't think it can be beat

Take care,
Nick

I also use this it's the perfect length. Put the SP right angle in the Tupperware for backup. The SP cable is just a little to long for my liking.

same here, thats when i nylon-tie comes in handy, not too snug tho!