How bad is it to use plastic optical cables?

[DCDireWolf]

Is it just a durabililty issue?  Or will my ears likely hear a difference?

[jpschust]

depends for what purpose- in the realm of live taping, i think you may be able to, but it isnt huge.  in terms of home playback- if you have a decent system i think the increase in jitter is noticable

[DCDireWolf]

Thanks!  I meant for the taping aspect.  At home I'll transfer the shows via usb, digital sound card, and manipulating software.

[jpschust]

it is worth it to up the quality of your cable- they arent that expensive and why risk the jitter.  im not saying go with a 500 dollar cable, im saying what about a 20 dollar cable or even a 50 dollar cable (www.bettercables.com makes the best opti cable ive seen in a long time)

[DCDireWolf]

Right on, thanks for the advice.  I guess for a mere 60 bucks or so I should just suck it up and upgrade.

Why do I get the feeling that I'll be saying something along the lines of "I guess for a mere xxx bucks or so I should just suck it up and upgrade" about a lot of things in this here hobby.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

Right on, thanks for the advice.  I guess for a mere 60 bucks or so I should just suck it up and upgrade.

Why do I get the feeling that I'll be saying something along the lines of "I guess for a mere xxx bucks or so I should just suck it up and upgrade" about a lot of things in this here hobby.

If you haul your rig out to some festival and have equipment issues that cost you 16 hrs of tape, then that extra $20-30 is pretty cheap.  Go ahead and get good components and and they will last a long time and be cheaper in the long run.

[save]

it is worth it to up the quality of your cable- they arent that expensive and why risk the jitter.  im not saying go with a 500 dollar cable, im saying what about a 20 dollar cable or even a 50 dollar cable (www.bettercables.com makes the best opti cable ive seen in a long time)

wow those are some nice cables!  a little pricey, but they look very well built!

[jpschust]

justin, for audiograde cables they are pretty much the cheapest non DIY around.  If you wanna hear something really amusing- my entire home system is done in their cables and their cables only with the exception of my power cables (Todd, how are these coming) and my xbox and game cube cables since those are proprietary.  both my mac pieces of gear, denon, all 5 speakers, every single interconnect and every single component cable is bettercables.com stuff- thats how much i like them.

[save]

justin, for audiograde cables they are pretty much the cheapest non DIY around.  If you wanna hear something really amusing- my entire home system is done in their cables and their cables only with the exception of my power cables (Todd, how are these coming) and my xbox and game cube cables since those are proprietary.  both my mac pieces of gear, denon, all 5 speakers, every single interconnect and every single component cable is bettercables.com stuff- thats how much i like them.

nice i might have to pick up some interconnects from them sometime soon.  look like nice cables!

[jpschust]

if you want to test a pair of the interconnects i may have an extra pair around, or at least a pair i can spare for a week or two if you want to test a cable thats already burned in.  otherwise they have the best return policy in the business.