Is Coax Or Optical Better? Options

[bucko]

Hey there just wondering if there is any audio people on here, I'm slightly baffled weather to get a Coax or Optical cable for my surround set-up at the moment I'm using a 3 analogue cable selection from my PC the sound is pretty good and the sub seems to feel like it's kicking out 500 watts but I want more pure sounds ..

I was thinking of buying a 25ft or so optical cable to my entertainment centre and a coax cable for my PC but they seem pretty expensive a short coax cable is like £12 but is it worth it???? Remember I'm also working with Cubase for uni to make sound for project stuff I need take this into account does Cubase have any coax/optical support or is optical better because it is a fibre cable?

[lostboyz]

technically they are both analog signals so really there should be no difference in theory

i personally use optical


for either of your needs, monoprice.com for great cheap cables

[hamwbone]

lostboyz lostboyz lostboyz.... naughty!

they are both DIGITAL

digitally speaking at 25 ft you are probably going to get the same quality signal. i find that optical is better though because it is not susceptible to electromagnetic interference, which may not hurt the signal, but could cause unwanted noise in the amplification parts of your system.



This post has been edited by hamwbone: Sep 22 2008, 09:10 AM

[APE]

lostboyz lostboyz lostboyz.... naughty!

they are both DIGITAL

digitally speaking at 25 ft you are probably going to get the same quality signal. i find that optical is better though because it is not susceptible to electromagnetic interference, which may not hurt the signal, but could cause unwanted noise in the amplification parts of your system.

I have to concur. At great distances optical would be a better choice as light is impeded far less by say, a mile of glass than electricity is a mile of the best gold plated wire you can find (electrons travel along the outer edge of wire mind you). At short range coax is theoretically better due to not having covert from electricity to light and back that optical has to but I'd challenge you to hear the difference.

That said I pick optical over coax unless it's unavailable or I just need something temporary.

[lostboyz]

lostboyz lostboyz lostboyz.... naughty!

they are both DIGITAL

digitally speaking at 25 ft you are probably going to get the same quality signal. i find that optical is better though because it is not susceptible to electromagnetic interference, which may not hurt the signal, but could cause unwanted noise in the amplification parts of your system.

argh......brain fart

been studying too much