Which Optical?

[admin_exported]

Hi WHFSAV,

I'm in need of some advice on what would be the best Optical Digital Cable to buy which will connect my 875 with my sky hd. Bare with me I have a list:- Chord Optichord, Ixos XHD308, QED Performance Optical, Supra X-ZAC or Van Den Hul Optocoupler MkII.

If money was no object, I would go for Wireworld's Supernova 5 Glass Optical Link, but unfortunately out of my price range.

 

[fr0g]

davyreid:
Hi WHFSAV,

I'm in need of some advice on what would be the best Optical Digital Cable to buy which will connect my 875 with my sky hd. Bare with me I have a list:- Chord Optichord, Ixos XHD308, QED Performance Optical, Supra X-ZAC or Van Den Hul Optocoupler MkII.

If money was no object, I would go for Wireworld's Supernova 5 Glass Optical Link, but unfortunately out of my price range.

Anything above a Decent made maplin (for example) optical cable will be exactly the same quality.

This one will be just as good as any of those branded ones...

 

[Andrew Everard]

Here we go again...

 

[John Duncan]

(gets coat)

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Andrew what do you mean here we go again

 

[Andrew Everard]

davyreid:Hey Andrew what do you mean here we go again

Read any thread on here about cables and you'll see what I mean...

 

[fr0g]

davyreid:Hey Andrew what do you mean here we go again

I think thats a dig at me for 'potentially' starting a cable debate.

I still stand by the comment though. I would simply make sure you have a decently well made cable. Preferably multi strand and with a good quality jacket.

There is a claimed quality increase with glass, but personally, and especially for TV purposes, I would make sure it was simply a decent quality cable. You can get a working Toslink for a quid. I suggest spending about 10 to 15 times that, but not any more. You want good connectors, and multiple strands, but other than that its all in the name IMHO.

If you really want a multistrand glass cable, they can also be had, for less that £30

(And if the dissenting voices disagree, then why at least not suggest something?)

 

[Anonymous]

Tut Tut at me for for boring the preverbials off you Andrew, 'im not worthy(In a Life of Brian Stlyi) straight too the back of the class & face the wall must do better next time'

 

[Andrew Everard]

Don't be silly - you asked a perfectly reasonable question, only to get the usual 'they all sound the same' response any cable thread tends to get.

I wan't at all bored with your question - only with the predictability of the respeonse.

I'd go for the Chord Optichord, which I have used in the past with excellent results.

 

[Anonymous]

Pardon my ignorance but can you connect a Sky HD box to the 875 with an HDMI cable and, if so, wouldn't that be preferable to an optical cable? Or do you need an Optical as well because of the SD output from the HD box?

 

[Andrew Everard]

You can connect Sky HD to the 875 via HDMI, but you'll only get stereo sound.

The 5.1-channel audio output from the Sky HD box is only available on the optical digital connection.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a Supra optical cable which I paid a small fortune for. I needed one that was long and durable.

I agree with frog though, there shouldn't be any significant differences in sound quality with optical cables.

 

[fr0g]

I just think whether or not there is any difference (I have tried 4 or 5 different optical leads ranging from £2 to £30 and have not noticed ANY audible difference, only build quality difference), £40 is silly money to spend on what is essentially an identical lead (insofar as materials go). the fact is, you can get a very well made cable from many places. Pay for the build quality, not the silly markup on branded goods...
For me its like comparing an M&S cotton shirt, to a Lacoste. One has a badge, the other doesn't.

(This is only my opinion)

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew Everard:

You can connect Sky HD to the 875 via HDMI, but you'll only get stereo sound.

The 5.1-channel audio output from the Sky HD box is only available on the optical digital connection.

Thanks Andrew - do you know why the 5.1 signal cannot be passed through the HDMI link?