Cable Marketing for Dumbies

[JJMP50]

While visiting my local Home Depot Store to purchase some weed killer, it came to my realization that I needed an optical cable. I had been looking around the house for one I knew I had but could not locate. I picked up an RCA Hi-Pro Optical Cable. Upon return to my house, I did one more search through my disorganized cable/wire box and came up with the one I was missing (forgive me AA for I have sinned: It was a Monster). Today I will return my unopened RCA cable, but being a marketing professional myself, I couldn't help noticing one particular feature blurb on the back of the package: "Fiber Optic Signal Transmitter: : Transmits signal at light speed". WOW!!!!!

 

[markw]

When you say you "need" an optical cable...

... are you saying that coaxial I/O is not an option? If not, coaxial works just as well if not better than toslink and generally virtually any standard interconnect will work just fine.

but, yes, the wording they use on some of these products is a hoot. If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with BS.

 

[JJMP50]

Need

This was for my basement (secondary) system. It only has 1 coax and 1 optical and I was already using the coax. It's and entry level Pioneer AVR. It's set up in a very small area and didn't require any high end stuff.

 

[markw]

Gotcha! I'd do the same in this case.

IMNSHO, that's the only time I'd go toslink. ...too many possible ways it can be inferior to coax. Cheap plastic or expensive glass media, funky connections, bends, two extra processing steps... All of which are non-issues with coax.

 

[mustang_steve]

IMO, the only time TOSlink should be considered a must-have is for a PC that's using onboard sound, or your gear doesn't allow for coax.

..but I think spending some green on a good soundcard, like a chaintech AV-710 or an Audgiy2 ZS, and using double-shielded cabling is a better alternative.

 

[mikepinkerton]

It's interesting. On Monster audio cable packaging, they list Good/Better/Best for the un-educated consumer:

Good: L/R analog cables
Better: coax
Best: toslink

Whatever
-Mike

 

[Jagger]

It's interesting. On Monster audio cable packaging, they list Good/Better/Best for the un-educated consumer:

Good: L/R analog cables
Better: coax
Best: toslink

Whatever
-Mike

What they need to do is put the Monster packages is

1. Overpriced
2. Way Overpriced
3. What, are you smoking crack?

 

[agarwalro]

A moot argument I believe

What they need to do is put the Monster packages is

1. Overpriced
2. Way Overpriced
3. What, are you smoking crack?

I totally agree.

IMNSHO, that's the only time I'd go toslink. ...too many possible ways it can be inferior to coax. Cheap plastic or expensive glass media, funky connections, bends, two extra processing steps... All of which are non-issues with coax.

Isnt the choice of toslink or coax a moot argument. They are both digital links. So like with all things digital, you get 100% or zero (no pun intended). I mean in either case there is no way to loose signal quality, either you have perfect digital audio transfer or none if the signal quality or strength goes below the ability of the receiver to differenciate a '0' from a '1' !!!

 

[claudermilk]

So like with all things digital, you get 100% or zero (no pun intended).

How could you NOT mean to make that pun?

It doesn't matter which is used. Monster's marketing machine at work again. I tend to lean to trying to use coax more for durability and connection security than anything else.