toslink (Optical) or coaxial?

[Nathan P]

So? Which do you use/prefer. I have optical right now, but I have setup a home theater with coaxial, and both sounded great. Is there any real world difference, or is it just preference?

[David Meek]

Well, this one ranks right up there with "cheap speaker cables vs. expensive speaker cables".

Personally, I heard a difference and like coax better. In the various attempts at A/B-testing them that I've been around, to me Toslink had a bit of a harsh edge to the sound. However, YMMAPWV (your mileage may, and probably will vary)!

[Fishy]

I also prefered the coax over the optical connection. Both were good quality cables, but just found the quality from the coax better.

Fish

[George Bellefontaine]

Honestly, I have used both early on and could not tell any difference in quality. But I have been using, for some time now, one of Doug's coax cables, running from my Sony 7700 to the Denon. It beats anything I heard from cheaper coax or the mid-priced optical cables I had used previously.

[Alloroc]

I also prefered the coax over the optical connection. Both were good quality cables, but just found the quality from the coax better.

Fish

Ditto.