Divasson Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 In this forum there are some hardcore mapleshade users (me among them). Has any of them listened to the new mapleshade Toslink cable? Mapleshade Clearlink Optical Toslink Cable (standard)-shop.mapleshadestore.com They seem to follow the same path they have been using in electrical cables: thinner, longer, high resistance - but in optical! from my Mac mini to my Devialet, optical is a very desirable option since it isolates electrically the DAC from the computer (provided it sounds better than usb, as Pierre states) Link to comment
new_media Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 A longer run being superior to a shorter run doesn't make much sense for fiber optic transmission, but in the lengths you're talking about it really shouldn't make any difference. I'm not even sure what would be analogous to electrical resistance with respect to optical transmission. I think a lot of people avoid using optical connections because there is no mechanism for mitigating jitter. Link to comment
mac_and_dac Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 I think a lot of people avoid using optical connections because there is no mechanism for mitigating jitter. Many DAC's these days reclock the L/R word data. As long as I'm not getting clicks as a result of my Toslink cable, I'm happy with it. Front End: Neet Airstream Digital Processing: Chord Hugo M-Scaler DAC: Chord Dave Amplification: Cyrus Mono x300 Signatures Speakers: Kudos Titan T88 Link to comment
Jud Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Toslink tends to be bandwidth-limited, so depending on the resolutions you like to play you may want to factor this into your thinking. For that reason, Macs used to be hardware-limited to 24/96 through the optical output, though I don't know whether that's still true. One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature. Link to comment
mkrzych Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Toslink tends to be bandwidth-limited, so depending on the resolutions you like to play you may want to factor this into your thinking. For that reason, Macs used to be hardware-limited to 24/96 through the optical output, though I don't know whether that's still true. Yes, it's true without any third party drivers. But, to my ears 24/96 if done properly, meaning recorded by good high resolution mics should be enough for you. I've just recently analysed some of my 24/192 recordings and they carrying mostly the quantization noise and nothing in musical content above the around 30-40kHz. -- Krzysztof Maj http://mkrzych.wordpress.com/ "Music is the highest form of art. It is also the most noble. It is human emotion, captured, crystallised, encased… and then passed on to others." - By Ken Ishiwata Link to comment
Jud Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Yes, it's true without any third party drivers. But, to my ears 24/96 if done properly, meaning recorded by good high resolution mics should be enough for you. I've just recently analysed some of my 24/192 recordings and they carrying mostly the quantization noise and nothing in musical content above the around 30-40kHz. I personally don't think the goodness of hi res, if it exists, comes from frequencies we can't hear. Edit: I don't think third party drivers will necessarily help. Certainly if you have one of the Macs whose hardware is limited to 24/96 optical output, that can't be fixed by software. Also, Toslink itself as a protocol is bandwidth-limited, so it's something to consider if you have recordings in, or like to use software to resample to, higher PCM resolutions or DSD. On the other hand, if you have Redbook and aren't interested in upsampling, or you have some high res but it's limited to the occasional 24/96 file, then you'll be perfectly fine. One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature. Link to comment
mkrzych Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 I personally don't think the goodness of hi res, if it exists, comes from frequencies we can't hear. Edit: I don't think third party drivers will necessarily help. Certainly if you have one of the Macs whose hardware is limited to 24/96 optical output, that can't be fixed by software. Also, Toslink itself as a protocol is bandwidth-limited, so it's something to consider if you have recordings in, or like to use software to resample to, higher PCM resolutions or DSD. On the other hand, if you have Redbook and aren't interested in upsampling, or you have some high res but it's limited to the occasional 24/96 file, then you'll be perfectly fine. I wouldn't say that 24/96 is occasional. Not sure that there is a lot of mics with good 24/192 abilities, but there are lots of remasterings with 24/192 even they're not recorded with that resolution. One goodnes for hi res might be, this is sometimes better mastering - depends on the label, but for the good one difference between redbook and high resolution is disputable and depends also on the kind of music. I think the most comes from classical high resolution recordings and acoustic jazz. -- Krzysztof Maj http://mkrzych.wordpress.com/ "Music is the highest form of art. It is also the most noble. It is human emotion, captured, crystallised, encased… and then passed on to others." - By Ken Ishiwata Link to comment
Solstice380 Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Check into the SysConcepts 1300 strand Toslink/mini cable for connecting to a Mac. I have one. It was the best Toslink cable I found before I abandoned Toslink due to the limitations that Jud listed. They are relatively inexpensive, too. I'd even sell mine cheap if you want to try it. It's just sitting on a shelf. https://audiophilestyle.com/profile/21384-solstice380/?tab=field_core_pfield_3 Link to comment
Jud Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 I wouldn't say that 24/96 is occasional. We may be having communication difficulty. When I mentioned "the occasional 24/96 file," what I meant is that if you own mostly Redbook recordings along with perhaps a few 24/96 files, and don't upsample in software, then any limitation with Toslink to 24/96 playback will of course not be a problem. One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature. Link to comment
mkrzych Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 We may be having communication difficulty. When I mentioned "the occasional 24/96 file," what I meant is that if you own mostly Redbook recordings along with perhaps a few 24/96 files, and don't upsample in software, then any limitation with Toslink to 24/96 playback will of course not be a problem. Ahh, sir ;-) I have mix of redbook and high resolution, but the latter ones are mostly in 24/96 or 24/44. Some 24/48. -- Krzysztof Maj http://mkrzych.wordpress.com/ "Music is the highest form of art. It is also the most noble. It is human emotion, captured, crystallised, encased… and then passed on to others." - By Ken Ishiwata Link to comment
mkrzych Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Check into the SysConcepts 1300 strand Toslink/mini cable for connecting to a Mac. I have one. It was the best Toslink cable I found before I abandoned Toslink due to the limitations that Jud listed. They are relatively inexpensive, too. I'd even sell mine cheap if you want to try it. It's just sitting on a shelf. Thanks. There is also this one: Lifatec Glass Toslink Cables -- Krzysztof Maj http://mkrzych.wordpress.com/ "Music is the highest form of art. It is also the most noble. It is human emotion, captured, crystallised, encased… and then passed on to others." - By Ken Ishiwata Link to comment
Divasson Posted March 24, 2015 Author Share Posted March 24, 2015 I have some Toslink glass fiber cables - from Amphenol. They are fantastic and much better than standard Toslink cable. But when Pierre says that his Toslink betters his own USB - which bettered any of mine, then that is saying something. The Mapleshade USB is more extended in both extremes than the Amphenol Toslink, although this one is more relaxing and warm - more so if I also disconnect the USB while using it. Best sound with my Mac-Devialet system is through Air-wifi, but then I get so many hiccups that I cannot bear it. And forget about hi-rez with Devialet wifi. Music breaks every 15 minutes. If I could get the warmth of the Toslink with the extension of the USB... Link to comment
mac_and_dac Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Toslink tends to be bandwidth-limited, so depending on the resolutions you like to play you may want to factor this into your thinking. For that reason, Macs used to be hardware-limited to 24/96 through the optical output, though I don't know whether that's still true. Yes, this is an important point. I listen exclusively to 16/44.1. (I get the occasional click, but this is a DAC buffering issue.) I'm interested that people hear a difference between Toslink cables. I personally can't hear any difference between my QED glass cable interconnect and the cheapest I have used previously. I wish I could, as the QED cable wasn't cheap. What differences do people hear between Toslink cables? I have only ever heard clicks, where a bit/word is somehow lost in transmission. Do people hear jitter-related differences? Front End: Neet Airstream Digital Processing: Chord Hugo M-Scaler DAC: Chord Dave Amplification: Cyrus Mono x300 Signatures Speakers: Kudos Titan T88 Link to comment
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