DIGITAL OUT: Optical Cable vs. Coaxial Cable

The main reason Toslink is crap has nothing (or VERY LITTLE) to do with the cable quality. It has to do with the cheap transceivers (the device you plug the cable into at each end) used in Toslink systems. It's convenient and sometimes necessary when it's important to electrically isolate equipment from each other, but I agree with rcrerar that a good 75ohm will outperform any Toslink, no matter what it's made of.

Glass fiberoptic cable (AT&T - ST) is another story altogether, but it's found only on the most expensive consumer digital equipment (like Wadia, for instance.)

Richard, I agree there are differences in Toslink cable construction; but I wonder if you compared the MIT Toslink cable with an equally "better" metal one?

My earlier point was that Toslink performance can be pushed only so far until it runs into the limiting factor of the transceiver units. A friend of mine who used to be with Wadia explained that the most expensive Toslink transceivers cost the manufacturers maybe $5 - $15 while the cheapest AT&T transceivers start around $100!

Of course I suppose there can be variations in 75ohm interface quality too. For instance, my friend Larry thinks coax is best, but ONLY if it employs BNC (bayonet) connectors (as opposed to RCA connectors.)

When I referred to "variations in the 75ohm interface" I meant variations in the ability of different types of connectors to maintain the integrity of the RF signal across the interface; and not the quality of construction. Sorry for the misunderstanding.