S/Pdif vs. Toslink

S/pdif vs toslink? i think both have the same potential. Both are just sending digital data.

i have preferred spdif, possibly because of the greater variety in materials used for spdif cable construction.

As it was explained to me by my local high end salon, Toshiba's "toslink" wasn't very well designed in the first place, and requires that a digital signal be turned into light and then back again to current, which seems unnecessarily complicated unless you're VERY worried about hum (for shorter runs anyway)...I use decent AQ solid core coax into my DAC and it seems to work very well.

grimace, i foolishly thought the v-link was a dac, not just a usb to spdif converter. i'm sure you've made a substantial upgrade--enjoy.

I was using Toslink between my Mac Mini and Altmann DAC for a couple of years, but when I switched to spdif using a John Kenny modified HiFace along with a Black Cat cable I heard what I was missing. The Toslink certainly smooths things out, but at the expense of detail.

The great thing about computer audio is that substantial upgrades can be had for relatively inexpensive cost. A lot is system-dependent, so the usual YMMV disclaimer.

@ Loomis - I needed the V-Link because the CDP only has Tos or P/Dif digital inputs - no direct interface for the USB output from my computer.

I'm told you can use the audio output on the laptop, but then you're using the laptop as a DAC and the quality suffers.

I use both with the same Pioneer transport and my Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 and can change to either cable at the push of a button. I think the Toslink sounds a bit more organic/rich in the midrange, so I usually like it for female vocals and other music with good recordings of brass and other midrange instruments.

The coax, on the other hand sounds a little faster/crisper and perhaps more dynamic on other recordings that exploit these virtues. Neither cable sounds best on all music...

I like the electrical isolation provided by optical cables. If I ever get the dreaded mysterious hum, I will not have to suspect my computer...

i've never been able to hear a huge sonic difference between the two, so i always prefer coax because it's a tighter physical connection--optical cables occiasionally dislodge.
btw, why did you get the v-link nasmuch as your cdp has a very good external dac?
chhers, lj