Digital Cables

A digital cable transmits the audio signal in digital form – coaxial (S/PDIF) or optical (TosLink) – between source and DAC.

Why a good digital cable?

With a digital cable, it's not about tonal colour, but about clean transmission of zeros and ones. Coaxial uses a 75-ohm line, optical (TosLink) uses a light path – both connect, for example, a CD transport or streamer to the DAC. What matters is the correct impedance, good connectors and decent build quality, so the signal arrives stably and the DAC doesn't have to fight dropouts or jitter.

What matters

With coax, a genuine 75-ohm design plus matching connectors counts; with optical, a clean, kink-free light path with well-fitting TosLink ends. At HD Zürisee in Wädenswil we help you choose the right variant for your devices – not every device has both connections, and depending on the source, one or the other connection is the smarter choice. We look at what your DAC and your source actually have.

Who it's for – and straight talk

For anyone connecting a digital source to an external DAC or an amplifier with a digital input: CD transport, streamer, TV or games console. Even if you're currently using the cheap bundled optical cable, it's worth a look.

Straight talk: a digital cable either transmits correctly or it causes problems – it doesn't "colour" the sound the way an analogue cable might. A solid, correctly specified cable is entirely sufficient in the vast majority of cases. We don't sell you miracle effects here, but a reliable, long-lasting connection.

Verdict: the right variant (coax or optical), correct impedance, a clean fit – done. If your DAC allows an asynchronous USB connection, that's often the best choice; we're happy to advise you on that too.

Frequently asked questions

Coaxial or optical – which is better?

Both work reliably. Coaxial (S/PDIF) has a bit more bandwidth headroom, optical (TosLink) galvanically isolates the devices and thus keeps electrical interference out. Which variant fits better depends on your devices and the environment. Tell us what you have, and we'll recommend the right one.

Do I need a genuine 75-ohm cable for coax?

Yes. A digital coax cable should be a genuine 75 ohms, otherwise reflections and signal problems can occur. A normal analogue RCA cable isn't ideal for this. We carry matching digital cables and tell you which one fits your connections.

How long can a TosLink cable be?

For typical living-room lengths up to a few metres, optical is unproblematic. For very long runs or tight bend radii, the quality of the light path becomes more important. If you need a greater length, we'll find the right solution for your setup.

Do digital cables sound different?

The differences are small and mainly concern stability and jitter, not tonal colour. More important than esoterics is that the cable is correctly specified and fits cleanly. We advise you based on technical suitability rather than marketing.

What do I even need a digital cable for?

Whenever you connect a digital source to an external DAC or an amplifier with a digital input – such as a CD transport, streamer or TV. That way the signal stays digital right up to the converter and is only turned into analogue there.

Why buy digital cables at HD Zürisee?

Because we know your devices' connections and tell you whether coaxial, optical, or actually USB is the most sensible connection. Instead of miracle effects, you get a correctly specified, long-lasting cable. We advise you personally and deliver throughout Switzerland – free shipping from CHF 190.

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