Digital audio cables are used in today’s technology to produce authentic sounding audio from CDs, DVDs, MP3s, and any other audio producing media types. The device generates the audio, but how it gets you your speakers also plays a significant role in how your sound will turn out.

There are two main types of digital audio cables: Coaxial digital cables and Optical Digital cables. Each type has it’s own specific pros and cons.

Coaxial Cables

These cables use electric pulses to transmit the audio from point A to point B, and are the most common type of audio cable used today. They are relatively cheap (about $10 for 6 feet of cable) and they can produce quality sound. These cables look very similar to what TV cables look like. The con to these is because that these cables use electricity to transmit data, the signal degrades the further it has to travel. This means that these types of cables are not ideal for long distance connections.

Optical (Also called S/PDIF, which stands for Sony Phillips Digital Interface)

These cables differ from coaxial cables in that they use light as a primary means of transporting the digital signals. These can produce the best sounding audio out of the two choices, but at the cost of a little extra money. Because there is little to no interference, the light signals do not degrade over longer distances, meaning that you’ll be getting the same quality sound that as the source intended. This type of audio cable is the bets that you can get.

However, one of the cons of this type is that the signal wont work as well as it could if the wire becomes knotted or bent. This means that if you need to snake the cables through different nooks and crannies in order to connect them from the source device to the speakers, they wont sound as good as a basic coaxial cable would sound.

Which is best for me?

Both cables can produce high quality sound, and which one you choose depends on how you’ll be using it. If you need the cables to be able to handle right angles or need them to be able to be snaked through small areas, then you should go with coaxial cables. However, if you can manage to set up a more straightforward path and have a little extra money to spend, then go for the optical cables. Also, if you are addicted to music, then also go with optical cables, as these will produce the best sounding audio.

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