Home > Consumer Reviews > Tripp Lite A102-02M Digital Optical Audio Cable, 2x Toslink - 2M (6ft)

Digital audio cable (or TOSLINK, as it is also commonly known) is a very common interface in my home entertainment system. My aging Sony A/V reciever only has 4 optical ins/outs and my system of components using the cable standard easily doubles that. I've purchased optical cable switchers and have a lot of optical cable running in the back of my media center. In that regards, I have a number of makes and models of cables, from minimalist and very delicate in build quality to quite robust (and perhaps to the point of overkill). This Tripp Lite cable fits squarely in the middle...a nice solid cable that feels good, but not indestructable. I plugged it in and it works just fine.

Why does build quality matter? TOSLINK, a glass fiber based optical cable standard, is nice, thin and robust in its transmission speeds--but it is susceptible to breaking by overtwisting or sharp impact. If you're comfortable using thin cheap optical cabling because your system is sealed and the cabling rarely accessed, go for it. But for many of us, your system isn't in 'lock down mode' and you may have an intermittent need to rewire or get back there in the "rats' nest" on occasion. For that reason, I recommend this product as a good compromise between cost/quality...it will take the knocks/use (within reason) without breaking the bank.

In short--you don't need the more expensive solutions by Monster or Belkin (which I own and respect). Just evaluate your scenario/circumstances and buy accordingly.

I was so pleased to find this quality optical cable at a reasonable price that I bought two. I also appreciated that it was packaged in a simple ziplock-style bag, rather than the bulky, difficult to open plastic stuff that most cables are packaged in.

Don't fall for the rediculous notion that there is some difference between the quality of different optical cables. Unlike analog cables (like speaker cables) an optical cable only transmits a digital signal, so there is no "quality" to their performance. So, buy a great, cheap cable like this one.

I picked this up to connect my Sony PlayStation 3 (60GB) to my surround sound system so that I could enjoy the full benefits of Blu-ray. Being an optical cable there are no issues with signal distortion and the cable operated at the same level as other more expensive cables that I already owned. The only disappointment with this cable was the thin plastic bag that was used for packaging - while my cable appears to be fine I would caution any buyers to check for damage to the cable immediately.

I just installed 2 of these TOS cables in my system (Onkyo receiver, cable box and Sony DVD player). The sound is AMAZING!!! If you REALLY want your cables (that are hidden behind your components) to say "Monster" on them, then by all means, spend the 50+ dollars. I'm glad I got these, and I recommend them with no hesitation.