[DLStryker]

Which is better for connecting a CD transport to the DAC?  Single ended or Toslink?

[dflee]

Cost will be a major option in your decision.

Don

[Tyson]

Single ended because Toslink has inherently more jitter.

[toocool4]

Try both and choose which one sounds better to your ears, that is the only way to find out.

[WGH]

Single ended because Toslink has inherently more jitter.

Unless your DAC is a PS Audio DirectStream or a Holo Audio, then it doesn't matter.

The explanations for both DACs get technical real fast, enjoy:

Ted Smith's tech talk - PS Audio DirectStream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv1XWedFgDY

Holo Audio DAC technical information about their custom PLL circuit:
https://www.kitsunehifi.com/product/holo-audio-may-dac/

[JackD]

If by single ended you mean the coax output then on the majority of the transports on the market that would be the better choice of the two.  If your transport and DAC both have other options then what the designer of the DAC thinks is the best option is what you should chose.  There are several other higher end transports and DACs besides Holo and PSA where the choice between both pieces from their line may have another designer preferred choice.  Two that come to mind are Aqua and ProJect.

[corndog71]

Depends on the transport and DAC you choose.  Coax isn’t limited when it comes to high def recordings.  Optical does have a ceiling but for most people it’s not a concern.  At least not unless you want the ultimate resolution.

The PS Audio direct stream stuff uses I2S (hdmi) cables for DSD audio formats.

Next year Schiit will be coming out with their own transport with their custom Unison USB out ( and inputs!) to match their Unison DACs.

[FullRangeMan]

Which is better for connecting a CD transport to the DAC?  Single ended or Toslink?

Electric coaxial connection are better sound than Toslink,
Toshiba though optical cable was a good idead at then time
it was invented, I was told it was made to data not music.

[Tone Depth]

The advantage I see with Toslink (S/PDIF optical) is the galvanic isolation. If you are receiving RF interference through single ended cables, or have an otherwise noisy source, Toslink is an easy way to eliminate that.

A disadvantage of Toslink is that it is limited by Specification to 96 kHz. If you desire files with higher sampling rates, S/PDIF coaxial can go to 192 kHz, and USB can go to higher sampling rates.

[DLStryker]

The manufacturer responded that coax would be the better connection in this case.

[djpk]

I've used both over the years and I prefer Toslink. For Toslink cables, Blue Jeans Cable, Pangea, and Kimber have good options for optical cable.

[FullRangeMan]

When the coax cable are long the sound degrades quickly, it must the shortest possible usually 0.75m, optical Toslink allow long cables.

[RDavidson]

For the longest time it has been said that SPDIF is superior to Toslink because of less jitter. Side note, Coax is not necessarily the best cable type for SPDIF connection, but that’s a different story. Anyway, I agree with what others have said. Start with what the DAC manufacturer says is the best connection (Chord, for instance, likes Toslink…at least on the Qutest DAC), but ultimately use your ears!

[corndog71]

When the coax cable are long the sound degrades quickly, it must the shortest possible usually 0.75m, optical Toslink allow long cables.

I thought it was fairly well-established that in order to minimize signal reflections in digital RCA cables they need to be minimum of 5’ or 1.5 meters.

[FullRangeMan]

I thought it was fairly well-established that in order to minimize signal reflections in digital RCA cables they need to be minimum of 5’ or 1.5 meters.

I unknow this detail, however coaxial is not RCA connector.

[RDavidson]

I think there’s a bit of a semantic confusion here. An SPDIF cable doesn’t need to be a coax type cable. In fact coax aren’t all that great, at least not for our use. Coax is an ancient technology and fine for long run industrial applications which it was originally designed for. I’m sure there are some smart folks here who can explain in more technical detail the pros/cons of coax for home audio.

[Elizabeth]

Basing a musical decision using theory is a bad idea.
As written, trying them and using the one that sounds better is a better notion than asking for theoretical BS'ing from strangers.. 
I found a medical grade glass Toslink is as good as they get.
I also use a Oyaide wire SPDIF I bought here used, (With RCA ends) for an important connection to my $7K player/DAC box. better than most.
So both can be great. both can suck. Period. You have to actually listen and decide which right for your particular pile of stuff.

[Wayner]

I don't think anyone is BS'ing in this thread, just opinions. I like optical because it is a natural isolator for noise. There is no electrical connection between the player and the DAC. I've heard stunning soundstages using the optical.

[jtwrace]

Which is better for connecting a CD transport to the DAC?  Single ended or Toslink?

Buy properly designed equipment and it doesn't matter.   

[Danny Richie]

I can remember back when I was using a CD transport. I was using a pretty top level CEC transport, and I tried every connection there was.

Then some buddies walked in with a Mac Mini. We burned a disc to the external hard drive and A/B'ed the output using the same fiber octave cable from the Mac Mini and from the transport. It was a major beat down. The same digital file from the Mac Mini crushed my CEC transport.

I very quickly sold the CEC transport and bought a Mac Mini for less than half the money and never looked back.

Then over a couple of years we found more improvements in all areas from hardware, to software, USB cables, and firewire cables.

Digital is very fragile and is easily effected by everything. So everything really matters.