Gold-plated "premium" toslink optical cable (1 Viewer)

[Tom.le]

Does gold-plating an optical connector really make a difference?
I don't think it would. Does anyone know why you would use gold-plating for an optical connector? The outer of the toslink doesn't make any form of electrical connection, does it? It always looks like black plastic on all other cables. Come on man, 60$ for 1 meter of fiber is ridiculous.
Tom

 

[Chu Gai]

No audible difference. It's an appearance thing that also if done right will serve to retard surface corrosion. Also since a lot of your connections on the back are likely gold plated it keeps the theme going. Product differentiation, the appearance of quality...all that. Yes $60 is steep. I'm sure you can do well elsewhere.

 

[Jan Strnad]

Gold-plating the walls of your swimming pool room doesn't make much sense either, but that didn't stop William Randolph Hearst from doing it at San Simeon.
Jan

 

[Tom.le]

Well that's what I figured. No audible difference. Like I said before, I think other cables are actually plastic. That would reduce corrosion too. It's optical, so any metals won't make any difference.

I wonder if any suckers ever bought those thinking their sound will be "premium"?

Tom

 

[John Royster]

Tom,

I too agree (and actually laughed out loud in a store the first time I saw it) that gold plating alone is really, well, stupid. This comes from a "cable believer"

BUT, construction of the connector might help as TOSlink is a pretty poor connector. Why someone decided to use this connector on fiber is BEYOND reasonable comprehension.

"Let's make it so people have to bang the bare fiber end on their gear and push in a little door.":rolleyes"

 

[Chu Gai]

Think we ought to come out with a quad shielded version John?

 

[John Royster]

Don't need the shielding, but a better fiber buffer would be nice. Heck better fiber would be great to. That and a real connector.

 

[Craig Robertson]

i'm still amazed that someone would use the word "premium" to describe anything Toslink.:rolleyes