SPDIF or Toslink out? Why?

[JamesBentley1]

WiiM Ultra, are you using SPDIF or Toslink out? Why?

I'm curious if one is "better" and if you've done A/B testing.

Audio only, 2-channel setup

WiiM Ultra > BlueRigger toslink > Schiit Modius > WBC Mogami XLR > Buckeye Amps NC252MP

For less than $20 to around $50 = there are plenty of choices to "try" for myself, but I wanted a general consensus on your choice of output connection from the Ultra.

Thanks!

 

[hgo58]

WiiM Ultra, are you using SPDIF or Toslink out? Why?

I'm curious if one is "better" and if you've done A/B testing.

Audio only, 2-channel setup

WiiM Ultra > BlueRigger toslink > Schiit Modius > WBC Mogami XLR > Buckeye Amps NC252MP

For less than $20 to around $50 = there are plenty of choices to "try" for myself, but I wanted a general consensus on your choice of output connection from the Ultra.

Thanks!

Both optical (TosLink) and Coax is S/PDIF and will sound the same, as it's the same data.

 

[Krabin]

WiiM Ultra, are you using SPDIF or Toslink out? Why?

I'm curious if one is "better" and if you've done A/B testing.

Audio only, 2-channel setup

WiiM Ultra > BlueRigger toslink > Schiit Modius > WBC Mogami XLR > Buckeye Amps NC252MP

For less than $20 to around $50 = there are plenty of choices to "try" for myself, but I wanted a general consensus on your choice of output connection from the Ultra.

Thanks!

(Both optical and coaxial are S/PDIF btw, but I know what you mean: coaxial vs optical/toslink.)

The main differences:
- Optical basically uses light, so it is immune to noise caused by ground loops or EMI. Coaxial is electrical, so it's susceptible to them. How audible is this for your system and power quality? idk I've had some pretty poor power quality before, so optical was clearly the way to go for me at the time. Now that my power is fine, I don't hear a difference.
- Jitter and timing are supposedly better with coaxial. Is this audible? idk
- If you're running a long cable, coaxial is supposed to be more reliable. The only digital connection I've ever run long was hdmi.
- Coaxial requires a 75ohm cable to work properly. A regular RCA cable will technically work but not optimally. Optical cables aren't gonna be confused with anything else.

 

[d6jg]

The only other factor worth consideration is the fact that Optical ports are much more prone to breakage than a Coax socket.

 

[MotleyG]

WiiM Ultra, are you using SPDIF or Toslink out? Why?

I'm curious if one is "better" and if you've done A/B testing.

Audio only, 2-channel setup

WiiM Ultra > BlueRigger toslink > Schiit Modius > WBC Mogami XLR > Buckeye Amps NC252MP

For less than $20 to around $50 = there are plenty of choices to "try" for myself, but I wanted a general consensus on your choice of output connection from the Ultra.

Thanks!

Some older devices had a limitation on 96kHz on optical in/out. That would be the only reason to choose coaxial over optical IMO. But with the Ultra, if the DAC can use either format without this limit I personally would choose optical to avoid any potential noise issues. Assuming your library has files with a sample rate above 96kHz that can take advantage of this.

 

[adias]

On Ultra USB out to DACs with great USB ports is superior to the other connections.

 

[adias]

Both optical (TosLink) and Coax is S/PDIF and will sound the same, as it's the same data.

Big generality, as it depends on implementation. On WiiM Pro toslink sounds better than coax, AFAIC.

 

[dtc]

Many optical cables are limited to 96 KHz, even expensive ones. That does not have to be the case, but many are just not made very well. The problem is usually not with the fiber itself but with the lenses at the end of the cable. Some hardware manufactures that can do 192 Khz over Toslink but limit there written specs to 96 KHz since there are so many problems with cables. The Wiim supplied one does 192 KHz.

Optical physical connections can be finicky whereas the connection is seldom a problem with coax. I have had problems with the physical connection of the optical on the Wiim Mini and Pro.

For these reasons, I stick to coax.

 

[adias]

I don't agree. There is absolutely no difference. I have tested both.

Others have tested the S/PDIF on WiiM Pro on this site and concluded otherwise… Check it out!

 

[Wiimer]

I'm an Optical guy because I love red laser beams . The good thing is that the plug is hard to disconnect.

I have a couple of Opt cables, but ultimately I use the WiiM included cable.

Not many people may know this, but the Opt cables from other WiiM devices have thicker and (maybe) higher quality wire than the Mini's Opt cable. (It is possible that the Mini's cable have now been upgraded.)

 

[dangermouse]

I've used both and found no difference.

Then again, I prefer listening to music rather than listening to the equipment. So what do I know?

 

[Mr Ee]

Optical on almost all my wiims, but coax on one simply because it's then a single input selection between the wiim and the analog input on my amp that I use for movies.
And also 'cos the wiims come with optical, so I don't need to buy loads of coax cables!

 

[hgo58]

Others have tested the S/PDIF on WiiM Pro on this site and concluded otherwise… Check it out!

Theoretically the Coax may have less jitter if you have bad optical circuits. The jitter for both connection types is however below anything a human can hear (maybe except Superman). So no, there is no difference in the sound.

 

[Burnside]

I don’t perceive a difference between coax or optical connections.

 

[merifon]

Since the same protocol is used, any differences, if present and not due to traditional biases, may depend on a case-by-case basis, the design and quality of the coupling: mechanical precision for Toslink, electrical coupling for coax, and circuitry for both. Regarding jitter, the so-called "interface jitter," intrinsic to the type of connection, is actually much less significant than the circuitry jitter of the source and destination, which is tied to the precision of their internal clocks. If you want to believe it, fine; otherwise, never mind...

 

[Valentino]

I use optical because it secures galvanic insulation in the signal path.

 

[adias]

Theoretically the Coax may have less jitter if you have bad optical circuits. The jitter for both connection types is however below anything a human can hear (maybe except Superman). So no, there is no difference in the sound.

The other way around. Periodic jitter lower on WiiM Pro’ toslink. Check @onlyoneme ’s measurements. Periodic jitter not the same as random jitter.

I listen to music and that’s why I hear differences between Pro’s SPDIF connections. YMMV…

 

[Math You]

WiiM Ultra, are you using SPDIF or Toslink out? Why?

I'm curious if one is "better" and if you've done A/B testing.

Audio only, 2-channel setup

WiiM Ultra > BlueRigger toslink > Schiit Modius > WBC Mogami XLR > Buckeye Amps NC252MP

For less than $20 to around $50 = there are plenty of choices to "try" for myself, but I wanted a general consensus on your choice of output connection from the Ultra.

Thanks!

The Schiit Modius has USB C input. The best method would be connecting to the wiim ultra using USB A-C. If it's available its always the optimum way.

 

[merifon]

The Schiit Modius has USB C input. The best method would be connecting to the wiim ultra using USB A-C. If it's available its always the optimum way.

If something hasn't changed, USB audio uses the isochronous real time transfer protocol. It has CRC like the bulk transfer used to reliably transfer data but differently from the latter, in case of error anyway no resending is done.
Probably there isn't a clear superiority for the usb.

https://www.edn.com/fundamentals-of-usb-audio/

 

[d6jg]

The only correct answer has to be - whichever sounds best to your ears.