Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The best optical audio cables

In the days before HDMI 2.1 led the digital-decoding landscape, there was the digital optical cable. Known as a TOSLINK cable in some A/V circles, the optical audio cable was pioneered by Toshiba in 1983. Capable of transferring uncompressed audio signals from stand-alone components to an A/V receiver, soundbar, and other types of home theater hardware, an optical cable is a one-and-done purchase you shouldn't skimp on. We've vetted through a plethora of different wire brands to bring you this list of the best optical audio cables.

KabelDirekt Optical Digital Audio Cable
KabelDirekt Optical Digital Audio Cable
Best optical audio cables for most people
Jump to details
iVANKY Optical Audio Cable
iVANKY Optical Audio Cable
Most rugged optical cables
Jump to details
Cmple - Toslink Digital Fiber Optical Optic Cable
Cmple Toslink Digital Fiber Optical Cable
Well suited for longer distances
Jump to details
FosPower 24K Gold Plated Toslink Digital Optical Audio Cable
FosPower Toslink Digital Optical Cable
Cheapest but still great
Jump to details
The KabelDirekt Optical Digital Audio Cable.

KabelDirekt Optical Digital Audio Cable

Best optical audio cables for most people

Pros
  • Fiber optic design
  • Durable design
  • Many length choices
Cons
  • Longer models can get expensive

The KabelDirekt optical cable represents some of the best bang you can get for your buck. According to the company, the gold-plated connectors are corrosion-resistant (not that that matters much in terms of sound quality, but it may improve the life of the cable) and, because of the fiber-optic design, the cable itself won’t have to deal with any interference from radio (RFI) or electromagnetic (EMI) frequencies. The KabelDirekt PVC jacket is flexible and strong to protect the cable over time.

KabelDirekt Optical Digital Audio Cable
KabelDirekt Optical Digital Audio Cable
Best optical audio cables for most people
The iVANKY Optical Audio Cable.

iVANKY Optical Audio Cable

Most rugged optical cables

Pros
  • Affordable
  • Nylon braided to durability
  • Removal rubber caps
Cons
  • Limited length options

For the price, iVANKY packs a number of solid features into its optical cable. It’s made of CL3-rated material, meaning it’s completely safe for in-wall installations. It also has a nylon braided jacket, intended to provide heat resistance as well as anti-friction and anti-corrosion protection. The iVANKY Optical Audio Cable also has removable rubber caps for each end in order to protect the tips from dust particles when they aren’t in use.

iVANKY Optical Audio Cable
iVANKY Optical Audio Cable
Most rugged optical cables
The Cmple Toslink Digital Fiber Optical Cable.

Cmple Toslink Digital Fiber Optical Cable

Well suited for longer distances

Pros
  • Great pick for longer lengths
  • Ultra-thin design
Cons
  • Thinner casing might not be as resilient

For those home theater setups that require a longer run of optical cable, Cmple provides 100 feet of cable for one of the lowest prices currently on the market. The cable itself has gold-plated connectors, and it’s enveloped in tear-resistant PVC materials. Plus, Cmple markets the cable as ultra-thin and lightweight, positioning it as an unobtrusive addition to your room.

Cmple - Toslink Digital Fiber Optical Optic Cable
Cmple Toslink Digital Fiber Optical Cable
Well suited for longer distances
The FosPower Toslink Digital Optical Cable.

FosPower Toslink Digital Optical Cable

Cheapest but still great

Pros
  • Affordable
  • Braided nylon jacket
Cons
  • Nylon braiding can make them less flexible for tight spaces.

While the FosPower Toslink Digital Optical Cable doesn’t have a set of features that make it vary widely from the rest of the cables on this list, it is priced quite competitively. The cable has gold-plated connectors, and although that matters little in terms of the sound quality, they do offer some anti-corrosion properties and, well, they look cool. The braided nylon mesh jacket makes these cables rugged better protected. It also comes in at a great price.

FosPower 24K Gold Plated Toslink Digital Optical Audio Cable
FosPower Toslink Digital Optical Cable
Cheapest but still great

Frequently Asked Questions

Are optical audio cables the same as fiber optic?

Fiber optics refers to transmitting data via carefully contained pulses of light. That's how the optical audio cables work, so they are generally considered under the fiber optic umbrella. That doesn't mean they're the same thing as cables responsible for fiber optic internet, of course.

The alternative for these kinds of connections is called a "coaxial" digital audio cable. Coaxial cables have a better bandwidth for carrying lots of data at once, but fiber cables are better at resisting interference and lightning faster. You can check your ports to see what type it, specifically, is designed to support.

Should optical audio cables be nylon braided?

A nylon braided jacket is a layer of protection that helps the cable resist cracking and tearing over time, especially when the cable is frequently moved or stepped on. It's not as necessary for audio cables, which tend to spend their time out of the way behind cabinets or shelves. But it's still a protective feature for those who want them, and for those working with A/V equipment that's frequently moved.

What does Toslink mean?

It refers to Toshiba Link, an early name for optical audio cables. The standard has evolved since then, but it's still a label used for high-quality home theater audio connections. You can safely assume that optical audio cables you find are naturally Toslink.

Are optical audio cables better than HDMI?

Audio cables allow for a dedicated audio connection instead of offering both audio and video. That can make them useful in more versatile setups, or connecting surround sound systems when HDMI ports are all otherwise engaged. However, HDMI is capable of carrying high-resolution audio for cinematic audio formats, so it tends to edge ahead as the best option if you're using a new HDMI format, like 2.0 or beyond.

Editors' Recommendations

Michael Bizzaco
Michael Bizzaco has been writing about and working with consumer tech for well over a decade, writing about everything from…
Best cheap headphones and earbuds 2023: Jabra, 1More, and more
Jabra Elite 4 in open charging case sitting on plant leaves.

The best cheap earbuds and headphones out there don't have to be pieces of junk. In fact, they can offer many of the premium features that the best earbuds and best headphones out there have, such as active noise cancelation (ANC) and transparency modes, as well as water-proof ratings and excellent companion apps for tuning them as you see fit.

Not only do we keep an eye out for headphones and earbuds that have those nifty bells and whistles, but we of course make sure that they sound great, fit well, and won't burn a hole in your pocket. And because we think that when you search for budget headphones, you want to see both earbuds and over-ear varieties, we've included both on this list.

Read more
The 9 best soundbars of 2023: get great sound from your TV
Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos Soundbar in white with Sub

It's a known fact that even with all the bells and whistles that the the best TVs come packed with, they're still lacking in the sound department. That's where the best soundbars for your TV come in.

With such a wide variety of soundbars available now, they can deliver room-filling immersive sound with Dolby Atmos support while others come with subwoofers and additional surround speakers you can mount on a wall or on stands; some are even wireless. Some have big booming volume while others are more suited to smaller rooms like apartments, and some are just designed to blow you away completely, like the totally bananas 3,000-watt Nakmichi Dragon. There's a soundbar for every situation and budget.

Read more
Best Samsung TV Deals: Save on 4K TVs and 8K TVs
A person watching a Samsung TV.

Samsung is one of the best TV brands you can buy from so it's worth keeping an eye on the many Samsung TV deals that emerge on a regular basis. We've picked out some of our favorites available today. Samsung makes a wide range of TVs so we've reflected that by including budget TVs right up to the latest in OLED and QLED technology, along with everything in-between. Whatever you're looking for, Samsung is likely to have it.
50-inch Samsung 7 Series 4K TV -- $370, was $380

Straight to the point, the50-inch Samsung 7 Series 4K TV is perfect if you want a reliable 4K TV without having to spend a fortune. It has Samsung's Crystal Processor 4K so it can handle upscaling content well. It also uses a fine-tuned Crystal Display to help provide a more crisp and vivid picture. A game enhancer mode will please gamers while there's Motion Rate 120 to ensure that fast-moving action doesn't go blurry. A thin bezel means it won't take up any more room in your living space than it has to. There's also a Universal guide so it's easy to find streaming and live TV content while the remote can work across multiple connected devices for added ease.

Read more