What cable gives best sound quality?

In terms of audio quality – HDMI wins
If you're looking for the best audio quality, HDMI is your choice. While an optical cable can still pass surround sound and super high-quality audio, thanks to the added bandwidth in the latest HDMI versions (2.0) you'll be able to pass higher resolution and audio.
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Which cable is best for audio?

HDMI Cables:

The sound quality is better than other two cable types. These cables transmit multi-channel audio formats such as DTS:X and Dolby Atmos. The HDMI audio connection cables can also support current and new video formats such as Ultra HD 4K resolution, as well as HDR formats.
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Is HDMI or optical cable better for sound?

The biggest difference is that HDMI can pass higher-resolution audio, including the formats found on streaming services such as Dolby Atmos and DTS HD Master Audio. These formats can't be transmitted across optical. In terms of simplicity, HDMI also passes video signals.
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Does optical cable affect sound quality?

So if you're getting a Dolby Digital signal, and it's not cutting out, your optical cable is fine. If you're transmitting PCM, the audiophile answer is that different optical cables can cause different amounts of jitter. The reality is, the digital-to-analog converter in your gear has vastly more effect on the sound.
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Is optical or coaxial better for sound?

And, in our experience, compared to optical, a coaxial connection does tend to sound better. That's because it has greater bandwidth available, meaning it can support higher quality audio up to 24-bit/192kHz. Optical is usually restricted to 96kHz.
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Differences in digital audio cables



What sounds better RCA cables vs optical?

Their audio quality is very high and pretty hard to distinguish against optical in terms of high-quality digital audio, only cutting above RCA because of the obvious differences in analog versus digital technology.
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Do digital coax cables sound different?

The generic coaxial cable sounded rather bland by comparison. So yes, everything changes the sound of digital audio: the source, the digital converter, the cables and the implementation of the interface connections. Your "mileage," as they say, will vary.
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Do expensive cables make a difference?

If you have a modest system, investing in expensive cables may not be the best way to spend your money. Cables make a difference, but it's a smaller difference than upgrading speakers, electronics, or turntable systems. If you already have a really good system, cables are the next logical upgrade step.
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Can optical cable carry Dolby Atmos?

Optical cables don't carry Atmos, however. Connecting a source like Blu-ray directly to the receiver/soundbar has another benefit: Doly Atmos, Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio. If you have an older TV these higher-fidelity formats can't be sent over ARC.
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Is HDMI louder than optical?

The major difference is that HDMI cables can pass higher resolution audio which includes formats found on Blu-ray like Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master audio. Fiber optic cables won't be able to transmit these high-res sound formats.
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Is optical audio still good?

In theory, optical cables can transmit tremendous amounts of data. But the optical audio connection is far more limited. So limited, it can't even transmit the high-resolution audio formats that came out with Blu-ray more than a decade ago, such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio.
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Which audio cable is the most used professionally?

Three-pin XLR cables are used to carry analogue balanced audio. This is the most reliable and clean to connect professional audio gear. Balanced audio allows to stretch cables across long distances without significant added noise.
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Which cable is best for home theater?

Multichannel RCA Cable

If you can't use HDMI or optical cables, multichannel RCA cables are the best way to power 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound in your home theater.
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Are high quality RCA cables worth it?

Yes, quality RCA cables will provide a noticeable improvement over cheap cables.
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Which is better HDMI or HDMI ARC?

While a regular HDMI connector is only able to transmit video images, ARC has an added function that allows you to transmit audio from a TV back to the source, like a receiver or soundbar. This means you only require 1 cable in order to transmit both video and audio signals.
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Are optical cables all the same?

All optical cables are the same. Don't pay a premium for any fancy glass cables. A cheap, but properly made plastic cable has better durability. Optical cables don't need to be shielded so don't buy into any claims about shielding.
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What cable do I need for HDMI ARC?

To connect your TV with an ARC enabled speaker, make sure that you are using an HDMI cable 1.4 or higher. The HDMI-ARC functionality is only available through the specific port on the TV or One Connect Box, and the external speakers need to be compatible.
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Do cables matter for audio?

So, Do Audio Cables Make a Difference? They certainly can, but it's important to note that cables don't “improve” your sound. Their purpose is to translate sound from the source as transparently as possible.
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Are Mogami cables really worth it?

If you want to get the best out of your expensive gear and want no hum, no noise, no shorts, and no issues whatsoever, Mogami cable is the obvious choice. With Mogami you get to hear the tone and not the noise, and this is why many popular artists and major recording facilities only trust Mogami cables.
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Do expensive coaxial cables make a difference?

So, NO, super-expensive digital cables won't make a difference.
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Is fiber optic better than coaxial?

Coax provides asymmetric speed, meaning that uploading speeds are faster than downloading speeds. While these speeds are significantly slower than fiber, they're often sufficient for smaller businesses. Fiber provides symmetric speeds and is overall much faster than coax.
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What should I look for when buying audio cables?

Ultimately, you want cables that are flexible, durable, and that have quality hardware and well-soldered connections. You want to buy cables that are sufficient in length, but not excessively long, as the longer a cable is, the more susceptible it is to noise and signal degradation.
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