TOSLINK Glass Cable Question

Archguy

Official Roiurama Factory Rep
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Greetings: Last year I bought one of these glass cables for my Chromecast Audio, and finally yesterday I tried to hook it up, only to discover that the fittings are right for the Chromecast end but not for the preamp connection. (I've been using the 3.5mm to RCA adapters up to now.)

Most of the adapters I now see are for converting TOSLINK to 3.5mm. I don't need that.
Since the cable cost nearly 30 bucks I'd really like to use it.
This appears to be "Toslink Mini Male" at both ends.
I didn't even know that Toslink came in two sizes.

What I think I need is: 'TOSLINK Mini Female to TOSLINK Male' adapter

This item seems right: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-PACK-Min...tical-Toslink-Male-Audio-Adapter/270813453066 but its description says:

"Mini Optical Female to Digital Optical Toslink Male Adapter"
and
"Toslink Male to Mini Optical Female Adapter"

Isn't that wrong?? As in contradictory? The photo looks right....

Separate question: isn't using a cheap adapter going to undo whatever advantages I've achieved by using the glass cable in the first place? Ugh.
 
I would say that if your glass cable has a full-size optical TOSLINK plug at both ends then you need a adapter that converts one end to mini optical TOSLINK plug i.e. full size > mini

The adapter that you've provided a link for is to convert a mini to a full-size optical TOSLINK plug i.e. mini > full size.
 
The answer is: it depends.
If the DAC in your preamp is better than the DAC in the Chromecast (a likely situation), then the optical digital will very likely sound better than the analog feed from the Chromecast.
Simply using an adapter that converts one end of your cable to 3.5mm "headphone-style" will not reduce sound quality unless the "connection" is so bad that you are getting severe data loss.

I'm assuming that the Chromecast uses a dual-mode output port (AKA "headphone jack") like Sony used to use on the old minidisc and some portable CD players. The 3.5mm jack has an optical feed tucked in at the very end on the inside. On those players, the optical cable you would use looked like this. It plugged into the headphone jack of the minidisc and into the stereo's Toslink port. The adapters you linked to would make the cable below a Toslink-to-Toslink by pluggin that 3.5mm plug into ONE of the adapters. They're not what you need.

3-5mm-Mini-Toslink-To-Toslink-Cable-Digital-Optical-Audio-connector-adapter-Cable-OD2-2mm-1m.jpg_640x640.jpg


What you need is this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1PC-TOSLIN...h=item34029fb37d:g:ZGoAAOSw5oxbu6Ba:rk:1:pf:0
 
Last edited:
s-l400.jpg


Greetings: Last year I bought one of these glass cables for my Chromecast Audio, and finally yesterday I tried to hook it up, only to discover that the fittings are right for the Chromecast end but not for the preamp connection. (I've been using the 3.5mm to RCA adapters up to now.)

Most of the adapters I now see are for converting TOSLINK to 3.5mm. I don't need that.
Since the cable cost nearly 30 bucks I'd really like to use it.
This appears to be "Toslink Mini Male" at both ends.
I didn't even know that Toslink came in two sizes.

What I think I need is: 'TOSLINK Mini Female to TOSLINK Male' adapter

This item seems right: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-PACK-Min...tical-Toslink-Male-Audio-Adapter/270813453066 but its description says:

"Mini Optical Female to Digital Optical Toslink Male Adapter"
and
"Toslink Male to Mini Optical Female Adapter"

Isn't that wrong?? As in contradictory? The photo looks right....

Separate question: isn't using a cheap adapter going to undo whatever advantages I've achieved by using the glass cable in the first place? Ugh.

What are the actual connection ends on your cable? What type of connection does your preamp have? A TOSLINK?

The CCA has a 3.5 mm mini-optical jack. Most equipment has TOSLINK, which is as pictured in your OP. Since you say you have the cable plugged into the CCA, what do you need for the other end?

Also, for audio optical cables, it does not matter if you have plastic, glass, or multiple adapters. If the cable is less than 10' and it passes light, it will work. You did not achieve anything by getting the glass cable except spend money to support the economy.
 
Thanks guys and sorry for the confusion. It took Capt P's suggestion just above to cause me to look everything over again and realize I had it all sort of backwards. Right at the beginning palsapal had it right, and the photo was indeed correct after all.

As (now) makes perfect sense to me, the cable I have in hand is standard TOSLINK at both ends, and what I need is an adaptor to make one end Mini-Toslink so that it can be inserted in the CCA dual-use port. So the ones I bought are indeed wrong and I've now ordered the right ones. I appreciate everyone's indulgence and assistance whilst I embrace early-onset senility. I described myself to my sister using that phrase and she said "what do you mean, 'early-onset'?"
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