FutureShop is an authorised dealer for Oehlbach, AudioQuest, Wireworld, and QED Cables. All four optical cables below are available from stock with our 60-day money-back guarantee.
About This Guide
Digital optical (Toslink) cables carry audio signals as pulses of light between TVs, CD players, DACs, and amplifiers or soundbars. Because the signal is optical rather than electrical, optical cables are immune to electrical interference and ground loop noise. This guide covers four of our most recommended optical cables from entry level through to reference quality, with a setup guide at the end to help you choose.
Quick Take
- Oehlbach Red Opto Star (entry): Metal TOSLINK plugs, ultra-fast fibre achieving up to 125 Mbps (standard specification is 12.8 Mbps). German-made, robust construction. A significant upgrade over generic optical cables at an accessible price.
- AudioQuest Cinnamon (mid): Low-dispersion Higher-Purity Fibers, precision polished fibre ends, woven weave jacket. Comes with a 3.5mm mini-Toslink adaptor for laptop connections. A substantial improvement over entry-level optical cables in clarity and low-frequency control.
- Wireworld Supernova 7 (high performance): 338 Borosilicate glass fibre conductors, precision termination. Wireworld's jitter-minimisation approach applied to optical, producing measurably sharper digital waveforms and audible improvements in clarity and dynamic range.
- QED Performance Graphite (honourable mention, entry/mid): PMMA acrylic glass fibre, very low jitter design, multi-award winning. Optimised for minimum light absorption and reduced angle of incidence for internal reflections. A consistent five-star recommendation.
Must-Have Digital Optical Cables
Digital optical cables are becoming an increasingly important connection type as more listeners add external amplifiers, soundbars, or DACs to their TV systems. Connecting a TV to external equipment via a Toslink optical cable delivers multi-channel digital audio that the TV's built-in speakers cannot reproduce. Optical cables carry the signal as pulses of light through glass or acrylic fibres, which makes them immune to electrical interference and ground loop hum, a practical advantage in systems where power and signal cables are in close proximity.
Here are four of our most recommended digital optical cables across three price tiers.
1. Oehlbach Red Opto Star Digital Optical Cable
The Oehlbach Red Opto Star is a robust, German-made digital optical cable with metal TOSLINK plugs and ultra-fast fibre-optic conductors. The specification is notably above standard: it achieves data transmission rates of up to 125 Mbps, compared to the 12.8 Mbps required by the Toslink standard for multi-channel audio. This headroom ensures that the cable handles any current multichannel format comfortably, and future-proofs it against higher-bandwidth requirements.
Oehlbach has been manufacturing high-quality audio and video cables in Germany for over 45 years, and the Red Opto Star reflects their No-Nonsense-Design approach: correct specifications, quality materials, reliable construction. It is a meaningful upgrade from a generic or box-supplied optical cable for anyone connecting a TV to a soundbar, AV receiver, or external DAC.
View the Oehlbach Red Opto Star at FutureShop.
2. AudioQuest Cinnamon Digital Optical Cable
AudioQuest's optical cable range is built on a principle that applies equally to any optical cable: light dispersion within the fibre introduces timing variations that degrade the digital signal at the receiving end. The Cinnamon addresses this with low-dispersion Higher-Purity Fibers and precision polished fibre ends that minimise scatter and keep the light pulses as coherent as possible. The result is a cleaner digital waveform arriving at the DAC or amplifier, and an audible improvement in clarity and low-frequency control over entry-level optical cables.
The Cinnamon is housed in a black and red woven weave jacket and comes with a 3.5mm mini-Toslink adaptor attached to one end. This adaptor is designed for laptop and portable device connections. If you are connecting standard Toslink sockets at both ends, remove the adaptor before use. AudioQuest includes it as a convenience, not as a permanent part of the cable.
View the AudioQuest Cinnamon Digital Optical at FutureShop.
3. Wireworld Supernova 7 Optical Audio Cable
Wireworld's approach to digital audio cable design is built on jitter reduction. Jitter occurs when a digital processor loses track of the timing of the incoming signal, causing it to substitute noise and distortion for missing data. Wireworld digital cables are designed to deliver the sharpest possible leading edges on the digital waveform, which minimises the processor's opportunity to lose track. The Supernova 7 applies this to optical audio with 338 Borosilicate glass fibre conductors and a precision termination technique developed to improve clarity and dynamic range at the receiving end.
The Supernova 7 is Wireworld's reference-quality optical cable and represents the highest level of performance available in a Toslink connection. Customer feedback at FutureShop consistently confirms audible improvements in resolution, dynamics, and soundstage depth over mid-level optical alternatives.
View the Wireworld Supernova 7 at FutureShop.
Honourable Mention: QED Performance Digital Optical Audio Cable
The QED Performance Graphite earns its honourable mention through a combination of consistent awards and a specific technical approach that distinguishes it from cheaper alternatives. It uses PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) acrylic glass fibre, which is optimised to reduce light absorption and minimise the angle of incidence for internal reflections. In practical terms, this means more of the light signal reaches the far end of the cable intact, reducing the timing errors that produce jitter in the receiving device.
QED are confident enough in the Performance Optical's performance to urge listeners to compare it against alternatives at any price. At its price point it has won multiple What Hi-Fi? awards and is one of the most consistently recommended optical cables in the range for connecting CD players, DACs, and Blu-ray players to amplifiers or AV receivers.
View the QED Performance Graphite at FutureShop.
Which Optical Cable for Which Setup?
All four cables above improve on a generic Toslink cable. The right choice depends on your system level and the specific connection you are making. The table below maps each cable to its optimal application.
| Cable | Best for | Key technical strength | Price tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oehlbach Red Opto Star | First optical upgrade from a box-supplied or generic cable. TV to soundbar or AV receiver. Any system level. | 125 Mbps transmission (10x the standard requirement). Metal TOSLINK plugs for a secure, reliable connection. | Entry. Most accessible option on the list. |
| AudioQuest Cinnamon | Mid-level DAC or CD player connections. Laptop to DAC via the included mini-Toslink adaptor. Systems where clarity and low-frequency control matter. | Low-dispersion Higher-Purity Fibers reduce light scatter. Precision polished ends. Includes 3.5mm mini-Toslink adaptor. | Mid. |
| Wireworld Supernova 7 | High-end DAC or reference system where the Toslink connection is the remaining weak link. Listeners who have already tried the AudioQuest Cinnamon and want a further step. | 338 Borosilicate glass fibres. Precision termination for minimum jitter. Wireworld's waveform-sharpening design philosophy applied to optical. | High performance. Reference optical cable. |
| QED Performance Graphite | Alternative to the AudioQuest Cinnamon at entry/mid level. CD player or Blu-ray to amplifier or receiver. Strong five-star value recommendation. | PMMA acrylic glass fibre optimised for minimum light absorption. Low-jitter design. Multi-award winning. | Entry/mid. |
For a broader guide to digital audio connections covering optical, coaxial, and USB, and how to choose between them for different sources and DACs, our digital audio cables guide covers all three formats. And for a practical account of how different digital connection types interact with a specific DAC in a streaming system, our Zen of Formats review covers the iFi ZEN DAC across multiple formats including optical.
Browse the full digital optical cable range at FutureShop, or go directly to AudioQuest, Wireworld, or QED. All cables carry our 60-day money-back guarantee. Get in touch for free expert advice on the right optical cable for your system.
