What's better? Audio via HDMI or Optical?
 

Heho!

Given: A small HTPC. Audioquest Carbon to the Pre. Sounds really good.
Just a real cheap optical cable just for testing purposes.

I wonder if - in general (!) - one beats the other.

What are your experiences? Good HDMI- vs good Optical-Cable. Who's normally the winner?



(If the winner is optical i could buy a real good optical cable and a normal Stereo-Pre-Amp just with optical input. Want to replace my too normal Rotel as everything else is in the High-End-League now. Hurricanes arrived yesterday...)

If you want all the best lossless surround formats, it has to be hdmi.

No need for Surround. Only Stereo.

The sound is more open via my HDMI. More explosive. More details.
If you have Tidal, this is an excellent song to hear the differences:
https://tidal.com/track/58099923
(Count Basie from 1958, Moten Swing No 1)

Maybe it's just the cheap optical cable. That's why i'm asking here.

Doesn't matter. The higher quality formats mix down to stereo.

Optical involves a digital to optical conversion and then back again, which has the potential to increase jitter. I've found optical to have the poorest performance of any other interface. I use it only when there is no other choice. I've also found it is very dependent on the components used. If you go for a high end optical cable, make sure it is returnable.
Tom

An interesting read and a place to buy good inexpensive optical cable:

bluejeanscable.com/store/digital-audio/index.htm