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Toslink Optical
QED Performance Toslink Digital Optical Audio Cable Graphite
£54.95 As low as £43.95 £36.62
SKU
QED Performance Optical
Lifetime
New
24 hours
QED's multi-award winning Toslink optical digital audio cable relies on PMMA acrylic glass fibre to carry high frequency signals with ease, designed to minimise light absorption and allow more rays to travel along the cable by reducing the angle of incidence for internal reflection. This cable delivers a nicely balanced sound with full bass and punchy, precise high ends.
Related Products
QED Performance Toslink Digital Optical Audio Cable
QED's multi-award winning Toslink optical digital audio cable relies on PMMA acrylic glass fibre to carry high frequency signals with ease, designed to minimise light absorption and allow more rays to travel along the cable by reducing the angle of incidence for internal reflection. This cable delivers a nicely balanced sound with full bass and punchy, precise high ends.
What QED say
Graphite QED's multi-award winning Toslink optical digital audio cable.
The award winning Performance Graphite Optical cable allows you to experience superior sound quality when connecting DAC's, TVs, CD players and Blu-rayTM players to amplifiers or receivers. Performance Optical uses a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) acrylic glass optical fibre to comfortably transmit the higher bandwidth signals demanded by today's multi-channel digital audio links. The cable is optimised for a 'very low jitter' design to reduce digital errors, making for a cleaner audio data transmission. Here at QED we are so confident about the performance of our product that we offer a lifetime guarantee.
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"After some tweaking by QED's boffins, the Performance Optical has become a force to be reckoned with. This sturdy little cable worked well with our reference CD and DAC set-up, allowing them to reveal verve and punch when needed, together with transparency and a pleasing sense of detail. Optical cables really can make a difference to your set-up, and this nifty QED sits at the top of the tree as far as we're concerned. Try it yourself." Best Digital Interconnect What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision Awards 2011 |
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"The Performance Graphite is a well-made cable, with a flexible but tough body, and beautiful, high-quality plugs. The sound it conveys is versatile and balanced, equally adept at expressing bass and treble." (Read more) Best Optical Digital Cable What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision Awards 2012 |
Structure Of Toray Optical Fibre and Diagram of Light Transmission |
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Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) Acrylic Glass Optical Fibre
This new optical fibre boasts half the signal attenuation per metre of the previous Performance model, which means ‘Performance Graphite' comfortably transmits the higher bandwidth signals for multi channel audio. For HD multi channel audio applications (over 12MHz) please see our Reference Optical Quartz cable
Very Low Jitter Design
At QED we have identified jitter or distortions caused by errors in the light transmission as a major factor in the deterioration of the audio signal. By incorporating precision cladding techniques jitter is reduced enabling a cleaner signal with better dynamics and a wider sound stage.
Very Low Loss
Very Low loss < 0.15dB attenuation per metre
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Very Low JitterJitter is the undesired deviation from true periodicity of an assumed periodic signal in electronics and telecommunications, often in relation to a reference clock source. A cable displaying very low jitter has been measured attypically 50ps. |
The new, award winning ‘Performance Graphite’ Optical cable utilises the superior PMMA acrylic glass optical fibre previously only available in our ‘Reference’ range products.
The new optical fibre boasts half the signal attenuation per metre of the previous model, which means ‘Performance Graphite comfortably transmits the higher bandwidth signals demanded by today’s multi-channel digital audio links.
The cable features a stepped refractive index core that together with precision cladding techniques minimises light absorption and modal dispersion of single mode optical signals at the fibre boundary.
This reduces the angle of incidence at which total internal reflection occurs so that more rays can propagate along the cable, which in turn makes for decreased jitter and improved audio data transmission.
Specification :
- Plastic Optical Fibre (POF) core of acrylic glass
- Stepped refractive index
- Fluorinated Polymer Cladding Material
- 24K gold plated Toslink connectors
- Precision engineered plug with integrated grip
- Attenuation ‹ 0.15dB/m (650nm)
- Numerical Aperture 0.5
- Minimum bend radius 9mm
- QED Lifetime Guarantee
About QED Cables 
QED is an award winning British company with over 40 years of experience in the audio-visual connectivity industry.
In 1973 Bob Abraham and Ian Vine founded QED Audio Products and changed the way people think about hi-fi cables. By the time QED 79 strand speaker cable was launched in 1978, it wasn’t looked upon as ‘just another speaker cable’ but was instead regarded as a serious hi-fi component, making a fundamental change in the way people thought about cables.
QED's reputation for innovation and technical excellence is known throughout the world. The latest computer-aided design techniques allow their research and development team to keep pace with technological advances and deliver products that achieve the highest levels of performance and reliability. This is why QED products are recommended by so many of the world’s leading hi-fi and home theatre equipment manufacturers.
QED offer a range of connectivity products spanning from both consumer and installation cables, wireless products and switching devices to satisfy every audio visual need.
QED is Europe's number one award winning connectivity brand and has won more prestigious cable awards from ‘What Hi-Fi? Sound & Vision’ magazine than any other brand (Awards 1981–2013).
Specification :
- Plastic Optical Fibre (POF) core of acrylic glass
- Stepped refractive index
- Fluorinated Polymer Cladding Material
- 24K gold plated Toslink connectors
- Precision engineered plug with integrated grip
- Attenuation ‹ 0.15dB/m (650nm)
- Numerical Aperture 0.5
- Minimum bend radius 9mm
- QED Lifetime Guarantee
UK Delivery
1. We use Royal Mail 1st Class Services as a Standard Postage Option
Orders received before 4.30pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) are usually dispatched the same day by FIRST CLASS post (unless premium postal or timed courier services are selected), subject to stock availability. Over 98% of our orders are usually delivered the next working day including Saturdays.
Standard delivery is usually within 2-3 working days, although 98% of all orders are delivered the next working day including Saturdays . In extreme cases, such as delivery to the Highlands and Islands, this may take 3 days.
All items are fully insured and come with an invoice from Futureshop.co.uk. We use the Royal Mail for delivery of small packages and DPD or Interlink Express for items that weigh over 2KG. Items over 2KG are fully insured and will usually be delivered within 48 hours of placing your order Monday to Friday subject to stock availability. For International orders, we use FedEx Services where customers have selected this option.
Please note, special orders for non-standard cable lengths or custom-made cables may be subject to longer delivery time-scales. This may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
We offer 'Free UK delivery on orders over £99' subject to the following terms & conditions:
- Applies only to orders with £99 or more of items (including VAT at the UK rate), at FutureShop.co.uk
- Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK (excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by UK Mail).
- Applies only to deliveries to addresses within mainland UK and Northern Ireland addresses. Applies only to orders that are to be delivered to a single Mainland UK delivery address.
- You will not be eligible for free delivery on your order if any items are cancelled or returned for a refund, bringing the total order amount below £99. Where items are returned, the refund due will be the cost of the item less any postage costs.
- We reserve the right to change or discontinue 'Free delivery on orders over £99 promotion at any time.
- FREE DELIVERY FOR ORDERS OVER £99 OFFER DOES NOT APPLY TO TRADE CUSTOMERS.
Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD or Interlink Express next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK.
Free Delivery for orders over £99 excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by DPD or Interlink Express.
2. Special Delivery UK - Guaranteed Next Working Day
We have 99.9% of the UK covered With Royal Mail Next Day Special Delivery. We guarantee delivery to most UK addresses by 1pm the next working day. This includes Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey. Some places take longer to deliver to but we still guarantee delivery within three working days by 5.30 PM.
For the Next Day Special Delivery service, orders must be received by futureshop.co.uk by 4.30pm weekdays. Orders after the 4.30pm deadline cannot be guaranteed for same day dispatch.
Please note, Royal Mail Special Delivery for next working day may not be possible where non-standard cable lengths are ordered. If this is the case, the item will be shipped via The Royal Mail Special Delivery service as soon as the cable is custom made.
For orders weighing over 2KG, we reserve the right to ship items using Next Day Pre-Noon Courier Services where Royal Mail Special Delivery option has been selected.
3. Channel Islands & Northern Ireland
We accept orders from all Channel Islands including Alderney, Jersey, Guernsey and Sark. Unless you select a premium service, Items weighing under 2KG are delivered using our standard UK delivery option above. For items weighing over 2KG, a surcharge may be applied for all deliveries to the Channel Islands as well as Northern Ireland.
European Countries
Deliveries to EU member states are subject to 20% VAT. We offer the following shipping services:
- Royal Mail First Class International Untracked Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 10 working days.
- Royal Mail First Class International Tracked Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 3 to 7 working days.
- DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Economy - Item are usually delivered within 48 to 72 hours
Worldwide - Excluding UK & Europe
Deliveries outside of the EU are not subject to 20% VAT and so the 20% tax on items is automatically deducted when you login or register.
We offer the following shipping services:
- Royal Mail First Class International Untracked Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 15 working days.
- Royal Mail First Class International Tracked Airmail - Items are usually delivered within 10-15 working days.
- DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm in order to ship items the same day, subject to stock availability.
- Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm in order to ship items the same day, subject to stock availability.
Where the actual weight of the package significantly exceeds the shipping cost charged on orders, we may write to you for an additional shipping charge. For larger orders, items may be shipped in multiple packets.
Customer Reviews
4.8 /5.0 of 47 Reviews
Works well with Bluestream DAC12AU
James
10 Aug 2024
Verified Buyer
Looks well constructed and seems to be well matched with Bluestream DAC12AU DAC.
I used them to get analogue audio into a HiFi system from a new TV that economised so much that its only audio output is digital optical (its own speakers are rubbish).
I used them to get analogue audio into a HiFi system from a new TV that economised so much that its only audio output is digital optical (its own speakers are rubbish).
Top Notch!
Brian
17 Aug 2023
Verified Buyer
Excellent cable. You just know when you see and hold this cable, it isn't just another optical cable.
It's built right, well, and designed to be high-end, quality gear. In a market flooded with cheap products more concerned with profits over performance, this cable stands out as NOT being one of those.
It's built right, well, and designed to be high-end, quality gear. In a market flooded with cheap products more concerned with profits over performance, this cable stands out as NOT being one of those.
Worth Every Penny
Gary
7 Feb 2022
Verified Buyer
Having recently got a new amp, I decided to upgrade my cables. After a few very friendly & helpful emails from Futureshop, I decided to go for this rather than the more traditional phono cables. It's that long since I looked around the back. I didn't even realise it had an optical out!!
Boy, what a difference it makes to my 25+yr old Technics CD player. More open & detailed sound. Brilliant piece of kit. You won't be disappointed.
Boy, what a difference it makes to my 25+yr old Technics CD player. More open & detailed sound. Brilliant piece of kit. You won't be disappointed.
Very good balanced cable
Shig
24 Jan 2022
Verified Buyer
It has clear and fine quality bass and higher sounds. Balance is very good and easy to listen to. Use for hifi DAC input on Accuphase with Sony TV. I think that you get excellent results for a reasonable price if you are after good cinema purpose.
Good advice,good service and a great product
Ian Barber
16 Dec 2021
Verified Buyer
I already have this exact cable, in use for my recently ( 3 months ago) purchased Brennan B2 music server/ripper. The performance, for the under£50, the 3-metre price tag is excellent, which justifies it as a Best Buy. So I had a look around at other reviews for similarly priced cables and decided to keep with a cable that I knew worked well in my hi-fi system.
As expected, the new cable sounds as good as the other and I, now, have a TV sound worth listening to through the hi-fi. Futureshop remains my go-to hi-fi cable supplier.
As expected, the new cable sounds as good as the other and I, now, have a TV sound worth listening to through the hi-fi. Futureshop remains my go-to hi-fi cable supplier.
Excellent optical cable (with a minor design drawback)
Geoffrey Demanuele
4 Sep 2021
Verified Buyer
QED-typical high optical cable. very well made.
My only "issue" is that being a Toslink cable (not the mini Toslink) it does not fit ruggedly into my device's socket (it stayed loose, and sometimes had optical signal leakage that affected the sound transmission). However, this could be in the Toslink design drawback rather than in QED's quality drawback, in fact, I prefer the mini Toslink design as they fit way more robustly into the device socket
(High recommendation to Future Shop too.. excellent customer service, and speedy shipment)
My only "issue" is that being a Toslink cable (not the mini Toslink) it does not fit ruggedly into my device's socket (it stayed loose, and sometimes had optical signal leakage that affected the sound transmission). However, this could be in the Toslink design drawback rather than in QED's quality drawback, in fact, I prefer the mini Toslink design as they fit way more robustly into the device socket
(High recommendation to Future Shop too.. excellent customer service, and speedy shipment)
Good service good cable fast delivery
Alan
29 Dec 2020
Verified Buyer
First time I used this company will definitely use again Initially spoke on phone about this product before purchase after reading reviews on optical cables they were very helpful and fast delivery no problems quality cable I connected this from my CD player through my Yamaha sound bar gives good sound quality don’t think you would get better from a sound bar would definitely recommend this product don’t think you would get better sound quality at this price
Actually makes a difference !!!!
Mark
6 Jul 2020
Verified Buyer
Thought I would try & upgrade my digital cable for my new Audiolab set up. Didn't expect any difference, but thought for c£50.00 would give it a go.
It worked.
Sound is brighter & cleaner.
Had exactly the same experience years ago when upgrading standard interconnects to chord ones.
Try this one - you may be surprised.
It worked.
Sound is brighter & cleaner.
Had exactly the same experience years ago when upgrading standard interconnects to chord ones.
Try this one - you may be surprised.
QED is Enough
Jorge
24 Jun 2020
Verified Buyer
ENGLISH TRANSLATION: Another excellent cable, fantastic cost benefit. You do not need to have packaging in a wooden and velvet box to prove the quality of the product. Worth and the product and not the packaging. QED stands for quality.
Outro excelente cabo , custo benefício fantástico.
Não precisa ter embalagens em caixa de madeira e veludo para provar a qualidade do produto .
Vale e o produto e não a embalagem.
QED sinonimo de qualidade.
Outro excelente cabo , custo benefício fantástico.
Não precisa ter embalagens em caixa de madeira e veludo para provar a qualidade do produto .
Vale e o produto e não a embalagem.
QED sinonimo de qualidade.
As usual. Good quality for its price. Not my name "NG".
NG
17 Jun 2019
Verified Buyer
Actually I have one already in use connecting my TV setop box to the amp. I have another brand sending signal direct to DAC of amp from my standalone DAC. Comparing the 2 I found the bass is richer by QED but less analytical than the other one AQ Forest.
Using standalone DAC is major in playing music. Using Toslink is only for trying different playing options.
Using standalone DAC is major in playing music. Using Toslink is only for trying different playing options.
Good Upgrade from a Cheapo cable.
PaulC
23 Mar 2019
Verified Buyer
I originally tried an optical input on my DAC so my PC would run through it. I bought a real cheap cable just to test the setup would work, but then bought the QED after the harsh top end began to annoy me. The QED cable was a worthy purchase smoothing out the top end and adding a tiny bit of bass extension.
Offer Better Sound than the Regular Stock Cable, Good Built and Good Material.
Digital Magic
21 Mar 2019
Verified Buyer
Offer Better Sound than the Regular Stock Cable, Good Built and Good Material.
The cable makes the sound of my system a bit more smooth and mellow than the regular cheap cable ( without sacrificing the details sonic ). The harshness of the sound is less and rounded. The overall sound stage is a bit expanded and wider. It makes the overall sound more smooth and musically details. This cable is worth a try. The degree of effect may depend on combination of each individual system. The amount of satisfaction would depend on the individual taste as well.
The cable makes the sound of my system a bit more smooth and mellow than the regular cheap cable ( without sacrificing the details sonic ). The harshness of the sound is less and rounded. The overall sound stage is a bit expanded and wider. It makes the overall sound more smooth and musically details. This cable is worth a try. The degree of effect may depend on combination of each individual system. The amount of satisfaction would depend on the individual taste as well.
A quality cable, suspect fitting
Bryn
4 Mar 2019
Verified Buyer
This cable replaced a shorter same version. Like the first one slightly loose into my amp but very loose into my new Panasonic tv and had to support it with a nylon cable clip. Other than that issue it performs well.