Confusion on Toslink

Glass Toslink are cheaper because the are used in medical fields. More are made. I bought some excellent ones from a medical supply. 20ft for $30. I boughht six.
Glass is superior to plastic.
The arguement over which is better is pure theoretical dreaming. For individual app you have to try and see if it makes a difference for you in your situatiuon. All the theory in the world does not mean a thing.
I use Toslink, AND coaxial, AND AES/EBU, AND Denonlink.

I haven't used or tested a lot of LONG toslink cables, but I have used and tested several toslink cables in the 3-6 foot range. I have found that most toslink cables sound very similar with only a subtle difference (if any). With that said, I do consistently prefer the sound of glass and really like the VanDenHul glass toslink cable.

When it comes to using a computer as a music source, I have found that glass toslink is extremely good, and usually prefer it over USB and coaxial. I have used different DACs, cables and connections for several years, and the toslink just seems to consistently sound good.

I use a MacBook Pro and iMac as my source, and have a few different DACs (not all accept toslink). I have found that the Mac/Naim DAC to be a wonderful solution and use the VanDenHul glass toslink.

Hope this helps....

I am also a Van Den Hul Optocoupler user. One for my Blu-ray player and one for my HDSat receiver. I've gone back and forth between the VdH and numerous SPDIF cables, and by a small margin always seem to prefer the toslink.

I tried multiple Toslink plastics before I bought both a Optocoupler MKII and a Wireworld- both glass. The difference was like switching components for me. Both the VanDenHul and the Wireworld sound great. The plastic- even the good ones, are closed in and unrevealing to my ears.