It’s so exciting to get your home entertainment system set up for an amazingly clear, crisp-sounding audio-visual experience! You’ve got the high-def screen and a killer sound bar that will bring you right into the action, hearing every little nuance in your films, shows, and games. It’s gonna be great!

After you’ve acquired the necessary high-def hardware, though, like a soundbar, you’ll need a quality cable to connect your electronics so they’ll work in perfect sync. They say that the devil is in the details, and that’s why your choice of an optical audio cable is an important one. Check out our buying guide below with commonly asked questions as well as information and recommendations for the best optical audio cables to connect your premium sound system to your TV.

Digital optical TOSLINK audio cables come in a wide range of sizes, from a short 1 ½ feet all the way up to a lengthy 100 feet. While 3-foot or 1.5-foot cables are perfect for connecting sound bars to a TV, long cables present a solution for speakers that are further away, for uses like surround sound in a large home theater, or connecting speakers in another part of your home.

If compatible, your television, soundbar, stereo receiver, or amplifier will have a special optical audio port on it. This is a uniquely shaped squarish port, which can only accept the optical audio cable one way. On some units, there might be a protective cover over the digital audio port on your electronic device. In this case, simply remove the plastic cover to expose the port, and insert the cable until it locks into the port.

Optical audio ports and cables support stereo (PCM) audio, Dolby Digital EX, compressed Dolby Digital 2.0/5.1, DTS-ES Matrix 6.1, DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, and compressed DTS digital surround sound.

The term “TOSLINK” comes from “Toshiba Link,” the original manufacturers of this type of high-fidelity audio data transfer connection and cable. A TOSLINK cable is the same thing as a digital optical audio cable. The terms are interchangeable.

Digital audio cables have a simple job: transferring pristinely clear audio data to your high-quality speakers. When you start to look at what’s available out there, though, it can get somewhat overwhelming. To help you make your selection process easier while shopping for the best TOSLINK cable for your needs, take the following aspects into consideration:

All digital optical audio cables might seem the same, but they have subtle differences in quality and functionality. Taking these and other factors into account, we’ve compiled the following list of our top picks for the best digital optical audio cables:

Dependable Quality

Amazon Basics has got your back when it comes to home entertainment. With durable, quality cables in a variety of lengths, you’ll be all set up and listening to crisp, clear audio in no time.

Pros:

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These hardy yet flexible TOSLINK cables from Amazon Basics provide what you need, and come from a name you trust.

Guaranteed Optimal Sound

The team at iVANKY stands behind their cables with an unusually long warranty period of up to 54 months. They also have a top-notch customer service department to take care of all of your needs and answer your questions as well. This cable comes with an attractive and durable braided nylon covering.

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You won’t be taking any risk with this optical audio cable from iVANKY, because they guarantee their products for a long period.

Unparalleled Audio Quality

This cable from Syncwire has more gold plating in its connectors than some of its competitors, giving these digital optical audio cables the capacity to provide the highest quality of sound.

Pros:

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You won’t miss a thing between the booming lows and delicate high notes in the sound of your media with these digital audio cables from Syncwire.

Braided Nylon Durability

To ensure that your high-quality audio cable arrives in pristine condition, Suplong ships their cables with a removable plastic cover to protect the premium gold-plated connectors when not in use. These cables are durable and lightweight, covered with braided-nylon.

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Suplong’s digital audio cables are compatible with a wide variety of brands, and you’ll enjoy the crisp, clear sound quality delivered through these cables.

Optical Audio Cables from 3 to 100 Feet Long

Whatever your master plan for your home entertainment system, KabelDirekt has the right length cord to fit your needs. From short cables to connect audio components to your TV, to longer cables to set up surround sound or multi-room audio, your hi-fi sound system will be complete and ready to go in a flash.

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The warranty from KabelDirekt is nearly as long as some of their extra-long cables, and the high-quality terminals on these cables will deliver optimal audio to your speakers, soundbar or amplifier.