The 10 Best Audio Cables of 2022
Audio Cable – Buying Guide, Opinions and Analysis
Audio cables are essential to send or receive audio signals between different devices. For example, they are useful when you want to send the sound of your Blu-ray to a HiFi amplifier, so that you can hear dialogue and special effects in movies more powerfully. For that reason, we present the Ivanky OC01, a digital optical cable for equipment such as TVs, sound bars, PS4, Xbox and others that have a Toslink port. Also, we recommend the AmazonBasics PBH-22671, which is digital coaxial and features gold-plated connectors for cleaner audio transmission and greater resistance to corrosion.
The 10 Best Audio Cables – Opinions 2022
As for audio cables, we currently find many options, but there are some that stand out for their construction materials and finishes. Therefore, this time we present you some of the best audio cables of 2022. The objective is to help you choose a good product and, above all, one that meets your requirements.
optical cable for audio
1. Ivanky Optical Digital Audio Cable
This optical audio cable is ergonomically designed and flexible with nylon braiding so you can make connections comfortably.
At its ends it has special optical connectors for Toslink ports, so it is compatible with various devices such as PS4 and Xbox consoles, Blu-ray, DVD, audio processors, sound interfaces, TV, etc. In addition to this, each connector has an aluminum casing for greater protection and durability, so you can enjoy this cable for a long time.
It may be the best audio cable for playing clear, uncompressed PCM audio files. It even supports 5.1 and 7.1 channel compressed audio files to enjoy surround sound in your video games, movies, music, or TV series. In other words, it is a cable compatible with home theater systems and HiFi amplifiers.
If you want the best audio cable of the moment to send the sound of your equipment to external receivers or amplifiers, check out this model, as it has features that might be of interest to you.
Pros
Type: It is an optical audio cable compatible with Toslink technology, in addition, it emits clear sounds and without radio frequency interference.
Robustness: It has a resistant design with braided nylon and gold-plated connectors, thus providing a long service life.
Sizes: There are several sizes on the Internet so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
Cons
Color: It only comes in black with gray connectors, so you can’t choose between other shades.
audio coaxial cable
2. AmazonBasics Coaxial Digital Audio Cable
If you don’t know which is the best coaxial digital audio cable, perhaps reviewing this model will help you make a good choice. It is an audio coaxial cable specially designed for televisions, especially those with HD resolution, because they normally have RCA-type digital audio ports.
Likewise, this type of cable works with some digital video recorders, Blu-ray, DVD, video game consoles, cable or satellite decoders, etc. It is also a digital audio coaxial cable with a copper-coated central conductor and a double layer of insulation, as well as internal aluminum braiding. In this way, it sends audio signals without electromagnetic or radio frequency interference.
On the other hand, it has comfortable orange connectors and gold-plated tips, so they are resistant to corrosion. In addition, it is a cable compatible with Dolby Digital, so it provides surround sound.
To know which is the best brand of audio cables, you have to know several options, for example, AmazonBasics has a quite striking model; here we present its most outstanding characteristics.
Pros
Clarity: Thanks to its copper-coated core and double insulation, you can enjoy clear audio, free of electromagnetic interference.
Compatibility: This cable is compatible with various equipment such as DVD, Blu-ray, VCRs and any other device that outputs digital sound.
Material: Its exterior is made of polyvinyl chloride, a material that is flexible and resistant.
Cons
Price: Its price is a bit high for a 2.4-meter cable, however, this is offset by its quality and durability.
rca audio cable
3. Victeck Nylon Braided RCA Audio Cable 3.5mm Jack
The traditional RCA audio cable is not always suitable for making connections to your devices, which is why Victeck offers this version of the auxiliary type.
At one end it has 2 RCA connectors, yellow and white, at the other it has the 3.5 mm male auxiliary connector. For this reason, with this cable it is possible to connect your MP3 players, phones and computers to amplifiers or speakers with RCA audio inputs.
Its tips are gold plated so that the audio signal is cleaner and the connectors are not easily oxidized. It also has a silver-plated copper shield and a PVC shield on the inside of the cable, complementing its nylon-braid material on the outside. In practice, these materials will allow you to bend the cable without fear of it breaking easily.
Maybe you still want to know which audio cable to buy, so we explain the most important pros and cons of the Victeck model.
Pros
Auxiliary: This cable is of the auxiliary type, being useful to send the sound from the RCA L and R ports to amplifiers or external speakers with 3.5 mm inputs.
Material: The cable is made of braided nylon and its connectors are gold plated, so it will last you a long time.
Compatibility: It is not only suitable for DVDs, but also compatible with TVs, phones, computers and MP3 players.
Cons
Length: For some connections it could be a bit long, since the shortest that the seller offers is 2 meters; You should take this into account before buying it.
jack audio cable
4. Syncwire Cable Jack 3.5mm Male
When you need to send the audio from your computer to external sound equipment, the audio jack cable is a good option. For that reason, this model offers 3.5mm jacks on both ends. Each tip of the connectors is gold plated, a material resistant to corrosion and that provides better electrical contact, without distortion in the audio.
This cable is compatible with HiFi equipment, iPhone, Android phones, tablets, car radios and other devices, so it is quite functional. In addition, it is a flexible braided nylon cable and is available in various sizes, so you can purchase the one that best suits your requirements.
Also, we mention that it has enameled copper wire inside, to send clean and stable audio signals, which is useful when listening to music, news, movies, etc.
With this double jack cable you will be able to transfer high quality audio, so it is not a bad idea to review its positive and negative qualities, which we will show you below.
Pros
Materials: Inside it has TPE material that protects the enameled copper wire. In addition, on the outside it has braided nylon for greater flexibility.
Connectors: The connectors at both ends are 3.5mm male and feature a stereo design.
Length: This cable comes in various dimensions and models, so you can choose the one you like best.
Cons
Noise: The cable emits a little noise when you use it with headphones and rubs against clothing.
digital audio cable
5. DeleyCON 5m SPDIF Optical Digital Audio Cable
This is a digital audio cable for SPDIF and Toslink ports, so it will work with various types of audio equipment such as micro systems, AV receivers, HiFi amplifiers, televisions, video game consoles, Blu-ray, among others.
Also, it transmits high-quality sound, including 7.1 channel, DTS, Dolby TrueHD, LPCM, DVD audio, etc. In this sense, it will work for home theater, high-definition music, and streaming audio from the TV to the micro system.
The end connectors have the exact measurements for a stable connection. Also, being optical, it emits clean sound through pulses of light, without radiofrequency interference.
On the other hand, we mention that it comes in different sizes, 2, 3, 5 and up to 10 meters, so that you can choose the one that best suits the installation you are going to carry out.
This fiber optic cable offers fairly clear digital audio transmission. Maybe it’s the one you need, so here are its highlights.
Pros
Audio: Provides high definition digital audio transmission, either DTS, LPCM, Dolby TrueHD or 7.1 channel.
Compatibility: It works for Xbox, PS4, audio interfaces, HiFi amplifiers, TVs and many more equipment that have SPDIF port.
Size: This model of optical cable comes in various sizes, 3, 5, 7.5 meters or more, so buy the one you need.
Cons
Thickness: The cable is a bit thick, making it uncomfortable for some home installations.
auxiliary audio cable
6. LinkinPerk AUX 3.5mm Nylon Male Audio Cable
If you are looking for an auxiliary audio cable to play music from your phone on your car stereo, try this product. It’s a cable with 3.5mm jacks on each end, so it’s compatible with phones, computers, tablets, speakers, headphones, and MP3 players, so you can use it in a variety of ways.
Also, it has internal enameled copper conductors for a clear sound and without annoying noise. Plus, the connector tips are pure copper and gold plated, so they not only fit properly into each port, but are rust resistant.
In addition to this, it has a braided nylon cable to be able to coil or bend it with great flexibility. Even the housing that protects the connector is made of resistant aluminum alloy.
This is one of the most versatile auxiliary cables for Android phones and iPhone devices, so we recommend you review the following features before making any purchase decisions.
Pros
Type: This is a 3.5mm auxiliary cable for computers, phones, speakers, etc.
Practicality: Thanks to the fact that it is made of braided nylon, you can easily fold it.
Sound: The interior has enameled copper conductor cable for a better audio signal.
Cons
Distance: It is very short for auxiliary connections of 3 meters or more; It is important that you know this before you buy it.
digital optical audio cable
7. KabelDirekt 5m TOSLINK Optical Cable
This is a digital optical audio cable with robust gold-plated connectors for long-lasting durability. We also mentioned that it offers clean sound for stereo music, 5.1 movies, and other Dolby Digital or DTS files.
It does not allow electromagnetic or radio frequency interference, which happens a lot with other types of cables. This is thanks to the fact that it transfers the audio through optical fiber.
At both ends it has male Toslink connectors, to make the connection between two devices compatible with this technology, for example, a HiFi amplifier and the television.
Most modern televisions have a Toslink output port, so you will not have any problems in this regard. Also, we inform you that the PS4 and Xbox One consoles have outputs of this type, so you can take advantage of the cable to send the audio signal to speakers or AV receivers.
Next, we will explain the aspects that highlight this model of optical cable. Our desire is that you choose the right product for you.
Pros
Connectors: It offers Toslink connectors at each end and these come with a comfortable grip housing to make the connections.
Efficiency: Its compatibility makes it a very efficient and functional cable, since it is used with video game consoles, AV receivers, amplifiers, speakers and other equipment.
Sizes: This cable comes in various sizes, from 0.5 to 15 meters, so you can choose the one you need at the moment.
Cons
Brittleness: If you bend it too much and cut the fiber optic somewhere in the cable, it will stop transferring sound.
Fiber optic cable for audio
8. CSL 3 Meters Toslink Cable HQ Platinum Optical Digital
With this fiber optic cable for audio you can make connections between video game consoles and HiFi amplifiers, as well as other installations. For example, it is also possible to connect sound bars to the TV with the help of this cable. It is even compatible with AV receivers and some models of microsystems, DVD or Blu-ray.
Other people will be able to use this cable to connect audio interfaces or mixing consoles, so you will have several options for use. In short, it works with any device that has a female Toslink port.
In addition to this, we mention that it has gold-plated connectors for greater durability. It also emits Dolby TrueHD, DTS, Dolby Digital or 7.1 channel quality sound, so the sound is immersive and useful in home cinemas.
If you want an optical cable to listen to movies or video games in high definition, don’t forget to check the qualities of this model.
Pros
Connectors: These pieces are gold plated, so they are resistant to corrosion.
Compatibility: It works with equipment that has Toslink ports, for example, DVD, PS4, Blu-ray, Smart TV, sound bar, etc.
Flexibility: This cable is flexible and resistant, thanks to the fact that it is covered with braided nylon.
Cons
Fastening: In some equipment this cable is not well fastened, so you must install it and never move it if you want to enjoy good sound at all times.
male male audio cable
9. Gritin Audio Cable Jack 3.5mm and Male Male
This could be the best value for money audio cable, as it is one of the cheapest, but it has a copper core and military fiber. This means that it emits a cleaner audio signal than other cables on the market. It also has a resistant housing with rubber on the handle of the connector, to protect the solder.
Another aspect that we can highlight about this cable is its braided nylon material, which allows you to roll it up and bend it without problems. In addition, it is a material that withstands continuous use and even several accidental steps by the user.
In the same way, it is a male to male audio cable with a 3.5 mm jack useful for car radios, computers, phones, tablets, MP3 players and other equipment such as micro systems or amplified speakers.
This is one of the cheapest auxiliary cables on the list, so we present its main pros and cons.
Pros
Connectors: They have been gold plated for greater resistance to corrosion and better sound.
Interior: It has a copper core with military fiber for better audio conduction.
Exterior: In its external part it offers braided nylon, which protects the core of the cable and allows it to be easily wound.
Cons
Volume: This cable emits sound with little volume compared to other models.
audio parallel cable
10.Manax CCA Speaker Cable
When you need an audio cable for speakers you can opt for this product. It is a parallel audio cable, which is used to connect car and home speakers.
One line is black, which symbolizes the negative and the other red, the positive side. In addition, it is quite long, so you can do complete home cinema installations.
This cable has dimensions of 2 x 0.75 mm² and each roll is 25 meters long, so you don’t run out of cable when installing speakers. Likewise, it is very flexible, thus facilitating its use in places with little accessibility, such as in cars.
In addition, the core is covered with copper, so that the signal conduction is more precise, so you can enjoy good sound from any speaker you use the cable.
This might be the most recommended speaker cable on the list, so check out the following.
Pros
Core: The core of this cable has enameled copper, a material that makes the sound clearer.
Length: The package comes with two rolls of 25 meters each, so you have enough cable for your sound installations.
Colors: Its red and black colors help when installing the positive and negative.
Cons
Fragility: When stripping the cable you must be very careful, because the core breaks easily.
Shopping guide
For many users, buying a product of this type could be a complicated task, since not everyone knows its most important features or the different types that exist. Therefore, this time we present a guide to buying the best audio cable, perhaps with its help you can discover the accessory you really need.
cable types
If you are making a comparison of audio cables, the first thing you should do is determine which model you require to connect your sound equipment, since there are several types. For example, there are the classic RCA audio cables, which come with a white connector for the left channel and red for the right.
You may be wondering how important the colors are, but the answer is simple, they indicate which port you should connect them to. This is because stereos have female RCA ports, also identified by the colors white and red. Of course, there are also yellow ports and connectors, but these are not audio, but video. Purchase RCA cables if both the sending and receiving equipment have compatible ports.
Another type of cable that you can find on the Internet is Toslink, also known as digital optical audio cable. This type of cable offers a cleaner and more faithful signal than the RCA type. Generally, it is the one used to connect sound bars, video game consoles or HiFi amplifiers and only requires one cable, unlike others that need one for the right channel and one for the left. This means that it is more comfortable to connect, so that you properly organize the TV cabinet and the equipment that you connect to the television.
We also mention that the Toslink optical cable connection does not suffer from electromagnetic or radio frequency interference, which does happen with cables that have a copper core.
But this is not all, because there are other types of cables that are widely used today, including digital coaxial audio, which normally has orange connectors, to differentiate it from the typical RCA. That is, although the male and female connectors are similar in design to RCAs, their function and compatibility is different. The digital coaxial audio cable emits a stereo signal, so it is very easy to install in any equipment.
Similarly, we cannot fail to mention the auxiliary audio cable, which is very useful for wireless headsets, phones, MP3 players, etc. It is a cable with a 3.5 mm male jack on each end. Thanks to this cable you can transmit the audio you have on your mobile device to a sound bar or compatible audio equipment. Of course, you can make other uses of this cable, depending on the needs of the moment.
On the other hand, there are parallel audio cables, which are used to connect car or home speakers. Normally, this type of cable does not have a male jack on either end, because many speaker connections do not need one. However, you can install some jacks if your speakers have 1/4 female ports.
Length
If you are wondering how much an audio cable costs, first determine the length you need, since the price will largely depend on it. However, due to the wide variety of makes and models, you may be able to find a cheap cable.
The length will vary according to the installation you are going to do at home, for example, the distance from the TV to the sound bar. If there is more than a meter, do not buy a shorter cable. In addition, the cable should not be very long either, because this would affect the aesthetics or decoration of the place where you use it.
Material
The material must be of good quality, because if the cable is not robust, the durability will be very short. The most suitable thing is that its material is thick, since this way it will withstand being stepped on or accidentally bent. A good option is braided nylon cables, because this material gives them flexibility and resistance.
Likewise, the handles of each jack must have some protection of hard plastic or, in the best of cases, metallic material. In this way, they will protect the soldering of the jacks and can be used hundreds of times without being damaged.
Also, we can talk about gold-plated connectors, since they offer greater efficiency and stability in the audio signal. Of course, by this we mean the tip of the connectors, since this is the one that makes contact, sending or receiving electrical signals.
Frequently asked questions
Q1: How to use an audio cable?
It is not very complicated to use an audio cable, you just have to be clear about the type of port compatible with each cable. For example, to connect a digital coaxial cable to a Blu-ray you must find a port that says Coaxial Digital OUT. That’s where the sound of movies comes out, since OUT means output. Connect one of the ends of the cable there and the other end you connect it to the HiFi amplifier, specifically, where it says Coaxial Digital IN.
Q2: How to know the polarity of an audio cable?
One way to check this is with a multimeter, since the negative will always give you a lower number. However, if you don’t have a multimeter, you can use your eyes to check the polarity. In this case, check which is the black wire, this will be the negative. For its part, the red cable will be positive. Finally, you will only have to respect this polarity in the connection of the speakers of your amplifier or car radio.
Q3: How to connect the optical audio cable?
The fiber optic cable has a connector similar to that of LAN cables, so when connecting it you must follow the same steps. Simply compare the SPDIF or Toslink input to the shape of the connector, as the optical cable only has one way to enter the port. Be very careful, because if you make the wrong connection, you can damage the optical cable connector.
Q4: How to connect an audio cable to the TV?
Today’s televisions almost always come with digital optical or digital coaxial output, so you must first choose which port to use. If you decide to connect an optical cable, place it very carefully respecting its shape and that of the port. One end of the optical cable goes to the TV and the other to the Toslink input of the HiFi amplifier.
If you are going to connect the digital coaxial cable instead, make sure that one end of the cable goes into the Coaxial Digital OUT jack on the TV. And as for the other end, it’s just a matter of plugging it into the Coaxial Digital IN port of your HiFi amplifier.
Q5: How to solder a mono audio cable?
Mono audio cables are widely used for musical instruments and have 2 lines, negative and positive.
The negative line carries a thin blue, gray, or black wire, depending on the brand of wire. In turn, the positive is represented by a fine red cable. When soldering you must join the black cable with the ground, which is the external part of the jack or 1/4 connector.
On the other hand, the positive line is soldered in the central part of the jack and must be insulated with some thermoplastic material so that it never makes contact with the ground. A traditional adhesive and thermoplastic tape could serve as electrical insulation.
Of course, before soldering you must strip the wires, that is, those of both lines, positive and negative. Also, the most recommended tool to solder this type of small things is a 25 or 30 W soldering iron. If the latter is much more powerful, the entire cable will overheat when soldering, and can be completely damaged.
