AudioQuest Forest Toslink Fiber Optic Digital Cable

Forest Adds High-Purity Fiber and Silver Conductors

A fiber optic cable carries sound as pulses of light, not electricity, so it can't pick up the electrical or radio-frequency noise a copper cable can. What still matters is fiber quality and how cleanly the ends are polished.

AudioQuest's Forest steps up from Pearl with a low-dispersion high-purity fiber conductor and solid .5% silver conductors, and every Forest Toslink cable ships with a Mini-Adapter in the box, so one cable serves both full-size and 3.5mm mini optical jacks.

Low-Dispersion High-Purity Fiber Conductor

AudioQuest builds Forest around a higher grade of fiber than Pearl, still aimed at the same goal: less dispersed light arriving late at the receiving device, which the company says is what causes distortion in the decoded audio signal.

Solid .5% Silver Conductors

AudioQuest adds solid .5% silver conductors to Forest, which it says help eliminate strand-interaction distortion and reduce jitter, on top of the finely polished optical interface every tier in the range carries.

The Connectors, Explained

Forest ends in a full-size Toslink plug on each end, and every Forest cable includes a 3.5mm Mini-Adapter in the box, so the same cable also serves a mini-optical jack on a laptop or compact source without buying a second cable.

The Mini-Adapter in the Box

Most AudioQuest Fiber Optic Digital cables come with a Mini-Adapter connector which fits over the regular Toslink optical connector. It’s used for certain types of digital audio connections and its use is strictly optional. If you don’t need it for your audio gear, just stick it in a drawer in case you need it later.

Who Is This Fiber Optic Cable Best For?

• You already own a Pearl and want a real step up in fiber grade — Forest moves to a higher-purity fiber conductor and adds solid .5% silver conductors
• You want one cable that covers both a full-size and a mini-optical jack — the included Mini-Adapter does that without a second purchase
• You want the low-jitter, finely polished interface AudioQuest builds into every optical tier — that construction standard carries through at Forest's price point
• Your rack or install needs flexible, break-resistant fiber — Forest is plastic optical fiber, not glass, so it won't microscopically fracture when flexed
• Your budget is tight and Pearl already covers your source — AudioQuest Pearl is the lower-priced entry point to the same optical line

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Plug the square Toslink connector into the OPTICAL OUT or DIGITAL OUT port on your source, and the matching square plug into the OPTICAL IN port on your receiver, DAC or soundbar. The connector is keyed to fit only one way.

Then power up the system as usual.

Measure the Path, Then Add a Little Slack

Measure the route the cable will really take from your source to your receiver, DAC or soundbar, around furniture and behind the rack. Then add a little slack. As audio legend George Cardas puts it, "A cable that's just long enough usually turns out to be just not long enough."

When Is It Time to Upgrade?

An optical cable often stays in a system for years, so it is easy to overlook. Look again when something else changes: a new DAC, streamer, receiver or soundbar.

Pairs Well With

An optical cable is one link between a source and a receiver, DAC or soundbar. It usually joins these categories.

• Digital-to-Analog Converters — the most common destination for an optical signal
• CD Players and Transports — a common optical source for a receiver or DAC
• Home Theater Receivers — the usual optical input for a TV or soundbar feed
• Music Streamers — a source component that often carries an optical output

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does fiber quality matter in an optical cable?

AudioQuest explains it this way: dispersed light does get through a Toslink cable, but only after taking a longer path, arriving late, like a pool ball bouncing off the rails. That delayed light prevents the receiving device from decoding the signal properly. Less dispersion in the fiber means less distortion in the final analog sound.

Is this a glass or plastic fiber?

It's plastic optical fiber, not glass. Unlike glass, it will not microscopically fracture when the cable is bent or flexed, which is what lets these cables route through tight spots without breaking.

Does an optical cable carry any electrical signal at all?

Light travels down the fiber core with no electrical current on the cable itself, which is exactly why it can't pick up hum, ground loops or radio-frequency noise the way a copper interconnect can. The signal is decoded back to an electrical one only inside your components.

Is there a step up?

AudioQuest Cinnamon is the next rung. It moves to AudioQuest's lowest-dispersion, highest-purity fiber and raises the silver content on the conductors from .5% to 1.25%.

What is the Mini-Adapter used for?

Various portable audio devices and computers use this adapter including the iFi Gryphon, Creative Sound Blaster, KEF EGG Duo, Google Chromecast, Apple AirPort, Astell&Kern AK100II/120/240 and the Sony MZ-N505.

Why do the cables in some images show a woven cable cover while others show a smooth vinyl cover?

The answer is that shorter lengths of the cables are most commonly used in home audio systems where the cables may be visible, so they get the fancier woven cover. Longer fiber optic cables (5.0M+) are often used in home theater or commercial installations where the smooth cover makes it easier to pull the cables through ceilings and walls. What’s the difference in performance? None that we can tell.

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