*Mastering* using Optical audio transfer?

[5150 Musician]

Even though I find using all digital paths for recording causes the quality of the produced recording to sort of miss something. That's why I like to use alot of analog signal paths in my "home recording studio". I really like to intergrade teh digital and analog mediums of recording, that way the digital can do whatever the analog cannot and vise versa. After mixing down, in my opinion, I would want that left and right track to remain completely the way it was mixed down once it transfers its audio to the mastering device. This is why I like to use optical. I use the optical out on my VS1824-CD and plug into the optical in of my Terratec EWS 24/96 Mastering card. Currently using Sonar 3 for mastering.

Does anyone have any different approaches to mastering that they'd like to share?
What's your opinion on optical?

 

[d(-_-)b-Phones]

Optical Lightpipe is great for transfering, Im not sure what it would have to do with mastering unless your talking about a clean signal, clean signals always help in mastering. also lightpipe has the least amount of loss, far beyond anything else i have used.