Sound Cutout with Toslink Connection from TV to DAC/Powered Speakers

[highstream]

I'm stuck. I'm using a Toslink cable from a Samsung LN40A630 LCD TV to a DAC and then onto powered speakers in a 2.0 system (not real HT). The problem is frequent sound cutout (no sound). It's apt to happen in three conditions:

- initially turning on the TV
- after switching from TV to a Patriot Box Offce meda player that plays videos off a USB stick, or switching from media player back to TV
- after rewinding videos a bit on the media player and then playing forward again (via the player's remote)

To get sound going after cutout takes one or more steps, from putting the speaker to sleep for a moment, to doing that and switching back and forth between devices, to turning everyting off and starting again (sometimes more than once); i.e., it borders on voodoo.

I've been assuming that it has something to do with the DAC - Audioengine D1 - or the speakers - Audioengine A5+. However, both are good and I've tried a second sample of the D1. I've also tried a larger power cord for the A5+, a larger USB cord for the D1's AC power and a better quality power strip (Zune master/controlled). One of the two D1's resists and recovers from sound cutout noticeably better than other, but since it happens with both there must be something more basic going, whether with the DAC/A5+ combo or somewhere else.

The only somewhere else I haven't looked at yet is the Toslink connection (Monoprice premium cable, 2m). I haven't tried a different cable, but it's worth asking first if there is something about Toslink connections from a TV that potentially creates instability with external devices? Or is there something else I'm missing? Thanks,

P.S. Before adding the DAC, there was no sound problem with the A5 speakers plugged directly into the TV's headphone jack, with volume controlled from the cable remote. The reason I'm not running from the TV's RCA audio out is because an amp is required to get this TV's internal speakers to quit.

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm still looking at the optical issue, but I have a question about this:

The reason I'm not running from the TV's RCA audio out is because an amp is required to get this TV's internal speakers to quit.

Have you changed the "Select Speaker" option in the "Sound" menu to "External Speaker"? That's on page 32 of the TV's owners manual. That should turn the TV speaker's off.

 

[highstream]

I stuck that PS on to avoid unnecessary posts, but how wrong I was! The problem here is the result of using a DAC between TV and powered speakers (the TV's speakers are not on - per settings). The AE DAC has has USB and Toslink inputs. The TV's USB port is Weblink, i.e., input only, and doesn't supply power. Hence the only way to use the DAC is via Toslink for the audio and USB to AC for power. My post is about trying to figure out why sound cutout occurs with that setup.

 

[Adam]

I stuck that PS on to avoid unnecessary posts, but how wrong I was!

Sorry for the unnecessary post...

 

[BMXTRIX]

My experience with the only converter I've used is that sometimes the converter would go to sleep and didn't want to wake up when signal was reapplied. This was merely a optical to coaxial audio converter, but seemed to act the same way. It was ALWAYS the converter which was the issue. If you never (ever!) have issues with the speakers working when they are plugged in to a normal analog source, then it is the DAC or optical out which could be the issue. There is certainly no easy way to test something like this, but I would typically power cycle the DAC every time the system is turned on/off. Not to bad if you have a cable box with a switched outlet on the back of it, but can be a pain if setup some other way.

 

[highstream]

Thanks for the info. The Zune strip set up is the TV is master and the speaker and DAC are among the controlled, starting a few seconds later. I hear a lot of popping at start up and then when I switch devices and when I reverse/forward a (USB) video, but Audioengine says that's normal.