Intermittent audio cutting out with optical (toslink) The Frame 2019 49"

[Monographia]

I have some severe clipping, cutting out, choppy, glitchy, stuttering (whatever is the correct term) audio.

It happens for a millisecond every other second or so. It feels that it happens more often when there are audio intense moments, but it could also be that it's just more noticeable at those moments.

It happens on both HDMI channels (Apple TV and XBOX), as well as DTV (which I never watch, so that's not really an issue, but could help determining the problem).

The apps on Samsung works better, but after a while the clipping sound appears. On the apps it occurs sometimes and sometimes not, compared to the Apple TV and XBOX where it happens all the time steadily.

When I connect the optical cable to my XBOX everything sounds perfect and there is no clipping whatsoever. 

Also analogue works perfectly with the amp.

All the suggestions I've read mostly focused on changing the Digital Output Audio Format to PCM, which I've tried with no luck.

I've tried factory resetting the TV which didn't do anything.

The manual for my amp says:

The digital inputs are capable of handling up to 24bit / 192 kHz audio signal in PCM-format. check your source signal type to make sure it is in the right format.

Are there any settings I'm missing on my TV to set this up properly? Does 24bit / 192kHz mean anything that I should change in the setup?

Here is my setup:

TV: The Frame 2019 49" (QE49LS03RAU) – 2 months old

Amp: NAD Amp1 (NADAMP1BK) connected via the optical input (D1 for TV use) with a new optical cable (ARGCL1OPT1,0) – both bought 1 week ago

Stereo system 2:1

HDMI 1: Apple TV4 connected with new Premium HDMI cable from Deltaco

I've tried all the different audio settings (Stereo / Dolby Digital, and forcing 16bit) which doesn't change anything

HDMI 2: XBOX One S connected with the in-the-box HDMI cable – 2 weeks old

Tried Stereo Uncompressed and Bitstream, neither changed anything. 

Worth noting is that the TV don't recognize my amp correctly, it instead sets it up as a Denon. 

When it doesn't want to set the amp up and I manually have to say which it is I can choose Nad Amp1, but the remote won't work then and it didn't have any any other affect on the audio.

[Kikimora]

Hello, same problem with QLED QE65Q95T and optical audio to Marantz ND8006. We had QE65Q90T (without one connect box) at home for few days for try and was working perfect. Looks like problem with One connect box + toslink.

[Kikimora]

Please, does anybody change television for a new one and the problem disappeared? Or it is a problem of all the One Connect boxes?

[RedBlue]

I have tried replacing the TV (2019 Frame 55inch) but that doesn't help.

So suspect the issue is with the one connect box itself. 

[Phlajo]

I'm having the same issue with a Samsung The Frame 2019 65", connected to a Quad amp with a build in high-end Sabre32 DAC. Sound is good for 10-30 minutes and then the issues start with the sound of clipping out for a few milliseconds - this happens every 6-8 seconds.

This is very, very frustrating and disappointing for a TV at this price (or any, really - never had issues with much cheaper TVs).

I even bought the Argon Audio NanoDAC from HiFiKlubben, as @Supermanders mentioned, but this did not fix the issue for me.

TV software is up to date, and tried a few restarts/resets. 

Happy to hear if anyone finds a solution here.

[Kikimora]

I have Marantz ND8006 with Sabre DAC (ESS9016) too (connected to Marantz PM8003 amplifier), maybe that is the problem. I also have cheap Fiio d03k DAC, I tried samsung one connect box optical output -Fiio d03k DAC - Marantz PM 8003, it works without problem (sound quality of Fiio is not as good as with ND 8006).  So there is probably problematic combination Samsung One connect Box - Sabre high end chip???

[Kikimora]

https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/TV/Audio-dropouts-over-optical-output/m-p/1709500#M39176

[RedBlue]

Looks like a pattern... Samsung One Connect Box + a Sabre DAC chip = regular audio cut outs.

I have the Cambridge Audio CXA81 that uses a ESS Sabre ES9016K2M DAC chip, and have the same issue.  (Fiio Taishan D03k works ok)

A previous poster with the Arcam SA20 had the same issue (and uses a Sabre ESS9038K2M). Arcam were able to provide a fix for them... Cambridge Audio havent been very helpful to a couple of us, as mentioned before.

Do try contacting both Samsung and your amp manufacturer. 

[Kikimora]

i send email to marantz with this problem, but no answer, I twill try again woth this Samsung One connect box - Sabre DAC discussion.

[RedBlue]

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@Kikimora wrote:

https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/TV/Audio-dropouts-over-optical-output/m-p/1709500#M39176

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Makes sense - the Samsung One Connect Box has a very poor quality optical out with very high jitter. 

[Phlajo]

I'll try and get in touch with Quad/Samsung as well.

Pleae update this thread with whatever answers you'll receive, and I'll obviously do the same