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.

[Hawko]

I am having the same issue with a 2020 65" The Frame TV and a Dali Kubik One soundbar. I tested both optical ports on the soundbar as well as a new optical cable and none of this resolved the issue. I also tried a CD player on both optical ports and leads and it worked flawlessly.

I think this is a serious problem that Samsung needs to address. In my opinion all optical outputs should be compatible with all optical inputs (so long as the device it is input into supports the digital audio format). Surely this issue could be resolved with a firmware update.

[Mike117]

Hello guys,  Samsung released a firmware update, at least for QLED 85RA, in the beginning of April. It did not make any difference for this issue in my case.

I really can't imagine what is going on. Are they not able to fix it or they simply won't and post-sale support is simply not their priority? Fools buy their higher end devices and then waste time in forums about it. 

Has anyone seen any acknowledgement about this issue from Samsung? Any promise they would look into it? This is hosted on their community forum.  Samsung can't read/hear/speak?

At the same time, I'm dissapointed with the hifi audio device makers too. Can't really Chord, Arcam, Cambridge Audio, etc, or Marantz in my case, get to the bottom of this and provide a fix? 

My workaround this is a convertor from Fiio, the Taishan D03K. If this inexpensive device can make it work and synchs and converts the sound correctly, ok...sound not full and rich, but not cut outs; why cannot Marantz ,for instance, with audiophile ESS chip on it? Really, big guys don't care?

[clumb]

Yes, agree that sucks. But the big guys have an easy game blaming each other....too many moving parts....blame the cable, blame "the other guy"...and retail customers in real life have no chance of testing the equipment and reveal who does not play according to maybe not even existing real standards for compatability.....

[RedBlue]

I think we are in a minority - connecting TV outputs to amps, instead of soundbars/AV Receivers.

Given experiences posted in this thread, there is no chance Samsung will fix this retrospectively.

I have also found that Samsung TV audio out quality is pretty poor anyway... see this guys posts: https://www.avforums.com/threads/samsung-q70r-optical-output-sq.2223242/

Moral of the story is... if you have a Samsung TV and sound quality is important to you, source your AV from a different device (e. Apple TV). And... avoid buying Samsung in the future.

[Esuarp]

Hi guys,

new here but found this thread as I have the same problem it seems.. have just received "The Frame" 2019 49in three days ago and plugging the optical (Toslink) out from the One Connect Box to my Nuprime IDA 16 stereo amp Toslink In, I almost always end up having the sound cutting out for like a second every 10-15 seconds.. very regular cutting out :(. Very upset and this is my first Samsung TV. 
One question: has anyone with this sort of problem tried a simple HDMI ARC to Toslink converter? They are numerous options on Amazon for like €20 here in Germany. I am not very technically savvy so I have no clue whether the audio extraction of the HDMI ARC connection is any different from the direct Toslink Out of the Samsung One Connect Box but I am considering to give this a try before sending the TV back to Samsung for a refund. Let me know if already tried and I will post feedback once I tried. 

[RedBlue]

I have tried the Prozor HDMI Audio Extractor/DAC. This did not work as expected - the digital outputs had the same sound cutting out issue and the analogue RCA outputs had low muffled sound. 

What did work well is the Fiio D03K Taishan DAC. It only has RCA output, so you will not be using your own higher end DAC.  Fiio Taishan 

(Also do contact both Samsung and your amp manufacturer to see if a solution can be found. The more of us contact them the better)

[Esuarp]

Thanks for the reply. 

So are you using this now as your ongoing setup when listening through your sound system?

Not getting the direct signal into the high-end DAC of the amp is suboptimal of course..in my case however, I only watch movies and only care that there is more depth and „oomph“ as compared to the tiny, squeeky sound from the TV itself. Therefore your solution might well be enough for me if it works consistently! 

Will write to Samsung anyways. Don‘t think the Nuprime guys have any responsibility here tbh.. their products are top notch and play any digital content / source without fail until this TV... from what I read here and in a few other threads, Samsung properly screwed the audio output section of the One Connect Box up :(. 

[RedBlue]

Yes I am using the Fiio DAC as my ongoing setup for movies streamed on the TV, and I am content with the sound. I do have some hope that Cambridge Audio will sort it out though.

Other options I have thought are:
I could get a stand-alone streamer, but hard to find one with digital audio only outputs, so need to get an HDMI extractor. A good BluRay player with apps is another option. Or for proper cinema sound an AV receiver with pre-outs into the stereo amp. But not doing any of that, given my main use case is music, with occasional movies.

If I hadn’t gone through the trouble of drilling holes and mounting the Samsung Frame to the wall, I would have returned it.

Your NuPrime amp really does look top notch! If you do have the option, consider swapping the TV with one that has better audio output.

[Esuarp]

Well it certainly sounds like we are very like minded! I too care mainly about stereo music and my system is geared towards that. Therefore, as long as the sound of a movie comes through my stereo speakers without any distortions, I am quite content..

I went through the same options im my mind as you and likewise I have installed everything nicely on the wall and now don't want to un-do it all. I guess the lesson here is to test a new TV extensively for a few days on a standmount before putting it on a wall ;). BDP with digital out will probably take care at least of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Rakuten and a few others.. then maybe add Apple TV 4k.. 

I will order the Dac you found, thanks for the tip!

happy listening and check out NuPrime if you ever want to change your main stereo Amp!

[clumb]

Hello again, 

i think an even more radical approach would be to go for the best screen (yes, actually one needs a screen with HDMI input only) and then spend money on a decent source - maybe a good BR player with app support, or just some other decent quality settop box that not only allows to play all sorts of formats/apps/source - but also has a good optical output. 

At the end - from what i know - most displays today come from 2-3 manufacturers, so you might get a better overall deal just taking a stripped no-name display (with actually the same hardware in it) over a brand one and put that money into the "other" components....

Just my 2 cents...