OK, WTF am I doing wrong

[dflee]

I tried to do this a while back and just tried again with miserable consequences.
I have my television hooked up to the preamp via rca analog outputs. I want to improve the sound and have been told that going to an external DAC via the toslink would be a superior change. Problem is I can't figure out why when using the toslink out of the Bravia model KDL 52W5100 to the Musical Fidelity M1 DAC all I get sounds like a helicopter. I've gone through every setting for the Sony and there isn't one addressing the Toslink output. Anybody got an idea on how I'm screwing this up?

Don

[Jack]

Have you tried the different output types in the audio settings menu?

[_Scotty_]

I am listening to my Sony KD-85X85J through an Auralic Vega via glass Toslink with no problems.
Do you have any display indicating that you have a signal lock at 48 KHz. Some TVs toslink output is poorly clocked which means that there maybe an unacceptable amount jitter in the signal. Many DACs will not lock on to a signal  if the jitter exceeds a certain threshold. If this is the problem, then re-clocking the toslink signal
before it gets to your DAC might be a solution.
Scotty

[tmazz]

Check in the TV to make sure that it is outputting a 2.0 stereo signal and not sending some kind of suround sound signal out of the digital port

[James Edward]

If you are using a cable box or satellite receiver, check those menu settings- the digital out might be turned off in one of the menu settings. If nothing is going to the TV, it might make the sound you describe.
I found this, though you may have already been this route.
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/televisions-projectors-lcd-tvs/kdl-52w5100/articles/00027069
I'd check the box though; it may not default to digital out, or it may need to be selected in some way. And, as Tom said, make sure it's set to PCM, or stereo, or 2- channel- I believe the MF would look at a multichannel signal and say WTF.
Good luck.

[James Edward]

Also try a different HDMI input on the TV if you haven't done so already- the HDMI cable is likely the digital signal carrier.
Along this line of thinking, check if there's an HDMI setting in the cable box menu, and make sure it's outputting the desired signal.

[_Scotty_]

Most sets nowadays have a menu selection labeled Sound,Audio output, buried in the settings menu. My TV has two choices PCM output and Dolby Digital Plus output. You should choose PCM output. This may solve the problem. No guarantees.
Good luck.
Scotty

[dflee]

Messed around with things last night. Tried again with no luck from tele to dac so I switched the feed to the cable box. I have been told that doing it that way could have sync problems with video but I just wanted to see if I got anything. Got the same sound. So now I'm thinkin maybe the dac section is screwed up. Took the Mytek Liberty from the office and plugged in tele to Liberty to pre. SAME THING!!! Didn't go cable box to Liberty cause I just gave up at that point. Ordered a new Toslink today cause that's about the only thing I can think of.
Will let ya know in a couple a days.
Anybody heard of a toslink messing up like that?
Scotty: how does one reclock a toslink?

Don

[_Scotty_]

I wish I could say for sure that re-clocking the toslink data from the TV would solve the problem.
At this point there is no way to know if in fact that this is source of the problem.
Wyred4sound makes the only toslink  re-clocker that I know of at this time and its not inexpensive at
$399. https://wyred4sound.com/products/digital-converters/remedy-reclocker
Hopefully you could explain the problem you have to the dealer and in the event that this wasn't the
solution you could return it for a refund.
Here's the dealer locator page. There appear to be three U.S. dealers.
https://wyred4sound.com/dealer-locator
If you had access to even the cheapest home theater receiver with a toslink input you could see if your TV functioned with it. At this point we don't have a piece of gear to confirm that the toslink output is functional at all other than seeing a red light at the end of the cable from the toslink output.
Scotty

[Nick B]

Don,

There was a thread at AC about a toslink issue with an AVA dac. Finally the owner took a can of compressed air and blew it into the connector and problem solved. Might be worth a try.

Nick

[dflee]

Since it's the same on two different supplies and on two different davs I'm thinking the cable
Is the problem. I've had this one for a long time and can't remember where I got it from.
They're not expensive so we shall see.

[dflee]

This just keeps getting screwier.
Connected a new optical cable with the same result.
The Sony KLD-52W5100 manual reads : DIGITAL AUDIO OUT (OPTICAL) Connects to the optical audio input of digital audio equipment that is PCM/Dolby* Digital compatible
The M1 dac reads: 1 TOSLINK optical connector 32-96 kbps (16-24 bit stereo PCM)

What am I missing????? Does the Sony mean it must be both PCM and Dolby or does it mean either or? There is no where in settings on the Sony that will let you pick.
I don't have compressed air but I do have Deoxit D5. Could i use that?

Don

[_Scotty_]

Deep in the TVs menu is a choice between PCM or Dolby output. Dolby Digital, being a multi-channel format is not compatible with with a DAC looking for a 2 channel PCM output.
You will have to check the owners manual, the trail leading to the option of PCM or Dolby is in there somewhere.
There may be a video on YouTube concerning this subject.
Scotty 

[dflee]

I got the Bravia in 2010 but have just found out it is a 2009 model. After an hour and a half with Sony we figured out that while the KDL-52W5100 does have an optical output, it doesn't have a choice of PCM or Dolby. That means it can only be hooked up to an AV receiver that can split it to either. So, I can either get an AV receiver that has audio out jacks (to go to the pre) and will work with the Bravia, just forget the whole thing or spend big bucks to get a new tele that will work with the dac (PCM). Ain't that some s%&t.

[Nick B]

You're lucky that you got good tech-support to finally figure out what the issue is. I would just get a new TV and forget about the AV receiver. Let us know what you decide.
Nick