Advice on Toslink vs 3.5 mm connection on Mu S0 v1

Home Theatre
1

Hi Just looking for advice, i’m not rich (enough) so I only have a Mu So that I love!
Using a Sony TV in the front room, this for years has been connected to a Ruark R4, via toslink optical cable, this has worked as it should.
I was not using the Mu So “enough” so decided to swap the Mu So/ R4 around, connecting on the optical cable still in my TV the volume is so low, looked at all settings on the TV and i cannot improve the volume.
Subsequently i have connected with a 3.5 mm cable and sound is as it should be.
My questions:
Could the Toslink cable (it being a cheap basic one) be an issue would it be worth upgrading to a higher quality one.
How “bad” is it using a 3.5 mm cable, what am I missing whilst watching music/films/sports…a little or a lot?

Should i just raid teh piggy bank and buy a Mu So 2?

TIA
Pete

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2

I don’t know if the Muso is like the Star but in the app under inputs you can alter the input sensitivity , so that might be the problem

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Hi, thanks for the reply, I have had a look and cannot find anything on the app to adjust.

Not sure if to try a higher quality optical lead…thanks Pete

4

You don’t have anything like this under the digital input settings

IMG_6223
IMG_62232224×1668 230 KB

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No i guess with the Mu So being a lower end item you do not have as many options…thanks

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Sounds like you are using the TV to set volume. Have you tried setting the volume using the Muso?

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Hi yes I changed the TV to external speakers, it is as I had it set up with the Ruark R4, I have read online sometimes the systems do not support each other, it is working for now on the 3.5 mm cable, but it is looking like a new TV and or Mu So 2…thanks

8

I do not believe the fibre optic cable is the culprit for the volume limited TOSLINK input…

(I have had many TV/theatre installs where for whatever reason, things didn’t work as they should, until we power cycled the TV set- not saying this is the solution, just that I agree that it doesn’t sound like things are acting ‘as they should’)

Regarding the 3.5mm feed, so long as it isn’t obviously hissy, nothing wrong with using it…

If the TV was a high price point part, and ‘from a bygone era’ (not built in the last four years) it probbly has an AKM DAC chip/something not ESS based…

using parts built for ‘music first’ (not spec sheet brilliance) might mean its’ sound output was inline with consumer expectations and was sufficient…

if not hissy or distoring, by all means continue to use the 3.5mm feed - you may wish to line level the 3.5mm input so that the TVs volume button doesn’t alter the signal, OR set the volume to match other inputs on the Muso (so swapping inputs equals roughly equal volume levels), and then stick with using hte Muso volume control for ALL volume adjustments.

getting back to the TOSLINK- obviously the TV needs be set to PCM (pulse code modulation/aka “2 channel audio” in the case of TVs (Playstation and Switch consoles will happlily give multichannel PCM but requires HDMI))…

do not leave digital output set to Auto/surround… (PCM is correct)

maybe look at any menu options that removes volume adjustment on the TV side… (apols I have handed on my last couple of Sony TVs, and the Sony projector I used doesn’t do audio, so is missing the requisite menus.)

perhaps share the TV model… (or a link to the manual, please)…

thanks in advance.

(not likely the TOSLINK cable, and ‘fine to use the 3.5mm feed’)

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