Optical port dead?

[satkinsn]

This is a long shot, but I'm wondering how often, if at all, the optical port on the Pro just dies. I put my Pro into service about a year and a half ago and it's been flawless, perfect.

Until this morning.

First, I started to hear the kind of distortion you get when a cable is failing or isn't properly seated. After determining it wasn't the speaker cables, I got down to either the Pro or the dac I'm running. First, I made sure the Pro could output sound, that there hadn't been some kind of catastrophic failure , so I tested both the coax and analog outs and they were both fine. Then I swapped out the optical cable for another known good one.

Still nothing.

Finally, I swapped out the dac for another one with the same results. Coax and analog out fine, optical nothing.

Anybody else ever seen this? The Pro doesn't get abused, sits where it won't overheat (not that that's a big deal anyway, the unit doesn't really get very warm) and it strikes me as odd that a port would fail after 18 months.

Thoughts?

 

[adias]

This is a long shot, but I'm wondering how often, if at all, the optical port on the Pro just dies. I put my Pro into service about a year and a half ago and it's been flawless, perfect.

Until this morning.

First, I started to hear the kind of distortion you get when a cable is failing or isn't properly seated. After determining it wasn't the speaker cables, I got down to either the Pro or the dac I'm running. First, I made sure the Pro could output sound, that there hadn't been some kind of catastrophic failure , so I tested both the coax and analog outs and they were both fine. Then I swapped out the optical cable for another known good one.

Still nothing.

Finally, I swapped out the dac for another one with the same results. Coax and analog out fine, optical nothing.

Anybody else ever seen this? The Pro doesn't get abused, sits where it won't overheat (not that that's a big deal anyway, the unit doesn't really get very warm) and it strikes me as odd that a port would fail after 18 months.

Thoughts?

Is the fiber cable lit when the Pro’s output is optical?

 

[satkinsn]

Good question! I'll have to rejigger the cables and take a look - I wasn't smart enough to do it before I routed around the problem.

 

[Burnside]

And is the cable firmly seated at both ends?

 

[d6jg]

Power off the WiiM and disconnect from the mains for a few seconds. This clears all electrical charge from the components and can sometimes sort such issues.

 

[satkinsn]

Is the fiber cable lit when the Pro’s output is optical?

Sorry it took me so long to get back to this. Just tested. Yes, the fiber lights up. What does that tell you?

 

[adias]

It says that the source’s optical tx (transmitter) is alive. It may be a fiber coupling issue on the rx (receiving) end. Try different cables and make sure they are securely inserted.

 

[satkinsn]

Thanks for working thru' this with me. I have a known good fiber cable now running from my CD transport into my dac. It works fine, and that was the cable I used to test when I was trying to eliminate suspects. Maybe I'll use this as an excuse to buy a better fiber cable. Anyway, I'll recheck, probably Thursday, and report back.

 

[adias]

Thanks for working thru' this with me. I have a known good fiber cable now running from my CD transport into my dac. It works fine, and that was the cable I used to test when I was trying to eliminate suspects. Maybe I'll use this as an excuse to buy a better fiber cable. Anyway, I'll recheck, probably Thursday, and report back.

I would reinsert that cable in both units. Play something. Wiggle the cable’s connectors. Do a toslink/spdif test in your WiiM device via the app in device settings.

Also try the original WiiM toslink cable. That is known to work.

 

[satkinsn]

Well, I don't get it, but using the original cable and carefully reseating everything, the optical port is working. As much as I hate to admit it, the most likely explanation is that the connector came loose and I wasn't paying enough attention while trouble shooting. Thanks all, and in particular adias, for indulging me.

 

[d6jg]

There are lots of reports of high cost Optical cables simply not working when the relatively cheap one provided by WiiM does!

Personally I think this says more about the high cost ones than it does about the WiiM supplied cable!

 

[adias]

Well, I don't get it, but using the original cable and carefully reseating everything, the optical port is working. As much as I hate to admit it, the most likely explanation is that the connector came loose and I wasn't paying enough attention while trouble shooting. Thanks all, and in particular adias, for indulging me.

Occam's razor.

 

[satkinsn]

Exactly. I preach it other contexts, and then turn around and forget about it. <sigh>

 

[AlanB]

I thought my optical port on my WiiM Pro had failed tonight.

Music from several sources could be seen playing in the WiiM App but no sound through speakers or headphones.

It turned out to be the wrong input selected on my DAC. Mrs B must have accidentally changed it whilst dusting.

 

[satkinsn]

I thought my optical port on my WiiM Pro had failed tonight.

Music from several sources could be seen playing in the WiiM App but no sound through speakers or headphones.

It turned out to be the wrong input selected on my DAC. Mrs B must have accidentally changed it whilst dusting.

I've done the exact same thing. That's why it's important to never, ever clean your equipment area.

 

[Pragmatist]

I've done the exact same thing. That's why it's important to never, ever clean your equipment area.

At least chose the right tools