Sound distortion on HT-XT2 Soundbar

[Webbmeister]

Hello. I've just replaced a Samsung TV with a new Samsung model as it stopped booting up correctly. Since doing that, I've experienced intermittent sound distortion (loud hissing/crackling) through the Sony soundbar. 

The TV is connected to the soundbar via an HDMI cable into the ARC HDMI port on the TV. The TV is also connected to a Virgin Media 360 cable box and a Samsung Blu-Ray player both via HDMI cables.

The problem doesn't happen on start up but after switching from say BBC via the cable box to one of the Apps available via the cable box (Apple +, Disney + etc). The previously OK sound will disappear temporarily whilst the app loads and then come back distorted. So far, the only solution has been to turn the sound bar off and on again but this takes time as you need to go through the 'standby' and then 'please wait' options to complete.

So far I've tried a brand new HDMI cable between TV and soundbar and resetting the soundbar. Neither have cured the issue.

Any thoughts?

[royabrown2]

@Webbmeister 

Disconnect the soundbar for the moment, and repeat the test. Is the sound on the TV affected?

Then try it with the supplied optical cable instead of the HDMI cable. Is the sound on the soundbase still affected? 

What happens if you swap between the cable box and the BluRay player? Does the issue happen then?

Have you tried resetting the cable box?

The manual for the soundbase wants you to use a High Speed HDMI cable with Ethernet. (I don’t know why, as this unit is only ARC, not eARC), Bur best check your HDMI cable meets this spec, to humour Sony, and change it for one that does, if it doesn’t.

If none of this sheds any light, the next thing would be to specify exactly what model of Samsung TV and of Virgin cable box are involved.

[LightFoot]

Hi @Webbmeister   Was the sound distorted with the old TV? If not, then it is pointing towards the new TV. Is the TV outputting a higher format of audio not supported by the soundbar.

[Webbmeister]

Thanks Lightfoot.

No, the sound was not distorted when using the previous TV (another Samsung) which was connected in the same way i.e. via HDMI and arc port.

I can't see anything out of the ordinary in the audio description of the TV functionality, but I'm no expert.

Similarly, nothing of note in the soundbox specification either.