[tie_breaker]

I bought a brand new BDA-1 DAC along with a BP26 and 4BSST2 from my dealer in March 2011.  I was very excited especially with the BDA-1 as it made a huge difference in sound quality for me.  In April the Spdif channels of the DAC stopped working.  I had my music server, my DVD player, and the cable box connected to these.  I was switching the channel from my music server to my DVD player using my BR-2 remote control.  I noticed that after I switched, the DAC did not lock on the source as if it was no longer connected to the source component. In fact switching among any Spdif channels did not lock with the source anymore.  The optical channels still worked..

I took the DAC back to the dealer, they tested with their own equipment and it did not work. We did a reset on it, no good. We obtained a new firmware from Mike at Bryston and updated the DAC successfully, no good. So the dealer ended up returning it to Bryston. They sent a new unit. 

I had been greatly enjoying the new unit up until 2 weeks ago when exactly the same problem happened again. I switched from one Spdif channel to another and I saw that it did not lock with the source. Oh oh… here we go again.. All 4 Spdif channels stopped working again.  I took it back to the dealer, they tested and no good. We again sent the DAC back to Bryston (Vermont). Vermont said they had never seen this problem and shipped it to Peterborough.  I am still waiting.. Needless to say I am disappointed. I don’t know how I could have caused this twice. I am using decent Mogami cables.. Anyone experienced something like this with BDA-1 before?? Any ideas??

[konut]

Just a hunch, wild guess, etc, does your cable box have an optical out? I would use that instead of coaxial. I wish I had a nickel for every time someone found out their cable box was causing problems. A little galvanic isolation couldn't hurt.

[tie_breaker]

Thanks konut, I will definitely try using optical out from my cable box when I get the DAC back. I am out of ideas so will try anything.

[srb]

Just curious why Bryston labels the two BNC coaxial inputs and the two RCA coaxial inputs "S/PDIF" when the TOSLINK optical inputs also use the S/PDIF protocol as well.
 
Steve

[tie_breaker]

Good question. If you look at the back of the BDA-1 you can see the 4 ports (2 RCA and 2 BNC) labeled as Spdif 1 through 4. One thing I noticed is that after both times the unit failed for me, all 4 ports stopped working at the same time while the other ports continued to work.

[James Tanner]

Just curious why Bryston labels the two BNC coaxial inputs and the two RCA coaxial inputs "S/PDIF" when the TOSLINK optical inputs also use the S/PDIF protocol as well.
 
Steve

Hi Steve,

Yes technically they are all SPDIF but we thought using Toslink  x 2 would be less confusing for the customer than 6 inputs all labelled the same. Also the BDA-1 can be ordered with 4 BNC or 4 COAX inputs so calling all 4 SPDIF seemed more efficient.

james

[jjc1]

  I've had my BDA1 for about 5 months and never experienced such a problem. I only use the BDA in my audio setup, an S/PDIF connection from a de-embedder for SACD and a AES/EBU connection for the BDP1.  I have a feelin the cable box is causing your problem. The cable companies supply you with boxes that are crap...crap in/crap out.
  Only my opinion.

[James Tanner]

We looked at the first unit that was returned and the input stage was burned - never seen this before - something strange is going on here

James

[tie_breaker]

James what can be the cause of this? I am pretty sure that the second unit will have the same issue as well since the symptoms were exactly the same.  The unit is most likely at Peterborough by now. Can you please put me in contact with your engineer looking at it so I can give him or her all the relevant details? It can only help figure out what could have caused this.  I don’t want this to happen for the third time.

[James Tanner]

James what can be the cause of this? I am pretty sure that the second unit will have the same issue as well since the symptoms were exactly the same.  The unit is most likely at Peterborough by now. Can you please put me in contact with your engineer looking at it so I can give him or her all the relevant details? It can only help figure out what could have caused this.  I don’t want this to happen for the third time.

Yes please call Mike Pickett at Bryston and discuss.  Mpickett@Bryston.com

James

[srb]

Cable connections if not properly grounded at the service entrance can have ground loops due to a difference in ground potential.  It wouldn't hurt to put a voltmeter between the ground collar on the F connector of your TV coax cable and the earth ground on your BDA-1.
 
If you suspect or confirm a voltage offset, you might want to have your cable company inspect or repair the ground.  Or it could just be a faulty/wonky cable box that is injecting a high voltage death ray.
 
Steve

[tie_breaker]

Thank you all for the info and suggestions.