Problems with Toslink

[Brillo]

Guys - need some help.  My DAC is losing signal intermittently.  I use the digital (toslink) output from my MAC Mini.  Music plays normally for some short timeframe, then sounds like it's getting pulled through he matrix.  It's recognizable as music, but portions of the signal are scrambled.  Power-cycling the DAC resolves the problem immediately, only for it to return a few minutes later, randomly.  Sometimes the problem resolves itself without intervention.  I'm running Amarra 4, although using iTunes without Amarra produces the same result (so it doesn't seem to be software related).  Any suggestions on what could be at issue here, or how to troubleshoot? 

 

[Doc B]

Maybe try a different cable?

 

[Brillo]

Swapped the cable just now, Doc.  Same result/problem.  The cable is seated properly on both ends. 

 

[Brillo]

I plugged the DAC into my Mac desktop.  So far, so good.  Will monitor this for a while, but seems my issue might be with the Mac Mini

Yeah, it's something with the optical out of the Mac Mini....  Sounds like a 'me' problem.

 

[Doc B]

Not much of sample group, but I have had a TOSLINK output go tits up on a Mac Mini too. That's one out of four or five Minis of various generations that are around here.