Vizio Sound Bar Cutting Out During Quiet Moments? (Fixed)

vizio sound bar cutting out during quiet moments

Vizio sound bar cutting out during quiet moments could be frustrating, but very easy to fix!

If your Vizio soundbar is cutting out the playback only during the quiet scenes and moments in TV shows and movies, you may need to adjust the settings.

Some of these settings include the TruVolume, Equalizer Mode, and DTS Virtual Mode, which we will review throughout this guide.

So, let’s jump straight into troubleshooting!

Vizio Sound Bar Cutting Out During Quiet Moments – (FIXED)

Note: Have you tried increasing the volume of your source during the quiet scenes/moments?

1. Disable the TruVolume Setting

disable the truvolume setting

Vizio soundbars support a unique feature designed by DTS, called TruVolume.

The feature is designed to level out and balance the volume of your soundbar during a mixture of movies and commercials with different volume levels to prevent sudden spikes in the strength of the audio.

So, if your Vizio soundbar has the TruVolume enabled, the first thing to try is disabling the option to check whether this will resolve the quiet moments cutting out.

  • To disable the TruVolume feature, press the “TVOL” button on the remote control while aiming at the Vizio soundbar.

One press is enough to disable the TruVolume, so go ahead and test the cutting-out issue now!

2. Try a Different Equalizer Mode

try a different equalizer mode

If the cutting-out during quiet scenes problem on your Vizio soundbar is not coming because of the TruVolume feature, perhaps it’s the equalizer.

That’s why we recommend switching between the different equalizer modes to check if the cutting out will disappear when using one of them.

The Vizio soundbar supports the following equalizer modes:

  • Direct – The direct EQ mode is primarily used for anything that supports DTS/DD 5.1 and beyond, offering the least amount of lag and cleanest throughput.
  • Movie – This EQ mode is perfect when viewing 2.0 PCM content, which is most of the modern streaming platforms (Netflix, Hulu, Disney, etc…)
  • Music/Game – This EQ mode is designed for responsive throughput when you need zero latency during gaming or listening to music.

To switch between the equalizer modes, press the “EQ” button on your Vizio soundbar remote and test all of them for the cutting-out.

If the issue remains on all EQ modes, continue reading.

3. Disable the VRT:X Technology

disable the vrt:x technology

Sometimes Vizio sound bar keeps cutting out because of an enabled DTS Virtual mode, which is designed to simulate a 3D surround sound audio experience.

This can sometimes result in a conflict with specific media sources and make your Vizio soundbar cut out during quiet scenes.

  • You can disable/enable the DTS Virtual mode by pressing the “VRT:X” button on your remote while aiming and the Vizio soundbar.

So, press the VRT:X button once and test whether the Vizio soundbar cutting-out problem is still there.

If yes, then the fault is probably not from the settings or modes on your Vizio soundbar.

4. Test Streaming Different Media

test streaming different media

Before going further, we strongly recommend switching to a different piece of media to check whether your Vizio soundbar will keep cutting out.

In most cases, the cutting out only during quiet scenes is caused by the media source itself, rather than by an issue with your soundbar.

So, based on what you’re currently viewing, try streaming something else!

  • If you watch Hulu, go to Netflix or YouTube. If you have cable TV, try streaming antenna or satellite channels.

The goal is to determine whether the cutting out happens on all sources.

Streaming Content via HDMI?

If you’re viewing content on your TV through an HDMI cable from another device, try streaming something from the TV itself.

This will help you find out whether the problem is from your cable!

Note: If you don’t hear the cutting-out on all media sources, the problem is not in the soundbar!

5. Adjust TV Audio Output Format

adjust tv audio output format

When connected to the TV, the Vizio soundbar takes the audio output from the TV and when the audio format is incompatible, you will hear cutting out.

So, one of the most helpful methods is to switch to a different audio output format on the TV, that can stop the soundbar from cutting out.

What you need to do essentially is set the output format to “PCM” instead of Dolby Digital or Bitstream, which could instantly solve the issue.

How to Change TV’s Output Format to PCM?
Vizio TVMenu → Audio → Digital Audio Out → PCM.
SamsungSettings → Sound → Expert Settings → Digital Output Format → PCM.
LGSettings → Sound → Digital Audio Output → Audio Format → PCM/LPCM.
PhilipsMenu → SOUND → Digital Output → PCM.
SonySettings → Sound → Digital Audio Out → PCM.
HisenseDEVICE PREFERENCES → SOUND → DIGITAL OPTICAL OUT → PCM
TCLSETTINGS → AUDIO → S/PDIF and ARC → PCM-STEREO

When your TV’s audio output format is set to “PCM”, test whether the cutting-out problem on the Vizio soundbar is still there.

If yes, set the format to “Bitstream” and test for the problem again.

Tip: If you don’t see your TV model in the table above, check how to change the audio output format in the user manual.

6. Reconnect or Replace the Cable

reconnect or replace the cable

In many cases, the audio disruptions, especially during the quiet moments on Vizio soundbar happen due to defective cable or input port.

If you use an HDMI or OPTICAL cable to connect the soundbar to your TV, we first recommend switching the cable sides or inspecting the ports.

If you notice that the input/output ports on your Vizio soundbar are obstructed, you may need to use a toothpick to remove any blockages/dust.

On the other hand, if the HDMI cable connectors are bent or somehow worn out, you would need to replace the cable to exclude this possibility.

Note: Sometimes the issue with the cutting-out appears because of corrosion in the input ports!

7. Reset Vizio Soundbar to Default

reset vizio soundbar to default

If you’ve tried everything, but nothing helps and your Vizio soundbar keeps cutting out during quiet moments, it’s time for a factory reset.

The entire issue could be related to the soundbar’s system, hence a clean factory restoration should resolve any problems with the audio playback.

Here’s how to factory reset the Vizio soundbar in easy steps:

  1. Verify that your Vizio soundbar is powered on.
  2. Unplug the power adapter from the wall outlet.
  3. Then, hold the Power button for ~30 seconds.
  4. Connect the power adapter back to the power.

This will reset ALL settings on your Vizio soundbar to factory defaults, and the cutting-out issue should disappear immediately.

Why Does My Vizio Sound Bar Keep Cutting Out?

If nothing helps, it’s not excluded that your Vizio soundbar speakers are faulty, which is where the cutting-out may be occurring.

If you can’t resolve the problem with the methods within this guide, it’s time to file a reclamation if the warranty is active or take the soundbar for servicing.