Hi all,
First off I have spent the last couple hours browsing DiyAudio for the first time, looks like a great community!
I currently have a pretty basic setup with a smart TV / analog out to two Adams A3X studio monitors. I've been toying around with adding a couple of surround channels for fun (in an apartment so I fear I can't add a sub). It seems that the cheapest AVR with preouts is the Denon X3600, and this feels like a bit of overkill because I'd only be using two of its amps.
So I started down the rabbit hole of HDMI audio extractors, found this guy which seems decent but I'd still need volume control. Then of course I started thinking well maybe I should get a DSP in the signal chain for some more fun possibilities (eq/timing). In a previous life I worked in entertainment tech so none of this is particularly scary to me. However I can't seem to wrap my head around the best option for HDMI->DSP->line level analog, I'm willing to go somewhat custom but it's been a while since I've soldered anything.
Also I'm currently using the Android TV build into my X950G, but it sounds like there are still a number of issues with eARC / it might not be supported by these extractors, so I'd be willing to switch to a streaming box if that is the right choice. However, I'm correct that I shouldn't use the S/PDIF out of my TV right? As it doesn't have the bandwidth needed for DD+/Atmos? This all seems crazy to me as someone who used to be in the pro world by the way, why can't I just plug a USB audio interface into my TV and get 12+ channels out? The consumer world is crazy.
Just curious what you'd do if you were me? Maybe the best answer really is drop $800 on an AVR, and a couple of passive speakers for surrounds, and then I get room correction with one button. That doesn't sound like fun though.
First off I have spent the last couple hours browsing DiyAudio for the first time, looks like a great community!
I currently have a pretty basic setup with a smart TV / analog out to two Adams A3X studio monitors. I've been toying around with adding a couple of surround channels for fun (in an apartment so I fear I can't add a sub). It seems that the cheapest AVR with preouts is the Denon X3600, and this feels like a bit of overkill because I'd only be using two of its amps.
So I started down the rabbit hole of HDMI audio extractors, found this guy which seems decent but I'd still need volume control. Then of course I started thinking well maybe I should get a DSP in the signal chain for some more fun possibilities (eq/timing). In a previous life I worked in entertainment tech so none of this is particularly scary to me. However I can't seem to wrap my head around the best option for HDMI->DSP->line level analog, I'm willing to go somewhat custom but it's been a while since I've soldered anything.
Also I'm currently using the Android TV build into my X950G, but it sounds like there are still a number of issues with eARC / it might not be supported by these extractors, so I'd be willing to switch to a streaming box if that is the right choice. However, I'm correct that I shouldn't use the S/PDIF out of my TV right? As it doesn't have the bandwidth needed for DD+/Atmos? This all seems crazy to me as someone who used to be in the pro world by the way, why can't I just plug a USB audio interface into my TV and get 12+ channels out? The consumer world is crazy.
Just curious what you'd do if you were me? Maybe the best answer really is drop $800 on an AVR, and a couple of passive speakers for surrounds, and then I get room correction with one button. That doesn't sound like fun though.
Buy an AVR
I think this comes down to what you are ultimately trying to accomplish. If you're looking for a cost effective, fun way of adding surround you could look to the quad receivers of the 70's or the DSP/decoders of the late 80's - early 90's(before home theater really took over) to generate the back channels. But then you mention Atmos. No, spdif will not transmit Atmos or the lossless formats(DTS Master Track or Dolby TrueHD). Atmos shouldn't be a concern since you're only running 4 channels. In my experience the lossless formats do make a difference though. And if you want to use those you're stuck with HDMI and an AVR that can decode the formats. In fact if you want to use any of the Dolby or DTS formats you will need an AVR or prepro. Those HDMI extractors will not decode these proprietary formats, only PCM.
I think this comes down to what you are ultimately trying to accomplish. If you're looking for a cost effective, fun way of adding surround you could look to the quad receivers of the 70's or the DSP/decoders of the late 80's - early 90's(before home theater really took over) to generate the back channels. But then you mention Atmos. No, spdif will not transmit Atmos or the lossless formats(DTS Master Track or Dolby TrueHD). Atmos shouldn't be a concern since you're only running 4 channels. In my experience the lossless formats do make a difference though. And if you want to use those you're stuck with HDMI and an AVR that can decode the formats. In fact if you want to use any of the Dolby or DTS formats you will need an AVR or prepro. Those HDMI extractors will not decode these proprietary formats, only PCM.
I'd just go with an HDMI AVR and passive speakers. By not using all the amp channels, that'll leave more power supply capacity to run the 4 that you're using. I've seen used receivers for $20 to $100 locally (recent enough to support Dolby TrueHD, DTS MA). But if you don't consume media from sources like Blu-ray, a regular digital surround AVR could be just fine. Most AVRs (other than home-theater-in-a-box junk) should support phantom center and bass management, so you won't miss any sounds running them in 4.0
Do you watch OTA ( over the air, antena) TV. If you do you need to take the optical out of the TV if you want the encoded 5.1 audio, which is just AC3, I believe, so no True HD or atmos from there. Stand alone HDMI converters arent much cheaper than some surround recievers which will also switch your sources, have power amps, a tuner, etc etc. Ild go with a reciever.
And I would also go with a centre channel way before surrounds. Phantom centre for dialogue sucks.
I have to disagree. In some situations where the speakers are in poor locations and no effort has been made to control early reflections, OK maybe. But well done, a center does not do much for most content if it was mixed correctly. Fix those first two feet reflection issues above 2K and you can get pin-point localization of the dialog. Even better is when you suddenly hear sounds that seem to be from outside the dimensions of the room. A sheet of OC-705 can do wonders no electronics can touch.
Small AVRs are cheap and surprisingly good. Fooling around trying to be too cheap is often expensive in the long run.
Small AVRs are cheap and surprisingly good. Fooling around trying to be too cheap is often expensive in the long run.