Post by seanm on Feb 3, 2024 13:48:18 GMT
I have had a modest 5.1 AV receiver (currently onkyo) and 5.1 speakers / subwoofer for around 25 years (with subtle updates along the way). Initially the set up followed the "80s hifi stack" topology where the AV receiver with many inputs switched/selected most* of the AV sources to the TV and speakers. having recently acquired a new to me 4k HDR Samsung telly (with eARC on one HDMI), things have changed. The TV still has enough smarts in the smart telly department, and hence it seems to me that the original AV receiver topology has mostly been overtaken by events. The TV effectively has most of "the sources" in it and if it doesn't it has a fistful of HDMI inputs anyway. effectively sources and hence source selection has moved to the telly away from the AV receiver. I am currently feeding the audio from the telly to the receiver via digital optical. while this works, much of the receiver is now redundant which set me thinking.
While I could continue as is or buy a more modern AV receiver easily enough, they tend to be huge and come with 1001 legacy inputs which I do not need. I *think* all I really need is an audio only surround amp which can take modern, better than 5.1 audio, which might be uncompressed, and hence have to come via a modern flavour of HDMI, since it is too much for digital audio (PCM?). I would also be happy to invest a little for a couple more speakers to match 7.1 etc.
Do such surround audio only amps exist? I have seen audio extractor boxes but not audio only amps which are value for money compared to a whole more modern AV receiver.
Comments?
Many thanks
Cheers
Sean
* most... TV sound was always at odds with the topology and a digital feed had to go back to the amp for freeview etc
While I could continue as is or buy a more modern AV receiver easily enough, they tend to be huge and come with 1001 legacy inputs which I do not need. I *think* all I really need is an audio only surround amp which can take modern, better than 5.1 audio, which might be uncompressed, and hence have to come via a modern flavour of HDMI, since it is too much for digital audio (PCM?). I would also be happy to invest a little for a couple more speakers to match 7.1 etc.
Do such surround audio only amps exist? I have seen audio extractor boxes but not audio only amps which are value for money compared to a whole more modern AV receiver.
Comments?
Many thanks
Cheers
Sean
* most... TV sound was always at odds with the topology and a digital feed had to go back to the amp for freeview etc
It looks like it's capable of taking an optical audio feed from the TV if yours has one, but as I say, you'd be tied to however the setup synchs, with no adjustments available. From having a quick look around at what's available I can only see low-end options. Perhaps there are some more expensive, i.e. "superior" amps out there, but none flag up from a quick and dirty Google search.
