Hi,

I am looking for a set of cheap bookshelves/speakers that can take a digital input from my tv. I just got a new gt50 for the main viewing family room which has a decent sound bar. The g25 that was there went upstairs to the living room, and the stock speakers are real bad. Would love to just take the optical out from the tv, plug them in the speakers, and be done with it. I could have swore such a thing exists but I can't seem to find it. Thanks!

If such a thing does not exist, i could also do a small box that would fit inside an entertainment furniture, that would be able to take a digital in, be an integrated amp of sorts, which could output into normal speakers. Yes I know I'm asking for a lot:) thanks.

What is your budget like? Dynaudio makes such a thing http://dynaudioprofessional.com/air-series/

Not cheap, but hey, its Blose

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KY2OU8/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B005OB1TU0&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1NBAT1DMS5E0MA7ARW3T

Vizio Soundbars? 

http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/06/four-new-soundbars-from-vizio-just-in-time-for-the-holidays/

http://store.vizio.com/deals/soundbars.html

Manual says they have optical input, but only PCM (up to 24/192!) - can you rTV convert to stereo pcm for the optical out?

e.g.

http://store.vizio.com/documents/downloads/accessories/VSB200/271User_Manual.pdf

Yeah, they exist, but don't know about optical.  Probably your best bet is just to get a cheap DAC and powered monitors that will take an analog input, or converter (from optical to USB or coax/RCA) and powered monitors that will take USB or digital, respectively.

Would an Apple TV work as a D/A box?  Then you could just go the Audio Engine route for the monitors.  I have a hard time imagining powered monitors with a digital input as cheap.

Nate, I do have an Apple TV! And while it would work for music through AirPlay, I don't think it can take a digital input from my tv and output to the monitors. But I forgot about audio engine and they may have something I can use. Grahame, it does convert to lpcm 2.0. Dusty amd doug, will definitely take a look.

I'm surprised the TV doesn't have an analog set of outputs but a quick Google seems to confirm that it's digital only.  Maybe that's a good indicator of how long it's been since I bought a TV...

Oh I know, if it had analog outputs it would be a no brainer but with its only output being digital (optically I boot) makes the selections a little more limited. Other option is taking the soundbar from the downstairs gt50, bringing that up to the g25, and getting some nice powered speakers for the gt50. I have an oppo103 there and it can down sample to stereo through its analog outputs, and can do volume control too.

I'd say you have your solution right there unless you think the soundbar is going to be superior to the monitors that you'd use...

Oh god no...active quads here i come

I like where your head's at.

Cool, I'm in the same situation. I have no idea why they only have a digital output. My route would be the cheapest possible D/A converter. I have ATV and Audio Engine speakers I want to use.

I have no idea why they only have a digital output.

That's easy -- because most people are going to want to plug it into their receiver for surround, so it's a space-saving issue.  In these cases, everything plugs into the TV, and the TV is the switching center, rather than the receiver.

Marc, which audio engines do you have?

The Audioengine A5 are quite good for a TV setup (if you have some sort of way to get analog out).  We used them with our bedroom TV until my Quad actives died and I switched them to a desktop.  

Marc, which audio engines do you have?

 

I have the A2. They are the only speaker I can fit in my entertainment system, so I'm stuck with them. Now, I'm using the analog outputs on my Popcorn Hour so I'm using them for that single source. I'd like to use them across all my sources. So, yeah, in the same boat as you are

Maybe other option to consider - http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/speakers/products/airmotiv5 - currently on sale for $200 off the normal price.  Or go for the 6?

Wow, that could be an great desktop or small room system, Nate, combining the 5's or 6's with the XDA-2 DAC (also on sale for $349)....may need to look into that!

Maybe other option to consider - http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/speakers/products/airmotiv5 - currently on sale for $200 off the normal price. Or go for the 6?

Interesting that they say it's was originally $449 here so only $50 off. Still probably a good speaker for the price.

http://emotivapro.com/products/powered_monitors/airmotiv5.php

Edited January 4, 201313 yr by shellylh

Good catch, Shelly.  I was taking Emotiva at their word.  Odd that I swear there used to be a model #4 or some smaller # that was even cheaper but it doesn't show up on the website I'm looking at.

I'm getting pretty excited about this now that I've looked at getting that cheapie soundbar upstairs with the g25. I don't have room for a full 5.1 unfortunately but I am fine with having the oppo down mix everything to 2 speakers. I'm also having a variety of hdmi handshake issues since I have my Comcast input to the oppo which then is output to the soundbar and then the tv - analog output from the oppo should clean that up real quick.

http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/amplifiers/products/a100

Is there anything out there smaller/cheaper? Would have to fit in my cabinet, which could output to those $99 pioneer bookshelves people have been raving about.

If you can find a small digital amp, naaman had very good things to say about the hsu research bookshelves. Don't know if you NEED a subwoofer with those or not but they are quite inexpensive compared to quad offerings.

...there used to be a model #4 or some smaller # that was even cheaper but it doesn't show up on the website I'm looking at.

You mean, this one?