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Advice Needed On TV Speakers

ERK

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Hello,

I want a pair of TV speakers of the same size as or similar to Audioengine A2+ (so roughly 14 x 15 x 15 cm or less per speaker) and the colour must be white. The A2+ is currently the one I see the best but open for recommendations.

I can’t use Soundbars because of the limited space on my TV stand. I have only enough space left and right side of my TV.

My TV is an LG OLED CX55 and has a Optical Digital Audio Out slot as well as USB. I will also need the cables required to hook up the speakers to the TV (totally new to connecting speakers). I would prefer wired connection over wireless even if the speakers come as wireless as an option.

I plan to use the speakers for gaming/movies.

Budget? Under £500. My preference is colour/space, I can compromise a little on the sound of I have to because the speakers will be in a medium size room and I won’t be far from the speakers.

Thank you.
 

twsecrest

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Me, I would go for something a little bigger, JBL LSR306 studio monitors.
Optical input DAC.
 

staticV3

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Genelec 8010 (£514) (measurements) or iLoud Micro Monitor (£257) (measurements) would be worth taking a look at, although they're a few cm taller than what you asked for.

Btw, the USB port on LG OLEDs can't be used for audio output unfortunately (although you can plug in a USB Ethernet adapter to get 1Gbps, see here)

Edit: neither the Genelec nor the iLoud have digital inputs, so you'd have to use either your TV's anlog 3.5mm Line out, or an external DAC with Toslink/Spdif input. Same deal with the Audioengine btw.
 
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Apesbrain

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I wouldn't count on the USB jacks on the TV being compatible with audio out unless it specifically says so in the owner's manual (@staticV3 beat me). You'll need an external speaker that connects via optical digital; the Audioengine A2+ do not. For TV sound, the center channel is important as that is where dialogue comes out. If your space is limited, you might consider a soundbar that goes under the TV such as a ZVOX SoundBase.

The only thing you otherwise need is an optical digital cable which should come with the soundbar.
 

ThatM1key

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I would recommend going down the "AVR" or "eARC/ARC Extractor" or "Both" path since your TV supports eARC. There is plenty of ARC Extractors which output SPDIF and RCA but since its regular ARC you'll only get Basic Dolby Digital/DTS. There is eARC (Which supports DTS-X & Dolby Atmos, in other words lossless without conversion), however these eARC extractor devices only output HDMI which is great for receivers that don't support any eARC/ARC feature.

If your gonna dive into ARC Extractors, the RCA outputs are mostly likely noisy so its best just to a proper Optical to RCA DAC with a ARC extractor.
 
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staticV3

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I would recommend going down the "AVR" or "eARC/ARC Extractor" or "Both" path since your TV supports eARC. There is plenty of ARC Extractors which output SPDIF and RCA but since its regular ARC you'll only get Basic Dolby Digital/DTS. There is eARC (Which supports DTS-X & Dolby Atmos, in other words lossless without conversion), however these eARC extractor devices only output HDMI which is great for receivers that don't support any eARC/ARC feature.

If your gonna dive into ARC Extractors, the RCA outputs are mostly likely noisy so its best just to a proper Optical to RCA DAC with a ARC extractor.
What advantage would an ARC/eARC extractor have over simply using the TV's Toslink out?
 

ThatM1key

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What advantage would an ARC/eARC extractor have over simply using the TV's Toslink out?
Well in terms of eARC extractor, there useful when you got an old HDMI receiver. For example if you hook up a PS5 to a 1080p HDMI receiver, then it'll only allow 1080p to the TV but with the eARC extractor, you can hook up a PS5 directly to the 4K TV and then you can pass along the audio without loss.
 

staticV3

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The TV can pass along the audio without loss just as well, no?
PS5->HDMI->LG CX->Toslink->DAC->RCA->Speakers
 

NiagaraPete

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I'd go Genelec but spend a bit more like 8030's. No need for amps just a DAC or digital source.
 

staticV3

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Way too large unfortunately. The 8030C is 30x19x18cm and OP is looking for 14x15x15
 

ThatM1key

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The TV can pass along the audio without loss just as well, no?
PS5->HDMI->LG CX->Toslink->DAC->RCA->Speakers
In theory yes, but using Toslink on a TV is similar to using Windows DirectSound, you have no idea of what it's doing to the sound. It could pass the signal untouched or touched it depends. If your just watching movies & gaming (Stereo PCM, no downmixing), then you'll probably be fine but for critical music listening I wouldn't risk it. It sounds stupid mentioning critical music listening but Android TVs can passthrough audio to a USB DAC bit-perfectly, if his TV was that I would've recommended this path.
 

NiagaraPete

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NiagaraPete

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abdo123

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For anyone considering this in the future, all LG TVs have a headphone jack that you can use so you wouldn't need to buy a DAC for active monitors that don't have TOSLINK inputs.
 

ThatM1key

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For anyone considering this in the future, all LG TVs have a headphone jack that you can use so you wouldn't need to buy a DAC for active monitors that don't have TOSLINK inputs.
I bet you those DACs in those TVs rival 1990s sound blasters.
 
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