Choosing a DAC for my Smart TV

[chrish001]

Hi!

So, I have a 2018 LG Smart TV and love it but was unhappy to find that it didn't have analog audio out (RCA) so I could directly connect it to my stereo receiver (straight stereo, Rotel RX-1050 with floor standing Infinity tower speakers). I miss having my TV show audio (source: cable) go to my stereo and I recently started streaming FLACs and mp3s over wifi from my computer (w/ Media Monkey) direct to the TV (bye bye PS3!) and want this audio redirected to my stereo as well.

I've been putting this off but have had the following DAC in mind for a while (I think because Fry's carries it but never had it in stock):
Kanex Pro Digital to Analog Audio Converter
which is about $35 online.

In the last few days, I've got closer to actually buying and started to shop around. So, now I see that there are DACS for as cheap as ~$10 and going up to $100 (about my upper spending limit and surely as much DAC as I could possibly need for this purpose (right?)) and much higher. I don't really need to future proof much here, I just need to convert the TOSLINK (set to PCM output) digital audio out to analog / RCA.

I am not a super picky audiophile but I do appreciate the best quality I can reasonably get in a particular situation. How much should I spend to get good results?

I won't bother listing any of the $10 DACs I saw (I'll be really surprised if anyone advises me to buy one), but some of the others I've looked at in the last couple of days are:

SMSL Sanskrit 10th DAC Ak4490 USB/Optical Fiber/Coaxial to Analog Audio Decoder (Blue) ~$94

Pro-Ject DAC Box E Digital to Analog Converter (Black) ~$70

Dilvpoetry SMSL M100 AK4452 Analog Digital Converters DSD512 32Bit/768kHz USB/Coaxial/Optical/OTG HiFi DAC Decoder(Black) ~$100

I noticed the Dilvpoetry and the Sanskrit have multiple input types.... USB, that means I can do direct from my computer with a cable to this box and to the stereo? I take it I would get better SQ than streaming over my (5 GHz) wifi? I'm curious why the price difference between the Sanskrit and the Dilvpoetry is only around $6 dollars. Are the purposes that different, what am I missing? Maybe the Dilvpoetry 'has more power' or something, i.e. I wouldn't notice having to turn the stereo up an inordinate amount when going through that DAC as compared to a cheap/er one?

Looks like the Pro-ject is the only one with Bluetooth input.. I don't care much about future proofing, but now proofing would be good (stream to my stereo from my phone as a bonus? Cool!)

In the end my first concern is sound quality. Any input stuff is secondary.

All answers appreciated and if something I said didn't make sense let me know and I'll try to clarify.

Thanks so much,
Chris

 

[TimW]

Hello Chris,

I have thought a lot about how to connect modern TV's to stereo systems because I have done it a few times for myself and for friends and family. The sticking point with these sort of systems has always been how to control the volume. So the first question I would like to ask you is how do you plan to, or what is your ideal method for controlling the volume?

Do you have a remote for the Rotel RX-1050 that you would like to use?

Do you want to use your LG Smart TV remote?

Or do you have a cable box remote that you would want to use?

As far as Bluetooth goes, if you have WiFi streaming capabilities I consider Bluetooth entirely unnecessary. In my experience WiFi does a better job as far as convenience and sound quality is concerned when you're in your own home.

There have been a lot of DAC's tested here and the ones members are most likely to recommend will be ones that have tested well and meet your requirements. For this reason I will refrain from recommending any until I know about your volume control situation.

With that being said the SMSL Sanskrit 10th DAC performs well when used WITH an external power supply and it is a good option. The Dilvpoetry SMSL M100 is actually an SMSL (brand) M100 (model) and Dilvpoetry is just the dealer. The SMSL M100 looks like it might be a good option but it has not been tested and is unlikely to be better than the Sanskrit 10th which comes with a remote. With either of these options you will be able to connect to your computer via USB. Here is the Sanskrit 10th DAC review:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-measurements-of-smsl-sanskrit-10th-dac.5702/

 

[chrish001]

Do you have a remote for the Rotel RX-1050 that you would like to use?

Do you want to use your LG Smart TV remote?

Or do you have a cable box remote that you would want to use?

Hello, Tim. Thanks for your reply.

Actually, since I've been listening to audio lately only through the TV speakers, I forgot that my Rotel remote isn't working for some reason (I guess the problem 'with the remote' is most likely the sensor on the receiver but I don't have any immediate plans to try to resolve the issue). So, If I could use the LG remote, that would be great. I guess the Comcast/Xfinity remote would be fine too, more convenient since it's in my hand more, but it's also kind of bulky and ugly and more likely to get swapped for a different one sooner so the LG remote would still be top choice. (I've lived with multiple remotes for so long, it's not a big issue for me, though someday I'd love to use just one for everything, of course). Either remote is better than walking up to the TV.

I'm still reviewing your comments about the SMSL products and will read the review you linked as well.

Thanks again

 

[Soniclife]

Do you think your TV volume affects the optical out, I've not seen one that does, so you might need a DAC with remote volume.

 

[TimW]

Do you think your TV volume affects the optical out, I've not seen one that does, so you might need a DAC with remote volume.

I'm thinking the same thing. If his TV has the LG "Magic" remote it may be able to control other devices but soundbars are probably the only compatible options. The SMSL Sanskrit 10th comes with a remote so it may be the best option under $100.

 

[chrish001]

I'm thinking the same thing. If his TV has the LG "Magic" remote it may be able to control other devices but soundbars are probably the only compatible options. The SMSL Sanskrit 10th comes with a remote so it may be the best option under $100.

I have the regular remote, not the magic remote.

 

[chrish001]

Do you think your TV volume affects the optical out, I've not seen one that does, so you might need a DAC with remote volume.

I don't know but I haven't seen anything to suggest that it does and I'm betting on "no". I'll look again though...

And... after looking again ( https://www.lg.com/ca_en/support/product-help/CT20098005-1437136302910-others ), I think only devices that support 'LG Sound Sync' will adjust volume via LG remote when connected to optical out.

 

[TimW]

I have the regular remote, not the magic remote.

Unfortunately, like you just mentioned, I don't think that remote can control anything other then your TV and other LG devices connected via optical or HDMI(ARC). I have not seen any LG devices that would be able to control volume via one of those connections while sending signal to your Rotel. So you're not going to be able to control volume with the LG remote.

Your Xfinity remote can control the volume of certain AV equipment but there aren't any sub $100 devices that I know of which meet your needs and are compatible. You can take a look at the brands of gear your Xfinity remote can control here: https://www.xfinity.com/support/remotes/
I think the only way you could go this route would be by replacing your Rotel with an AV receiver which kind of defeats the purpose.

So the best option you have is probably going to be a standalone DAC with remote control that has tested well. This means you will be using another remote just for volume. The aforementioned SMSL Sanskrit 10th DAC is the best option I can think of and is what I would get. Make sure to use an adequate USB power supply to power it, otherwise it performs quite poorly.

There are higher performance options that cost more but they are unnecessary in my opinion. The Sanskrit 10th with external power supply measured very well. You can use it for TV duties whether that is cable or wifi streaming and you can use it with your computer directly via USB. I'm not familiar with Media Monkey or how it streams to your TV but I would hazard to bet that a direct USB connection will result in the best sound quality. You also mention that you would like to stream to your stereo from your phone. That may be possible using WiFi but it depends, what app are you using to play music on your phone?

 

[chrish001]

So the best option you have is probably going to be a standalone DAC with remote control that has tested well. This means you will be using another remote just for volume. The aforementioned SMSL Sanskrit 10th DAC is the best option I can think of and is what I would get. Make sure to use an adequate USB power supply to power it, otherwise it performs quite poorly.

I think I'll go with the SMSL Sanskrit 10th DAC . Even if I get my stereo remote issue fixed, I'll still have a very nice and useful/flexible DAC.

I use the Samsung music app on my phone. I think though, thinking about it now, that I've already come across ways I could do it, but didn't try at the time. Not really a major issue (just a thought, kind of nice to have quick access, as I keep a lot of my own music files no my phone). If you have a quick suggestion, great but don't worry about it much.

Thanks again to you and the other person who chimed in. I'll try to update this thread once I get set up and give a report.

Chris

 

[twsecrest]

Hifimediy optical DAC $59 (+tax/shipping).
https://hifimediy.com/SPDIF-9018-DAC

 

[Fackernarmee]

Hi!

So, I have a 2018 LG Smart TV and love it but was unhappy to find that it didn't have analog audio out (RCA) so I could directly connect it to my stereo receiver (straight stereo, Rotel RX-1050 with floor standing Infinity tower speakers). I miss having my TV show audio (source: cable) go to my stereo and I recently started streaming FLACs and mp3s over wifi from my computer (w/ Media Monkey) direct to the TV (bye bye PS3!) and want this audio redirected to my stereo as well.

I've been putting this off but have had the following DAC in mind for a while (I think because Fry's carries it but never had it in stock):
Kanex Pro Digital to Analog Audio Converter
which is about $35 online.

In the last few days, I've got closer to actually buying and started to shop around. So, now I see that there are DACS for as cheap as ~$10 and going up to $100 (about my upper spending limit and surely as much DAC as I could possibly need for this purpose (right?)) and much higher. I don't really need to future proof much here, I just need to convert the TOSLINK (set to PCM output) digital audio out to analog / RCA.

I am not a super picky audiophile but I do appreciate the best quality I can reasonably get in a particular situation. How much should I spend to get good results?

I won't bother listing any of the $10 DACs I saw (I'll be really surprised if anyone advises me to buy one), but some of the others I've looked at in the last couple of days are:

SMSL Sanskrit 10th DAC Ak4490 USB/Optical Fiber/Coaxial to Analog Audio Decoder (Blue) ~$94

Pro-Ject DAC Box E Digital to Analog Converter (Black) ~$70

Dilvpoetry SMSL M100 AK4452 Analog Digital Converters DSD512 32Bit/768kHz USB/Coaxial/Optical/OTG HiFi DAC Decoder(Black) ~$100

I noticed the Dilvpoetry and the Sanskrit have multiple input types.... USB, that means I can do direct from my computer with a cable to this box and to the stereo? I take it I would get better SQ than streaming over my (5 GHz) wifi? I'm curious why the price difference between the Sanskrit and the Dilvpoetry is only around $6 dollars. Are the purposes that different, what am I missing? Maybe the Dilvpoetry 'has more power' or something, i.e. I wouldn't notice having to turn the stereo up an inordinate amount when going through that DAC as compared to a cheap/er one?

Looks like the Pro-ject is the only one with Bluetooth input.. I don't care much about future proofing, but now proofing would be good (stream to my stereo from my phone as a bonus? Cool!)

In the end my first concern is sound quality. Any input stuff is secondary.

All answers appreciated and if something I said didn't make sense let me know and I'll try to clarify.

Thanks so much,
Chris

Hi Chris, whatever you settle on, why don't you look at a Logitech Harmony Remote

e.g. https://www.logitech.com/en-au/product/harmony-remote-650?crid=60 and consolidate all your remotes in one?

Wotta

 

[chrish001]

UPDATE: order was just placed... now, it will be sometime in June when it arrives; oh well.

 

[chrish001]

Hi Chris, whatever you settle on, why don't you look at a Logitech Harmony Remote

e.g. https://www.logitech.com/en-au/product/harmony-remote-650?crid=60 and consolidate all your remotes in one?

Wotta

Looking now... pretty! I need a universal remote, that's for sure. Thank you.

 

[chrish001]

Hifimediy optical DAC $59 (+tax/shipping).
https://hifimediy.com/SPDIF-9018-DAC

Looks like a contender, but there's no turning back. Nice info to add to the conversation. Thank you.

 

[chrish001]

Well, it won't be much as far as reviews go but I am back to say "THANK YOU", I'm very happy with the SMSL Sanskrit 10th DAC.
Sound is very nice. Controls are fine. No complaints. Those stupid plastic caps on the end of my new optical cables stumped me for a while though ( I read that's a thing, apparently ).

Anyway, Thanks again.
Chris