HDMI ARC to Studio Monitors

[16/44]

Basically want something like this...

HDMI ARC input
RCA or XLR output
Good-ish DAC.
Rotary encoder volume control (in case the remote is lost in a seat cushion)
Programmable IR (so you could use your TV remote if ARC didn't work)

That's it!

Is there anything like that out there? Could it be possible to DIY something like this? Because getting a couple studio monitors working with a TV seems impossible without huge compromises.

 

[Cbdb2]

Thats what an AVR does. Not sure what you want. ARC sends the audio channel from the TV to the receiver. So you want the audio from the OTA broadcast? This is usually a 5.1 format that needs decoding in a AVR or other decoder. If you just want stereo take the analog audio out from your tv, its already decoded, done.

 

[Matias]

Maybe an HDMI ARC "extractor" as they call it to output SPDIF coax into a RME ADI-2 DAC fs?
Example:
https://www.amazon.com/Tendak-Extractor-Converter-Soundbar-Amplifier/dp/B07CJ96MQV

 

[Berwhale]

I've seen a few cheap HDMI audio extractors with volume controls (e.g. HDMI Audio Extractor 4K DAC HDMI Audio Extractor with Volume Adjustment UK | eBay), but nothing like you describe.

 

[16/44]

Thats what an AVR does. Not sure what you want. ARC sends the audio channel from the TV to the receiver. So you want the audio from the OTA broadcast? This is usually a 5.1 format that needs decoding in a AVR or other decoder. If you just want stereo take the analog audio out from your tv, its already decoded, done.

Since I don't need the amplification channels, I just want a tiny stereo preamp with volume control that can be controlled via ARC. Yes, TV signals are usually Dolby Digital, but most TVs can convert to stereo PCM I think. Most modern TVs don't seem to have analog audio outputs.

Maybe an HDMI ARC "extractor" as they call it to output SPDIF coax into a RME ADI-2 DAC fs?
Example:
https://www.amazon.com/Tendak-Extractor-Converter-Soundbar-Amplifier/dp/B07CJ96MQV

Expensive!

I've seen a few cheap HDMI audio extractors with volume controls (e.g. HDMI Audio Extractor 4K DAC HDMI Audio Extractor with Volume Adjustment UK | eBay), but nothing like you describe.

Yeah I have one of those boxes, but the sound quality bad. Full of cracks and pops! I took it apart to see which chips they used, but its been lasered up!

 

[StefaanE]

Basically want something like this...

HDMI ARC input
RCA or XLR output
Good-ish DAC.
Rotary encoder volume control (in case the remote is lost in a seat cushion)
Programmable IR (so you could use your TV remote if ARC didn't work)

That's it!

Is there anything like that out there? Could it be possible to DIY something like this? Because getting a couple studio monitors working with a TV seems impossible without huge compromises.

Some more expensive active monitors (like my Nuberts) come with an ARC input (as a dongle for their USB port). Many TVs have a S/PDIF output (again, my Philips TV does) which can be used for this kind of application. The speakers come with a remote that offers volume and tone controls as well as input selection.

There are lots of cheap and not so cheap HDMI audio extractors on Amazon et al. Some don’t recognise ARC signals, some do, and some will even convert complex audio signals to PCM. I have one from Feintech which is quite versatile and sounds well, ( https://www.amazon.de/-/en/FeinTech-VAX00102-Audio-Extractor-Black/dp/B07K5SGLHZ ) but it only ouputs ARC audio to its digital outputs. I cannot comment on the quality of the DAC as I only use the Toslink output (which supports PCM stereo and DTS 5.1). A remote or volume control is not available, so it’s not really usable as a cheap pre-amp for basic active speakers.

I stumbled onto this thing on aliexpress: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000526245271.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000013.5.22b14d34L9sqS7&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.169870.0&scm_id=1007.13339.169870.0&scm-url=1007.13339.169870.0&pvid=6bdb3cae-6bc0-48e0-bc7e-e23ee7fdd430&_t=gps-idcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller,scm-url:1007.13339.169870.0,pvid:6bdb3cae-6bc0-48e0-bc7e-e23ee7fdd430,tpp_buckets:668#0#131923#33_668#808#4094#380_668#888#3325#5_668#2846#8111#451_668#2717#7567#937_668#1000022185#1000066059#0_668#3468#15617#856 which at $91 isn’t cheap, but it might do what you need.

 

[16/44]

I stumbled onto this thing on aliexpress: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000526245271.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000013.5.22b14d34L9sqS7&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.169870.0&scm_id=1007.13339.169870.0&scm-url=1007.13339.169870.0&pvid=6bdb3cae-6bc0-48e0-bc7e-e23ee7fdd430&_t=gps-idcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller,scm-url:1007.13339.169870.0,pvid:6bdb3cae-6bc0-48e0-bc7e-e23ee7fdd430,tpp_buckets:668#0#131923#33_668#808#4094#380_668#888#3325#5_668#2846#8111#451_668#2717#7567#937_668#1000022185#1000066059#0_668#3468#15617#856 which at $91 isn’t cheap, but it might do what you need.

Hmm... $91 isn't too bad for what it is. Much cheaper than buying a Marantz NR receiver that's for sure! Good find!

 

[StefaanE]

Hmm... $91 isn't too bad for what it is. Much cheaper than buying a Marantz NR receiver that's for sure! Good find!

If you decide to get it, I’d appreciate some feedback on its quality (or lack of it). Thanks!

 

[16/44]

If you decide to get it, I’d appreciate some feedback on its quality (or lack of it). Thanks!

Absolutely. I might get it from Amazon.com instead of Alibaba though - some of the Amazon reviews give me the impression of poor QC. Maybe I'll get a Marantz or Denon receiver for parts - one with bad amplifiers but a working pre-amp section.