List of Powered Speakers with HDMI input?

[I know (almost) nothing]

Is there a comprehensive list of powered speakers that have HDMI input? I am looking for something small to go in a 11'x11' room on either side of the TV

 

[Mnyb]

We can start one .

KEF LSXII ( in you indicated size range , also have sub output )

KEF LS50 Wireless II

KEF LS60

Klipsh The Fives

Klipsh The Nines

 

[twsecrest]

Why HDMI?

 

[pavuol]

I doubt there is..

so contributing to the list

Klipsch The Fives
ELAC Debut ConneX
Sonus Faber Duetto
Magnat Transpuls 800A
Audio Pro A28
Argon Audio A4 and A5

[with optional adapters sold separately]
Nubert nuPro XS-3000 RC
Nubert nuPro XS-4000 RC

 

[Ellebob]

I think this is an upcoming category. A lot of people want the simplicity of one remote and a pair of active speakers which works with their remote through ARC/e-ARC will give better sound than most sound bars. I use a 2.1 system in my family room and much better sound than a sound bar. Believe me, I have tested a lot of sound bars and compared.

Klipsch the Sevens and Nines as well

PSB Alpha IQ

SVS Prime Wireless Pro

Sonus Faber Duetto

 

[sonitus mirus]

I think this is an upcoming category. A lot of people want the simplicity of one remote and a pair of active speakers which works with their remote through ARC/e-ARC will give better sound than most sound bars. I use a 2.1 system in my family room and much better sound than a sound bar. Believe me, I have tested a lot of sound bars and compared.

Klipsch the Sevens and Nines as well

PSB Alpha IQ

SVS Prime Wireless Pro

Sonus Faber Duetto

Don't many sound bars use ARC/eARC now? I think I have a couple older sound bars that do. They are Samsungs, and one is working with an LG OLED tv.

 

[prestigetone]

I think this is an upcoming category. A lot of people want the simplicity of one remote and a pair of active speakers which works with their remote through ARC/e-ARC will give better sound than most sound bars. I use a 2.1 system in my family room and much better sound than a sound bar. Believe me, I have tested a lot of sound bars and compared.

Klipsch the Sevens and Nines as well

PSB Alpha IQ

SVS Prime Wireless Pro

Sonus Faber Duetto

I disagree. I wish this were an upcoming category, but I tried before to get a DAC that has hdmi and it's still not available

 

[I know (almost) nothing]

Why HDMI?

Because the speakers are going to be mainly to attach to the TV. Very small room, but I’m trying to find alternative to sound bar. It’s it’s a 43 inch TV.

 

[Ellebob]

Most sound bars use ARC/eARC but most don't sound as good as a nice pair of speakers. The sound bars have come a long way with DSP and pushing 2-4" drivers to their max. Plus most of the times these soud bar drivers are place horizontally. So they have to use a lot of DSP to creat a soundstage and avoid comb filtering problems. They just don't compete with a nice pair of speakers 5"+ woofers for sound quality. We carry a lot of sound bars where I work and I have had most of them to test and try in my home. NONE have bested a nice pair of speakers in the same price range. Sound bars do have features that speakers don't have, so if you want those features than that is your solution. When turning on music, the sound bars simply are not as good IME and with family and friends who have helped with my comparisons.

I totally agree! I would love to see a reasonably priced DAC/preamp that has HDMI ARC/eARC. Topping, SMSL, etc. are you listening?

Ecepet for items like the Eversolo A8 which is more than DAC, the only other DAC I know under $1000 is the MiniDSP Flex HT that could be used with a pair of active speakers. Actually, we will have one of those in soon and I plan to try it out with some active speakers at my house.

There are some streaming Amps (Sonos, Bluesound, WiiM, etc) as well as inexpensive receivers you could use with ARC/eARC if connecting passive speakers. Why these companies sisn't incluse HDMI in their DAC/pre-amps I am not usre. But, I think the HDMI being built into the speakers and having even less cables might catch on. A subwoofer out if you want to connect a sub for better bass and it is a nice system for TV and music.

 

[I know (almost) nothing]

Because the speakers are going to be mainly to attach to the TV. Very small room, but I’m trying to find alternative to sound bar. It’s it’s a 43 inch TV.

In living room, which isnt giant either, I have a 55 inch with a bluesound powernode (hdmi) and Elac dbr62’s

Trying not to put in an amp for reasons

 

[Ellebob]

Because the speakers are going to be mainly to attach to the TV. Very small room, but I’m trying to find alternative to sound bar. It’s it’s a 43 inch TV.

What is the price range?

Depending on the TV, you might have an analog output or a headphone output. Those you can connect to a pair of active speakers and then it would use the TVs remote so it would be easier to use. That could give you more options.

 

[HeadDoc12]

In living room, which isnt giant either, I have a 55 inch with a bluesound powernode (hdmi) and Elac dbr62’s

Trying not to put in an amp for reasons

The PSB Alpha iQ is Bluesound compatible, and also might the smallest option. You can even add the Bluesound subwoofer (wirelessly) if you want.

 

[Gringoaudio1]

I disagree. I wish this were an upcoming category, but I tried before to get a DAC that has hdmi and it's still not available

A DAC is for converting digital to analog. HDMI is already digital. What is your proposed chain of devices? HDMI in and pass through HDMI Video out (that carries on to the TV) and analog audio out? That would work for a sound bar with only analog in.

 

[I know (almost) nothing]

What is the price range?

Depending on the TV, you might have an analog output or a headphone output. Those you can connect to a pair of active speakers and then it would use the TVs remote so it would be easier to use. That could give you more options.

I'd like to stay under $500. I saw a refurb pair of "the fives" for around that. Or maybe the Elacs

 

[Ellebob]

I'd like to stay under $500. I saw a refurb pair of "the fives" for around that. Or maybe the Elacs

Does your TV have an analog or headphone output? That gives a LOT more options if it does.

 

[I know (almost) nothing]

Does your TV have an analog or headphone output? That gives a LOT more options if it does.

The TV has an optical out which I’d prefer not to use , because of controlling volume levels. Also has a headphone out.

Hadn’t thought of headphone out because of possible quality?

 

[Ellebob]

The disadvantage of the headphone out is you are using the DACs in the TV which may be of lower quality. But, even some inexpensive DACs do a decent job especially for this application.

The advantage is there are many more options to get good sounding active speakers or monitors. There is also the advantage is that it will work reliably and you don't deal with any of HDMI's quirks.

For example I have the Kef LSX II in my home. Someone wanted to put on something using their phone and Bluetooth. I went in the Kef app changed the input to Bluetooth. They connected their phone and it worked for about 30 seconds and the Kef then switched back to the HDMI input. I had in settings to have it automatically switch to HDMI when the TV comes on. But, it switched with with the TV off!

I had to go into settings and turn off that setting then it would stay on Bluetooth. I don't know if the TV was sending a signal even when off or if it was something not working correctly on the Kef. Either way HDMI is notorious for various hiccups. If it works great! But can be frustrating when it doesn't. The headphone jack will most likely be a lot more reliable.

 

[CedarX]

Slightly off-topic as it is not a powered speaker... I found this amp. (so, that would be for passive speakers! ) from Wondon / Sure-Electronics interesting. It should be OK for for a small room with a pair of, say Dayton MK402X.

WONDOM OFFICIAL SHOP, WONDOM JAB5, WONDOM DSP, Sure Electronics, Class D Amplifier Board, DSP, Signal Amplifier, tpa3116 Amplifier Board, 2000 watt Amplifier, Amplifier Board, Amplifier Develop, Audio diy, Amplifier Diy, jab5, jab4, jab3, icp5, tpa31

Sure Electronics is a professional audio amplifier supplier that provides electronics hobbyists and business partners the middleware which can help reduce customers' development difficulties and save their precious time-to-market by making the products directly released in the market.

store.sure-electronics.com

Or ALiExpress:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805949512276.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.4.175a18026etjGM&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

I actually have one of those but it still in its box, unused... . It appears to be out of stock at AliExpress. This may be have to do with the TI TAS5768M chip being replaced by the TAS5825M or it may be discontinued, I don't know. Anyway, it has several neat/interesting features:

• Small footprint !!! (103 x 100 x 32 mm)
• HDMI and Bluetooth (up to AptX HD) input.
• Two HDMI outputs (so the amp. acts as HDMI splitter)
• Built around a TI TAS5768, Class-D amp. chip with I2S input (a "PowerDAC"?). The chip also includes a 10x biquads DSP, but I don't think it is enabled (no BT or USB control app that I could find...). This TAS chip is really what caught my attention /
• Powered from any 65-100W USB-C charger capable of PD 20V 3-5A (not included, but nevertheless a neat idea for a low-power amp.!). Appears to be always "on".
• Up to 2x 50W (based on the datasheet, more like 2x 40W, 1% THD+N, 4 Ohm, 20V supply from a 100W charger)
• Front headphones 3.5mm port
• USB-A charging port (no indication it exposes anything else, such as the internal DSP)
• Speaker cables connected through a separate block terminal block.
• IR learning function for Vol. Up/Down/Mute/Unmute.

 

[Ellebob]

Passive I think it's easy to find products. You can always use an inexpensive receiver that has HDMI ARC. Or a Sonos amp, Bluesound amp, WiiM am, etc.
This one is pretty inexpensive but it seems to have limitations like 6 GB for data rate. So it won't do a full 4K with HDR. It can probably do 1080 HDR at a low bit rate and 4K without HDR at low bit rate. So a little misleading but no surprise. It is pretty inexpensive. It also doesn't State HDMI ARC. It looks more like a basic HDMI switch / audio extractor. If you try it out let us know if it does HDMI ARC.

 

[rirelien]

I disagree. I wish this were an upcoming category, but I tried before to get a DAC that has hdmi and it's still not available

MiniDSP Flex HT, though it has other functionality on top of being a DAC.