Pre amp with hdmi and remote?

[IndieSynth]

I'm looking for a solution to add a hdmi arc input and remote control into my current system. I'm using a Wiim Pro into SMSL SU-1 into Fosi V3. Does a pre amp with this functionality exist? For below £200 ideally.

 

[staticV3]

An arc input can be easily added using an HDMI Audio extractor.

There are two types; those that intercept the HDMI audio between e.g. your PS5 and your TV (example), and those that function as arc endpoint and receive audio from your TV (example)

The latter is advantageous in that I'll work with both external HDMI sources as well as your TV's built-in streaming Apps.

While the Southsky one I linked to supports volume control via your TV's remote, it is only applied to the analog output, not the digital one.

In case you're fine with having an extra DA->AD component in the chain, then you could buy the Southsky or the SMSL PS100, plug it into your WiiM's Analog input, and get an arc input and remote volume control that way.

If instead you want to go digital from your TV to the WiiM, then that makes things a bit more complicated.
I'm not aware of any HDMI Arc extractor that has a DSP built in for volume control of the digital outputs.
Alternatively, you could upgrade your DAC to one with a remote (SMSL C100)

 

[lkanies]

IMO no good version of one exists.

There are hundreds of hdmi splitters out there, but I don’t think any of them are HDMI 2.1 with 40k/120, which IMO is the only kind of hdmi anyone should buy now, for future proofing. They also tend to be low quality. (same with HDMI switches, fwiw - poor specs, and generic chipsets and boxes)

You could spend a huge amount of money on a high end preamp, but… it still would not have 2.1.

The only decently-priced, full featured choice is to buy a full AVR and don’t use its amp. But of course, the AVRs all measure poorly.

I have this same problem in my listening area/living room, fwiw. I have a WiiM Pro, plus a bunch of other stuff. Right now I use the WiiM remote (it used to not come with one but I think it does now), and the WiiM as a preamp. The TV is the HDMI switcher, and I do Toslink out for return audio to the WiiM.

Honestly, the WiiM works great as a preamp. I was using a MiniDSP SHD, but it is currently dead (with DSP Fail on the display). I now have the tools to hopefully fix it, but… it was a crappy preamp. The WiiM auto switches inputs, the minidsp does not. The WiiM’s remote is Bluetooth, which works way better for my setup (in a cabinet, behind a couch). You just have to have that audio return via toslink, which may or may not work for you. And it’s pretty great being able to control it all in the amp if the remote does not suffice for some reason.

 

[staticV3]

Huh, I didn't know that the WiiM comes with a Remote now! That simplifies things:


And since the HDMI Extractor doesn't need to pass video, there won't be any issues with HDMI 2.1 either

 

[lkanies]

Huh, I didn't know that the WiiM comes with a Remote now! That simplifies things:
View attachment 319588

And since the HDMI Extractor doesn't need to pass video, there won't be any issues with HDMI 2.1 either

…as long as you use the extractor at the end of the chain. If you use it as a preamp in the beginning you lose fidelity.

 

[staticV3]

…as long as you use the extractor at the end of the chain. If you use it as a preamp in the beginning you lose fidelity.

In the diagram above, the WiiM acts as preamp. Not the extractor.
Despite volume control being done digitally, no fidelity will be lost, as long as the SU-1's noise floor is below that of the Fosi V3 and of OP's listening environment.

 

[lkanies]

Right. But in your first post, you mentioned doing something like putting one of these devices between, say, the PS5 and the TV. If you do that, you can't run 4k/120 (assuming these devices don't do full HDMI 2.1). So, as long as you do source -> TV -> splitter -> WiiM, everything should be fine. It's just if the splitter goes before the TV that problems crop up.