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Recommendations for a 3 channel setup?

Busy

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Hi! I want to assemble a simple better than a sound bar TV/movies setup and would love some suggestions.

for a long time, I had the following for music: a $2k British integrated amp and $2k pair of British standing speakers. Several years ago, I got a small B&W wifi (active) speaker for my TV sound output.

I want to improve my TV/movie sound a bit so I got a Sonos beam early this year. Wasn’t impressed. Upgraded to sonos arc, still not impressed (ok for Tv/movies but playing a bit of music, can’t compare to my $4k setup. No surprise there)

so my thinking is, can I add a simple multichannel DAC / decoder /preamp to bring my pair of standing speakers and the b&w together to form a 3 channel front that’s better than the Sonos Arc? What are my DAC options?
 

twsecrest

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What source(s) do you use for TV and music?
If you TV has an optical output plug, than a DAC with optical input would work.
But I would rather use a DAC connected more directly to the source.
I'm thinking to just use the pair of standing speakers and not use the B&W.
Three channel is not something normally supported in audio hardware, 2.1 is, but the B&W could not really be used as the sub-woofer (best guess).
Does your integrated amp support a sub-woofer?
 
OP
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What source(s) do you use for TV and music?
If you TV has an optical output plug, than a DAC with optical input would work.
But I would rather use a DAC connected more directly to the source.
I'm thinking to just use the pair of standing speakers and not use the B&W.
Three channel is not something normally supported in audio hardware, 2.1 is, but the B&W could not really be used as the sub-woofer (best guess).
Does your integrated amp support a sub-woofer?
TV souce: mostly apple tv now
Music souce: plex via apple tv or via alexa (3.5mm out)

Tv does have optical out. I think usb out too.

I feel that having a center would make dialogue more clear?

Yeah i know very few DAC support more than 2 channels thus the question here.

No. Amp doesn’t support sub. And I don’t have a sub
 

twsecrest

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TV souce: mostly apple tv now
Music souce: plex via apple tv or via alexa (3.5mm out)
Tv does have optical out. I think usb out too.
I feel that having a center would make dialogue more clear?
Yeah i know very few DAC support more than 2 channels thus the question here.
No. Amp doesn’t support sub. And I don’t have a sub
Center channel, for voice, is part of a 5.1 or 7.1 speaker setup.
Home audio will use a 2.0 or 2.1 or 4.1 or 5.1 or 7.1 or 7.1.2, etc.
Nothing is designed for 3.0 home audio (maybe something very custom, that almost no one might have heard of).
So you really can't separate voice/center channel, for your current setup.
Alexa (3.5mm) would be the easiest, connect it to the line-input, on the integrated amplifier.
Not sure if your TV's USB jack supports external DACs, or if it does, which ones??
I would go optical DAC.
This Hifimediy optical DAC is $50.
But you can always spend more, like $200 for a Topping D50 DAC?
Or spend even more.
 
OP
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So you are saying a 3 channel front setup without rear speakers is insanity and would sound worse than either just one b&w or just the pair of floor standings?
 

twsecrest

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It would be cool if you could get the B&W to act as the voice/center channel and get a 3.0 setup, but does not seem possible.
As you currently do not have rear speakers and have not said your planning on buying rear speakers, not sure what insanity I'm trying to answer on?
 

AdamG

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Hi! I want to assemble a simple better than a sound bar TV/movies setup and would love some suggestions.

for a long time, I had the following for music: a $2k British integrated amp and $2k pair of British standing speakers. Several years ago, I got a small B&W wifi (active) speaker for my TV sound output.

I want to improve my TV/movie sound a bit so I got a Sonos beam early this year. Wasn’t impressed. Upgraded to sonos arc, still not impressed (ok for Tv/movies but playing a bit of music, can’t compare to my $4k setup. No surprise there)

so my thinking is, can I add a simple multichannel DAC / decoder /preamp to bring my pair of standing speakers and the b&w together to form a 3 channel front that’s better than the Sonos Arc? What are my DAC options?
Dolby ATMOS can be configured as a 3.0 or 3.1. Imho 3 higher quality discrete speakers will outperform any soundbar I have ever heard. Plus it gives you a baseline to expand to a 5.1 system going forward if you so choose. Dolby does support such a 3 channel configuration and a good ATMOS capable AVR should properly mix in the Spacial queues for your 3 channel configuration. This configuration should also help improve center channel dialog comprehension. Link below is taken directly from the Dolby ATMOS supported channel configuration setup options.

Not to mention the major benefits of using individual large speakers for 2 channel Music enjoyment.

 
OP
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Busy

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Dolby ATMOS can be configured as a 3.0 or 3.1. Imho 3 higher quality discrete speakers will outperform any soundbar I have ever heard. Plus it gives you a baseline to expand to a 5.1 system going forward if you so choose. Dolby does support such a 3 channel configuration and a good ATMOS capable AVR should properly mix in the Spacial queues for your 3 channel configuration. This configuration should also help improve center channel dialog comprehension. Link below is taken directly from the Dolby ATMOS supported channel configuration setup options.

Not to mention the major benefits of using individual large speakers for 2 channel Music enjoyment.



Thanks! My thinking as well! Are you aware of any value priced DAC? I’d want to avoid buying a receiver as it would take a very pricy receiver to beat my amp.
 

AdamG

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Thanks! My thinking as well! Are you aware of any value priced DAC? I’d want to avoid buying a receiver as it would take a very pricy receiver to beat my amp.
My opinion here. Eventually if you want to go beyond 3 channel in the future an AVR is going to be the brains of your system and get one with good room correction abilities. For Tv and Movies use the AVR internal DAC. I doubt most of us could tell the difference in a blind choice scenario. For critical Music session use the Analog inputs of the AVR from your preferred Streaming/Networked 2 Channel DAC or Source (Cd player). That’s what I do. Best of both worlds.
 
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Thanks!
I don’t see the need for a more elaborate 7/5 channel system in the foreseeable future as I’m pretty happy with my small Manhattan apt.

Also, I think HT receiver are outdated fairly quickly compared to amps so ideally I want to keep those separate anyways and a DAC can give me 3 front channels is really all I need.
 
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