How do fellow audiophiles set up your TV systems?

i have definitely run into the chip shortage problem when shopping for another AVR. But that’s been a blessing in disguise because I have learned some useful things and I am going to proceed with separates. Instead of looking for a two-channel AVR, or failing that an AVR, I have come to the conclusion one gets better sound with separates, so I’m going to be looking for a video preamp (surround sound processor). I’m liking what NAD does in having a video upgrade module so I can keep up with the latest video advancements. but I am liking a Marantz product at the moment.

 

Nice system. I’m going for something similar. I want to replace my dead AVR with a surround sound processor. At the moment I’ve got my eye on a Marantz AV7706.

 

I’d do the same I I used a tube amp. In fact for awhile I did have my tube amp there, but pulled it out for just that reason.

 

Not interested in surround sound, home theatre or whatever. Not a fan of big TVs either.....I don't feel the need to connect the TV to my hi-fi set-up and watch/listen to a 32'' Sony Bravia in my living room and a 32" LG TV in the bedroom. That does me just fine.

 

Digital optical out of the sky q box straight into the marantz amp with mission 752’s either side of the TV. Works great!

 

Dedicated system.

Video:
Sony Bravia XBR-65X850E 4K TV
Sony UHP-H1 universal disc player
AppleTV 4K streamer
Roku Ultra 4K streamer

Audio:
Old Yamaha RX-V457 AV receiver
Polk Audio R15 x 4
Polk Audio CS1
Polk Audio PSW202

 

My wife does not want to fool with my audio setup to watch TV so we have the TV feeding a Sonos Player and Sub. Had a Sonos Amp driving surround speakers but disconnected it ages ago as we don't care about surround. The Sonos setup is pretty amazing for casual viewing. If I am going to watch a moving or other audio centered program, I will join a separate Sonos Connect to the TV and use the optical out with a fixed output to my DAC. Then turn the volume all the way down on the Playbar and use the amp volume. Works well, but not something the wife would even attempt. It's actually a win-win. She gets simplicity, and I don't have my tube hours running while she watches NCIS.

 

I endorse this. I’ve got a pair of Epos bookshelf speakers and a dirt-cheap Monoprice sub, with the sound routed from the TV through an ancient Denon AV receiver. Perfecto.

 

I just use my stereo for TV sound, no surround for us. Works better with our room, anyway, and it’s a lot simpler.

 

TV Optical Out to NAD D3020 to Ohm Model E speakers - stereo only.

 

I would add mine back but I don't want buy an AVR. Right now are using the subtitle feature when the dialogue is hard to hear.

 

I use a separate rooms for my HT system and for my 2 channel system.

The sources to my HT system are fed through a Marantz AVR, and most of sources are connected via HDMI. I feed the 5.1 preamp outs to a 6 channel Rotel amp which drives my speakers. My Sony flat screen receives its HDMI feed from my AVR.

 

I find that relatively inexpensive Polk speakers sound real nice in both stereo and HT applications.

The CS1 is a 5 1/4" dual driver center channel speaker with a 1" dome tweeter, from the Monitor II series.

When I first set up my audio room, I bought a pair of Monitor 70 Series II tower speakers for the front channels, which I used for both HT and stereo.

Being in a fairly large room, I bought the 6 1/2" version of the same center channel speaker. For not much more than $100, they both are excellent values when it comes to center channel speakers, offering excellent clarity for voices.

When I moved on to the RTi-A9's for front mains (bought on a BOGO sale), I bought their matching 6 1/2" center channel from that series.

When I later upgraded to the LSIM707's for the front mains (bought on BOGO sale also), I bought the larger matching center channel for the LSiM series. At the time, the 707's were the flagship Polk speakers, retailing at $4k/pair and the center retailed for $1,300.

As it turned out, this large 40 pound center channel speaker was too large vertically to fit in the audio rack under the TV. So, I ended up using the CSiA6 center that I bought from the RTi model line. I will note that I used it with an Emotiva 250-Watt mono amplifier to match the stereo amp on the front main towers.

This center channel really rocks and easily keeps up with the LSIM707's.

The reasoning I am mentioning this is that the RTi series has been discontinued and is no longer available from Polk Audio.

But... there are still some brand new in-box CSiA6 available from other online sources. And they are available for the stupid low price of $129 from Crutchfield at this link.

This is an amazingly excellent center channel and at this price, I doubt that you will find any other new center channel speaker that comes anywhere near the quality of this speaker for anywhere near this price.



Where the Monitor line was an entry level type speaker, with vinyl covering, all of the speakers in the RTi line have real wood veneers. The above photo is the CSiA6 covered in real cherry wood.

From Crutchfield:

Product highlights:

• video-shielded
• bass-reflex (ported) design
• frequency response 55-26,000 Hz (-3dB)
• handles 20-200 watts
• 1" Dynamic Balance® silk/polymer tweeter
• dual 6-1/2" Dynamic Balance polymer composite woofers
• PowerPort® technology improves bass response without introducing distortion
• 8-ohm impedance
• sensitivity 90 dB
• 5-way binding post terminals
• real wood veneer finish
• 24-1/16"W x 7-13/16"H x 14-1/4"D
• warranty: 5 years
• Our 60-day money-back guarantee
• MFR # AM6612-B

This is an exceptionally clear and neutral sounding speaker that can be used on its own or with almost any front main speakers.

There are many excellent customer review on the Crutchfield site.

This speaker is also available on Amazon, through Crutchfield for the same price, with free shipping, which is a definite plus, being that the speaker itself is quite substantial and weighs in at 29-lbs.

Although no longer available directly from Polk, here is a link to the product page on the Polk website. This is an easy to drive 8-Ohm speaker with a sensitivity rating of 90-dB, with a -3 dB. point of 55-Hz.



While shown in this photo with Polk bookshelf speakers, it is designed to play with the large flagship speakers in the RTi product line, the RTi-A9's which are very large 4' tall towers.

 

Digital out of the LG TV to digital in on the Schiit Gugnir digital in, out of that into the Bheringer DEQ2496 (to tame the at times overwhelming low end of the Klipsch The Fives) out to the Fives.

 

Thank you. It took me a long time to get to this point. I'm finally really close to just being able to sit down and enjoy everything and not be analyzing what I can upgrade and/or tweak next. Although, the AVM 60 is getting a little long in the tooth now, but I can't really justify the cost of upgrading to a new AVM 70 or 90. The 60 does everything I need it to do. That Marantz looks like a really nice unit.

 

I thought you always had the option with dvd/blu rays to change the sound to just stereo PCM (at least over here in EU)?! So no need to watch 5.1 when you don't have a compatible surround system.

 

As others have mentioned, 2 channel audio for TV/Video/Movies works well for me. I think, despite having only two channels, I get great movie soundtrack sound. Of course my TV is centered in my main system (only system lol!). I do have to use the analog output on the TV since there are no HDMI inputs on my vintage preamp.

 

Both screen and stereo are in the same space, so they work together:
65-inch LG OLED,
5.1 Dolby Digital or DTS through my older Yamaha receiver (no possibility for Atmos or such in the apartment)
Turntable and reel-to-reel through Luxman pre-amp, mostly for headphones, with the option of running them through the main stereo speakers.
Reel-to-reel (avatar) sends XLR connects to/from Marantz pro solid-state 1-rack audio recorder, which acts as an interface as much as anything (it also has RCA in/outs).

It ain't perfect, but it does the job, given the available restrictions.

C.

 

same here

 

I have mine set up that way. It is very rare something is mixed such that the dialogue is hard to hear (TBH, I only ever really notice it, specifically, when South Park has scenes with music…must be something with the way that show is mixed).

 

Nor mine.

She can just turn on the TV and listen through the internal speakers.

 

I’ll never understand how anybody can do that… they just always sound so bad.

How elaborate are people’s systems that turning them on to watch TV is complicated? Mine is just a power button, maybe a source; and, if using the amp’s remote control, just pushing the source button turns it on.

 

How much SQ is needed for Chrisley or "Real Housewives?"

 

It’s not a need for sound quality so much as an aversion to the offensive sound the built-in speakers of a modern flat-panel TV put out (the ones I have heard always sound like a piece of metal rattling a piece of plastic…).

 

Mine aren't that bad. More like a small boombox.