65" OLED + Sound System Recommendation

[kitkat9933]

I've just got permission to be able to get my self a 65" OLED TV and sound system for my man-cave/office in our new house.

I'm really after eARC and Dolby Atmos. I would be using it for gaming on console and PC as well as films etc.

Looking to buy in about 2 weeks once we’ve exchanged.

Looking to spend not much past £3k. What would everyone suggest ?

 

[hornetstinger]

Avr and 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system. At your budget forget 11 speaker Atmos and get lesser speakers in better quality, then get remaining speakers later

 

[Radox-0]

LG C9/CX would be the way to go giving they have pretty good gaming orientated features. Problem is they will cost about £2 / £2.5k of your budget so will eat up most your £3k budget.

For an AV receiver, I personally use a Sony STR-1080 and have an Atmos setup, works absolutely flawlessly. It has eARC so fortunately I hook my devices direct into my OLED then eARC through to the AVR, AVR is hidden now and everything controlled via single LG smart remote. Fortunately the C9 with a recent update and the CX out the box are both capable of passing through LPCM signals, so your PC for example plugged into the CX will be able to leverage G-Sync / FreeSync (C9 does not have this) / VRR /120hz@4k with next gen while being able to pass through LPCM signals which your PC will be able to see and treat each speaker individually along with Atmos etc (CX lacks DTS support though while the C9 has it). Only upcoming Denon AVRs will pass through VRR signals to the OLED's if you decide to plug everything into the AVR. Plenty of other eARC receivers, but find this Sony one for price, features, eARC etc done the trick for me when hunting.

Speaker wise, will not be much budget left though after the OLED/AVR, suppose could go with main L/R then add to it as funds permit?

 

[aoaaron]

65' CX + John Lewis Burn in warranty is a no brainer
Cheapest AVR you can find (because you will end up upgrading this very soon due to HDMI 2.1)


IF you plan to slowly upgrade your sound, get Arendal monitors + a BK electronics subwoofer and aim to buy the centre + surrounds in the next 12 months. This will end you with an EPIC home theater near reference setup which will last for you the rest of your life.

however if you can't stretch the budget to that, get some KEF Q speakers second hand or w/e brand you like. I like KEF, easy to listen to. second hand is the best bet cos someone else has paid for the depreciation. arendal speakers don't go second hand very often at all otherwise i would have reccomended them.

 

[aoaaron]

£3k is a good budget but if you can stretch to £4k or £5k u can spec something ridiculous.

 

[kitkat9933]

Is the cx worth the cost over the c9?

£3k is just the budget for moving in. So many things to buy for the new house in the first few months.

 

[Radox-0]

Is the cx worth the cost over the c9?

£3k is just the budget for moving in. So many things to buy for the new house in the first few months.

Not really IMO. HDTV test do a good review. CX wins on standard content, better near black handling, has Freesync (c9 has G-sync and VRR (HDMI 2.1 spec)) and BFI. C9 is able to get brighter so better for HDR it seems, DTS Passthrough (if that matters to you) Seems we are reaching a point with OLED's they are pretty mature so minor refinements. Can grab C9 at JL aswell.

 

[kitkat9933]

Both have hdmi 2.1, 4k 120hz and earc which is the key for me.

the web os version doesn’t matter for me.

 

[Radox-0]

65' CX + John Lewis Burn in warranty is a no brainer
Cheapest AVR you can find (because you will end up upgrading this very soon due to HDMI 2.1)


IF you plan to slowly upgrade your sound, get Arendal monitors + a BK electronics subwoofer and aim to buy the centre + surrounds in the next 12 months. This will end you with an EPIC home theater near reference setup which will last for you the rest of your life.

however if you can't stretch the budget to that, get some KEF Q speakers second hand or w/e brand you like. I like KEF, easy to listen to. second hand is the best bet cos someone else has paid for the depreciation. arendal speakers don't go second hand very often at all otherwise i would have reccomended them.

Why do you need to upgrade AVR's? With 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, or 3 free (which seems enough for OP), you can simply buy an eARC receiver and plug the devices into the TV. Full fat audio will still pass through via eARC to the AV reciever so you lose nothing and no need to throw the receiver out.

 

[aoaaron]

Why do you need to upgrade AVR's? With 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, or 3 free (which seems enough for OP), you can simply buy an eARC receiver and plug the devices into the TV. Full fat audio will still pass through via eARC to the AV reciever so you lose nothing and no need to throw the receiver out.

CX doesn't have DTS so it can't passthrough it via EARC.

 

[Radox-0]

CX doesn't have DTS so it can't passthrough it via EARC.

yes as per my own point above in C9 vs CX. However that does not mean it negates everything else which can do passthrough fine. As per in the CX thread, the issue is not massive. Streaming services do not use DTS, PC and consoles use LCPM, can set consoles to use Dolby etc. Audio on DTS on PC can be converted before being sent via the TV.

Sure if DTS became important to OP then go for it, (if he gets CX over C9). But with way can do pretty much most content without DTS, would be a waste to buy a AV receiver with eARC to only throw it away for a Denon. Most content that may absolutely need DTS like media does not need to play back with VRR 120hz @ 4k so could plug in fine direct to the non-Denon AVR and pass video up the chain to the TV (once again if OP goes for CX over C9 which makes this all moot).

 

[aoaaron]

yes as per my own point above in C9 vs CX. However that does not mean it negates everything else which can do passthrough fine. As per in the CX thread, the issue is not massive. Streaming services do not use DTS, PC and consoles use LCPM, can set consoles to use Dolby etc. Audio on DTS on PC can be converted before being sent via the TV.

Sure if DTS became important to OP then go for it, (if he gets CX over C9). But with way can do pretty much most content without DTS, would be a waste to buy a AV receiver with eARC to only throw it away for a Denon. Most content that may absolutely need DTS like media does not need to play back with VRR 120hz @ 4k so could plug in fine direct to the non-Denon AVR and pass video up the chain to the TV (once again if OP goes for CX over C9 which makes this all moot).

I stand corrected! very very good points! and you've further underlined that LG taking away DTS is not the big deal ppl are making it out to be. Need more people like you talking practical common sense rather than the scare mongerers.

Excellent point I keep forgetting. As PC Master race we can just convert the DTX before it gets sent and still EARC it over. I stand corrected, you are right!
PS5 will always allow for us to convert too just like the PS4 Pro does. So again you're right.
so I'm actually now struggling to think of a device which doesn't allow us to decode and then pass it through EARC.
You just potentially saved me £1000+.

This issue basically only affects users who download films and want to play them on the native player off of a usb disc.. but i cant imagine ever doing that as i want to use MADVR most of the time.

For now, using HDMI 2.0b, how can I connect my PC to my CX and still allow 5.1.2 audio (dolby atmos et al.) to be passed through? Does EARC work over HDMI 2.0b? Or do I need to use that double HDMI trick for now?

 

[Radox-0]

I stand corrected! very very good points! and you've further underlined that LG taking away DTS is not the big deal ppl are making it out to be. Need more people like you talking practical common sense rather than the scare mongerers.

Excellent point I keep forgetting. As PC Master race we can just convert the DTX before it gets sent and still EARC it over. I stand corrected, you are right!
PS5 will always allow for us to convert too just like the PS4 Pro does. So again you're right.
so I'm actually now struggling to think of a device which doesn't allow us to decode and then pass it through EARC.
You just potentially saved me £1000+.

This issue basically only affects users who download films and want to play them on the native player off of a usb disc.. but i cant imagine ever doing that as i want to use MADVR most of the time.

For now, using HDMI 2.0b, how can I connect my PC to my CX and still allow 5.1.2 audio (dolby atmos et al.) to be passed through? Does EARC work over HDMI 2.0b? Or do I need to use that double HDMI trick for now?

eARC can work via HDMI 2.0b if the hardware is capable of it. Afterall, all the AV recievers on the market right now which support eARC do not have HDMI 2.1, or the OLED's by Sony and Panasonic which frustratingly omit HDMI 2.1, still have eARC.

Your case is slightly different to the OP who can buy a eARC receiver to make life simple off the bat. Without eARC which I think the AVR in your sig lacks, there are two methods

1. Connect your PC to TV via HDMI, then another HDMI cable to your AV receiver. A phantom monitor will be created to represent your AV receiver and you can select this as the Audio out. Problem with this method, is it will only work on the PC and not your other devices.

2. Pick up a Sharc eARC device. This device will basically sit between your TV and AV receiver. So plug your devices into the TV, then Sharc between the TV and AV receiver into a NON-ARC port and you will be able to process lossless audio. People on AVS forum used this successfully and even someone on the forums: https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/33732729 Video here also explains it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGfj-guajNg

 

[hornetstinger]

Plenty of speaker brands not just arendal and kef. Literally hundred or so.

Bk subs are good value but they do suffer from poor QC when it comes to buzzing/humming psu and also from crossover setting, ie buzz when you select lfe mode. Seems a reaccuring issue that plagues the brand going back many years.

That Sony 1080 has a bug with something is it Atmos?

£1500 will get you a budget, but decent 5.1 system

If you use the built in media player (not bad tbh, however my Kodi box plays more unusual files) say Japanese manga. you will need DTS output from optical/HDMI.

 

[aoaaron]

Plenty of speaker brands not just arendal and kef. Literally hundred or so.

Bk subs are good value but they do suffer from poor QC when it comes to buzzing/humming psu and also from crossover setting, ie buzz when you select lfe mode. Seems a reaccuring issue that plagues the brand going back many years.

That Sony 1080 has a bug with something is it Atmos?

£1500 will get you a budget, but decent 5.1 system

If you use the built in media player (not bad tbh, however my Kodi box plays more unusual files) say Japanese manga. you will need DTS output from optical/HDMI.

Of course. They were only examples of 2 speaker brands at 2 differenct price points for simplicity sake which are pretty much loved by 99% of people that listen to them cos they're quite easy to listen to.

 

[aoaaron]

eARC can work via HDMI 2.0b if the hardware is capable of it. Afterall, all the AV recievers on the market right now which support eARC do not have HDMI 2.1, or the OLED's by Sony and Panasonic which frustratingly omit HDMI 2.1, still have eARC.

Your case is slightly different to the OP who can buy a eARC receiver to make life simple off the bat. Without eARC which I think the AVR in your sig lacks, there are two methods

1. Connect your PC to TV via HDMI, then another HDMI cable to your AV receiver. A phantom monitor will be created to represent your AV receiver and you can select this as the Audio out. Problem with this method, is it will only work on the PC and not your other devices.

2. Pick up a Sharc eARC device. This device will basically sit between your TV and AV receiver. So plug your devices into the TV, then Sharc between the TV and AV receiver into a NON-ARC port and you will be able to process lossless audio. People on AVS forum used this successfully and even someone on the forums: https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/33732729 Video here also explains it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGfj-guajNg

Thanks. I think 2x HDMIs seems the easier option.

I don't think my other devices really need it. Realistically I'll only have two HDMI 2.1 devices. The PS5 and a PC. Everything else can be connected to the old AVR.

PS5 wise, I'm pretty much sure they are going to give the output option of LPCM like they have on the PS4.. which makes it a non issue right?

 

[Radox-0]

Plenty of speaker brands not just arendal and kef. Literally hundred or so.

That Sony 1080 has a bug with something is it Atmos?

Not got an issue with mine with Atmos. Have two height channel speakers and does Atmos fine.

Thanks. I think 2x HDMIs seems the easier option.

I don't think my other devices really need it. Realistically I'll only have two HDMI 2.1 devices. The PS5 and a PC. Everything else can be connected to the old AVR.

PS5 wise, I'm pretty much sure they are going to give the output option of LPCM like they have on the PS4.. which makes it a non issue right?

Should be fine. I know Sony seems to be paying a lot of attention to Audio so not sure what they are going to do there. But unless they decide everything needs to be done via DTS only all of a sudden which your CX will not pass through, then I can't foresee if being an issue.

 

[HRL]

@kitkat9933

If you wanted to keep things simple you could get the 65” C9 and Sonos Arc within your budget. For what it is, it’s received good reviews.

I’ve got a Sonos Beam and 2 x One’s, didn’t bother with an AVR or separates. Sounds great for the room size I’ve got it in. Can only imagine the Arc is significantly better and it has Atmos.

 

[hornetstinger]

Not got an issue with mine with Atmos. Have two height channel speakers and does Atmos fine.



Should be fine. I know Sony seems to be paying a lot of attention to Audio so not sure what they are going to do there. But unless they decide everything needs to be done via DTS only all of a sudden which your CX will not pass through, then I can't foresee if being an issue.

It has a bug with something, can't recall what, maybe DTS-X? Do a search on audio forums

 

[kitkat9933]

Well with the change in stamp duty costs, I've just saved £15k on the house purchase. So going to splash out a little more on this setup.

I'm going to go for the 65 CX. For the Sound system, I can then put him around £1,500-£2,000 (maybe even a little more for something good). I still want to do via eArc and get a really good Dolby Atmos setup, just no idea where to start. What would people suggest with the change in budget?