Alienware AW3225QF - Audio Question

[MacTellsar]

Hello all,

Just picked up my AW3225QF and have a question regarding audio which I'm hoping someone can help me with!

I have a gaming PC connected to the AW via HDMI and a Macbook connected the AW, also via HDMI. For now, I'm using an audio jack from the back of the PC into some desktop speakers, but ideally I'd like to have sound running from both the Macbook and PC (via HDMI) and then run that audio from the AW to a speaker system.

Is it as straightforward as buying speakers/soundbar that support eARC and running the Mac and PC into the monitor via HDMI and then running a separate HDMI from the eARC port on the monitor to an HDMI audio extractor or compatible soundbar?

Thanks

 

[mrk]

There is 1 HDMI with eARC port on the back, the other is just HDMI, so you could get a soundbar and connect it to that, and both PC and Mac connect to the soundbar's intputs assuming the ports on it are compliant for 240Hz/HDMI 2.1 etc otherwise you might be limited to 120Hz for example. Alternatively use DisplayPort from PC to the QF, and HDMI from Mac to a soundbar, then soundbar to the HDMI eARC port on the QF.

You can then connect the PC's optical out to the soundbar and the Mac will be outputting audio to the soundbar anyway.

Alternatively, and this would be my preferred option as it offers better scope and quality going forwards, a small desktop amp (I have a Topping MX3s for example, but there are plenty of others that can be cheaper too) and then both Mac and PC connect to that whether via USB or optical, you then have the PC going into one HDMI port on the QF, the Mac going into the other. Audio source switching is done on the amp. You can then pair the amp to whatever speakers you want.

Or, a simpler solution of the above, get a pair of active speakers that have all the audio input connections needed. Depending on budget these can vary from cheap to a few hundred £.