Atoms, arc 2.1 etc

CapitalOne · 21 Oct 2023 at 08:33

So forum…

I have an LG B7 with hdmi arc 2.0. I only use the tv apps or sky stream box. I have a Sonos arc plus sub plus 2 era 300s.

Sounds great, however as I understand it, quality (wow factor?) would be better if I had arc 2.1.

I think the options are

1) only use the apps on the sky box, get an audio splitter for hdmi to the sonos (done this in our kitchen, sounds ok)
2) get some chunky av receiver to do the same as the above….but would this be any better?
3) new tv

Normally I’d just do 3, but I’ve literally run out of tv donation recipients. Is option 1 just snake oil? I did it in our kitchen because I mounted a 17” portable monitor on a flip stand and obv. it doesn't have any other sound options and it sounds fine (sonos beam and 2 x sonos 1s). But I want (or need to know I’m getting more likely

) the best possible output on the main setup. This what I have used in the kitchen: CMSTEDCD HDMI Audio Extractor 4K x 2K@30Hz HDMI to Optical Audio Adapter HDMI to Spdif Toslink and 3.5mm L/R Stereo Audio Converter Support DTS-HD/3D /Blue-Ray/Dolby-AC3/PS3/PS4/HDTV https://amzn.eu/d/hyvBpwL

Any help appreciated, even if just to confirm my conjecture that I should just buy a new TV and stick the old oled in the garage (there is no donor room, they all have tvs already).

Edit: had the B7 since 2017 iirc

hornetstinger · 21 Oct 2023 at 09:44

2) Buy a AVR, speaker and subwoofer, go through the AVR if possible for your sources

For the TV if it's ARC not E-ARC you won't get lossless audio.

I honestly doubt you'll notice difference between DD and DTS HD on a sonos system anyway. Even on mine, it is better but it's not like listening to 64kps mp3.

Simmz · 21 Oct 2023 at 10:49

CapitalOne said:
So forum…

I have an LG B7 with hdmi arc 2.0. I only use the tv apps or sky stream box. I have a Sonos arc plus sub plus 2 era 300s.

Sounds great, however as I understand it, quality (wow factor?) would be better if I had arc 2.1.

I think the options are

1) only use the apps on the sky box, get an audio splitter for hdmi to the sonos (done this in our kitchen, sounds ok)
2) get some chunky av receiver to do the same as the above….but would this be any better?
3) new tv

Normally I’d just do 3, but I’ve literally run out of tv donation recipients. Is option 1 just snake oil? I did it in our kitchen because I mounted a 17” portable monitor on a flip stand and obv. it doesn't have any other sound options and it sounds fine (sonos beam and 2 x sonos 1s). But I want (or need to know I’m getting more likely ) the best possible output on the main setup. This what I have used in the kitchen: CMSTEDCD HDMI Audio Extractor 4K x 2K@30Hz HDMI to Optical Audio Adapter HDMI to Spdif Toslink and 3.5mm L/R Stereo Audio Converter Support DTS-HD/3D /Blue-Ray/Dolby-AC3/PS3/PS4/HDTV https://amzn.eu/d/hyvBpwL

Any help appreciated, even if just to confirm my conjecture that I should just buy a new TV and stick the old oled in the garage (there is no donor room, they all have tvs already).

Edit: had the B7 since 2017 iirc

Wouldn't make any difference at all. HDMI 2.1 is only needed for gaming or 8k. Think you are getting confused by eARC rather than 2.1.

eARC is only needed if you use disks which gets you Atmos True HD and DTS:X although Sonos doesn't support DTS:X. While True HD does sound better, you would need a new TV or a Arcana HD fury adaptor, then an external player and then to buy disks which all adds up so I wouldn't bother.

Also, don't listen to Hornetstinger, his response is to always go buy an avr and speaker system.

hornetstinger · 21 Oct 2023 at 11:03

A avr will support all latest formats , Atmos , DD hd, DTS hd, DTS x

Sound quality will far outclass the sonos. But it'll cost you and extra speakers and sub.

Simmz · 21 Oct 2023 at 11:14

hornetstinger said:
A avr will support all latest formats , Atmos , DD hd, DTS hd, DTS x

Sound quality will far outclass the sonos. But it'll cost you and extra speakers and sub.

Not saying it won't. But read the original post. They've already bought into the Sonos eco system, has multiple speakers and one key factor in the post:

"I only use the tv apps or sky stream box"

TV apps nor Sky stream support True HD or DTS so it's pointless.

CapitalOne · 21 Oct 2023 at 12:26

Simmz said:
Wouldn't make any difference at all. HDMI 2.1 is only needed for gaming or 8k. Think you are getting confused by eARC rather than 2.1.

eARC is only needed if you use disks which gets you Atmos True HD and DTS:X although Sonos doesn't support DTS:X. While True HD does sound better, you would need a new TV or a Arcana HD fury adaptor, then an external player and then to buy disks which all adds up so I wouldn't bother.

Also, don't listen to Hornetstinger, his response is to always go buy an avr and speaker system.

Great answer well explained thanks for taking the time :-)

kitfit1 · 21 Oct 2023 at 14:20

Simmz said:
Also, don't listen to Hornetstinger, his response is to always go buy an avr and speaker system.

100% agree..............................although you forgot to mention the minimum of 2 Subs, 4 is always better of course. All of us here look in wonder at his system in the hope we to can aspire to it at some point.
I use the word "look" with poetic licence of course

hornetstinger · 21 Oct 2023 at 16:41

kitfit1 said:
100% agree..............................although you forgot to mention the minimum of 2 Subs, 4 is always better of course. All of us here look in wonder at his system in the hope we to can aspire to it at some point.
I use the word "look" with poetic licence of course

Or 8 subs?

Just replacing centre speaker to improve speech?

So it was such a good product that the company went out of business then. Yeah. I know. It's kind of Ironic. They lasted 42 years. My HT system comprises of all PINNACLE SPEAKERS. Except for the subs. My subs are all VELODYNE. 8 to be exact!!! 4 HGS-15's, 2 HGS-18's, 2 FSR-15's and...

www.avforums.com

CapitalOne · 3 Nov 2023 at 17:27

So just to wrap this up, I have gone ahead and bought this:

4K Arcana 18Gbps | HDFury.com | Connect and Fix everything in HDMI

No eARC TV ? No problem! And no more lip sync issues for eARC TV owners! WORLD’S FIRST eARC adapter that allows FULL AUDIO up to Dolby Atmos over TrueHD from ANY external HDMI source to ANY eARC sound system. Perfect solution for SONOS Arc and ANY eARC AVR, soundbar or headphones. The Arcana...

hdfury.com

The sky stream puck outputs Atmos so probably the best win I could get without buying that new C3 OLED that I don't really need

hornetstinger · 3 Nov 2023 at 18:26

Not cheap just for workaround

CapitalOne · 3 Nov 2023 at 18:32

hornetstinger said:
Not cheap just for workaround

Cheaper than a new TV when my current B7 is fine. Plus I’ve got another gen 2 beam plus sub plus surrounds in the kitchen plugged into a monitor (currently using a cheapo £20 splitter) which will inherit it, so, I am slow burn but get the best result in the end

5punk3monk3y · 6 Nov 2023 at 15:10

CapitalOne said:
So just to wrap this up, I have gone ahead and bought this:

4K Arcana 18Gbps | HDFury.com | Connect and Fix everything in HDMI

No eARC TV ? No problem! And no more lip sync issues for eARC TV owners! WORLD’S FIRST eARC adapter that allows FULL AUDIO up to Dolby Atmos over TrueHD from ANY external HDMI source to ANY eARC sound system. Perfect solution for SONOS Arc and ANY eARC AVR, soundbar or headphones. The Arcana...

hdfury.com

The sky stream puck outputs Atmos so probably the best win I could get without buying that new C3 OLED that I don't really need

The B7 outputs DAtmos via ARC anyway the built in apps and Sky Stream don't output HD varieties of the audio. What's the advantage?

The B7 even passes through the bitstream variant of the Sky stream output via ARC. Albeit sound sync is a mess.

CapitalOne · 6 Nov 2023 at 16:12

5punk3monk3y said:
The B7 outputs DAtmos via ARC anyway the built in apps and Sky Stream don't output HD varieties of the audio. What's the advantage?

The B7 even passes through the bitstream variant of the Sky stream output via ARC. Albeit sound sync is a mess.

As I understand it, when using the B7 ARC port out to the Sonos Arc I could not see "Dolby Atmos" registered in the app, only "Dolby Digital 2.1" or whatever. I now see "Dolby Atmos" in the Sonos app when using the puck and HD Fury but so far I have only tested it with a Netflix UHD title (Fall of the house of Usher).

As probably explained better here

5punk3monk3y · 6 Nov 2023 at 16:22

Weird, I get DAtmos over ARC to my Q90 soundbar. They way I understand it is that eARC allows HD pass through and sorts out lip sync, however no streaming service provides HD audio and most good 4k players have 2 HDMI outputs for direct audio anyway. So the only advantage is lip sync..

CapitalOne · 6 Nov 2023 at 16:30

5punk3monk3y said:
Weird, I get DAtmos over ARC to my Q90 soundbar. They way I understand it is that eARC allows HD pass through and sorts out lip sync, however no streaming service provides HD audio and most good 4k players have 2 HDMI outputs for direct audio anyway. So the only advantage is lip sync..

I don't understand the details either, and it is a total faff, however maybe it's a Sonos thing? I don't know if Atmos counts as HD audio, but I definately got that from Netflix. If it is of any consequence I have the Sky Stream UHD add on as well, and NF Premium.

5punk3monk3y · 6 Nov 2023 at 18:55

CapitalOne said:
I don't understand the details either, and it is a total faff, however maybe it's a Sonos thing? I don't know if Atmos counts as HD audio, but I definately got that from Netflix. If it is of any consequence I have the Sky Stream UHD add on as well, and NF Premium.

Same set up through my B7 to a Q90 soundbar, my issue was that the soundbar doesn't pass through DV so I bought a box to split the sound (like a 4k player) as the lip sync issue is a mess via ARC