A/V questions

[Gramps]

I have a Samsung "smart tv" about 5 years old. It's connected to a Samsung Q700A wireless sound bar with subwoofer and rear speakers. The front 3 sound channels are fair and the rears SUCK. Yesterday DISH was here installing a new Hopper receiver and the tech was telling me I should hook up the sound system through fiber optic and not through HDMI. I don't see how that can improve the sound in the rear speakers............ he also was telling the DISH is now selling sound systems that are made by POLK and have kick ass surround sound. What are you opinions on how to connect the Samsung system? HDMI thru ARC or fiber optic? Anyone use the new dish system??

 

[paradise]

I have a Samsung "smart tv" about 5 years old. It's connected to a Samsung Q700A wireless sound bar with subwoofer and rear speakers. The front 3 sound channels are fair and the rears SUCK. Yesterday DISH was here installing a new Hopper receiver and the tech was telling me I should hook up the sound system through fiber optic and not through HDMI. I don't see how that can improve the sound in the rear speakers............ he also was telling the DISH is now selling sound systems that are made by POLK and have kick ass surround sound. What are you opinions on how to connect the Samsung system? HDMI thru ARC or fiber optic? Anyone use the new dish system??

Audio should be the same through HDMI or optical. No experience with the Samsung stuff but for a simple set up that sounds good you’d probably be happy with a Sonos sound bar if you just want to keep it one active device.

If you want to go with a receiver and separate speakers, there’s lots of great options.

 

[azsunfun]

Audio should be the same through HDMI or optical. No experience with the Samsung stuff but for a simple set up that sounds good you’d probably be happy with a Sonos sound bar.

Fiber only gets you cleaner install less than 1/8" diameter cable, spend on your speakers.

 

[sintax]

Yea, what the guys above said.

You won’t improve the sound, you may (big may) improve some of the signal, but honestly and decent hdmi is sufficient.

Hdmi is a true digitized signal, so as long as you have a full bandwidth connection, you shouldn’t be losing any signal. It’s not like we’re talking about an RCA or coax.

If you want to improve the sound, you could certainly pick up a modest AV receiver and 5 channel speaker package.

 

[AzMandella]

If you want a system similar to what you have get a Klipch Cinema series set up . I have the 1200 in our cabin The sound bar and rear speakers have both front and up firing speakers giving you Dolby Atmos . And the 12in sub thumps . Sounds great .

 

[MPHSystems]

Fiber (tosslink) will run a higher bit rate than HDMI but really, you can’t hear the difference

 

[Mandelon]

So the old lamp cord I use that runs out the back wall, over the roof and pokes in through the ceiling to connect to my rear speakers isn't ideal?

 

[rivermobster]

I have a Samsung "smart tv" about 5 years old. It's connected to a Samsung Q700A wireless sound bar with subwoofer and rear speakers. The front 3 sound channels are fair and the rears SUCK. Yesterday DISH was here installing a new Hopper receiver and the tech was telling me I should hook up the sound system through fiber optic and not through HDMI. I don't see how that can improve the sound in the rear speakers............ he also was telling the DISH is now selling sound systems that are made by POLK and have kick ass surround sound. What are you opinions on how to connect the Samsung system? HDMI thru ARC or fiber optic? Anyone use the new dish system??

You really aren't supposed to hear and "sound" from the rear speakers, they are just there for "effects".

Now, keep this in mind also...

The effects Greatly depend on what "source" you are listening to!

Are you actually getting a 5.1 (or higher) source for your existing system to decode and reproduce correctly?

Not everything you "stream" will be in 5.1.

If it's just 2 channel sound, you probably won't hear a damm thing from your rear speakers.

P. S.

ARC is the correct way to hook up your sound system.

 

[paradise]

Fiber (tosslink) will run a higher bit rate than HDMI but really, you can’t hear the difference

Toslink can't support the modern formats and HDMI 1.4 I believe brings them even in audio bitrate for PCM.

 

[Gramps]

You really aren't supposed to hear and "sound" from the rear speakers, they are just there for "effects".

Now, keep this in mind also...

The effects Greatly depend on what "source" you are listening to!

Are you actually getting a 5.1 (or higher) source for your existing system to decode and reproduce correctly?

Not everything you "stream" will be in 5.1.

If it's just 2 channel sound, you probably won't hear a damm thing from your rear speakers.

P. S.

ARC is the correct way to hook up your sound system.

Everything indicates the signal is 5.1 not 2 channel. The rear speakers have VERY little volume compared to my POLK system in the other room. I think alot of the problem is the Samsung Adaptative system is JUNK. I just spent 1/2 hour on the phone with Samsung tech service.....that was a waste.

 

[rivermobster]

Everything indicates the signal is 5.1 not 2 channel. The rear speakers have VERY little volume compared to my POLK system in the other room. I think alot of the problem is the Samsung Adaptative system is JUNK. I just spent 1/2 hour on the phone with Samsung tech service.....that was a waste.

So it sounds like you know what needs to be done?

I see a new Polk system in your future.

 

[MPHSystems]

Toslink can't support the modern formats and HDMI 1.4 I believe brings them even in audio bitrate for PCM.

Great info! It’s good that I don’t do residential AV anymore. I mean if someone needs a Sonos system, I will help them with that but above or below that DIY or someone like you was much better suited. I just really didn’t like using the HDMI audio because the CEC seem to cause more problems that I wanted to deal with.

 

[Mr. C]

Gramps. Are you able to go into you sound bar settings and raise your surround levels. Or possible lower the LRC and raise the surrounds some. Do you have a SLM meter or maybe know someone who does to even out the sounds.

My situation/issues come from running my cable box through the receiver. Using the ARC back to the tv. When playing through the receiver the Blu Ray player cable box channels are in sync.

Sometimes I don’t want the whole system on so I also have a sound bar. Which is always out of sync no matter how i adjust sound offset in the tv. Just won’t let me get exact. I think it adjust in 10 milliseconds only. And yes. I bugs the shit out me.

 

[paradise]

Great info! It’s good that I don’t do residential AV anymore. I mean if someone needs a Sonos system, I will help them with that but above or below that DIY or someone like you was much better suited. I just really didn’t like using the HDMI audio because the CEC seem to cause more problems that I wanted to deal with.

Agree on cec, that gets disabled first thing

 

[Mr. C]

So the old lamp cord I use that runs out the back wall, over the roof and pokes in through the ceiling to connect to my rear speakers isn't ideal?

Might have you topped. Back in the day. Cut the ends off an old 50 ft extension cord and just used the green and whites I think.
Hey. We had sound.

 

[Orange Juice]

I have a Samsung "smart tv" about 5 years old. It's connected to a Samsung Q700A wireless sound bar with subwoofer and rear speakers. The front 3 sound channels are fair and the rears SUCK. Yesterday DISH was here installing a new Hopper receiver and the tech was telling me I should hook up the sound system through fiber optic and not through HDMI. I don't see how that can improve the sound in the rear speakers............ he also was telling the DISH is now selling sound systems that are made by POLK and have kick ass surround sound. What are you opinions on how to connect the Samsung system? HDMI thru ARC or fiber optic? Anyone use the new dish system??

I enjoy a good set of wireless noise cancelling headphones. No one wants to watch what I want to watch, and I can turn the volume up.

 

[Gramps]

Gramps. Are you able to go into you sound bar settings and raise your surround levels. Or possible lower the LRC and raise the surrounds some. Do you have a SLM meter or maybe know someone who does to even out the sounds.

My situation/issues come from running my cable box through the receiver. Using the ARC back to the tv. When playing through the receiver the Blu Ray player cable box channels are in sync.

Sometimes I don’t want the whole system on so I also have a sound bar. Which is always out of sync no matter how i adjust sound offset in the tv. Just won’t let me get exact. I think it adjust in 10 milliseconds only. And yes. I bugs the shit out me.

I spent a large part of yesterday trying to adjust the rear speakers .............. now I get a little sound from them. Both rear volume have a range of -6 to 6, I tried everything and all of the combinations with the front and centers lower. I think the bottom line is the Samsung rear speakers for the wireless system SUCK. BTW...........Samsung "tech" help was useless.