Is this beginner setup workable?

[Zephyr777]

I'm quite new to this, so as my home reno plan is coming up i started looking at appliances.
For below audio setup (~2k budget) i found these pair of speakers and receiver on a reasonable budget. Not quite a fan of audio quality from soundbars (unless enlighten me that the likes of samsung HW-Qxxx will be superior??).
Perhaps will add a subwoofer/center speaker in times to come.

Thought of also hooking the TV to my desktop. I will connect directly the video hdmi to the TV for reduced input lag,etc. reasons. A noobie question, does this works?

Generally is there anything that I'm missing/should take note of?

 

[dreamaurora]

I'm quite new to this, so as my home reno plan is coming up i started looking at appliances.
For below audio setup (~2k budget) i found these pair of speakers and receiver on a reasonable budget. Not quite a fan of audio quality from soundbars (unless enlighten me that the likes of samsung HW-Qxxx will be superior??).
Perhaps will add a subwoofer/center speaker in times to come.

Thought of also hooking the TV to my desktop. I will connect directly the video hdmi to the TV for reduced input lag,etc. reasons. A noobie question, does this works?

Generally is there anything that I'm missing/should take note of?

Soundbar will never match the soundstage of a 2.0 or 2.1 setup.

IMO, a well setup 2.0 or 2.1 setup is more than sufficient for most smaller living rooms of newer flats. Dali Oberon 5 is an excellent choice, though personally I would go for bookshelf + sub combo if you plan to watch movies with your setup. Smaller speakers have faster response, better imaging, and easier to drive. IMO, if you only plan 2.1 it would be better to just get an integrated amp as the sound quality would be much better than equivalent AVR in same price range.

I think you misunderstand the way the AVR pass through work. HDMI out from your desktop GPU carries both video and audio signal. You connect your desktop to the AVR by HDMI cable to one of the four inputs. Then another HDMI cable will connect from the AVR to your TV to display your desktop output. So you don't actually need to use an optical audio from your desktop to the AVR. You still need to connect an optical cable from the TV though to your AVR so the AVR can decode the audio signal when you are using your TV built in streaming apps.

Or you could just connect your HDMI out from your GPU to the HDMI in in your TV and then optical cable from TV to the AVR. Simpler to do.

 

[oddbasket]

You still need to connect an optical cable from the TV though to your AVR so the AVR can decode the audio signal when you are using your TV built in streaming apps.

You don't have to, that's what eARC is for. It's just 1 hdmi cable to send video (and audio if avr is in standby) to the TV and for TV to send audio to avr.

 

[oddbasket]

I'm quite new to this, so as my home reno plan is coming up i started looking at appliances.
For below audio setup (~2k budget) i found these pair of speakers and receiver on a reasonable budget. Not quite a fan of audio quality from soundbars (unless enlighten me that the likes of samsung HW-Qxxx will be superior??).
Perhaps will add a subwoofer/center speaker in times to come.

Thought of also hooking the TV to my desktop. I will connect directly the video hdmi to the TV for reduced input lag,etc. reasons. A noobie question, does this works?

Generally is there anything that I'm missing/should take note of?

I would also recommend a bookshelf + sub. Towers are suited for larger spaces or simply 2.0 in smaller spaces. In smaller spaces, especially if you plan to expand your setup later, it's harder to level match a subwoofer as it's difficult to cut out the lower frequencies physically due to design. You tend to end up with more overlapping bass that can make effects louder and overwhelm the midrange. It will take more work to calibrate the frequencies, and can make vocals from a centre speaker sound tiny if the mains are too close to it.

 

[Zephyr777]

Spoiler

Soundbar will never match the soundstage of a 2.0 or 2.1 setup.

IMO, a well setup 2.0 or 2.1 setup is more than sufficient for most smaller living rooms of newer flats. Dali Oberon 5 is an excellent choice, though personally I would go for bookshelf + sub combo if you plan to watch movies with your setup. Smaller speakers have faster response, better imaging, and easier to drive. IMO, if you only plan 2.1 it would be better to just get an integrated amp as the sound quality would be much better than equivalent AVR in same price range.

I think you misunderstand the way the AVR pass through work. HDMI out from your desktop GPU carries both video and audio signal. You connect your desktop to the AVR by HDMI cable to one of the four inputs. Then another HDMI cable will connect from the AVR to your TV to display your desktop output. So you don't actually need to use an optical audio from your desktop to the AVR. You still need to connect an optical cable from the TV though to your AVR so the AVR can decode the audio signal when you are using your TV built in streaming apps.

Or you could just connect your HDMI out from your GPU to the HDMI in in your TV and then optical cable from TV to the AVR. Simpler to do.

Spoiler

You don't have to, that's what eARC is for. It's just 1 hdmi cable to send video (and audio if avr is in standby) to the TV and for TV to send audio to avr.

I would also recommend a bookshelf + sub. Towers are suited for larger spaces or simply 2.0 in smaller spaces. In smaller spaces, especially if you plan to expand your setup later, it's harder to level match a subwoofer as it's difficult to cut out the lower frequencies physically due to design. You tend to end up with more overlapping bass that can make effects louder and overwhelm the midrange. It will take more work to calibrate the frequencies, and can make vocals from a centre speaker sound tiny if the mains are too close to it.

Thanks. So I guess the final config would be below (Should have thought that HDMI out from graphic cards carries audio as well):

I didnt also pass the HDMI from desktop via receiver due to GSync support from the TV (plus whatever tech/ complication there might be from a budget receiver like this - will leave the remaining HDMI input slots on the receiver for TV box, nintendo switch, etc etc).
So practically I'd need to use both TV & AVR remote controls to switch between PC & inputs. In all cases the audio passing to the speakers will be auto, regardless of which inputs, correct??

Space wise, its a 5R without the study room 'enclosure'. Sofa probably 3-3.5m away from TV, roughly forming an equidistance triangle. Note taken, will look into bookshelves speakers too, any recommended 'mainstream' models within the same budget? Priority wise: 50% music (inclined towards modern hits/EDM/instrumentals and less on those 'high fidelity' acoustic vocals type of media), 25 % movies, 25% games (no biggie).

If i couldnt 'distinguish' the lack of vocals from the 2.0 due to my farther seating placement, would a sub normally be preferred over a center speaker? Or maybe in SG living room size context, none of these really matter (Pay much more for diminished returns)

 

[oddbasket]

1. In all cases the audio passing to the speakers will be auto, regardless of which inputs, correct??

2. If i couldnt 'distinguish' the lack of vocals from the 2.0 due to my farther seating placement, would a sub normally be preferred over a center speaker? Or maybe in SG living room size context, none of these really matter (Pay much more for diminished returns)

1. Generally the Auto setting takes care of everything coming from the TV which includes the streaming apps. eARC can handle up to TrueHD passthrough from the PC, there's usually a Passthrough setting on the TV if Auto doesn't work for TrueHD.

2. Audyssey, EQ, Tone Control on the AVR are at your disposal, along with speaker placement. There shouldn't be an issue to bring out vocals through your speakers, should try them before spending money adding anything else. A sub would be the better option for 2.0 if everything else fails to crossover the lower frequencies interfering with the vocals from the speaker. A centre while ideal for vocal clarity will change your soundstage, but is great for watching videos since sound engineering now has more consideration for the popularity of soundbars and more shows have background sound and music playing from the centre and mains instead of the traditional mains + surrounds in order for soundbars to fill out an immersive soundstage.

 

[dreamaurora]

Thanks. So I guess the final config would be below (Should have thought that HDMI out from graphic cards carries audio as well):

I didnt also pass the HDMI from desktop via receiver due to GSync support from the TV (plus whatever tech/ complication there might be from a budget receiver like this - will leave the remaining HDMI input slots on the receiver for TV box, nintendo switch, etc etc).
So practically I'd need to use both TV & AVR remote controls to switch between PC & inputs. In all cases the audio passing to the speakers will be auto, regardless of which inputs, correct??

Space wise, its a 5R without the study room 'enclosure'. Sofa probably 3-3.5m away from TV, roughly forming an equidistance triangle. Note taken, will look into bookshelves speakers too, any recommended 'mainstream' models within the same budget? Priority wise: 50% music (inclined towards modern hits/EDM/instrumentals and less on those 'high fidelity' acoustic vocals type of media), 25 % movies, 25% games (no biggie).

If i couldnt 'distinguish' the lack of vocals from the 2.0 due to my farther seating placement, would a sub normally be preferred over a center speaker? Or maybe in SG living room size context, none of these really matter (Pay much more for diminished returns)

Sound Gallery selling JBL L52 now for $888. I believe Anson Audio at Adelphi has a demo set.