Audio Speaker Set for an HTPC and Fire TV

[penn919]

Hello,

I'm planning on using an HTPC and a Fire TV for my living room entertainment set-up. I'm planning on using the Fire-TV for consuming premium content from popular streaming services and using the HTPC for everything else. The speakers built into my TV aren't very good and while I'm not looking for anything extravagant, I do appreciate decent sound.

I'm thinking about getting desktop speakers and using this HDMI splitter along with L/R RCA cables + an RCA->3.5mm jack converter in order to get around the HDMI limitation. I understand that a receiver could accomplish the same thing, but I've never dealt with those before. Feel free to let me know if I'm overlooking any advantages by not taking a more conventional route.

I'm not so much interested in "surround sound" or "loudness" as I am with quality sound. Admittedly, I don't have much experience with home entertainment speaker setups, but I do know that some desktop speakers produce very nice sound that I personally think would be adequate for my purposes.

Lastly, I'm planning on sharing the speakers between both the HTPC and the Fire TV. If anyone can recommend some sort or mechanism by which I can conveniently switch my speakers between the two audio sources it would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[TheWarrior]

Halt! Media speakers shall not pass! (Lord of the Rings, for those not as geeky as I)

http://www.sweetwater.com/c405--PreSonus--Active_Monitors

Any of those will sound multiples better than Media speakers! They will also allow effortless connectivity with your TV. There's still a few on sale, so move quick!

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Like Warrior said - I STRONGLY advise you vs any hacks you're suggestion or using Media speakers.

What you need is 2nd hand Receiver with HDMI - I can safely guarantee you can find one around $100-150
You'll switch sources, amplify the speakers, control the volume and maybe even do bass management then you'll get a sub.
For speakers - these - very little else could match them:
http://philharmonicaudio.com/aa.html

 

[penn919]

Thanks for the recommendations. How do you think these mainstream speakers stack up against the ones you guys recommended in this thread?

Also, I know just about nothing about audio receivers. Is there any resource you can recommend that can give me a good rundown of the specifications I should look for? It would also be great if you could put together a short list of recommended receivers that would be a good fit for me.

Remember, my setup is simple. It's not like I'm trying to put together a theater room or anything like that. It'll be in the living room of my 1 bed/ 1 bath apartment with a 26 Inch TV and an HTPC + Fire TV media player (both use HDMI outputs).

 

[TheWarrior]

Sure! Audio Engine is just another brand. I have no knowledge of those, but the point is you are looking at Pro Audio Active Monitors vs. Media speakers. The two should not be confused, and considering the price of some of those Altec Lansing's, would be a great dis-service to you!

With Active Monitors you can literally plug them in to the RCA outs of any old DVD player (or optical), as well as a proper home theater subwoofer and have a complete 2.1 system with no need for preamp!

 

[Robert94]

I'm planning on using an HTPC and a Fire TV for my living room entertainment set-up.
Thanks

What HTPC are you using, out of interest? I use driver Media Centre http://www.jriver.com which is brilliant for high quality files and is incredibly powerful, especially on windows it is very versatile (I have a Mac which is much further behind on the development, unfortunately). I recommend have a look at it - although on windows I believe there are more free alternatives.

 

[TheWarrior]

What HTPC are you using, out of interest? I use driver Media Centre http://www.jriver.com which is brilliant for high quality files and is incredibly powerful, especially on windows it is very versatile (I have a Mac which is much further behind on the development, unfortunately). I recommend have a look at it - although on windows I believe there are more free alternatives.

Does your Mac have HDMI? Cause I fail to understand the need for software to connect my MacBook Pro to my TV. Its Plug n Play!

 

[Robert94]

Does your Mac have HDMI? Cause I fail to understand the need for software to connect my MacBook Pro to my TV. Its Plug n Play!

No but you can get cables cheap from flash to HDMI - plug and play as you say. I was assuming HTPC was a type of media centre for storing files and stuff, so I use jriver MC for storing FLAC and playback but on windows it also has theatre playback and loads of other features. They also have an app that allows you to control it from your phone and it can be set up so that you can stream your files from your PC to your phone wherever you are providing you're connected to the internet (although I don't use it).

 

[penn919]

What HTPC are you using, out of interest?

I'm using a Windows 10 desktop PC that I built with spare parts. It's got a 3.0 Ghz Core 2 Duo, 4GB of ram and a GTX 460 graphics card which has the HDMI port that I was planning on using to route audio to media speakers, but based on the recommendations, it looks like I'll be buying a receiver and Active monitors.

I use an open source media center called Kodi. I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but its an excellent media center. I've used it since it was just a homebrew app for the original Xbox game system back in 2006.

Update:
I've decided (although somewhat arbitrarily) that I'll go with this Philharmonic Audio Active speaker set. Now I just need to know what receiver I should get. Since I know virtually nothing about receivers, I based my pics on price and whether or not they had HDMI inputs and outputs. Let me know if these are any good:

Pioneer VSX-522-K 400W 5-Channel A/V Receiver
Pioneer VSX-524-K 5.1-Channel A/V Receiver
Sony STRDH750 7.2 Channel 4K AV Receiver

Thanks

 

[markw]

If you buy a receiver you don't need active monitors. They contain their own internal amps.

A receiver provides the amplification you need so you can use virtually any "passive", or regular, speaker with them.

 

[Robert94]

I use an open source media center called Kodi. I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but its an excellent media center. I've used it since it was just a homebrew app for the original Xbox game system back in 2006.

Nice I've recommended to a fried to try out as he was looking for one.

I've decided (although somewhat arbitrarily) that I'll go with this Philharmonic Audio Active speaker set. Now I just need to know what receiver I should get.

I was looking at those speakers but can't seem to find that they say they're actives anywhere, maybe I'm wrong or just missing it. Might be worth double checking though.

 

[penn919]

If you buy a receiver you don't need active monitors. They contain their own internal amps.

A receiver provides the amplification you need so you can use virtually any "passive", or regular, speaker with them.

Three questions.

1. How will I be able to conveniently switch between audio sources without a receiver?
2. Is there any effective difference between using Active monitors and using vanilla media speakers with a receiver?
3. Would you recommend this HDMI splitter device to route sound to the speakers?

thanks

 

[Robert94]

Three questions.

1. How will I be able to conveniently switch between audio sources without a receiver?
2. Is there any effective difference between using Active monitors and using vanilla media speakers with a receiver?

thanks

1) I suppose if you had your HTPC plugged into your TV so everything was an output from that then you could just switch between sources with the TV remote.

2) By 'vanilla media speakers' I'm assuming you mean something like these in which case I don't think there is a difference because they're both active (don't need a receiver because they already have internal amplification), but the ones recommended by other people on here are good quality. If you did what I suggested in the first point then you could just plug the actives into the audio jack (headphone output) of the TV, which could be a slightly more inexpensive option. But if you are interested in investing a tad more money and get a receiver and passive speakers then there's more opportunity to upgrade later on and add in other speakers in the future.

Point 3 I can't really address.

 

[markw]

I don't think you understood my response. First, do you know what a reciever is?

Three questions.

1. How will I be able to conveniently switch between audio sources without a receiver?

Simply pui, you really can't. You would have to change wires each time you wanted to change sources.

2. Is there any effective difference between using Active monitors and using vanilla media speakers with a receiver?

Again, I must ask if you know the difference between active and passive speakers. With many receivers, you CANNOT use active monitors. Both contain amplifiers,

3. Would you recommend this HDMI splitter device to route sound to the speakers?

I have no idea, but a splitter is not the same as a selector. Personally, for more than one source I'd choose a receiver. also, so I could use unamplified speakers.

but, if you're dead set on jury-rigging this thing, you don't need our input.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Dear OP @penn919 . Spend a bit of time learning what a A/V receiver is and what it does.
Go back to my previous post and I will guarantee you than NO speakers in same price point can compete (regardless of type or vendor)

 

[penn919]

Dear OP @penn919 . Spend a bit of time learning what a A/V receiver is and what it does.

It looks like my previous post was misunderstood and got a few of you frustrated. For that I apologize. Just for clarification, in my second question I meant to ask if there would be a difference between using stand alone active speakers (RE: Without a Receiver) as opposed to using passive speakers with a receiver.

Go back to my previous post and I will guarantee you than NO speakers in same price point can compete (regardless of type or vendor)

I referenced those speakers in a later post on this thread. There's some confusion on whether those monitors are active or passive. Based on some additional information provided to me, it looks like I wouldn't be able to get them if they are active because then I couldn't use a receiver with them which I'll need to switch between audio sources.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I referenced those speakers in a later post on this thread. There's some confusion on whether those monitors are active or passive. Based on some additional information provided to me, it looks like I wouldn't be able to get them if they are active because then I couldn't use a receiver with them which I'll need to switch between audio sources.

Confusion seems to be ongoing.
These speakers are indeep passive.
Yes, you definitely would be able to audio switch sources, but you would do that at receiver.

 

[KEW]

penn,
This thread has gotten way more confusing than it needs to be.

There are two routes you can take:
1) Pro active monitors as recommended by TheWarrior (and the AudioEngines are very good). The biggest advantage is you can take the money you would spend on a receiver and put it into the speakers! For connections, you can feed the promonitors from the TV just as you would a SoundBar and use the TV to select your input as Robert suggested.
2) Passive speakers as recommended by BSA (who agreed with TheWarrior, but kind of didn't, at the same time). The biggest advantage of an AVR with passive speakers is flexibility to add a subwoofer and grow your system into a full HT system.

Since this is for your living room (as opposed to office/desktop), I would be inclined to go with option 2. The Philharmonic Affordable Accuracy (AA) Monitors will get you more bass in a large room than any pro monitors I know of and I think you will be thrilled with their clarity!
I applaud you for not worrying about surround. So many people stretch their money too thin buying 5 or 7 speakers such that they never get good sound quality!
I know you are thinking just stereo speakers for now and the AA Monitors have prodigious bass, but if you are a fan of action movies, you may consider adding a subwoofer down the road...just for the fun of it! It will change your at-home movie night experience!

Of the receievers you listed, I would cross off the Sony. Their low-end receivers have never impressed me very much and I feel Pioneer offers better value. I am unfamiliar with the Pioneers, and they may be equal or better, but because of my past dealings with Accesssories4less refurbished AVR's, they are my "go to" for AVR's (and I should note that refurbishing is done and warrantied by the manufacturer, not some third party trying to milk every dollar out of a bunch of returned goods they bought).
However, I would recommend this:
http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/yamhtr3067bl/yamaha-htr-3067-5.1-channel-av-receiver-like-rx-v377/1.html
If you would like bluetooth (so you can stream from your phone, tablet, etc):
http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavrs510bt/denon-avr-s510bt-5.2-full-4k-ultra-hd-a/v-receiver-w/bluetooth/1.html
If you like Yamaha and want bluetooth, get this one (but I am not sure it has a BT remote control app like the Denon, however the warranty is extended to two years)
http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/yamrxv379bl/yamaha-rx-v379-5.1-home-theater-receiver-bluetooth/1.html


So, I would say, get the AA Monitors for roughly $225 (after shipping), the Denon for $190 shipped at a total cost of $415. I have the AudioEngine A5's and for a large room they will not compete with this system!
I would encourage you to consider something like this for future:
http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-1200-12-120-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-629

PS - some of your links for receivers were to ebay and Amazon. Make sure the seller is an authorized seller for that product. If not, the normal manufacturer's warranty is not valid.

 

[Robert94]

Remember this is an investment so if you get something you'll be happy with for 5+ years then it's worth the initial cost! I agree that a receiver is the best way to go because you can upgrade your speakers later down the line and provides more flexibility.

 

[penn919]

penn,
This thread has gotten way more confusing than it needs to be.

You're right, and it's mostly my fault. Your post basically clarified everything. I was getting confused by the posters who were advising that I use the input source function of my TV to switch audio sources. I was coming at this thinking I would have to bypass the TV entirely. What I didn't realize was that my TV actually DOES have optical and RCA outputs. I wasn't considering that at all until now.

I get it now. If I go with active monitors then I wouldn't have to worry about having to switch sources manually because I would just use my audio out ports and ALL the audio that goes to the TV would come out the speakers. If I go with passive speakers then I would need a receiver for amplification. I would then be able to switch sources from the receiver itself.

btw, thanks a ton for the insight on receivers. I knew very little about them before I started this thread. I had absolutely no idea where to start. So it looks like it'll be the AA Monitors coupled with the
DENON AVR-S510BT 5.2 Full 4K Ultra HD A/V Receiver w/Bluetooth.

I also want to thank everyone for their help. I entered into this discussion cold and clueless, so I'm glad you guys had the patience to guide me through this. I know google is a great resource, but forums like this provides access to information more tailored to my specific questions/misunderstandings.