Should I just forget about Dolby Digital Plus?

[DamienS]

Dear forum.

I am looking for some education to help with making decisions.

I am looking to hook my parents up with an improved TV and Audio set up. I have purchased a 65” Sony Bravia A9 OLED TV, which is a good start and I'm now looking for the audio part of the solution.

I was hoping that I could have a solution for them that would take advantage of the some of the sound technologies I've been reading a bit about which seems to be great ATMOS, DTX... However I'm unsure if I'd get the benefit of those with the restrictions I'm dealing with.

Devices that they would be using are Sky Q, Blueray and apps via the Smart TV.

One aspect that is proving to be a PITA in looking at solutions is that my mother oftentimes prefers to listen to the TV via headphones while others in the room are listening to the regular speaker (she finds it clearer). While the Sony TV does have a headphone jack (which seems like quite a lot of newer TVs don't), it unfortnitely doesn't permit for the headphones to be used at the same time as the TV speakers/Audio System.

To further complicate the decision, the room is far from ideal for setting up speaker placement, so I'm trying to make the most out of a bad situation. Prior to discovering the limitations with the headphones what I was contemplating was possibily having a soundbar with a pair of sattelitte speakers – possibly the Samsung N950 which is considered 7.1.4 and most reviews indicate that it does quite a good job at creating the ATMOS affect.

Sky has a limitation in the Audio settings such that if you set HDMI Audio to Doly Digital Plus, then the Optical out is disabled. Prior to realizing this I had considered using the Optical out to a DAC for the headphones while using the HDMI to soundbar/audio system, which limitaton in Sky prevents from being a solution if the final plan is to be able to use Dolby Digital Plus.

Therefore what I was thinking my options are:

(a) Live without having Dolby Digital Plus. This would allow me have HDMI connected to a powered soundbar with sattelittes such as the Samsung N950. While using optical cable to DAC for the headphones. However I'm concerned that if I'm not able to use Dolby Digital Plus that I wouldn't be getting the benefit of such speakers.

(b) Get an AVR with 2 zones, using Zone 1 to passive soundbar and sattelittes and Zone 2 for the Headphones. (I temporarily tried this with my Denon X3400H just with two speakers on Zone 1 and the headphones on Zone 2 and it worked ok).

However with this setup when I'm looking at passive soundbars I'm not seeing any of them with upward firing speakers like I see on some of the powered soundbars. Therefore, if I just have a 3 channel soundbar and a pair of sattelittes, am I going to get any of the benefit's of Doly Digital Plus? If not it would seem that I might as well just go with option (a) in that case.

Please see attached photos of the room. The TV is temporarily in place (just got it yesterday). I anticipate having it wall mounted on an articulaing wall mount. The red mark ups are where I was anticipating placing the sattelitte speakers.

Should I just be forgetting about trying to make Dolby Digital Plus work?

Any suggestions and insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Leemix]

Having rear speakers will make it more difficult to hear dialogue for those who might struggle a bit with that so might be an idea not to get those. The same goes for atmos speakers/up fiering speakers. If she wants to use headphones and he doesnt have any hearing issues then i suppose its not a big problem and might be good for the fun factor.
Afaik dolby digital pluss is basically dolby digital which can do atmos info also, so if no atmos its probably no big loss if the replacement is normal dolby digital, if its just 2 channel then it could matter more.
Not all recievers can do zone 2 from digital source so make sure if thats the way you will do earphones.

 

[DamienS]

Thank you very much for the response Leemix!
My mother would be listening via the headphones regardless so not too concerned about her having difficulty with the surround aspect - just need to be able to facilitate her headphones in the final solution.
If possible I would like to have the surround sound 'fun factor' for my father/others though.
An avenue I'm now exploring is this device, or something similar to it...LINK
The idea/hope being that I could use HDMI from TV to that device, then HDMI to the Samsung N950 for the surround aspect while using the L/R output for my mother's headphones. I have sent the manufacturer an email to see if it's a feasible configuration. I'll post back here with their insight.
If you/others have input as to this type of solution/another device that would achieve the same thing I just described, please do let me know.
Thanks again for your insight!

 

[mtrycrafts]

I have a solution for your mother's use of headphones. Unfortunately you would need new phones and a digital to analog converter.
Check out Avantree HT3189 and an Tendak converter. She can use the phones while others can listen to speakers/soundbar.

I have that setup so I don't disturb others in the room when I watch the news. Works great.

 

[DamienS]

Thank you for your response mtrycrafts.

If I’m understanding your proposal correctly it would seem that I wouldn’t need new headphones as the Avantree HT3189 require either 3.5mm Aux or RCA out to connect to. If I could connect to those type of ports then I could use the headphones she already has. Seems the benefit to the HT3189 would be just to have the wireless aspect to the headphones which I don't need. Please advise if I'm interpreting incorrectly.

In regards to the Tendak converter, is there a particular model you feel would accomplish my goal? I went on their website but didn’t see any that would seem to accomplish.

I did see one model that was quite similar to the KanexPro except it doesn’t to handle Dolby Atmos. https://www.tendak.com/products/hdmi-audio-extractor

Which model are you using? Are you connecting it to HDMI ARC on your TV? Are you using it to split between your Headphones and a soundbar/avr?

Thank you again!

 

[DamienS]

Another device I'm considering. I'm sent the manufacturer an email. Awaiting feedback but figured I'd mention it here in case anyone has opinions, etc. Unlike the KanexPro, this one does specifically mention that it's work with ARC, so I'm thinking it may be preferable. Marmitek Connect AE24 UHD 2.0
Thank you.

 

[mtrycrafts]

OK. I went to the Tendak site. This is what I have: https://www.tendak.com/collections/audio/products/digital-to-analog-audio-converter
It has optical pass through in case you also want to connect a soundbar. If not, no big deal, this option is there in case.

The Avantree comes with a Bluetooth puck transmitter. The headphones are Bluetooth and rechargeable. That digital converter converts the digital audio via that optical cable from TV, then to that puck by RCA audio cable. The puck works off a 5V usb cable plugged into the TV for power. the D/A converter also needs power.
All the wires come with the components.
What is great is that the headphone is not wire connected to anything and you can use a close by bathroom and works great. I get about 50 ft usable range.
And, it will tell you when battery is low.

 

[DamienS]

Thank you for the further reply mtrycrafts and apologies for the delay in my response. I had shingles this last week and wasn't up to much.

I have a configuration not unlike what you've described in another room, however the using of optical means as I understand it that I'd be eliminating the possibility/benefits of ATMOS/Dolby Digital Plus, which was my initial query. It seems that the Marmitek device would accomplish, so I may go that route. Have a few things to get caught up this week but will let you know if I pull the trigger on it.

Thanks again for your insight!

 

[mtrycrafts]

Well, since I don't have such a need, I don't know. Optical only would or could be used just to satisfy your mother with a headphone.
whether you could at the same time be able to use another audio source to get atmos has to be researched. I don't think you could have both at the same time
so you have to make decide which is more important. Or, atmos at another setup?

 

[Montucky]

Been ages since I've hooked up something up like this, but back in the 90s, most AVRs had RCA outputs, whether they be labeled VCR-Out, A/V-Out, or whatever. Using something like that, OP's mom could use any variety of wireless RF headphones like "TV Ears" or the common Sennheiser ones, while simultaneously not interrupting the normal audio outputting to the speakers.

Anybody know if this would still be possible with modern AVRs and the world of digital audio?