Speakers with optical and 3.5 mm inputs

[roygarg]

Can anyone suggest me a decent set of speakers for use with my LG TV?

Budget 3k

Should have optical and 3.5 mm inputs.

The new tv does not have 3.5 mm jack and i can no longer use my old altec 2.1. It only has an optical out.

Initially thought of a DAC but the issue here is that i again will have to deal with rca outputs. Also, i want to connect the speaker to the 3.5 mm jack of my spare pc. So a dac will need to have a 3.5 mm input in addition to the optical in.

 

[joy.das.jd]

Why not get the MI sound bar? It has all the inputs , digital, optical , 3.5 mm , Bluetooth. But it's just a sound bar. No subwoofer with this.

 

[roygarg]

Why not get the MI sound bar? It has all the inputs , digital, optical , 3.5 mm , Bluetooth. But it's just a sound bar. No subwoofer with this.

Thats what. I need a sub. I have no experience with how soundbars without subs sound.

 

[gourav]

Also, i want to connect the speaker to the 3.5 mm jack of my spare pc.

Do you want to use this headless/with a separate monitor or will the PC also be connected to the TV.

It's practically impossible to find a set of speakers with subwoofer and built-in DAC for less than 3k. There's no point in looking. You'll have to have some other kind of setup.

 

[roygarg]

Do you want to use this headless/with a separate monitor or will the PC also be connected to the TV.

It's practically impossible to find a set of speakers with subwoofer and built-in DAC for less than 3k. There's no point in looking. You'll have to have some other kind of setup.

The spare pc will also be connected to the tv. Right now the only economical option i can see is to use a converter like the Fiio D03k and plug in and plug out depending on whether I'm using the PC or the TV.

 

[gourav]

If the PC is connected to TV via HDMI, then it will anyway route the audio to the TV through HDMI, so you shouldn't need to worry about a separate connection.

BTW, what motherboard does this PC have?

 

[roygarg]

If the PC is connected to TV via HDMI, then it will anyway route the audio to the TV through HDMI, so you shouldn't need to worry about a separate connection.

BTW, what motherboard does this PC have?

It's a dell optiplex. OEM mobo. No hdmi output. Only vga and a display port.

 

[joy.das.jd]

It's a dell optiplex. OEM mobo. No hdmi output. Only vga and a display port.

You can get a cheap graphics card with HDMI output provided your Mobo has a PCI express slot. Something like a GT 710 or so.

BTW, that MI soundbar that i suggested earlier is decent for a medium size room. And though it won't be an audiophile grade but it is quite enough. The Sub woofer is not missed that much.

 

[roygarg]

You can get a cheap graphics card with HDMI output provided your Mobo has a PCI express slot. Something like a GT 710 or so.

BTW, that MI soundbar that i suggested earlier is decent for a medium size room. And though it won't be an audiophile grade but it is quite enough. The Sub woofer is not missed that much.

Alright. Do stores such as Croma and the MI stores keep them? I want to demo it.

 

[joy.das.jd]

Alright. Do stores such as Croma and the MI stores keep them? I want to demo it.

Most MI stores will have a demo unit there. You can check it there.

 

[gourav]

It's a dell optiplex. OEM mobo. No hdmi output. Only vga and a display port.

How are you going to connect it to your TV?

 

[roygarg]

How are you going to connect it to your TV?

A dp to hdmi cable

 

[gourav]

A dp to hdmi cable

Then this should also carry the sound to the TV, so you shouldn't need a separate PC to speaker connection.

 

[roygarg]

Then this should also carry the sound to the TV, so you shouldn't need a separate PC to speaker connection.

Yup. All i need now is the optical to 3.5 mm dac. I have put up a wtb for a fiio d03k.

 

[roygarg]

Got a cheapo bluetooth audio receiver from Amazon. Paired with my tv. Now all audio from all sources is directed to the speakers.

 

[marsweeed]

Got a cheapo bluetooth audio receiver from Amazon. Paired with my tv. Now all audio from all sources is directed to the speakers.

i recently bought a LG TV and although BT is fine, but absolutely hate the popup that asks if you wish to connect everytime you turn on TV. on reading further i also discovered that with optical i probably won't be able to control volume of speaker using the same TV remote, which is again deal breaker for me.
so far it seems buying a sound system with HDMI input is the only good option i guess

 

[gourav]

on reading further i also discovered that with optical i probably won't be able to control volume

Optical connection doesn't allow volume control. You'll either need a speaker with its own remote or a DAC with volume control in the middle. Unless you're ok with physical buttons on the speaker.

Unless you want to get into an elaborate home theater setup, you either use 3.5mm out (if available) or a soundbar with HDMI (ARC) port.

 

[marsweeed]

Optical connection doesn't allow volume control. You'll either need a speaker with its own remote or a DAC with volume control in the middle. Unless you're ok with physical buttons on the speaker.

Unless you want to get into an elaborate home theater setup, you either use 3.5mm out (if available) or a soundbar with HDMI (ARC) port.

no 3.5mm out on TV unfortunately. some days ago i was looking for arc to analog converter and they cost way too much money so ditched the plan or else i would have used my Swan M50W desktop speakers.

 

[gourav]

no 3.5mm out on TV unfortunately. some days ago i was looking for arc to analog converter and they cost way too much money so ditched the plan or else i would have used my Swan M50W desktop speakers.

That is definitely unfortunate.
These are just ploys by companies to force users to buy new gear or accessories. It's also unfortunate that Swan M50W uses an analogue volume controller, so there's no possibility of hooking up a remote control.

 

[roygarg]

no 3.5mm out on TV unfortunately. some days ago i was looking for arc to analog converter and they cost way too much money so ditched the plan or else i would have used my Swan M50W desktop speakers.

Did you find a solution? Im also looking for speakers with hdmi arc and there are none. Hdmi arc audio extractors cost a lot. I will probably have to settle for a soundbar. Have shortlisted the polk s2 and sony ht s20 for now.