Soundbar connection
Discussion
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I'm a bit of an idiot on this stuff.
Just got a soundbar for xmas, a Lenco SB-100. It comes with red and white RCA connectors and a standard 3.5mm headphone jack lead.
The TV is a year old LG LED 42". On the back there are only "AUDIO OUT" sockets, a 3.5mm headphone socket and an Optical Digital Audio socket. On the back of the soundbar there are only audio inputs for the 3.5mm jack and the red/white RCA cable. Nothing for Optical Digital Audio.
I've connected it up with the 3.5mm jack lead and it works fine, an improvement over the tv speakers without being mindblowing, but wonder if it could be bettered. Online it seems I can buy an Optical Digital to RCA converter for about a tenner, but if comes with 2 boxes, and it's own power source, so an extra plug to plug in.
Is it worth the hassle. Will it yield better results than the headphone type connection? Reading the reviews of my soundbar online, people seem far more impressed with it than I am today. Would the optical/RCA connection help.
Just got a soundbar for xmas, a Lenco SB-100. It comes with red and white RCA connectors and a standard 3.5mm headphone jack lead.
The TV is a year old LG LED 42". On the back there are only "AUDIO OUT" sockets, a 3.5mm headphone socket and an Optical Digital Audio socket. On the back of the soundbar there are only audio inputs for the 3.5mm jack and the red/white RCA cable. Nothing for Optical Digital Audio.
I've connected it up with the 3.5mm jack lead and it works fine, an improvement over the tv speakers without being mindblowing, but wonder if it could be bettered. Online it seems I can buy an Optical Digital to RCA converter for about a tenner, but if comes with 2 boxes, and it's own power source, so an extra plug to plug in.
Is it worth the hassle. Will it yield better results than the headphone type connection? Reading the reviews of my soundbar online, people seem far more impressed with it than I am today. Would the optical/RCA connection help.
If your TV has a scart then you can use an adaptor to get audio out,
http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-scart-adaptor-co...
But it won't be much of an improvement over the headphone out. The output will be fixed as well, the headphone out allows you to use the TV volume for control. I'd advise getting a soundbar with an optical in, the LG ones are good and will work well with the TV.
http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-scart-adaptor-co...
But it won't be much of an improvement over the headphone out. The output will be fixed as well, the headphone out allows you to use the TV volume for control. I'd advise getting a soundbar with an optical in, the LG ones are good and will work well with the TV.
Since it is analogue input only I don't see how you can make it better. Taking the (digital) optical out of your tv and converting it to analogue with some boxes seems pointless as its the same as using the 3.5mm headphone jack you're using now. I think what you've got, is what you've got iykwim.
OK, thanks guys.
What about connection/cable quality. In a different part of the house I use an RCA to 3.5mm jack lead, so my kids can play their mobile phone music thru my amp and speakers. The quality of that cable is far better than the supplied 3.5mm lead. Would buying another one of those help.
Have to say, as it is the soundbar is providing a big improvement over the standard tv sound. But some of the reviews of my soundbar talk of amazing 3D effects and I'm not really getting that.
What about connection/cable quality. In a different part of the house I use an RCA to 3.5mm jack lead, so my kids can play their mobile phone music thru my amp and speakers. The quality of that cable is far better than the supplied 3.5mm lead. Would buying another one of those help.
Have to say, as it is the soundbar is providing a big improvement over the standard tv sound. But some of the reviews of my soundbar talk of amazing 3D effects and I'm not really getting that.
Update 5 years later!!!
Bought a good quality audio in/out (red and white/RCA) to 3.5mm jack lead and the result was superb. Red and white leads go in back of soundbar, jack lead goes into headphone socket of tv, and the results are really good.
But, here's the thing. Decided to set up an old Aiwa stacking system I had in the 80s or early 90s next to the tv. But had nowhere to put the bulky speakers. So out of interest, I connected the soundbar via the headphone socket on the amp of the stacking system. And the sound is just amazing. The soundbar has a 3D effect button which seems to work on the stacking system, and the stacking system has some gimic called QSurround, that you can turn on to give a fuller sound. It's like having the band in the room.
I think it sounds better than my half decent hi fi in another room (nothing fancy, buy a half decent Yamaha amp/CD/Dab radio box hooked up to an Audio Technica LP1200 turntable and a pair of Eltax Symphony floorstanders.)
Only downside is I have to physically move the headphone lead from TV to amp as I switch from one to another.
Bought a good quality audio in/out (red and white/RCA) to 3.5mm jack lead and the result was superb. Red and white leads go in back of soundbar, jack lead goes into headphone socket of tv, and the results are really good.
But, here's the thing. Decided to set up an old Aiwa stacking system I had in the 80s or early 90s next to the tv. But had nowhere to put the bulky speakers. So out of interest, I connected the soundbar via the headphone socket on the amp of the stacking system. And the sound is just amazing. The soundbar has a 3D effect button which seems to work on the stacking system, and the stacking system has some gimic called QSurround, that you can turn on to give a fuller sound. It's like having the band in the room.
I think it sounds better than my half decent hi fi in another room (nothing fancy, buy a half decent Yamaha amp/CD/Dab radio box hooked up to an Audio Technica LP1200 turntable and a pair of Eltax Symphony floorstanders.)
Only downside is I have to physically move the headphone lead from TV to amp as I switch from one to another.
Edited by TwigtheWonderkid on Wednesday 18th December 11:26
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