Good afternoon STW audio gurus. My TV has very crap sound and I was hoping to use part of my bonus from work to boost its capabilities. I already have a single AudioPro C5 speaker for music and was looking at getting a second to create a stereo pair. The issue is that the only way to connect to the TV, that I can see, is through the RCA left and right on one speaker connected to the headphone socket on the TV.

I’ve done this with the existing AudioPro and the results aren’t brilliant. I’m assuming a stereo pair won’t be much better given the input option. Is there any sort of bridging device I could use to take advantage of the optical connection on my TV?

The other thing I’m looking at is replacing the existing AudioPro with a pair of Ruark MR1 MK2 speakers. The issue there is that I then lose WiFi music capability and I’m just left with Bluetooth and none of my devices support APTX HD. Any way to get WiFi (Spotify connect) working on these if I go down that route?

I basically want a pair of speakers that will boost the TV and give decent quality WiFi playback through Spotify or similar for music. Most choices seem to give one or the other and my budget isn’t great (£400 at the very max). Kef LSX seem to tick all the boxes but are unfortunately way over budget.

Help me STW!

What connections has your TV got?

With optical out from the tv, you have many options.

The easiest is probably a pair of active speakers like the below. These have optical in and a remote.

Also analogue in so you could connect a streamer or similar for Spotify etc.

Steljes NS3 Powered Loud Speakers Stereo System Subwoofer British Design Compatible with iPhone through Bluetooth wirelessly (Artisan Blue) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077YKND8N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_pZX7FbG4DWZNX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Ps. You could also use Bluetooth from a phone for Spotify and if you want a fuller sound, make use of the sub woofer out from the above and buy a Wharfedale sub as below. (I use one in a system as they sound very good for the money)

Wharfedale Diamond SW150 Subwoofer (Black) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0036EEOSQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_z7X7Fb8YJHCZ3

What connections has your TV got?

Optical, HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB and RCA

My Audio Pro T20’s (£600rrp) were £300 from the outlet, but dunno if you can get them still

T14’s are under £300

Am I being daft, or can you just pull apart the RCA cable down the length and connect one plug into each speaker?

Still going in through the headphone socket though and I think (could be wrong) that one speaker acts as the master when pairing.

Those T’s are lovely but sadly bigger than my house 😀 I’ve been looking at the A26 to stay within the AudioPro ecosystem too.

Ps. You could also use Bluetooth from a phone for Spotify

Would rather stream via the WiFi to avoid levels of compression you get with Bluetooth. No APTX HD support on my phone or tablets unfortunately.

They aren’t as big as they look

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2knN9GU]2021-01-01_01-18-50[/url] by davetheblade, on Flickr

The T14’s might be a better option – same set of connections. You have to hardwire the right to the left though

They look like the a26 and I think the c5 can act as a witless bridge for multi room 👍🏼

Lol – I’m the witless one here! Wireless bridge for WiFi

£50 off at audio affair

Am I being daft, or can you just pull apart the RCA cable down the length and connect one plug into each speaker?

That won’t work.

With the Ruarks you could add in something like a Chromecast audio to stream music. Should be some in eBay still even though they have been discontinued.

Would rather stream via the WiFi to avoid levels of compression you get with Bluetooth. No APTX HD support on my phone or tablets unfortunately.

Seems I’ve skipped this with my suggestions.

However, if the peak of your music quality is Spotify, then bluetooth is fine. I stream to the T20’s from my phone, Alexa Show, or PC (also have wired from PC) and it all sounds perfectly decent

I’d stick to your plan of getting something like the Ruark’s via optical, and then look to add Spotify/whatever capability to the TV. Does the TV have a Spotify app? If not add a cheap Fire TV/Roku stick?

I don’t know too much about Audiopro gear but is it possible to buy another C5 and use their app to set them up as a stereo pair and also use wi-fi or Apple airplay for streaming

Could maybe then buy a simple DAC to convert the tv optical to line level if needed.

Honestly never thought of going Spotify through TV route. Already have a Roku stick so that could be a great option, thanks.

Still keep looking at the Kef LSX and they offer interest free finance.

Must……………
Resist…..
Nice green colour

I don’t know too much about Audiopro gear but is it possible to buy another C5 and use their app to set them up as a stereo pair and also use wi-fi or Apple airplay for streaming

Could maybe then buy a simple DAC to convert the tv optical to line level if needed.

Yep, pair through app and I then tend to use Spotify connect for music. Will take a look at DAC as I know nothing about it

Sorry for being incompetent but would something like this Cheap DAC do the trick? Pair two C5’s and jobs a good un

I don’t know too much about Audiopro gear but is it possible to buy another C5 and use their app to set them up as a stereo pair and also use wi-fi or Apple airplay for streaming

Could maybe then buy a simple DAC to convert the tv optical to line level if needed.

Yep, pair through app and I then tend to use Spotify connect for music. Will take a look at DAC as I know nothing about it

But is the stereo pair only when they are in WiFi/multiroom/streaming mode? Can’t see how an RCA pair connected to one Addon C5 could feed the other channel to the other speaker?

Edit…perhaps it does. Clever.

‘Still love your vinyls? Is your CD-library
packed with that special kind of music?
No problem.
Just connect your turn table or CD-player to
a C5 or C10 speaker, and let the sound stream wirelessly to all the speakers in your setup.’

Yeah, I’m worried about two working in stereo through a DAC and optical. Have visions of it just streaming to one or playing everything through both. Can’t find a definitive answer through google either. Hmmm

Won’t you want a centre speaker?

Won’t need a centre speaker as not a 5.1 setup. Stereo is fine and better for TV and music imo as the centre won’t do much for music and stereo is more than adequate for TV upgrade. Might add a sub if we ever move house.

The issue is that the only way to connect to the TV, that I can see, is through the RCA left and right on one speaker connected to the headphone socket on the TV.

TV connections
Optical, HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB and RCA

headphone socket as an output is never great but why cant you use the RCA (which should e line level) outputs from the TV into the speaker you’ve got (which you say can work as a stereo pair?

Personally I think you do want a centre speaker – I’ve tried a stereo pair for tv and whilst it should work it’s very hard to get the speech to locate properly. Depending on your budget I’d look at a low end AV amp and 3 passive speakers….

Sorry to jump on this thread, anyone got any recommendations for a cheap AV and 3.1 setup?

RCA are inputs not outputs unfortunately. Definitely don’t want a centre speaker or av amp. Space is an issue and a third speaker does nothing for music and a pair hasn’t affected voice on tv when I’ve set up previous versions. Not sure that pairing two of the speakers (currently own one) will output to stereo as opposed to just everything to both speakers when using an external source as opposed to streaming. Would be an expensive error to make.

Sonos beam £399? Does everything you need and just a case of plugging in the optical cable.

Don’t want a soundbar. Thanks for all the useful advice, plenty to think on.

RCA are inputs not outputs unfortunately

Really? That’s odd – what are they thinking you might plug in as an analogue audio source to a TV (without any analogue video input)

Have a look at the Elipson Prestige Facet 6B BT.
Optical for the TV and BT for steaming from your phone, or add something like a Chromecast Audio as one of the aux inputs.

SQ is great for the money, though the remote is a bit rubbish.

Edit; just seen you don’t want to use BT which does limit your choice without getting a CCA or similar but really can’t imagine BT quality being the limiting factor compared to Spotify streaming quality?!

Really? That’s odd – what are they thinking you might plug in as an analogue audio source to a TV (without any analogue video input)

No idea tbh. Strikes me as a bit mad. There might be analogue video inputs. Would have to take off the wall to see though. I’ve previously attempted to run the c5 through them hence why I know they’re inputs.

I can definitely tell the difference between Bluetooth and WiFi streaming, even with Spotify. More so when I had a Qubuz subscription. Only thing limiting me is budget to be fair. Quite a few speakers that would work, they just cost more than I have 😀

Ruark mr1 mk2 and then use a chromecast audio on the aux input on the Ruarks. Done.

Its what I’ve done – with the mk 2 you have an optical in so you then have TV on optical, Bluetooth as needed and Spotify connect etc from chromecast.

Maybe drop the Audiopro to another room and use something like a Yamaha streamer/pre amp with active speakers.

https://www.richersounds.com/hi-fi/wireless-streaming-separates/yamaha-network-stereo-pre-amplifier.html

Or a leftfield way of doing it and keeping quality high is to use a regular amp and speakers with a Raspberry PI and digital HAT to allow either Airplay (CD quality) wireless streaming from a Apple / Android device or hi res audio using a physical connection to the device.

I use this and it sounds superb. Once the Pi is set up it just stays powered on, draws next to no power and just works.

Will happily discus this in greater detail if it is of interest.

For the above you’d use a DAC like the one you linked to above for the TV out. Doesn’t need to be a super quality one for TV watching.

So my Samsung TV is the same, RCAs are input only. I bought a cheap DAC from Amazon. Have an optical cable going from the TV to the DAC, then RCA cables to the amp.

I don’t know how audiopro works but I figure you need to pair them if you want them in stereo. If you do that then plug the RCA outputs from the DAC into the master, will it then sort out the left and right channel to the appropriate speaker?

If that doesn’t work then as someone else said just send the left RCA cable to the left speaker and the right RCA cable to the right speaker. If they’re paired as stereo speakers then I assume if you connect over wi-fi or Bluetooth then it will sort those out for you.

Oh one other thing does your TV have Bluetooth, if so then use that to connect to the paired Audi pros.

Pretty confident that one of the above three options should work.

I’d suggest you read the manual for the speakers, that should tell you what options you have.

Edit: Just read the manual and it’s a bit light on detail. The WiFi/input play switch seems to indicate that it will have some effect. I’m assuming in WiFi it will be clever and link the speakers over wi-fi with the inherent delay/latency. With input it will basically be a dumb speaker/amp combo and play whatevers input.

I’ve previously attempted to run the c5 through them hence why I know they’re inputs.

On my TV you have to tell it which audio outputs you’re using or they don’t work. Could it just be that you didn’t have RCA out selected?

Nah, definitely inputs unfortunately. TV is from around 2012 or so, no Bluetooth. Think DAC and second AudioPro or Ruark and chromecast are the ways forward. Do really like AudioPro sound compared to other wireless speakers I’ve tried (Sonos and Bose).

I also like the idea of having something like a Yamaha WXC50 and a pair of bookshelf speakers. Add more speakers/devices around the house over time. Lots of great ideas from you all to think on. Really appreciate the input.

Edit: Just read the manual and it’s a bit light on detail. The WiFi/input play switch seems to indicate that it will have some effect. I’m assuming in WiFi it will be clever and link the speakers over wi-fi with the inherent delay/latency. With input it will basically be a dumb speaker/amp combo and play whatevers input.

The switch just adjusts sound/timing depending on input. WiFi sounds better for wireless streaming. Input for BT and other sources. If you don’t switch to input play when using the TV there is lag. Makes everything in to a Shaw Brothers Kung-Fu film. You have to physically assign speakers with the app. Pair and assign L, R or LR. I spent a lot of time looking in to it last night and I think as long as you assign speaker channel in the app it should work even through DAC/Optical using line in on the speaker.

Well thanks for all the advice and input. I finally have a set of speakers. Ended up upping the budget a bit. Thought sod it due to the new lockdown. I bought a pair of Audio Pro A26. They arrived today and look and sound great. They’ll take a while to break in, but despite the middling What Hi-Fi review I agree with most of the user experiences and think they have a sound in keeping with other Audio Pro products. Will add a sub at some point further down the line and my trusty C5 now lives in the kitchen.