Solved! Want sound to come from AVR to Soundbar (Onkyo AVR S920W, Bose 700, LG OLED55B8PUA, Apple TV 4k)

[davemonski]

With this set of equipment (Onkyo AVR S920W, Bose 700, LG OLED55B8PUA, Apple TV 4k), I have all the output devices (AppleTV, XBox) feeding into the AVR via HDMI cables. From the AVR I have an HDMI cable from the ARC "Monitor1" port to the TV's "HDMI 2" port that claims to be ARC as well. I've then got an optical cable from the TV to the Soundbar.

This works but I have to have my TV on to play music from my local iTunes music storage (more music than I own online as many were bought on CD).

I have tried connecting the AVR "Monitor2" port to the soundbar via HDMI and fooling with various ARC and HDMI control settings on the AVR with no luck in that I don't get sound to the soundbar. I have also tried running an optical cable from the AVR's optical audio out to the soundbar with no luck rather than running it from the TV's optical audio out to the soundbar.

I was able to get my desired configuration working when using the wires out to speakers rather than the soundbar.

I'm a nerd of sorts but... not this kind of nerd it seems. I've tried a few other permutations and am blocked. I guess I lack an understanding of if my AVR can send out to both it's HDMI outs at the same time or if it can send out video to the Monitor1 port and audio through the optical out port at the same time.

 

[jsmithepa]

Well your fundamental problem is, as u already found out, AVR are designed to work with discrete passive speakers, not an active soundbar.

Your AVR Optical --> SB didn't work because Optical in AVR are for INPUTS only. I mean nice try because if AVRs have Optical output this may actually work, but alas, I know of no AVR that send PREOUT (unamplified) digital signal out.

I suggest add a dedicated path directly from PC(?) to SB.

If u require the AVR to be the music player front end, then I suggest AVR ---(high level signal converter)---> Analog input SB. This will do stereo only.

 

[davemonski]

Thank you, jsmithepa. I had read this page (http/manuals.denon.com/AVRS920W/NA/EN/GFNFSYolziudnh....) incorrectly and thus thought it would work. The AVR has two optical "in" ports only.

The music goes from the AppleTV to the AVR now with no computer involved except as a source for the music but that is all handled within the AppleTV and unrelated to this thread. Unfortunately, in this scenario, the AppleTV is also where we play our iTunes, Netflix, Amazon Prime video content from so the audio from the device needs to flow to the AVR to the TV to the soundbar.

I'll fool around with the AppleTV 4K's bluetooth for audio output to the soundbar directly or through the AVR as the particular AVR (from my subject line) does handle bluetooth as does the soundbar.

It's frustrating because I would like to keep all the nice features of the AVR like the ability to boost voice levels in movies/tv, reduce super loud noises, shape the sound (I'm not an audiophile but sometimes I want a little more or less bass), and so on.

 

[americanaudiophile]

You need a passive LCR speaker not a soundbar.
https/www.revelspeakers.com/productdetail/~/product/lcr8.html
https/www.klipsch.com/products/rp-440d-sb-passive-sound-bar
https/www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-bs36-36-lcr-speaker-bar-black--300-684
https/www.goldenear.com/products/supercinema3d/
https/www.nextlevelacoustics.com/fusion-reference-soundbar/
They are all designed to work with AVRs.