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Apple TV Speakers?

K

kappa76

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 15, 2008
25
0
St. Louis
I am a bit of a crazed minimalist & would love to be able to ditch my big bulky stereo system & replace with something allot smaller. The only thing i would ever use the speakers for would be my ATV.

I would like to still be able to pull off surround with two speakers in back & a couple in front or a speaker bar. But I want them to hook up directly to my ATV so that I don't need a receiver.

Can anyone suggest some speakers that could possibly fit what I'm looking for?
 
You wont get surround sound with out a receiver that can decode the signal and split it into the 5,6 or 7 channels. So your kind of lost with out a receiver for surround. There are plenty of computer speakers that you could hook up to the setup you have but at best you will have 2.1 sound.

Kevin :apple:
 
There is a lot of mini-surround sound systems that have very small amplifiers.
 
There are a few all-in-one virtual surround systems that would be suitable for such a system. I think there is a SONY model that looks like a very wide centre speaker about 1.5 metres and it contains a Doldy Digital amplifier, DVD player and various AV inputs and outputs. It is meant to sit under your television and it looks like a good way to save space.

Alternatively you could get a very high-end iPod all-in-one system like the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin and connect your Apple TV to it's optical input. It looks amazing, sounds brilliant and will make a great talking point for your guests.
http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/display.aspx?infid=2466

I don't work for Bowers & Wilkins by the way :)
 
Sol said:
I think there is a SONY model that looks like a very wide centre speaker about 1.5 metres and it contains a Doldy Digital amplifier, DVD player and various AV inputs and outputs. It is meant to sit under your television and it looks like a good way to save space.
Click to expand...

That SONY sounds interesting. Do you have a link? I've been looking around for something like that...
 
ipedro said:
That SONY sounds interesting. Do you have a link? I've been looking around for something like that...
Click to expand...

Sorry, I do not know the model name but the next time I go shopping I'll take a note. It does not cost a lot either; around AUD $1000 so it's a good all-rounder.
 
Hi Kappa. I've been lurking for some time and saw your post and thought I'd register to give you my opinion. I hope that I can be of assistance. I have the Yamaha YSP 1100. I think it is great. There are some newer models out now (ysp 3 and 4000), but I haven't had any problems with it and recommend them. They have a built in amp, but in my opinion you will need to get the subwoofer that is paired with (but doesn't come with it) The link to the product is here: http://www.yamaha.com/yec/soundprojectors/list/

A friend heard mine and decided to get one as well. He wasn't happy with his and I couldn't figure out why - he hadn't optimised it for his living room. There is a process it has to go through which you must do. After he did it, he was very happy :)

and an independant review is here: (This is for the 4000. There is also one for the 1100 which convinced me to get mine. Keep in mind that the review is from audio techno freaks :eek: - they seem to be as picky about this sort of stuff as we are about Macs ;) )http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/satellite/yamaha-ysp-4000

Cheers.


EDIT. I don't run any video through it, that goes straight from my DVD player to my TV and the sound goes directly to the "speaker". If the price is a bit steep, there is the earlier models which I'm sure are cheaper, but I wouldn't go lower than the ysp 400
 
ATV Speakers

Thanks for the replies. I definitely want to get good surround sound but by no means am I an audiophile. I do like the Philips & Yamaha sound bars & could see something like that working perfectly. I wonder if you can expand on any of these by adding your own rear satellites to the system.

I just hate the fact that unless you buy a DVD system your stuck with a huge brick of a receiver.
 
ipedro said:
Thanks! That does look interesting but I'd need to hear it to believe it. Because of all that we've been told about sound, it's hard to believe that one speaker can produce sounds that feel that they're coming from behind you.
Click to expand...

I have not heard it but my guess it would be the next best thing to real surround sound. If you buy a system like this it would be for its minimalist design compared to all the components, cables, speakers and speaker stands that are necessary for conventional hi-fi systems. Having said that, modern Digital Signal Processors can do amazing things so look up some reviews of such systems to get an idea of how well they work. The Philips system is low-end by audiophile standards and I imagine the kind of shops selling it would not have it in an ideal demo room. Perhaps you should ask to take it home for testing if you find it anywhere.
 
Klipsch ProMedia GMX D-5.1 System

What about the Klipsch ProMedia GMX D-5.1 System?
http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/promedia-gmx-d-5-1.aspx


It has speakers without the receiver and can decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, five-channel stereo and 2-channel stereo. It also has optical audio in so you can hook up the Apple TV to it. All without a receiver. The only problem I forsee is that the sound system doesn't have a remote and I don't think the volume control works on the Apple TV when it's hooked up to digital optical out. Can anyone confirm this?
 
MacPil0T said:
What about the Klipsch ProMedia GMX D-5.1 System?
http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/promedia-gmx-d-5-1.aspx


It has speakers without the receiver and can decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, five-channel stereo and 2-channel stereo. It also has optical audio in so you can hook up the Apple TV to it. All without a receiver. The only problem I forsee is that the sound system doesn't have a remote and I don't think the volume control works on the Apple TV when it's hooked up to digital optical out. Can anyone confirm this?
Click to expand...

Klipsch does make great speakers- I bought the basic Klipsch Groove computer speakers for $99 to use at my school in the gym for presentations and the sound was great considering what I paid and the size of the speakers. But I have no experience with their home theater sound systems.
 
ipedro said:
Thanks! That does look interesting but I'd need to hear it to believe it. Because of all that we've been told about sound, it's hard to believe that one speaker can produce sounds that feel that they're coming from behind you.
Click to expand...
I was dubious as well, but I can assure you they (well, mine), does. Mine has 42 individual speakers built in to the main unit. As part of the set up process, it will adjust each speaker to basically reflect of surrounding objects. It's so accurate that if you do the test then move some furniture around (for example), it will sound different. The link I gave to the audiophoile review suggests that it is more sound "enveloping" which is true, but you do also get the sounds coming from all angles, even behind you.
 
ATV Speakers

well I ended up going with the philips soundbar due to the price and reviews. After getting it home I was blown away to see that the hdmi is output only and no optical input to run to my ATV, only coaxial.

I tried to run coaxal from my plasmas digital audio out to the soymd bar to get around it but no luck. Weird because my aux connections come through the soundbar but not my hdmi which is ATV. WTF?
 
kappa76 said:
well I ended up going with the philips soundbar due to the price and reviews. After getting it home I was blown away to see that the hdmi is output only and no optical input to run to my ATV, only coaxial.

I tried to run coaxal from my plasmas digital audio out to the soymd bar to get around it but no luck. Weird because my aux connections come through the soundbar but not my hdmi which is ATV. WTF?
Click to expand...

Why would the HDMI port be an input? Connect the Apple TV to your plasma with the HDMI and use an optical to coaxal adaptor for the Soundbar. It could also be a menu setting to turn on digital out in your TV or something like that. Figuring this stuff out is half the fun.
 
kappa76 said:
Can anyone suggest some speakers that could possibly fit what I'm looking for?
Click to expand...

I had a similar goal. I decided to try the Logitech Z-5500. It's a PC speaker system with 5 satellites and a subwoofer. It decodes Dolby Digital and dts, has optical/coaxial digital inputs, and a remote control. It's also pretty cheap.

If you are primarily watching TV and movies with your Apple TV, I suspect you'd find it acceptable. If nothing else, it's loud :)

A.
 
Sol said:
Why would the HDMI port be an input? Connect the Apple TV to your plasma with the HDMI and use an optical to coaxal adaptor for the Soundbar. It could also be a menu setting to turn on digital out in your TV or something like that. Figuring this stuff out is half the fun.
Click to expand...

The HDMI on the speakerbar is an output only. Probably for the DVD functionality. the coaxal idea is exactly how I have it setup now which doesn't seem to be working. I have the proper setting turned on which is "digital in". the odd part of it is when my son was playing his Wii the souond was coming out of the speakerbar, but not the ATV.

the only thing I can think of that's different is the ATV is connected via HDMI & the Wii is aux.
 
kappa76 said:
The coaxal idea is exactly how I have it setup now which doesn't seem to be working. I have the proper setting turned on which is "digital in". the odd part of it is when my son was playing his Wii the souond was coming out of the speakerbar, but not the ATV.

the only thing I can think of that's different is the ATV is connected via HDMI & the Wii is aux.
Click to expand...

In the Apple TV audio settings there is an option to turn on Dolby Digital out. Try turning that on and see how you go.
 
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