Genos Output to a high end Samsung Soundbar

[anandmaloo]

Hi,
Till now I had a AV receiver of Yamaha with KEF speakers and a subwoofer. I was giving my Genos output to them and it worked well without any latency. The sound was good too.

I now plan to buy a high end soundbar.  There are two problems -

1) Latency - I am not sure if there is any latency in sound processing by a sound bar. Does anybody here have an experience in that ?

2) Input type - The sound bar has a HDMI and optical input only. How do I get my Genos output to the bar. Do I have to use a converter, and is that reliable, and will the quality be degraded after conversion ?

Any advice will be a help

Regards

Anand

[BogdanH]

hello Anand,

1. If audio devices are connected directly (wired), then there's no latency that one could notice. Noticeable latency usually happens if audio signal is compressed before transmission and decompressed at receiving device (i.e. bluetooth), or if signal is altered before reproduction (i.e. complex audio effects are added). In your case I don't expect any latency to happen, because DAC's are extremely fast nowadays.

2. You need something like this (you won't use video connection, of course). Reliable... well, depends on build/components quality (maybe you shouldn't buy the cheapest). The same is true for sound quality: a decent converter shouldn't degrade the sound.

Anyway, don't expect the same sound quality on soundbar as you have on current speaker system. Keep in mind that soundbars are meant to be used as center speaker (speech).

Bogdan

[Bill]

Hi Anand

Are you planning to keep the AV  Receiver or do you wish to just plug the sound bar into the Genos (presumably G1)

Bill

[anandmaloo]

Thanks BogdanH for your reply. It is surely helpful.

Bill,

I have sold my entire old setup including the AV receiver. I don't have any setup now. In my previous setup, i had a Behringer mixer, which received input from

1) G1
2) a wireless microphone (and the mixer would add vocal effects - echo reverb etc)
3) a Bluetooth receiver, to take input of karaoke tracks from my ipad.

The Behringer mixer would mix all three and give output to my Yamaha RX679 AV receiver which in turn would fire the speakers and sub.  It worked great. But then I sold it all

I still intend to buy a new mixer (preferably Bluetooth built-in) which will take input from

1) G1
2) Wireless microphone
3) Bluetooth builtin

The mixer needs to now fire the sound bar (Samsung Q990C) instead of the Yamaha AV. But the Soundbar only has optical and HDMI input, whereas I am still to find a decent mixer with Optical or HDMI output

There comes in the role of sub quality converters, which I am wary of.

Hope I am able to explain my configuration to you

Regards

Anand

[Bill]

Hi Anand

To be honest I'm totally out of my depth here. I cannot see how you are going to get the best from a Dolby Atmos speaker from a simple audio output from a keyboard or mixer. No doubt there are more complex processors around.

Hope someone has got some experience.

Bill

[Lee Batchelor]

Anand, you are mixing consumer electronics with a musical instrument. This is not the best solution. Musical instruments need musical instrument sound reinforcement solutions. Of course, you'll hear your Genos through a sound bar, but check out the frequency response of the sound bar. Just because it sounds great below your TV doesn't mean the Genos will sound great as well. Look for decent studio monitors that extend down to 45 Hz or 50Hz.

You bought a $7,000 keyboard. It needs decent speakers 👍.

Edit
Anand, please post the make and model number of the sound bar you're looking at buying. I'd like to see the spec sheet. Thanks.

[Bill]

Hi Lee
Anand already mentioned it.  Samsung Q990C)

Bill

[Lee Batchelor]

Oops, sorry. I've had too many birthdays! Thanks, Bill.

I looked it up and the specs don't show the frequency response 👎. It's very much a consumer electronics piece of hardware. Often those drivers are not designed for louder musical instrument transients. Don't confuse explosions in movies with sudden loud sounds of a piano, drum, or bass guitar patch from the Genos.

I'd still look at a musical instrument solution.

[BogdanH]

Ah, now I see you're talking about soundbar set... which puts the things in different light -especially considering the price.

First you asked about latency and now I see you're about to decide for wireless set of loudspeakers.. and you also plan to add mixer.
Keep in mind that this Samsung is meant for (smaller) home cinema and there are no specifications whatsoever. There's no way I would buy this for keyboard (not even at half the price).
For the same money (about $1000) you can get a pair of decent monitors+subwoofer, which will not only sound much better: it will also make connections more flexible.

Just my opinion,
Bogdan

[Lee Batchelor]

Agreed, Bogdan. A HT sound bar is the wrong solution.

[pjd]

I've gone the route of converting and sending audio via optical and it was an exercise in frustration.

Anand, unless you really, really, really need a soundbar, another solution which can handle regular old LINE-level audio (e.g., high quality monitors) will get you there easier.

Probably not the answer you were looking for...  -- pj

[anandmaloo]

Thank you all for giving your advice. Very appreciated.

I will surely take it and drop my plan for buying a sound bar. Will now look for AV receiver driven solution, with speakers.

Thanks a lot

Regards

Anand