Support NeoGAF

[Stafford]

Hi all,

So I have an XSX, Switch and in the near future a PS5. I don't have the space for big speakers next to my TV (Samsung S95B) and TV sound is so so.

So I started to think of maybe looking for a Bluetooth speaker that I'll connect to my TV for when I am gaming and not hearing headphones. I know it can work, because I tried a simple BT speaker I got here, but will something like this work too?

https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/products/gaming-audio/g560-rgb-gaming-speakers.980-001300.html

It has BT too. However these are two speakers and a sub. I wonder if this connects as one to your source. But are there any BT speakers out there that will at least provide a significant improvement over the TV audio?

 

[Roxkis_ii]

I don't know if I would trust a Bluetooth speaker for gaming. Wouldn't it add audio delay?

 

[Stafford]

I don't know if I would trust a Bluetooth speaker for gaming. Wouldn't it add audio delay?

When I tried my small BT speaker with Witcher 3 last year it wasn't too bad.

It sucks that XSX doesn't have optical or provide a aux port, because then many more options would open up for me.

 

[RoadHazard]

Better to get a cheap HTIAB or just a soundbar. Any modern one of those will take HDMI input, so the lack of optical should be no issue.

 

[diffusionx]

Soundbars are designed for your exact situation, just get one of those. I would not get some shitty Logitech “gamer speakers”

 

[Stafford]

Better to get a cheap HTIAB or just a soundbar. Any modern one of those will take HDMI input, so the lack of optical should be no issue.

HTIAB?

 

[Stafford]

Soundbars are designed for your exact situation, just get one of those. I would not get some shitty Logitech “gamer speakers”

Which ones would be recommended and what price? I'm OK with spending 200, 300 euros.

 

[diffusionx]

Which ones would be recommended and what price? I'm OK with spending 200, 300 euros.

I haven’t been in the market for one in a long time, but I know Vizio makes ones that get good reviews and are pretty affordable. If you search on google there are a million sites that talk about it, they’re very popular these days.

HTIAB = home theater in a box btw, basically it’s just one kit with a receiver and 5.1 speakers, but obviously takes up a lot more room than a sound bar.

 

[Stafford]

I haven’t been in the market for one in a long time, but I know Vizio makes ones that get good reviews and are pretty affordable. If you search on google there are a million sites that talk about it, they’re very popular these days.

HTIAB = home theater in a box btw, basically it’s just one kit with a receiver and 5.1 speakers, but obviously takes up a lot more room than a sound bar.

Vizio is hard to find in The Netherlands, but I will to check some stuff out. I do hope I won't run into the audio delay issue though, although I think that's mostly a Atmos issue for several people with XSX.

 

[MonkeyClaw36]

Vizio is hard to find in The Netherlands, but I will to check some stuff out. I do hope I won't run into the audio delay issue though, although I think that's mostly a Atmos issue for several people with XSX.

Hi fellow Dutchie! Any modern soundbar would suffice nicely. Audio delay shouldn't be existent if you don't use B or C grade bars. Sony an Samsung have pretty decent ones. Dont know what price range you're aiming for? I have a pretty basic one and the audio comes just as fast as when I use headphones. (Yes I tried both at the same time. No noticable delay)

Or you can hook it up to the TV's Optical Audio for the best throughput.

 

[Zuzu]

Sonos Beam Gen 2 sound bar might be good for your situation (not sure if price fits though). It’ll connect to the earc hdmi port on your TV via hdmi cable.

 

[Thirty7ven]

Lag, gotta go with HDMI.

 

[Stafford]

Hi fellow Dutchie! Any modern soundbar would suffice nicely. Audio delay shouldn't be existent if you don't use B or C grade bars. Sony an Samsung have pretty decent ones. Dont know what price range you're aiming for? I have a pretty basic one and the audio comes just as fast as when I use headphones. (Yes I tried both at the same time. No noticable delay)

Or you can hook it up to the TV's Optical Audio for the best throughput.

Always good to see a fellow Dutchman

Today I have been doing some checking and I keep hearing and reading very good things about the Sound Blaster Katana V2. Shitty thing is, it's not available here but I can order from Creative's site itself. Hopefully they don't give me a hard time if it needs to be returned (if it doesn't work well with XSX).

I mentioned audio delay issues because sadly quite a big amount of people have issues and this includes the best Samsung soundbars and also the likes of Sonos. In the summer I have been doing some research too and a good number of people on Reddit told me they had a undefeatable delay with Sonos using Atmos in the Xbox settings. Also found the same issues being to the MS site where MS people react to. It remains an unresolved issue for these people.

But at the same time there are also people that don't have issues at all. I really hope I'm one of those.

Oh and optical actually is better than HDMI? If I end up with the Sound Blaster I might as well connect via optical then, since the soundbar can't do Atmos anyway.

Sonos Beam Gen 2 sound bar might be good for your situation (not sure if price fits though). It’ll connect to the earc hdmi port on your TV via hdmi cable.

A bit too much for me. I can get the Sound Blaster Katana V2 for 270 euros or so, which already is kinda above for what I want to spend on it. Plus the Katana V2 has a sub too.

 

[diffusionx]

Oh and optical actually is better than HDMI? If I end up with the Sound Blaster I might as well connect via optical then, since the soundbar can't do Atmos anyway.

I haven’t connected using optical in a very long time, but I think HDMI is the superior format. It is immaterial for most use cases and equipment though.

 

[MarkMe2525]

The audio delay is noticeable which makes it hard to recommend.

 

[RaZoR No1]

Definitely go with a soundbar or a headset
for around 300€ you can already get good ones, even in europe.

JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam is a pretty decent one for that price.

 

[ByWatterson]

HTIAB?

Home Theater in a box.

 

[Stafford]

The audio delay is noticeable which makes it hard to recommend.

You mean a Bluetooth speaker or a certain soundbar in particular?

Definitely go with a soundbar or a headset
for around 300€ you can already get good ones, even in europe.

JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam is a pretty decent one for that price.

I will look into that one. I just got recommended another one by JBL. The JBL Bar Deep Bass 2.1. Which is around 200 euros. A good bass definitely is important for me, always.

 

[MarkMe2525]

You mean a Bluetooth speaker or a certain soundbar in particular?


I will look into that one. I just got recommended another one by JBL. The JBL Bar Deep Bass 2.1. Which is around 200 euros. A good bass definitely is important for me, always.

I'm sorry that I wasn't clear. I was referring to the bluetooth speaker. The omission of optical out on the Series X is a bummer though. When running eARC from my television to my soundbar, I have audio delay on any output (DTS, Dolby Digital) other than basic stereo. It still sounds great, but I would prefer to be able to use the other audio formats. From what I understand, this is more of a tv problem.

 

[RaZoR No1]

You mean a Bluetooth speaker or a certain soundbar in particular?


I will look into that one. I just got recommended another one by JBL. The JBL Bar Deep Bass 2.1. Which is around 200 euros. A good bass definitely is important for me, always.

For a soundbar it has pretty decent bass IMO.

You can connect your Xbox directly to the Soundbar via HDMI in and skip the TV to avoid any audio lag.

But if your main concern is bass, I think a 2.1 or 5.1 (with a separate subwoofer) would suit you more.
You just cannot get enough bass physically from a soundbar without an external subwoofer.

If I were you, just go to the electronic store and test different soundbars

 

[Stafford]

I'm sorry that I wasn't clear. I was referring to the bluetooth speaker. The omission of optical out on the Series X is a bummer though. When running eARC from my television to my soundbar, I have audio delay on any output (DTS, Dolby Digital) other than basic stereo. It still sounds great, but I would prefer to be able to use the other audio formats. From what I understand, this is more of a tv problem.

Yeah that's not good at all, you would want to use DTS, DD, Atmos for that extra effect. And if you were to connect from soundbar optical to your TV? Or won't that give you Xbox sound?

Was this ever an issue on Xbox One? Probably not, since it had optical. The XSX is great but these are those things I really dislike. Especially when via HDMI it is with delay.

For a soundbar it has pretty decent bass IMO.

You can connect your Xbox directly to the Soundbar via HDMI in and skip the TV to avoid any audio lag.

But if your main concern is bass, I think a 2.1 or 5.1 (with a separate subwoofer) would suit you more.
You just cannot get enough bass physically from a soundbar without an external subwoofer.

If I were you, just go to the electronic store and test different soundbars

If I connect my Xbox directly to it, won't I miss out on TV features like VRR and such? VRR is a game changer, I can't do without it anymore haha.

As for bass, I think the JBL will do me fine, the deep bass one has a sub, the Sound Blaster too but apparently according to some YouTubers it can't compete with JBL.

In the summer I went to check out soundbars in the stores. I demoed Sonos, Sony, Samsung especially. The thing is it was all using their own preset demos and not with my own Xbox there.

That being said, I can always order a soundbar (or two, to compare) from a store like Bol.com which allows you to try things out and if it's not what you wanted you can return it, refund, etc.

Oh also, I see that JBL has soundbars too that come with two extra surround speakers and a sub. It will set me back 500 euros, but I do have actual sound coming from behind me too then, hmmm.

 

[MarkMe2525]

Yeah that's not good at all, you would want to use DTS, DD, Atmos for that extra effect. And if you were to connect from soundbar optical to your TV? Or won't that give you Xbox sound?

Was this ever an issue on Xbox One? Probably not, since it had optical. The XSX is great but these are those things I really dislike. Especially when via HDMI it is with delay.


If I connect my Xbox directly to it, won't I miss out on TV features like VRR and such? VRR is a game changer, I can't do without it anymore haha.

As for bass, I think the JBL will do me fine, the deep bass one has a sub, the Sound Blaster too but apparently according to some YouTubers it can't compete with JBL.

In the summer I went to check out soundbars in the stores. I demoed Sonos, Sony, Samsung especially. The thing is it was all using their own preset demos and not with my own Xbox there.

That being said, I can always order a soundbar (or two, to compare) from a store like Bol.com which allows you to try things out and if it's not what you wanted you can return it, refund, etc.

Oh also, I see that JBL has soundbars too that come with two extra surround speakers and a sub. It will set me back 500 euros, but I do have actual sound coming from behind me too then, hmmm.

I can't remember if I had better results with optical from TV to soundbar. I imagine I tried it at some point, but it has been in its current configuration for around 2 years.

 

[Stafford]

I can't remember if I had better results with optical from TV to soundbar. I imagine I tried it at some point, but it has been in its current configuration for around 2 years.

It's honestly kinda crazy that this is an issue that remains unresolved. You get a Atmos soundbar, yet you can't use Atmos without delay. It's odd, my brother has a Sonos Arc (2?) and he only has a delay in YouTube videos, not in games.

This stuff has me reluctant again on buying a soundbar at all. But I can always get one and test it for myself, how bad it is.

 

[CuteFaceJay]

you'll run into sync issues.

 

[RoboFu]

Just get a sound bar for your tv.

 

[mxbison]

Get a soundbar with a sub and connect via eARC.

If you get one from Samsung it also has a function where it additionally uses the TV speakers to fill the room a little better.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

BT sucks dick, the lag isn't a good time.

 

[Mephisto40]

You'd be better off buying a sound bar and plugging it directly into the sound outputs on your TV

 

[Stafford]

Fuck man, it sucks that Vizio is pretty much impossible to get for me in The Netherlands. I'm seeing some very good, affordable soundbars from them but it seems they don't ship to my country.

 

[RaZoR No1]

If I connect my Xbox directly to it, won't I miss out on TV features like VRR and such? VRR is a game changer, I can't do without it anymore haha.

As for bass, I think the JBL will do me fine, the deep bass one has a sub, the Sound Blaster too but apparently according to some YouTubers it can't compete with JBL.

In the summer I went to check out soundbars in the stores. I demoed Sonos, Sony, Samsung especially. The thing is it was all using their own preset demos and not with my own Xbox there.

That being said, I can always order a soundbar (or two, to compare) from a store like Bol.com which allows you to try things out and if it's not what you wanted you can return it, refund, etc.

Oh also, I see that JBL has soundbars too that come with two extra surround speakers and a sub. It will set me back 500 euros, but I do have actual sound coming from behind me too then, hmmm.

You wont miss out any features, if the soundbar has a HDMI 2.1 passthrough.

Unfortunately I dont know the exact specs of the device, but for the best experience, you have to look for a device, which supports VRR, 4k 120hz passthrough etc.

Using optical or EARC from TV will get you a minimal audio lag. depending on how sensible you are, this could be a dealbreaker.

TBH, if you used a Bluetooth Speaker in the past and didn't mind the lag, you wont even notice the minimal lag from going through the TV first.

 

[Stafford]

You wont miss out any features, if the soundbar has a HDMI 2.1 passthrough.

Unfortunately I dont know the exact specs of the device, but for the best experience, you have to look for a device, which supports VRR, 4k 120hz passthrough etc.

Using optical or EARC from TV will get you a minimal audio lag. depending on how sensible you are, this could be a dealbreaker.

TBH, if you used a Bluetooth Speaker in the past and didn't mind the lag, you wont even notice the minimal lag from going through the TV first.

I just tested it for myself. In the Xbox settings I set speaker audio to Dolby Digital and I notice the delay in sound when I navigate around. I'm gonna have to try some shooter games, see if I notice it really when shooting.

But ideally it just isn't there. It's great news that as long as I get a soundbar with 2.1 pass through that all should be fine. There is no way I still will get audio delay then? Samsung tv's are known for their bullshit and it would be just my luck, lol. And connecting the Xbox directly to soundbar instead of the TV won't degrade picture quality or anything? Settings wise everything remains as it is?

The search for 2.1 soundbars begins. I saw some affordable full surround sets by Logitech but that's optical. It can work but the audio will still be via HDMI since XSX has no optical, so there will be that delay.

Something tells me these 2.1 passthrough soundbars are not cheap.

If I see 2.1 in spec sheets of soundbars does that automatically mean it supports VRR, 120hz?

 

[RaZoR No1]

real HDMI 2.1 Passthrough soundbars are not cheap.

I wouldn't bet on it, if it supports 2.1 then it automatically supports VRR etc. because the HDMI standard is a mess...
Just check on forums etc. what other users say.

About the picture quality: It will stay the same. only difference is, that the Audio wont be routed through TV and back to the Soundbar, which adds a small delay.
Other option you could check would be to buy a HDMI 2.1 audio extractor. It only picks up the audio to send it to the audio device / sound bar.
in theory they shouldnt add any or much delay. Again, read / check the reviews and forums for these kind of things.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

Get a Atmos/DTS-X compatible one and you are good.

 

[TGO]

Bluetooth Speakers, Headphones, Soundbars......

 

[nocsi]

Just get a Sonos beam gen 2 and call it a day.

 

[Stafford]

real HDMI 2.1 Passthrough soundbars are not cheap.

I wouldn't bet on it, if it supports 2.1 then it automatically supports VRR etc. because the HDMI standard is a mess...
Just check on forums etc. what other users say.

About the picture quality: It will stay the same. only difference is, that the Audio wont be routed through TV and back to the Soundbar, which adds a small delay.
Other option you could check would be to buy a HDMI 2.1 audio extractor. It only picks up the audio to send it to the audio device / sound bar.
in theory they shouldnt add any or much delay. Again, read / check the reviews and forums for these kind of things.

I've found several, the first one being the cheapest.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B48QS6C2/

https://hdfury.com/product/8k-vrroom-40gbps/

https://www.thenaudio.com/product/sharc-v2-8k-earc-audio-processor/

Seems like I'm gonna be doing lots of research this week.

Get a Atmos/DTS-X compatible one and you are good.

If only it were that simple. There are many reports from users that complain about audio delay issues with Atmos on XSX with soundbars. Those with AVRs have no issues.

Just get a Sonos beam gen 2 and call it a day.

But it doesn't come with a sub, would you say it's good enough for someone that enjoys a strong bass?

 

[nocsi]

I've found several, the first one being the cheapest.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B48QS6C2/

https://hdfury.com/product/8k-vrroom-40gbps/

https://www.thenaudio.com/product/sharc-v2-8k-earc-audio-processor/

Seems like I'm gonna be doing lots of research this week.


If only it were that simple. There are many reports from users that complain about audio delay issues with Atmos on XSX with soundbars. Those with AVRs have no issues.



But it doesn't come with a sub, would you say it's good enough for someone that enjoys a strong bass?

Later on down the line buy a Sonos sub. You add it to the system and it’s magic. It’s an entire ecosystem.

 

[Stafford]

Later on down the line buy a Sonos sub. You add it to the system and it’s magic. It’s an entire ecosystem.

My brother has Sonos and he loves it. I gotta say, it sure sounds nice. He has the arc, the sub and also surrounds. He has no delay issues, only with YouTube he says there's sync issues when he sees videos of people talking.

It's interesting because I don't believe Sonos is hdmi 2.1, but I am not entirely sure about that. I do know that I can never miss out on VRR. It has proven to be a game changer.

 

[nocsi]

My brother has Sonos and he loves it. I gotta say, it sure sounds nice. He has the arc, the sub and also surrounds. He has no delay issues, only with YouTube he says there's sync issues when he sees videos of people talking.

It's interesting because I don't believe Sonos is hdmi 2.1, but I am not entirely sure about that. I do know that I can never miss out on VRR. It has proven to be a game changer.

Sonos beam is going to be eARC so hdmi 2.1 doesn't matter, it's not trying to do passthru. For example, PS5 -> HDMI -> TV -> HDMI -> Sonos Beam is how the sound will work. I had a Sony soundbar previously that would want it setup as PS5 -> HDMI -> Soundbar -> HDMI -> TV, and that setup is kinda outdated.

tl;dr VRR, HDMI 2.1, etc works fine with sonos since the interchange happens at the TV side w/ eARC

 

[Stafford]

Sonos beam is going to be eARC so hdmi 2.1 doesn't matter, it's not trying to do passthru. For example, PS5 -> HDMI -> TV -> HDMI -> Sonos Beam is how the sound will work. I had a Sony soundbar previously that would want it setup as PS5 -> HDMI -> Soundbar -> HDMI -> TV, and that setup is kinda outdated.

tl;dr VRR, HDMI 2.1, etc works fine with sonos since the interchange happens at the TV side w/ eARC

I went to the store and demoed the Beam gen 2 in a far from ideal environment, but it is what it is. It was solely the demos by Sonos themselves, so the nature video, the one similar to Pirates, music, it sounds good, for sure.

I just wish I could compare it to other soundbars I'm interested in, such as JBL Bar 5.1 or a Sony soundbar, since those come with subs too. However, like you said, Sonos allows you to add stuff. So in the future I could go to IKEA of all places and buy two of those Sonos bookshelf speakers for surround. I can buy the mini sub later too.

And the other option is getting an affordable AVR with HDMI 2.1 and the cheapest here is a Denon for 579 euros. I do have speakers that I used for when I had Xbox One X. Gonna need to decide for myself what is best for me.

 

[I'm nobody]

I got this and it's the best gaming and TV speaker for personal use ever

 

[Drew1440]

If space is a premium, have a look at Panasonic's SoundSlayer range. They offer either a compact soundbar or wearable speakers.

 

[nocsi]

I went to the store and demoed the Beam gen 2 in a far from ideal environment, but it is what it is. It was solely the demos by Sonos themselves, so the nature video, the one similar to Pirates, music, it sounds good, for sure.

I just wish I could compare it to other soundbars I'm interested in, such as JBL Bar 5.1 or a Sony soundbar, since those come with subs too. However, like you said, Sonos allows you to add stuff. So in the future I could go to IKEA of all places and buy two of those Sonos bookshelf speakers for surround. I can buy the mini sub later too.

And the other option is getting an affordable AVR with HDMI 2.1 and the cheapest here is a Denon for 579 euros. I do have speakers that I used for when I had Xbox One X. Gonna need to decide for myself what is best for me.

 

[Thirty7ven]

You want PS5 -> Soundbar -> TV

Because you want PCM

 

[fart town usa]

Better to get a cheap HTIAB or just a soundbar. Any modern one of those will take HDMI input, so the lack of optical should be no issue.

Yea, just get a soundbar. Some are insanely cheap and sound much better than standard TV speakers.

 

[Stafford]

You want PS5 -> Soundbar -> TV

Because you want PCM

Don't have PS5 yet, but with the XSX and my Denon X1400h I have the signal at PCM now. Here I thought you always wanted to see Dolby Digital, Atmos, DTS on the AVR display. PCM is better?

Also, what could be the reason that I'm not getting my games in HDR? The XSX goes straight into the Denon (HDMI game port) and the HDMI Arc goes into the tv's eARC. Is it because my TV is eARC and my AVR only Arc?

 

[danklord]

You want PS5 -> Soundbar -> TV

Because you want PCM

I would not trade VRR for PCM Audio. The s95b is a gaming powerhouse and you should connect the consoles directly to TV and do audio through ARC out to get the most out of it.

For speakers I highly recommend stretching your budget to Klipsch The Fives. They have an arc port for HDMI in and sound infinitely better than any soundbar at their price.

 

[KloetenQuetsche]

I am using my Marshall Kilburn in addition to my TV Speakers.
I connected it via 3.5mm headphone jack to my TV an bam. Nice sound.
I hate Bluetooth. Laggy pairing shit of variable Bitrates... Sucks every time I use it.

A cable is the better choice. Perfekt quality, no connection issues.

 

[Stafford]

I would not trade VRR for PCM Audio. The s95b is a gaming powerhouse and you should connect the consoles directly to TV and do audio through ARC out to get the most out of it.

For speakers I highly recommend stretching your budget to Klipsch The Fives. They have an arc port for HDMI in and sound infinitely better than any soundbar at their price.

Oh yeah, I love the S95B, amazing TV. It has some issues, but then again, which TV doesn't.

But I don't get right now why Xbox is giving me these errors. When I go into audio settings and check 4K TV details it says my TV setup doesn't support 4K at 120hz. That is undoubtedly because the AVR doesn't support 120hz, that's fine. But it also says m TV setup doesn't support HDR 10 for gaming. Which doesn't make sense because the AVR can do 4K/HDR.

I'm using the ultra high speed cable that came with the XSX. It goes straight into the AVR. Now I'm a little worried I'm gonna get this BS too if I were either to buy a HDMI 2.1 AVR or soundbar.

 

[Stafford]

Nevermind me, sheesh. I'm being extremely stupid now. I completely forgot to realise that since the Xbox goes into the Denon now that I had to enable game mode on the S95B again too, lmao!