[l'pc]

This is alway possible unless you use audio amplifier without volume knob (yes, they sell those as high-end; I haven't found any logical explanation not to use a volume knob. If someone could shed a light on that ?)

I would recommend to set the amplifier's volume so that you get normal listening volume with the Windows sound at 100% and XBMC's volume at around 80%. Then you won't need to use the amplifier's volume anymore; just use XBMC's volume instead.

AFAIK, the reason behind all these feature packed receivers is because to use HDMI you need a powerful processor, so many features can be implemented to run on that processor at very little additional cost.

[decpvr]

This is alway possible unless you use audio amplifier without volume knob (yes, they sell those as high-end; I haven't found any logical explanation not to use a volume knob. If someone could shed a light on that ?)

I think what you're talking about is a 'power-amp'. This is designed to work with a 'pre-amp'.

It's Hi-Fi theory for better sound quality: all the power & amplification is housed in one box - the 'power-amp'. The input selection and volume control is house separately - in the 'pre-amp', to avoid noise & interference degrading the signal.

What most people would consider a 'normal' amp is known as a 'integrated-amplifier'.

This is an example of a pre/power combination:
http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/news/article...;2095/9562

I suppose XBMC could be considered a pre-amp in the setups proposed here. Although, as mentioned, its handy to have a physical volume control - to avoid any accidental ear bleeding volumes occurring when the volume resets to 100% :-)

[l'pc]

Thanks for the clarification, decpvr.

I've still got one question tough - I can understand why one would want a separate device for input selection, audio treatment, etc. but not the volume setting (speaking only of audio performance here.) My reasoning behind this is that if you attenuate the signal _before_ the final amplification step, you get a worse SNR (compared to setting the volume in that last amplification step.)
I am pretty sure this is true in the digital domain, but it may not apply in the analog domain.

Now, if that eventual quality loss is something we can hear is a different topic altogether. :-)

[Stereodude]

A true power amplifier like the sort of amps Emotiva sells, for example, has a fixed amount of gain. The processor/pre-amp in front of the power amplifier varies the amplitude of the signal going into the fixed gain amplifier. This what happens in most receivers as well. They're most likely not varying the gain of the amplifier stage, but just the amplitude of the signal going into it. The only difference is that it's all in one box instead of spread between two.

[l'pc]

Ok, it makes sense now, thanks a lot.

(Sorry for the little off-topic talk :-) )

[nickr]

Not so far off topic IMHO. There was a thread here a while back about an integrated xbmc/amplifier machine, with all the amplifier controllable through a plugin. Perfectly doable if you use a decent soundcard as the preamp and stick to 5.1 sound. However if you want stuff like HDMI processing it gets harder.

[AussieFries]

I'm still waiting for Sonos to create a Connect:Amp with a 5.1 output. Their current model only has stereo outputs.

[Ned Scott]

I'm still waiting for Sonos to create a Connect:Amp with a 5.1 output. Their current model only has stereo outputs.

That's pretty normal, so you just get three of them. 5.1 is creating 6 channels of audio, and for an amp you're not necessarily saving power by having all the amp channels in one box.

EDIT: oh wait, I see it's got a whole network connection deal. Never mind ;)

[DavidFerrington]

Hi, new here...
Having read these posts, I don't see anything that is 'small' - i.e., less than 40cm wide - I need something that is <= 38cm wide, preferable not to high or deep, to replace a Sony amp that's faulty (and doesn't have optical in).
I need 1 x optical in, 1 x stereo in, 5.1 out - with a remote. This is go in a bedroom.
Will be fed by a SliMP3 (stereo) and an Apple TV - Dobly Pro Logic optical.
Don't even need to see the 'face' as long as it's possible to tell what the input is on.

-- David

[garmon]

.. a 5.1 amplifier with just 1 HDMI input, a volume button and a remote control?

No need for FM radio, DSP, inputs for DVD/CD/BluRay, etc. I only need to connect my XBMC HTPC

So far I haven't been able to find anything that comes close. If you have a 5.1 speaker set, you can only choose from very extensive AV receivers. Receivers offer a million options which I don't need but you do pay for it.

Any ideas?

I was looking for the same thing. I ended up ebaying on the of these. It's five years old but it has HDMI and decodes all the high resolution audio formats. I REALLY wish they would have continued this product line.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YMC-500BL-C...B002CVTOV6

[speed32219]

Here is the device you need to go with that 6x100W amplifier. Also supports CEC, 7.1, dts-MA and DD True-HD. ($129)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDMI-Dolby-DTS-P...0840436904

I might try this. I was looking for something that would work with an Adcom 5.1 or 7.1 amp setup.

Here is a link to more digital decoders that are 5.1 only for less than $50.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/dts-decoder

I could take an old sat stb, gut it and try and configure it with this setup including the 6X100W amp previously posted.

[Stereodude]

Here is the device you need to go with that 6x100W amplifier. Also supports CEC, 7.1, dts-MA and DD True-HD. ($129)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDMI-Dolby-DTS-P...0840436904

I might try this. I was looking for something that would work with an Adcom 5.1 or 7.1 amp setup.

Here is a link to more digital decoders that are 5.1 only for less than $50.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/dts-decoder

I could take an old sat stb, gut it and try and configure it with this setup including the 6X100W amp previously posted.

Where's the volume control at?

[noggin]

Here is the device you need to go with that 6x100W amplifier. Also supports CEC, 7.1, dts-MA and DD True-HD. ($129)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDMI-Dolby-DTS-P...0840436904

I might try this. I was looking for something that would work with an Adcom 5.1 or 7.1 amp setup.

Here is a link to more digital decoders that are 5.1 only for less than $50.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/dts-decoder

I could take an old sat stb, gut it and try and configure it with this setup including the 6X100W amp previously posted.

Where's the volume control at?

Those are decoders that are used to feed an existing amp - not combined decoders and amps. The devices listed are converting digital audio to analogue line-level. The volume control would be on the amp. They are there to allow you to add audio functionality to an existing 5.1 or similar amp which may not have HDMI functionality (like a high quality DVD-era device)

[Stereodude]

Those are decoders that are used to feed an existing amp - not combined decoders and amps. The devices listed are converting digital audio to analogue line-level. The volume control would be on the amp. They are there to allow you to add audio functionality to an existing 5.1 or similar amp which may not have HDMI functionality (like a high quality DVD-era device)

I'm well aware the decoders don't have a volume control, which is what makes them very useless for the purpose suggested by speed32219. Outboard amps don't have volume controls.

[noggin]

Those are decoders that are used to feed an existing amp - not combined decoders and amps. The devices listed are converting digital audio to analogue line-level. The volume control would be on the amp. They are there to allow you to add audio functionality to an existing 5.1 or similar amp which may not have HDMI functionality (like a high quality DVD-era device)

I'm well aware the decoders don't have a volume control, which is what makes them very useless for the purpose suggested by speed32219. Outboard amps don't have volume controls.

No - though older surround amps with 5.1 analogue inputs do - which is what the HDMI Audio decoder posted and discussed in the post I commented on was presumably designed for.