Small factor Home Cinema amps

professorhat · May 30, 2020

Hey all

I'm after a small factor home cinema amp - main constraint is width - I need it to be 33cm or less, minimum of 3 HDMI inputs, and ideally 2 optical inputs (though one would do). 2 HDMI outputs would be an incredible bonus, but I suspect too much to ask!

Any ideas? To be honest, a hi-fi amp would do - I will only be using in stereo mode, but I need to be able to connect all my HDMI sources so I'm guessing home cinema amp is best bet.

Have been out of the game for a while - at the moment my setup is a mish mash of HDMI switches / optical extractors and a set of active speakers I had lying around. It works (just), but it's a pain and there's cables everywhere! Would like to tidy it up and just have a single remote to control it all!

Any ideas appreciated!

Many thanks!

bigboss · May 30, 2020

Why can't you change the cabinet to widen your choice? Most AV receivers will be standard width to fit in an AV rack.

professorhat · May 30, 2020

bigboss said:
Why can't you change the cabinet to widen your choice? Most AV receivers will be standard width to fit in an AV rack.

Well, this is for my home office (where I spend most of my life at the moment!), and the furniture is set. I can get a normal home cinema amp and shoe horn it in somewhere, but I'd really like something that fit in nicely and looked pretty 🦋

bigboss · May 30, 2020

This could go sideways in, if you have the depth.

Specification | VSX-534 | AV Receivers | Products | Pioneer Home Audio Visual

intl.pioneer-audiovisual.com

professorhat · May 30, 2020

Thanks bigboss - interesting idea - I suppose that's probably true of quite a few AV receivers. Ah well, I'll keep on looking and see what I can find.

jjbomber · May 30, 2020

professorhat said:
Any ideas? To be honest, a hi-fi amp would do - I will only be using in stereo mode, but I need to be able to connect all my HDMI sources so I'm guessing home cinema amp is best bet.

I'm surprised by how few manufacturers have stereo amps with HDMI inputs. I would have thought that there has to be a fair size market for it these days, with Sky, BT or Virgin boxes in just about every home. Maybe they think DVD will be short-lived as people move to streaming?

bigboss · May 30, 2020

There are options like this which will satisfy your needs. Can this fit sideways (bearing in mind the cables sticking out)?

AV.com | UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

www.audiovisualonline.co.uk

bigboss · May 30, 2020

This is 32.9cm deep:

https://www.harrowaudiohifi.co.uk/en/onkyo-tx-8270

bigboss · May 30, 2020

We have a winner here! Sonos amp now has HDMI! 👍🏼

Amp: The Wireless Streaming Speaker Amplifier | Sonos

With an output of 125 watts per channel, an HDMI input to connect your TV, Apple AirPlay 2 capability and a striking compact form factor that fits standard AV racks, the new Sonos Amp is quite simply our most versatile and most powerful wireless amplifier yet.

www.sonos.com

You could pair this with an HDMI switch.

bigboss · May 30, 2020

Other options are the NAD D3045 and NAD M10, the Cambridge Edge, Lyngdorf TDAI-2170 and Lyngdorf TDAI-3400, or the Naim Uniti Atom and Naim Uniti Nova amplifiers, depending on your budget.

professorhat · Jun 1, 2020

Thanks bigboss - I looked at both the Sonos and the NAD3045, but I really need 3 HDMI inputs - I'm already half arsing it with switches etc and it just doesn't work well. Pretty sure I just need to find a bigger space for the amp - unfortunate as it would have looked a lot nicer on the shelf!

I do like the look of the Onkyo and Pioneer devices though - hadn't seen them previously. Think that's where I need to concentrate my research. Of course, my next need will be a couple of small bookshelf speakers to hook up as well!

professorhat · Jun 1, 2020

jjbomber said:
I'm surprised by how few manufacturers have stereo amps with HDMI inputs. I would have thought that there has to be a fair size market for it these days, with Sky, BT or Virgin boxes in just about every home. Maybe they think DVD will be short-lived as people move to streaming?

Well, probably true - but then I have 3x HDMI sources - one is Apple TV (streaming), second is PS4 and then there's my Blu-ray player (mainly as my PS4 doesn't play BD discs any more!).

Like you say, Sky / BT / Virgin all do streaming now, and the PS5 / new Xbox is coming soon, so the need for HDMI inputs won't be going anywhere soon.

bigboss · Jun 1, 2020

Are you not able to connect all to TV, and one HDMI cable from TV to the amp?

scene · Jun 1, 2020

bigboss said:
Are you not able to connect all to TV, and one HDMI cable from TV to the amp?

Most new TVs have 4 HDMI (max). If one of those is used for the ARC channel back to a Sonos Beam, say, you have three left for other devices, which could prove a problem if you've got to plug the following into your TV:
- Cable/Satellite box
- PS4/XBox
- BluRay player
- Streaming device (e.g. Chromecast/Apple TV)
Now you're an input short.
(BTW that scenario is what I have in my living room, where I have Virgin Cable, PS4, BluRay player & Chromecast - all on HDMI - but I have enough inputs across my TV + Marantx to handle this. A Sonos Beam couldn't)

professorhat · Jun 9, 2020

bigboss said:
Are you not able to connect all to TV, and one HDMI cable from TV to the amp?

I am not using a TV, but a computer monitor. It has 2x HDMI inputs. Also, I'd really like one remote control. It's becoming obvious that this isn't possible

professorhat · Nov 17, 2020

Well, took me a while to decide but ended up getting a full AV receiver and putting it on top of the bookshelf units. Given lockdown and the lack of ability to go places and see people, I opted for a home delivery of the lovely Sony STR-DN1080 from Richer Sounds - finally I have everything hooked up to some wall mounted Cambridge Audio speakers and I can just flick between sources with one remote. Happy!

Deleted member 2457 · Nov 18, 2020

professorhat said:
Well, took me a while to decide but ended up getting a full AV receiver and putting it on top of the bookshelf units. Given lockdown and the lack of ability to go places and see people, I opted for a home delivery of the lovely Sony STR-DN1080 from Richer Sounds - finally I have everything hooked up to some wall mounted Cambridge Audio speakers and I can just flick between sources with one remote. Happy!

Did you know it has support for HDMI 2.1 eARC too via a firmware update:

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/downloads/00016980

Small factor Home Cinema amps

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