HDMI analogue audio breakout cable/box?

[andykara2003]

Can anyone suggest a cheapish but decent hdmi analoge audio breakout box/cable? I'm looking to get analogue audio from the PS4 via the HDMI port without degrading the video quality.

Cheers...

[FinalBaton]

This is not gonna be easy...

Decent audio DACs cost some money.
Those extremely cheap breakout box sound like absolute crap in comparison to a good standalone DAC.

And then there's another roadblock : not many standalone DACs offer an HDMI input, because of the licensing fee inherent to the use of HDMI connections.
I know of a couple good USB audio DACs that are cheapish (AudioQuest's Dragonfly is a nice cheap one), but I know less about HDMI DACs since they're so rare (well, reviews for those are rare, anyway)



I really suggest you go with another digital sound connection than HDMI (choose coax, toslink or USB) and get a DAC that supports that. Don't know what's available on the PS4




What do you consider cheap exactly, what's your budget? And what level of performance do you wish to attain?

[andykara2003]

Hmm thanks, perhaps another road then. The only other way I think might be a DAC via the PS4's optical out if that's possible. I was hoping to spend very little (say under £30) but maybe that's unrealistic. I guess I could get a cheap but decentish sound bar...

[antron]

None of the them should degrade video quality. That's all digital. It could however add lag.

[FinalBaton]

Hmm thanks, perhaps another road then. The only other way I think might be a DAC via the PS4's optical out if that's possible. I was hoping to spend very little (say under £30) but maybe that's unrealistic. I guess I could get a cheap but decentish sound bar...

PS4's optical audio out is probably the way to go.
I've only read good praise for DACs from company Schiit (yeah quite the name huh). The Modi 2 sells at $99 US from their store

I have also read comments from people who got their USB DACs to work on their PS4, althought it doesn't seem to work with all DACs. It's a shame because that would open up the way to the awesome AudioQuest Dragonfly and HRT Streamer.
This might at least be worth doing some research to see if other people have had succes connecting those 2 DACs to their PS4.

[Guspaz]

$46 for a Monoprice HDMI-to-everything-else audio adapter:

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=10251

Its analog sound quality isn't audiophile-level-DAC but if you're not picky it's probably good enough. And if you *are* picky, it also has S/PDIF output via both coax and TOSLINK optical, and those can be fed into a fancy audiophile DAC.

[andykara2003]

Awesome thanks, this might be my best cheaper option - I'll look into it..

[FinalBaton]

it also has S/PDIF output via both coax and TOSLINK optical, and those can be fed into a fancy audiophile DAC.

I have this and that's how I use it; to send TOSLINK to my Peachtree Audio Dac-iTx

[FinalBaton]

$46 for a Monoprice HDMI-to-everything-else audio adapter:

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=10251

Its analog sound quality isn't audiophile-level-DAC but if you're not picky it's probably good enough. And if you *are* picky, it also has S/PDIF output via both coax and TOSLINK optical, and those can be fed into a fancy audiophile DAC.

yeah the analog audio out on this is not amazing, but the fact that it can still be useful for other stuff later down the line (sending digital audio to a fancier DAC) does makes it a sensible purchase

[ZellSF]

There are really cheap SPDIF DACs (below 30$) so you can buy something within your budget. Really recommend spending more on something you'll have more use out of later though.

[FinalBaton]

Really recommend spending more on something you'll have more use out of later though.

^^^^^
This

I think for now he should spend his allowed budget on the Monoprice breakout box, and then later down the line he can shop for a nice DAC.

[yxkalle]

Many TV's have an analog audio output.

[FinalBaton]

Many TV's have an analog audio output.

Yes this is true. But since the OP asked for a breakout box, I had assumed that his TV doesn't have such a feature

[D]

Great thread and thanks for the suggestions.
The ps3 has analog audio out. I use that. Video goes through hdmi and audio through the analog multi out. Same thing with the 360. But if I ever get a ps4, I'll need something similar.
Maybe there are hdmi switches that have analog audio out.
Another way would to use a splitter. From one input hdmi you get 2 hdmi outputs. Use one for video and convert the other hdmi to audio somehow.
Also a possibility is to get a second hand amplifier which has an hdmi input.

Now look what you did, got me all excited!

[FinalBaton]

Maybe there are hdmi switches that have analog audio out.

Yes there are

Although, just like the HDMI breakout boxes, these won't give you audiophile-level audio.

[Guspaz]

Here's an HDMI audio extractor that supports 4K video and 7.1 analog audio (via four stereo 3.5mm jacks) as well as optical audio (no coax RCA digital S/PDIF) ($60):

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=13348

Here's a stereo version of the prior one (still the 4K model with no coax) ($45):

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=13349

Here's a 4x1 HDMI switch with optical/coax/analog audio output ($44):

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=5557

Here's a 4x1 HDMI switch with optical/coax audio output($74):

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=7974

[FinalBaton]

I just ordered this generic design since I needed and HDMI matrix, I'll let you guys know how it performs :
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDMI-Matrix-Swi ... SwAYtWPeZc

It has TOSLINK out, wich functions for both HDMI output A and B (many of these generic matrixes let you use TOSLINK out ONLY when using HDMI output A)
It also has a 3.5mm analog audio out but I won't be using that
Supports HDMI 1.3 / 24 bit color depth (wich is all I need. It does supports HDMI 1.4 ARC on one output though)
Compliant with HDCP 1.3 (again, this should be fine for my use)

Specs-wise it checks all the boxes, now let's see if performance will be up to task.

[BONKERS]

Can anyone suggest a cheapish but decent hdmi analoge audio breakout box/cable? I'm looking to get analogue audio from the PS4 via the HDMI port without degrading the video quality.

Cheers...

I suggest using a Toslink/Optical DAC instead.

I have one of these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F4O ... hin_right2

And it works pretty much perfectly without degradation or issues other than sometimes, mostly when a signal has been disconnected for a while. The DAC will output noise instead. Unplugging the power adapter and plugging it back in fixes it.