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Converter for digital out to analog in to Integrated

My wife purchased a smart TV that bypasses the mac mini I use as a music server and to watch Netflix amazon prime etc. (the picture quality is better than the mini FWIW).  My cheap solution was to purchase a $15 Prozor digital to analog converter and run the SPDIF thru it and RCA out to my Luxman integrated.  It doesn't sound terrible but the gain is very low (either from the TV or the converter???) and I have to turn the amp up three times as loud as normal to hear it at desired volume.  I unhooked it and put it back in the box. 

Any ideas?  This Prozor has 7,000 great reviews but you know how that goes.  Samsung TV.  I adjusted the TV so it was PCM out otherwise I couldn't get any sound.    
bjesien
auxinput
2,920 posts
 
Couple of things could be going on here:
1. Smart TV has a variable volume for the toslink output (not likely) -- try turning on the volume on the remote.
2. This Prozor does not have a good enough gain and analog output level. This is probably what’s happening here. There isn’t anything you can do other than return it and look for an actual DAC.

Do you know anyone who has a regular DAC which has a toslink input? You can just connect it to test to see if its a TV/toslink issue. If you get good volume out of the real DAC, you can look at alternatives.
About the cheapest powered DAC I know of is $69:
https://www.shenzhenaudio.com/fx-audio-dac-x6-hifi-optical-coaxial-usb-digital-audio-amp-dac-decoder.html
Or you can scour ebay for used DAC, but it’s likely to be $150+.
marktomaras
544 posts
 
Check out the Schiit Modi. This may be a high quality solution for $99.
erik_squires
16,126 posts
 
An even cheaper idea is to run the analog outs of the TV to your integrated if they are there. 
bjesien OP
1,308 posts
 
Thanks for the information gentlemen.  I see no clear path yet.

I have an ayre qb9 dac but it doesn't have a toslink in.  

There is no RCA output from the TV, just toslink, but it does have two USB outs.  Do you think I could do a USB out to my mac mini?  
Could the USB be the missing link?
auxinput
2,920 posts
 
USB is probably only to allow you to connect a USB drive or memory stick so that the TV can play back video files or audio files or view pictures.
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