Ayre QX-5 - maximize use and wiring question.


I am currently doing an in house demo of Aurender N10 and Ayre QX-5 twenty. I'm really pleased with the music produced, as is the wife and family.

I use the RCA out on the Ayre to a Marantz AV7704. I'm using the 7.1 input on the Marantz to avoid it's DAC and just pass through the music to my Sigma 2Amps onward to B&W 803D3s.

My question is, what other uses are there for the QX-5?

I have no Vinyl or CDs - having converted to completely digital years ago. My Apple TV 4K only has HDMI so can't really see a way to get the DAC in the Ayre to decode music from the Apple TV - Hence the Aurender.

Fios TV, it does have optical out, I could use the Ayre to decode the music channels? But for TV movies it would be useless since it can't decode surround sound?

Steaming services work through the Aurender and Ayre.

I'm thrilled with the music produced with the Aurender and Ayre combo. I'm just seeing if there are uses that I'm missing.

Thanks.
dunedain
You actually CAN use it for television, but you only get 2 channels out. Have to make sure the source is set up correctly though. It won't understand Dolby Digital at all, but that's often configurable.

I'd consider what a really good integrated could do instead though. I have a Luxman, which lets me drive the amp externally, so I'm thinking of getting an Anthem AVR to drive the surround and center, and handle all my TV audio decoding.
Using the analog balanced (XLR) output from the QX-5 to the AV 7704 would seem a better choice for audio quality.  I take balanced audio from my QX-5/20 to a KX-5/20 preamp and VX-5/20 amp.  Roon running on a Mac mini is the source via ethernet. 
Hopefully your TV has optical, then go into your TV settings usually under speakers and choose optical, then change output on your QX 5 to optical., the QX 5 has 3 optical in.

Thats how my tv is hooked up to my QX 5, make sure the QX 5 is turned off when attaching the optical cable. XLR output on the QX 5 will yield better sonic.