Help for Speakers near CRT for Digital Audio

[mark_eire]

This is more of an audio/speaker question, but hoping other CRT MiSTer users will have some advice.

I'm buying the parts for my first MiSTer build, plan to use my Irish PAL consumer CRT.

• Primary plan is to use retrogamingcables to get both audio and video into SCART, setting VGA pin 9 for 5 volts.
• Secondary hope is an option to use headphones. After reading up in the forum, I'm lead to believe the direct analogue output from the IO Board would not be ideal, so I plan to get a cheap PROZOR DAC for digital audio from mini-TOSLINK, then into headphones.

Since I'll have the DAC for headphone output anyway, I was wondering if I could improve the speaker output too?
I was about to buy an amplifier and use some old bookshelf speakers, but have read about issues with unshielded speakers placed next to CRT.
I was only hoping to spend €60 odd for some improvement if possible, without going down the audiophile rabbit hole!

What do other MiSTer CRT users use for audio output? Is there a cheap solution, or is an amp and magnetically shielded speakers the only way to get audio from the MiSTer with devices next to a functioning CRT?

I'm really looking forward to just getting the video and audio out of my CRT even if I get no digital audio. Can't wait for the parts to arrive!

Thanks

[SuperBabyHix]

Not sure how much volume/quality you are looking for, but you could use a set of computer multimedia speakers. They often had a headphone jack built in.
You might also find some powered studio monitors that fit the bill.

[Crystal]

you might have to go down the audiophile rabbit hole but its worth it. get yourself a toslink splitter and get yourself speakers with toslink input and dac/amp unit for headphones that also has headphone input.
for headphones, FX-AUDIO D01 would be a solid choice.
for speakers, edifier makes speakers with toslink input but there might be other choices.
i recommend investing in good audio, especially modular setup. it pays off in the long run

[mark_eire]

Thanks very much for the advice, lots to consider.

Based on your advice Crystal, I think those recommendations have helped me to understand the difference in where I'd potentially need a dac/amp.

For my purposes, something like the below Edifier speakers might be ideal. I only have built in speakers on my HD TV too, so I'd get a multiple uses out of speakers I can easily move around the room when I want.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XGG6MFV/

My lingering concern would be having something like these Edifier speakers next to a CRT. Has anyone any experience with this? I'd put them beside my 15'' old CRT if I could, but worried about damage. Would several inches away either side of the CRT be safe? It's hard to find out how sensitive that would be, I'm guessing since most speakers don't say otherwise that they are all unshielded?

[akeley]

I'd put them beside my 15'' old CRT if I could, but worried about damage. Would several inches away either side of the CRT be safe? It's hard to find out how sensitive that would be, I'm guessing since most speakers don't say otherwise that they are all unshielded?

It's really hard to say - it depends on a few factors (shielding of speakers/TV, the magnet size, etc). I have some CRT TVs & monitors close to each other and they will show interference when turned on at the some time. I also have tiny Creative speakers next to one TV and that's fine, but another, bigger set (T20) has to maintain some distance. So, you'll probably only find out what the safe distance is once you turn it all on.

[mark_eire]

Thanks akeley. I suppose a quick test of the speakers next to the CRT would not do any lasting damage, generally speaking at least.

It sure is more complex than I'd imagined at first, but I'm grateful for all the helpful advice. I'll just have to try it out and see how I get on. Looking at my CRT as I type this, I'm sure I'll figure a way to make space for speakers 12 inches or more away from the CRT if I do need to.

I'm just excited now looking forward to getting all the MiSTer parts. I've only ever played my retro consoles via RF, so I can't wait to see what RGB even looks like on the CRT. As a child I would get confused at the setting for "AV - AV" and "AV - RGB". I appreciate that a bit more now!