No L/R analog outs on receiver...what's the best option from AVR to Connect?

You could put something like this between the HDMI out of the receiver and the TV

https://www.amazon.com/ViewHD-Extractor-Optical-Toslink-Converter/dp/B00KBHX072

This would extract a stereo signal to output to the Connect of whatever was being fed to TV.

I use ARC so it’s just my devices connected to the TV out to the ARC HDMI in on the receiver. Primarily because most of my devices are 4k HDR which my receiver doesn’t support. So I guess I could connect the HDMI out of the TV to this thing, pass the RCA into the Connect and the HDMI continue on to the ARC in on my receiver...wonder if that would result in issues like lip sync delays and stuff.

Looks like you should use this model instead https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LKF6CPG?tag=tomsguide_forum_vgl-20

Nope - reading the fine print doesn't sound like will work. If audio coming from TV is above stereo it won't extract it.

Does your TV have an optical audio output.

This may work instead if your feeding all audio to the TV anyhow.

https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Decoder-Converter-Optical-5-1-Channel/dp/B07116VKTR/ref=sr_1_12?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1528406799&sr=1-12&keywords=optical+to+rca+dvd+5.1

Nope - reading the fine print doesn't sound like will work. If audio coming from TV is above stereo it won't extract it.

Does your TV have an optical audio output.

This may work instead if your feeding all audio to the TV anyhow.

https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Decoder-Converter-Optical-5-1-Channel/dp/B07116VKTR/ref=sr_1_12?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1528406799&sr=1-12&keywords=optical+to+rca+dvd+5.1

Hm, not sure if that'll work. I do have an optical out from the TV. So how would I use that optical out into this thing to send an analog signal to the Connect but also allow for the Marantz to output that same sound? I don't know if I can have both the HDMI into the receiver and the optical out to the Connect going at the same time.

So even if I can or can't solve this dilemma, I'm also still debating whether I'd need the Connect if I have an Apple TV once Airplay 2 shows up. As I've mentioned in another thread, doesn't that just negate the need for the Connect at that point? Apple TV into the receiver grouped with Sonos speakers via Airplay 2. What benefit does the Connection give me at that point beyond being able to stream a turntable over Sonos?

Also, seems like maybe this is the right device: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074HHSJVN/ref=dp_cerb_1?th=1

That doesn’t sound right. My Yamaha RX-V series receiver outputs to both the speakers and the pre-outs, and it only has digital sources. I know it’s sending a signal via the pre-outs because that’s how I’m driving my subwoofer, and it works with digital sources and while still playing the speakers.

You can test this with your receiver if you have powered speakers. Take the output from pre-out into your powered speakers (depending on the input for the powered speakers you might need an adapter), play audio from the Apple TV via the receiver, and see if you get audio from the JBL and the powered speakers.

Maybe this is the wrong place to ask this :8 but any chance you think a Play:5 would sound better than my receiver and JBL Studio 5 speakers plus SVS NSD12 subwoofer?

That doesn’t sound right. My Yamaha RX-V series receiver outputs to both the speakers and the pre-outs, and it only has digital sources. I know it’s sending a signal via the pre-outs because that’s how I’m driving my subwoofer, and it works with digital sources and while still playing the speakers.

You can test this with your receiver if you have powered speakers. Take the output from pre-out into your powered speakers (depending on the input for the powered speakers you might need an adapter), play audio from the Apple TV via the receiver, and see if you get audio from the JBL and the powered speakers.

According to an expert on my receiver over at AVS: "The only source output is the Zone 2 pre-outs which would connect to the Sonos Connect noting the source audio can only be PCM 2.0 when passed over HDMI or optical/digital coax."

I think what I’m going to do is use my Chromcast audio to output it’s toslink and use a toslink to rca adapter into the Connect. This way I can stream YouTube and some other stuff directly to the Connect.