THE BUYING DESK / PUBLIC-SOURCE SHORTLIST
Choose an HDMI audio extractor by where the sound originates and where it must go. Audio from a separate HDMI source and audio returning from a TV’s internal apps need different connection paths.
01 / CHECK THE COMPLETE SETUP
Write the source device or TV app, the exact TV port, the speaker/receiver input and the required audio format. Then preserve the display mode you need. A working HDMI picture does not prove that the extractor can decode sound for an analog output.
Do not substitute a similar product name or a different regional package. The sources linked under each entry support the named model and its stated conditions.
02 / THE COMPARISON
Scroll the table horizontally on a small screen. Limits are manufacturer claims, not measurements. Ask the maker about a condition that is decisive and still unknown.
| Model | Audio origin / path | Extracted audio outputs | Video path class | Stereo / decoding condition | Decisive restriction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01OREI basic source extractorHDA-912 | HDMI source → extractor → display; no TV ARC/eARC input | Optical S/PDIF plus 3.5mm stereo; HDMI continues to display | HDMI 2.0b / 18Gbps; up to 4K60 specified | No decoding or downmix. Analog output needs PCM/LPCM stereo from source | Optical supports listed PCM2 / Dolby Digital / DTS 5.1 formats, not universal Atmos conversion; 5V power required |
| 02OREI source extractor and stereo downmixerHDA-913 | HDMI source → extractor → display; no ARC/eARC | Optical digital plus L/R stereo RCA in the reviewed support layout | HDMI 2.0b / 18Gbps; up to 4K60 specified | Maker documents Dolby Digital / DTS 5.1 downmix to stereo; check the exact input format | Do not transfer the HDMI pass-through format list to stereo decoding. Requires the specified 5V supply |
| 03Cable Matters source and TV return extractor103104 | Selectable direct HDMI source or TV eARC/ARC return mode | HDMI/eARC, amplifier HDMI, optical and analog paths; capability varies by path | 48Gbps HDMI class; confirm exact timing, EDID and cable requirements | No audio downmix or format conversion; optical limited to supported formats up to 5.1 | Stable 5V/2A power; correct TV eARC/ARC port; no Q-Symphony; legacy-source exclusions documented |
03 / THE EXACT MODELS
Exact model: HDA-912
A separate HDMI source feeding a display and compatible optical or analog audio equipment.
Sound comes from the TV’s internal apps via ARC/eARC, or surround must be decoded to stereo inside the extractor.
Also compare: The downmixing option for the documented Dolby Digital/DTS stereo task
Exact model: HDA-913
A supported source that must keep a compatible digital path while providing downmixed stereo to an amplifier.
You need TV ARC/eARC extraction or guaranteed analog decoding of every lossless or Atmos bitstream.
Also compare: The simpler PCM-stereo extraction path when the source can already output the required format
Exact model: 103104
A connection plan that needs the documented TV return mode or its distinct HDMI audio outputs.
You require automatic 7.1-to-5.1/stereo conversion, direct headphone drive or an unverified TV/soundbar feature.
Also compare: The separate-source stereo-downmix arrangement when TV return audio is not required
04 / PUT IT TO WORK
With the box as the HDMI source, basic extraction may be enough if the box supplies PCM stereo. Confirm the amplifier or powered-speaker input; an analog connector alone does not establish that an output can drive passive speakers or headphones.
Start at the television’s ARC/eARC port and the extractor’s supported return mode. An ordinary HDMI source-input extractor cannot receive that return channel simply because its HDMI socket fits the television.
Specify the formats on both branches. If one branch needs stereo from a surround source, verify actual decoding/downmix support. An EDID switch or optical output by itself does not establish conversion.
05 / EVIDENCE & SCOPE
These models illustrate basic source extraction, documented stereo downmixing and a TV return-path arrangement. We have not measured sound quality, lip sync, CEC behavior, video stability or a particular TV/soundbar combination. Format support is output-specific: an HDMI format list is not an optical or analog format list. Verify the current connection diagram and the exact source format; no universal format conversion or headphone amplifier capability is implied.
Each entry has an original fit explanation, an exclusion and an alternative. We selected the models for distinct documented arrangements rather than copying another publication's order. Unknown fields are not filled by estimates, and manufacturer marketing measurements are not relabeled as independent tests.
Read our editorial method and commercial disclosures. For the complete host path, see the buying guides and the USB-C hub comparison.
SCENARIO WORKSHEET
| Where the sound starts | Path to specify | Mismatch to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Console, player or streaming box | HDMI source input → extractor → display, plus audio output | Buying a TV-return-only device for a normal source path |
| TV internal app or tuner | TV ARC/eARC output → supported extractor return input → audio system | Treating a normal HDMI input as an ARC/eARC receiver |
| HDMI source and eARC soundbar | A device expressly supporting that source/display/soundbar topology | Assuming a soundbar’s HDMI return port is a normal HDMI input |
| Computer USB sound only | A computer audio interface or USB audio adapter | Adding HDMI conversion when the required source is USB audio |
Draw the arrows before choosing a model. Include any switch, receiver or soundbar and label the actual ports. A TV’s ARC/eARC socket has a specific return-channel role; the word HDMI on a cable is not a description of the complete audio route.
Extraction separates an available audio signal into another output. Pass-through retains a signal for downstream equipment. Downmixing changes a supported multichannel signal into fewer channels. A device can perform the first two functions without doing the third.
OREI’s HDA-912 support article says its analog output needs stereo PCM from the source. Its optical branch can carry the supported digital formats, but it does not turn an unsupported format into a supported one. If stereo is required, setting the source to PCM stereo may be the correct solution.
For HDA-913, the documented distinction is Dolby Digital/DTS downmixing to stereo RCA. Keep that narrow claim separate from the product’s longer HDMI pass-through format list. A lossless surround format passing through HDMI does not establish that the same format is decoded for analog output.
List the format separately for HDMI, optical and analog outputs. If simultaneous outputs matter, include that exact combination in the compatibility question. A “7.1” or “Atmos” headline is incomplete without its output path.
Placing any extractor in an HDMI route adds another device that must accept the required picture mode. Record resolution, refresh rate, HDR and any variable-refresh requirement, then check the extractor’s current mode and EDID instructions. A broad bandwidth class does not certify the complete chain.
For Cable Matters 103104, VRR guidance is tied to Copy Display EDID mode. Its other built-in presets should not be assumed to retain VRR. Start from the documented setup and power requirement rather than changing several EDID and CEC settings at once.
If the problem is choosing or duplicating HDMI sources, use the splitter-versus-switch guide. If the goal is recording, compare capture input and passthrough limits. These are separate tasks from producing a compatible speaker or receiver audio output.
If picture works but analog sound does not, inspect the source audio format before replacing the cable. If optical works and analog does not, the two outputs may have different requirements. The narrow check is more informative than buying another device with the same headline.
For a computer’s analog headset jack, start with USB audio adapters. For choosing the display input itself, use HDMI versus DisplayPort by actual device mode. Keep the final purchase record: source, TV port, audio input, format, picture mode, power and cables.