Best connection for digital audio

Hello, not sure this is the right section anyway…

So basically my problem is to understand the best possible connection between:

– Intel NUC with 1 only HDMI out (kodi/libreelec)
stereo ampli ( Advance Acoustic X-i60 with internal dedicated DAC and digital inputs (no HDMI only SPDIF or coax))
– TV (SONY hx855).

I’m not interested in multichannels (5.1 etc).

I could connect: NUC (via hdmi) –> TV (via SPDIF) –> ampli

OR

NUC (via hdmi) –> AUDIO extractor/splitter –> (via SPDIF) stereo ampli
……………………………………………………………–> (via HDMI) TV

I can enable the pass through (sony tv will decode the audio signal and the ampli will manage internally the conversion).

Will be the second audio signal better? in case..much better?

many thanks!
Andrea