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The paradox of flat-panel TVs: High-def picture, lo-def sound
Crutchfield Hi-Fi 2.0I've come to expect a lot from my electronics. They have to be smarter, thinner, more powerful. They should provide a fun gaming experience AND help me find a good recipe for dinner. And maybe they should shine my shoes while they're at it.

Most of the time, I am not disappointed. There are a lot of amazing gadgets out there. Occasionally though, the limitations of reality set in. Namely, the paradox of flat-panel TVs.

Today's models have ridiculous pictures. So lifelike. And what's even better is that they've all gone on some sort of super Hollywood fitness plan — they're sleek and svelte, and constantly getting thinner. I think we can all agree that they look amazing, really, on or off.

But I'd like to pass on some wisdom here that I'm sure we've all received from someone at some time or another: it's not all about looks. Nope. When it comes to watching TV shows, movies, anything — sound matters.

Today's super-sleek HDTVs do look amazing, but they can't keep up when it comes to sound.
Today's super-sleek HDTVs do look amazing, but they can't keep up when it comes to sound. (Do you see room for full-range speakers in there?)

And this is the point at which our beautiful, centerfold-ready TVs run up against the cold hard facts of physics. And that is: Speakers can only sound so good when they're crammed into a panel that's only a couple of inches deep. They can't provide great stereo imaging — or even consistently clear, understandable dialogue — when they're firing out of the back or bottom of your TV. And most manufacturers aren't paying tons of attention to improving their TVs' speakers, as they expect many people will ultimately opt for a surround sound setup with free-standing or wall-mounted speakers. I know, truth hurts.


A full surround sound speaker system is generally your best bet for detailed, engaging sound, but there are lots of ways to get better sound with your TV.

The good news? You have A TON of options for getting some quite impressive sound to go along with your knockout picture, everything from extremely décor-friendly, to extreme hi-fi, and some very affordable options as well. Personally, I go for a full surround sound speaker system. If I'm supposed to track down an enemy in a game, for example, I want to be able to hear exactly where they are — if they're flanking me to the right, or sneaking up directly behind me. But for my bedroom TV, where I just do a little casual TV watching, I'd be completely thrilled with a simple soundbar system (I've been consistently impressed with the Boston Acoustics TVee 2 and many of the Polk SurroundBars). You can check out more options for adding better sound to your TV in our learning center article.

So what do you think? Are your TV's speakers adequate, or are you itching for an upgrade?

Posted Fri, Apr 10 2009 8:37 AM by Amanda
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Comments

Jotas wrote re: The paradox of flat-panel TVs: High-def picture, lo-def sound
on Mon, Apr 13 2009 1:55 AM

I agree but also need to make sure folks know that if you have the room and the space in your viewing area, to go with the full standing speakers and surround/center  speakers. As nice and compact as the Bose and other small form factors speakers are, in this case, size does matter as far as frequency response and overall boom for buck and I don't mean sub woofers either.

Just look at your budget and you room size and go with what can work with your canvas aka your space.

Jeff wrote re: The paradox of flat-panel TVs: High-def picture, lo-def sound
on Mon, Apr 13 2009 11:26 AM

It's great that they don't emphasize sound with the new TVs.  It's a monitor, not a sound system.  Most people that are spending upwards of $1000 on a TV would likely invest in home theater sound.  Surely, that is part of the thinking at the product design team.  Not only that, but they want to drive the price down to sell more units.  Quality picture that accompanies quality sound means a higher price tag.  I have never even heard what the sound is like out of my LCD, because I knew it would be weak and didn't even turn it on without hooking it up to my home theater.  Also, I would still have a junky tube TV if the price of these hadn't dropped to under $1000.  Cheers electronics companies for doing one thing at a time and doing it right.

Eric wrote re: The paradox of flat-panel TVs: High-def picture, lo-def sound
on Mon, Apr 13 2009 4:56 PM

I just moved and unboxed my new Samsung LN40A530 (I know they just left the market, but that happens every week, still an awsome TV even sitting there off).

Anyway, I do have a full size 5.0 surround system comprised in part of piece bought speakers and high end Receiver which will be hooked in (via HDMI). While I have not hooked up and tested my TV yet I did notice the "speaker holes" in the back. If the sound is really that bad then my dilema (and I imagine I am far from the only one with such a dilema) would be as follows:

While movies and concerts and the like will use the full-blown sound system logically, I would not want to waste all that power if I want to watch and old time mono movie or a news cast and the like. I looked at Soundbars, but since I already have a full system, the Soundbar is a complete waste of money. If the TV speakers are absolutely horrific (it's possible), then I wonder if there will ever be an inexpensive option for folks in a similar situation who already have a sound system, but don't want to have to turn it all on just to watch news or something?

Amanda wrote re: The paradox of flat-panel TVs: High-def picture, lo-def sound
on Tue, Apr 14 2009 11:04 AM

Hi Eric,

I share your frustration. Here are a few things you could try:

(1) Set your receiver to "stereo" mode when you're watching the news or an old movie. You'll still get really clear, detailed sound, but since your receiver won't be powering all five channels, and your subwoofer won't be playing, you won't use as much power.

(2) Go ahead and try listening to your TV's speakers. Really. While they might sound "horrific," as you put it, with newer movies and other content you're listening to critically, you might find them totally acceptable for more casual viewing. Let your ears be the judge.

(3) Get a decent pair of home headphones and plug them into your receiver (it'll have better sound quality than you'll get from your TV's headphone jack). This option really only works if you'll be the only one listening. But there are lots of nice and reasonably priced headphones out there, even some wireless models, and they'll definitely use less power. You can check out our article on choosing headphones for more info: http://www.crutchfield.com/Learn/learningcenter/home/headphones.html

Hope these ideas are helpful!

Amanda

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