Why TV speakers suck

Each year TV picture quality improves, but the sound quality has not followed suit. As TVs get thinner and bezels get smaller, manufacturers start to sacrifice audio quality. Following is a transcript of the video.

You just paid a ton of money for a brand new 4K TV. You get it home, you get it set up, it's mounted on the wall, you turn it on, you bring up Netflix, you put a movie on, and you can barely hear the dialogue. Modern TVs improve their image quality every year. So why doesn't the sound quality improve too?

Well, TV manufacturers don't really put an emphasis on sound quality. TV design has changed dramatically over the last 20 years.

TV Spokesperson: It swivels.

The old CRT TVs had a lot more room for speakers. It was also much more common to see big entertainment centers with large speakers. That's no longer the case with flat screen TVs. Manufacturers are constantly making their TVs thinner and the bezels smaller. This has forced the speakers into the back or the bottom, making them very tiny in the process. The problem is, speakers need to be bigger to produce decent sound. And it doesn't help that they're often facing down or away from you. This creates a quiet, often inaudible, sound. Wanna open up your window or maybe turn on the AC? Chances are, you're going to miss some dialogue. But, there are a few things you can do to get some decent sound out of that TV.

It doesn't take much Googling to find the solution. Buy another speaker. But the answer is a little more complicated than that. The two main forms of external speakers for TVs are sound bars and bookshelf speakers. Bookshelf speakers are what we traditionally think of when it comes to a home sound system. They usually come in pairs to produce stereo sound. You can even add more speakers to create a surround sound setup. Sound bars are a longer, single unit with several speakers inside. The biggest advantage with any of these speakers is the sound is actually pointing towards you. They also have larger and higher quality drivers which produce better sound. Many speaker systems even come with a subwoofer, adding much more bass than you would ever get with your TV.

You can spend anywhere from less than 100 to thousands of dollars on a sound system. Do your research and read reviews, but generally, any speaker you get will be better than what came with your TV. But, if you just dropped a ton of money on a brand new TV and are looking for a solution that doesn't cost you anything, take a look at the placement of your TV. If the speakers are on the bottom, make sure the TV is propped up. Either by a stand or in a wall-mounted position. If the speakers are in the back, it may help to move your TV further away from the wall. That way the sound will be less muffled. You may have gotten used to the subpar sound quality of your TV, but there is a lot you can do to fix it. Don't let bad sound ruin your viewing experience. Don't let bad sound ruin your movie. You may have gotten used. Why can't I say it?

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