Your TV speakers aren’t that good and you shouldn’t be using them

It’s no easy task putting quality speakers into an increasingly slender box that is designed for video and not audio. There have been plenty of improvements to sound quality in the latest and greatest smart TVs, but there is a clear limit to what is physically possible. Smart TVs are built with the slimmest of designs with the most powerful of processors, striving for perfect contrast while alongside incredible color depth and accuracy.

What that means is that sound takes a back seat. While top smart TVs come with a wide range of features to optimize audio, they require additional devices such as a soundbar to take advantage of them all. So, even if your TV speakers sound pretty good, you shouldn’t be using them exclusively. Here’s why.

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Smart TVs struggle to get loud

Distortion at high levels is a problem

There are those viewers out there who really want to experience sound, and want it turned up at high levels. Even the best smart TVs, however, have a limit to what they’re capable of. When you turn your smart TV to the highest volume, there are likely one of two outcomes. First, you start to experience distortion as you push the volume higher. Distortion takes place when sound changes; TV speakers can’t handle high volume, so some wavelengths may become clipped. The outcome is audio that sounds harsh, clouded, and distracting. Basically, your smart TV speakers can’t handle the volume so it collapses under the pressure.

The second outcome when you push your TV to its highest limits is that it simply isn’t that loud. To prevent distortion, some smart TVs simply cap the top volume limit. It doesn’t want distortion to take place, so the sound will continue to be clear at the highest level, it simply won’t be as loud as you want it to be or as it could be with connected devices.

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Issues with high and low frequencies

Quiet dialogue and muddled volume

You’re likely not going to get the clarity and breadth of sound when listening through your TV speakers, especially if you’re watching an action or drama film. The relative size of the TV speakers means that they can’t produce deep bass. You won’t feel any rumblings or weight to the audio, which can mean losing some of the effect of a major film, like Dune or anything by Christopher Nolan, for example.

Similarly, TV speakers can struggle at the other end of the spectrum. Many people have trouble distinguishing dialogue in certain titles because there are too many frequencies and channels in the source material that are being compressed through the TV. Dialogue is typically handled by a center channel, but most TVs don’t really have that, so it’s spread out along stereo channels. Dialogue is being lumped in with a bunch of other sounds.

A lack of power and precision can mean that dialogue, which is already quiet, can become even quieter as louder sounds become louder. There is a lack of control, which means that audio overall can seem off. You don’t want to constantly be turning the volume up and down while you’re watching TV.

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Speaker direction is another issue

TV design limits how you hear sound

TV speakers are limited by the size and design of the TV. Often, TV speakers will face down or backwards (the front of the TV is taken over by the screen). This means that you might not be hearing the sound to its best ability. TVs with downward-firing speakers will produce sound that may hit a TV stand first, while backwards-facing speakers could encounter a wall. While some newer models have speakers along both sides and the edges, you’ll need the right home setup to take advantage of this feature, and it will still be limited as to the volume and complexity.

You won’t be able to achieve the ideal surround sound experience, however cleverly designed your TV speakers are. It doesn’t require much money or effort to invest in and set up a pair of side or rear speakers, either of which can really alter the home listening experience. If you’re regularly watching new titles or blockbuster movies, you’ll want speakers that offer multiple changes so that sound can move around you.

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TVs can’t produce immersive audio

Devices required to achieve the highest quality

The best smart TVs come with a slew of impressive audio features, but they can only be enjoyed if you have the right devices. So, if you have this suite of sound enhancements, it makes sense to try to take advantage of them. This might just mean making sure you have a sound system that is compatible with Dolby Atmos, a popular high-end audio format that provides immersive, three-dimensional sound, or simply having a system with more than two channels.

There are more fun features out there also worth exploring. For example, some Samsung TVs allow you to pair the company’s Galaxy Buds so you can enjoy a surround-sound audio experience for one. Samsung, LG, and Sony all make soundbars, and allow for some unique features if you’re pairing their audio device with a compatible smart TV. Some TVs may use their speakers in conjunction with a soundbar for an immersive effect as well. There are a bunch of potential boons available, but you won’t be able to optimize without the proper accessories.

If you’re spending any kind of money on a decent new smart TV, it’s worth investing in additional speakers so that you can enjoy quality audio with your quality video. There are too many ways your TV speakers can ruin an entertainment experience; it’s just not worth using them.

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