Help in Selecting Audio Equipment for TV

mpeill

Novice Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2014
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Age
73
Location
Cumbria, uk
I've no experience in these matters, and am looking for recommendations on enhancing the audio from our TV. My hearing is slowly deteriorating and I have difficulty hearing the dialogue particularly in films and series from the USA. I'm told that this is an issue with many people these days with 5.1 Surround Sound being mixed down to Stereo, and what is needed is to increase the output from the 5.1 centre channel where the dialogue is mostly present.
I thought I'd found the ideal solution with a Vizio 5.1 Soundbar plus satelite speakers, but they unfortunately don't have a UK outlet.
So, can anyone recommend a soundbar or audio system that would fit my needs. I'm on a budget so it would have to be towards the cheaper end of the scale.
The audio source would come from the output from a Sky+HD box.
 
I'd doubt that a 5.1 setup would result in the improvements that have been suggested to you? There's actually no credability to the reasons you've be given for the deteriation of the dialogue and the audio being mixed down would have no detrimental effect upon the dialogue level. Many people who have a 5.1 setup report issues with dialogue being hard to distinguish even if using a centre speaker and you only really avoid this by increasing the volume to the reference level the audio was mixed with. This level is very loud and louder than you'd probably want to be viewing TV using? It would definately be loud enough to have your neighbours complaining if you have any?

Some if not all AV receivers have some form of night mode and or dynamic range compression that can help quieter sound be heard over louder aspects of the audio. This type of processing may help you in regards to the issue you are having with the dialogue? After saying this I cannot guarantee such a mode would benefit you personally in relation to your hearing issues?
 
Your hearing (or lack of) can definitely have an effect on what you hear (no matter what the sound system is outputting).

TV audio – can be pretty grim, especially so on today’s slimmer TV’s.

Enhancing TV audio – lots of potential options, though correct installation/placement of the hardware and your budget will have a big impact on how much better/more control you can have.

Soundbar – do not lump these all together in terms of the audio they deliver, the budget models use a minimum number of small drivers and dialogue can be just as tricky to follow!

How is your seating arrangement in relation to the TV and how flexible can the TV positioning be in terms of placement of a Soundbar or 2.0 speaker system?

Joe
 
Your hearing (or lack of) can definitely have an effect on what you hear (no matter what the sound system is outputting).

TV audio – can be pretty grim, especially so on today’s slimmer TV’s.

Enhancing TV audio – lots of potential options, though correct installation/placement of the hardware and your budget will have a big impact on how much better/more control you can have.

Soundbar – do not lump these all together in terms of the audio they deliver, the budget models use a minimum number of small drivers and dialogue can be just as tricky to follow!

How is your seating arrangement in relation to the TV and how flexible can the TV positioning be in terms of placement of a Soundbar or 2.0 speaker system?

Joe
I appreciate both comments. I do understand that it's my hearing loss that's the problem, but anything that can help would be better than nothing, but I don't want to spend on something that might not do the job without at least a recommendation. My personal high frequency hearing response takes a nose dive (and I mean nose dive, NOT drops off gradually) at 3KHz, grim huh!
Placement of the tv is kinda fixed, but either a soundbar or speakers could be accommodated providing they are not too large physically.
I've tried headphones, and the eq adjustments on the tv, but without a good result. I refuse to give up without finding something that at least makes a bad experience slightly less bad.
 
'I've tried headphones' - which model did you try?

'speakers could be accommodated providing they are not too large physically' - what size would be acceptable and where would they be mounted?

Joe
 
Headphones ... ok, I admit it, really cheap wireless set from Aldi, purchased for other reasons years ago. I thought trying them would at least give me a small idea as to whether headphones were going to help or not. I do also have a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones so perhaps I should give them a try!
If headphones was the only option then I'd accept that, but does rather isolate me from any social interaction, so would prefer not to go that route unless necessary.
As for speaker layout... the tv is in the corner of the room, room size bout 15ft square. If I was to go 5.1, the two from side speakers would be either side but close to the tv, the two rear speakers would be one at the diagonal opposite corner of the room from the tv, with the second at the other end of that wall. The subwoofer and centre speaker can be in front and lower than the tv, or wall mounted above and behind the tv, right in the corner.
Size of the 4 satellites could be up to say 4" drive units, with the centre bigger if need be, and the subwoofer not a problem assuming it can go anywhere within reason (could it go actually behind the tv table right in the room corner?).
I'd have a budget of say £200-£300.
 
Thanks for the suggestion. Just by reading comments on the web, I've read that on a 5.1 system the dialogue is primarily output to the centre speaker, so I thought that by increasing the volume to that speaker only, I could enhance the dialogue and leave the background stuff at a lower level. Enjoying the full experience of 5.1 surround sound would be of secondary importance in my case. Is this the case, or would you still suggest I'd be no worse off with 2.0 or 2.1?
 
The Centre channel in 5.1 does carry the bulk of the dialogue and yes you can try and lift just that channel.

When working with a TV mounted in a corner a well positioned 2.0/2.1 system is preferable to a badly positioned 5.1 system.

When working to a budget you are spreading it far less across a 2.0/2.1 system vs. a 5.1 system

Joe
 
yep I understand. It's just that with a 2.0 or 2.1 I don't have any centre channel as such to lift. Whatever I do though has to be better than the integrated tv speakers.
 
The Onkyo system allows you to adjust certain parameters of the 'phantom' Centre channel when using it as a 2.1 system.

Joe
 
I've just been reading the manual on this Onkyo system, wow, quite some options to configure, and even an option to go to 5.1 if I choose at a later date. I guess I'll be looking for one of these systems.

Thanks for all your advice, much appreciated.
 
Just out of interest, while searching for data on your recommendation, I noticed one of these on eBay. I won the bidding, so I have the full kit together with all 5.1 speakers coming for a ridiculously low price, so I can try all the options from 2.0 to 5.1.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom