An Observation

[Jack Keck]

Last September when my 48" flat screen died, I got a 65" Samsung. It was selected because it was the only 65" TV that Costco had that I knew would fit on my stand. I immediately plugged it into my JBL sound bar without trying it on it's own.

I loved it so much that I bought another 65 incher in November for the basement so I'd have something to watch while my wife watches her soaps. It is a Vizio. It was much less expensive than the Samsung. I planned to connect it to my stereo in the basement, but found that it sounded fine on it's own. It even seems to have some sort of fake surround sound.

Since the Vizio sounded so, shall we say "adequate" on its own, I thought I'd try the Samsung without the sound bar. I was not impressed. It had that "through a toilet paper tube" sound. I plugged the sound bar back in. Mind you, The Samsung cost half again what the Vizio did.

I know that the sound is probably NOT a priority for any TV manufacturer, but I found it interesting that the less expensive TV sounded better with no sound augmentation. Perhaps some manufacturers may assume that we will be using another means for the sound. I have no questions or any agenda other than to report what I observed, but I'd be interested to hear what anyone has to say about this.

[SpaceAge]

TVs have notoriously thin profit margins these days, to the extent that legacy brands such as Panasonic, Sharp, Toshiba, etc. have decided to exit the industry within the last few years. Sound quality is low priority like you say and therefore suffers in the name of cost savings. Beyond that, bigger and better speakers would ruin the slim and sleek aesthetic that everyone wants. I think it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that most people will use some sort of external audio system.

It is interesting that the more expensive of your TVs sounds worse.

[JohnCT]

Originally Posted by Jack Keck

I know that the sound is probably NOT a priority for any TV manufacturer, but I found it interesting that the less expensive TV sounded better with no sound augmentation.

Most of the TVs in this size range have a tuned baffle box "sub" built into them, either a stand alone or part of the individual speaker enclosures. The "subs" hit a relatively short area around the bass curve, almost being a one-note boom box.

If your Samsung is an edge lit type, it's thinner than a back lit type (your Vizio might be a back lit if it's cheaper). Being a thinner TV, the baffle box sub is going to be thinner and less effective. The plastic is cheap enough, so a thicker TV can have a larger tuned sub box.

I also wonder if your cheaper TV isn't getting some reinforcement from the room or position it's sitting in. The only way to be sure is to swap them, but I realize you don't want to go through the trouble (I wouldn't).

John

[Jack Keck]

SpaceAge, I agree that TV manufacturers have concluded that people who buy flatscreens, especially larger ones, will be using an external sound system. I wonder if Vizio is less invested in this philosophy because they market a less expensive set.

JohnCT, the Vizio is in a basement about a yard from the back wall while my Samsung is 13" from the back wall and further from the floor. I also wondered if this has much to do with this difference in sound. I don't think it would explain the surround effects the Vizio has on some material. You don't have to worry about me switching my TVs. I'd only wind up with two wrecked TVs and one pissed-off wife, who wouldn't hear of me buying two new TV, seeing as I have had these for less than six months.

I can't tell a difference between the pictures on my TVs, but the Samsung appears to have a more sophisticated set of "smart TV stuff". That doesn't matter too much to me. I use Roku devices.

[ppppenguin]

Sound has been the poor relation on TVs for many years. I can only really speak for the UK, where there were lots of sets from the 1940s to the end of CRTs with tiny loudspeakers, often facing sideways. Of course there were also bigger sets with space for a decent speaker(s) and hence better sound.

Where do you put decent sized speakers on a flat screen set? That Vizio seems to do OK but as others have said, most people will be using external speakers with a big screen set.