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Remember when you could turn on your TV, set the volume once, and actually hear everything clearly? But as screens have gotten thinner and flatter, watching anything has become an audio rollercoaster you didn’t buy a ticket for.

Dialogue is often so hushed and muffled you need subtitles just to follow along, yet seconds later an explosion or soundtrack swell will practically blow you off the couch. The result isn’t just annoying – it makes what should be a relaxing experience feel like a constant game of remote control whack-a-mole, as you scramble to turn the volume up, then down, then up again…

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When this becomes a regular occurrence, the obvious answer is to bite the bullet and search for the best soundbar or surround sound system to improve your experience. But before you do, we say it’s worth investigating the settings and positioning of your TV, not to mention the feeds in and out, as they can make a discernible difference.

(function(){if(document.currentScript){var e=document.currentScript.parentNode;if(e.classList.contains(‘dtads-location’)){if(!e.classList.contains(‘dtads-‘+window.DTScenario.getExperience())){e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}}}}());With insight from Michael Price, TV and Home AV specialist at Panasonic, we’ve produced a list of tricks and tips that might just deliver perfect TV audio without the aid of further equipment… and more dollars spent.

1. Get your TV placement right

Where you put your screen within a room can have a big impact on what it sounds like, and is heavily influenced by how the internal speakers are arranged. “Many of the latest flatscreen TVs have speakers that fire from the back or down from the TV – instead of or in addition to front-facing speakers,” Michael points out.

(function(){if(document.currentScript){var e=document.currentScript.parentNode;if(e.classList.contains(‘dtads-location’)){if(!e.classList.contains(‘dtads-‘+window.DTScenario.getExperience())){e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}}}}());“If you then hang a TV with rear-firing speakers on a wall and the speakers are configured incorrectly, they can create a muffled or distant, echoey sound, because the audio is being fired straight back into a hard surface.” Similarly, if your internal TV speakers point directly downwards and the screen is sitting on a console or bench, that could have an impact. The simple thing to do is to place your TV accordingly.

(function(){if(document.currentScript){var e=document.currentScript.parentNode;if(e.classList.contains(‘dtads-location’)){if(!e.classList.contains(‘dtads-‘+window.DTScenario.getExperience())){e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}}}}());So if most or all of your speakers are rear facing, leave a decent amount of space between the back of the screen and the wall. And if they are front facing, ensure they aren’t blocked by objects around them and ideally angled towards wherever you’re sitting.Panasonic

2. Make sure it’s not in Store Mode

Depending on where you bought your TV and how it was set up, there’s a small chance it’s accidentally been put into ‘Store Mode’. Also known as ‘Demo’ or ‘Retail Mode’, this setting is designed to make your TV stand out by making the screen super bright and dynamic, and the sound loud and bass-heavy.

Which is all well and good when you’re trying to stand out on the shelves of Best Buy or Costco, but not so hot for anyone winding down in a modest living room with just the cat for company. So if your TV is sounding too big and brash, jump into the settings and just check it’s in ‘Home’ or ‘User’ mode. If it’s not, change it. From there, you can start optimizing further.

3. Use a TV’s spacial setting

Not every TV will offer this, but higher end screens often feature AI setups that essentially ‘read the room’ and adjust the sound accordingly. “TVs equipped with Panasonic’s Space Tune function can send out test signals from the inbuilt speakers to the microphone within your TV remote,” Michael explains.

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“From this, the TV can measure how far it is from each wall, the floor and the ceiling, and get a general sense of the acoustics of the space. It will then automatically adjust the speaker outputs, frequencies and delays depending on whether the left wall is further away, the right wall is further away and so on.”

(function(){if(document.currentScript){var e=document.currentScript.parentNode;if(e.classList.contains(‘dtads-location’)){if(!e.classList.contains(‘dtads-‘+window.DTScenario.getExperience())){e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}}}}());To make the most of this function, you’ll want to sit in your usual spot on the couch, make sure the room is quiet (maybe wait until the kids/pets/noisy housemates are in bed for this) and hold the remote up to ear height.

In Panasonic’s case, you’ll also get the option to pre select whether your TV is wall mounted, near the wall or in a corner to help with the configuration.

4. Does your TV have a sound wizard?

LG

Not everyone is going to have the confidence – or patience – to mess around with equalizer settings. If that’s you, some sort of ‘wizard’ function may be the answer.

(function(){if(document.currentScript){var e=document.currentScript.parentNode;if(e.classList.contains(‘dtads-location’)){if(!e.classList.contains(‘dtads-‘+window.DTScenario.getExperience())){e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}}}}());For example, LG’s latest OLED sets have a feature called Personalized Sound Wizard. You’ll be given a series of profiles for each sound setting, such as Vocal Tone, Base-Treble Balance and Spatial Sound, and be asked to pick your favorite one or two from a selection. Think of it a bit like an eye test where your optician flips lenses and says ‘better or worse?’ on repeat.

As you go along, you’ll see that the categories get combined, e.g. Preferred Spatial Sound and Vocal Tone, until you reach the end and the TV finds your ultimate sound profile.

It even gives you a before and after so you can see the difference it makes. If you don’t feel confident in tweaking bass, treble, etc, individually, this is a good way to get your Goldilocks-style sound profile in a matter of minutes.

5. Go back to basics

So you’ve checked, and there aren’t any fancy spatial or AI modes available to you. But it is likely you’ve at least got a few options like ‘Cinematic Mode’ or ‘Sports’ available to you.

(function(){if(document.currentScript){var e=document.currentScript.parentNode;if(e.classList.contains(‘dtads-location’)){if(!e.classList.contains(‘dtads-‘+window.DTScenario.getExperience())){e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}}}}());And if you spend entire Sundays camped out in front of NFL RedZone, or it’s Christopher Nolan movie night every night, that’s an easy enough choice. But otherwise, are you really going to bother changing your TV’s sound profile every time you change channel? Probably not.Michael’s recommendation for anyone watching a mix of news, sitcoms, dramas, and the occasional game, is to start with the standard or normal mode. “Sometimes it’s called straight through, which means the TV is not applying any unnecessary processing,” he says. “You’re hearing what’s essential to be heard, without any extreme adjustments, so it’s your best bet for everyday viewing. You can then tweak the sound from there using the TV’s in-built equalizer.”

6. If your TV is wall-mounted, adjust the bass

When standard isn’t working for you, it’s time to brave your TV’s equalizers, remembering that low frequencies control your sub-bass and bass (think action movie rumbles and explosions).

(function(){if(document.currentScript){var e=document.currentScript.parentNode;if(e.classList.contains(‘dtads-location’)){if(!e.classList.contains(‘dtads-‘+window.DTScenario.getExperience())){e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}}}}());The mid-range is where you’ll ‘find’ many musical instruments and dialogue, and higher frequencies correspond to the amount of treble, which brings clarity and sharpness to your audio. Go too far with the treble though, and the sound becomes shrill and jarring.

But back to ‘bass-ics’. Now, a thunderous subwoofer can bring added drama to a home screening of F1: The Movie, but big bass settings can be the most distracting on modern TVs.

“That rumbling base might cause some strange sonic side effects, especially if your TV is place on or up against a wall,” says Michael. “In those circumstances it’s good to moderate that base – make it less ‘full on’ so that you haven’t got those distortions.”

7. Dialogue muffled? Lean into more treble

Rich Shibley / Digital Trends

If your favorite period drama sounds like it was recorded inside a pillow fort, don’t worry, there are settings for that.

(function(){if(document.currentScript){var e=document.currentScript.parentNode;if(e.classList.contains(‘dtads-location’)){if(!e.classList.contains(‘dtads-‘+window.DTScenario.getExperience())){e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}}}}());“The thing that I probably get asked most when it comes to TV sound quality is how make sure speech is clear,” says Michael. “Now you could put your TV into ‘Speech Mode’ if it has one.

“This will boost the mid tones and the treble of any audio, because voices tend to be higher in pitch than, say, explosions or crowd noise. If that’s not an option and you’re having trouble with hearing the dialogue, go into your settings and turn up the treble, while bringing down the bass a little.”

Also try turning off ‘enhancements’ like surround sound, which often bury voices under rumbling sound effects.

8. A ‘Music’ mode works wonders in open-plan spaces

A TV can struggle if it’s situated in an open-plan kitchen/dining/living space, especially one that’s full of hard surfaces. “We definitely want some reflections, as they help the audio to sound like it’s coming from above and to the side as well as from the front for that full immersive experience,” says Michael. “But if there’s a little too much bouncing around over hard surfaces, you’re going to get echo.” “If you’ve been on enough Teams and Zoom calls in recent years, you’ll know that adding a cover to your microphone gives you a warmer, softer tone,” Michael explains. “You can’t really ‘cover’ your TV, obviously, but you can add soft furnishings like curtains and cushions, and even natural wood furniture, to the room to absorb the sound rather than reflect it. This will deliver a warmer tone than you’d get in, say, a kitchen with lots of floor-to-ceiling windows, work surfaces and tiling.”But in terms of settings, what can you do to eliminate that echo? “If you’ve got a sharp sound that’s rattling around the room, that’ll be picked up by your ears a lot more than a bass sound, which tends to be more non-directional,” says Michael.

(function(){if(document.currentScript){var e=document.currentScript.parentNode;if(e.classList.contains(‘dtads-location’)){if(!e.classList.contains(‘dtads-‘+window.DTScenario.getExperience())){e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}}}}());“So to eliminate that sharp edge, turn down the treble in the settings, or select Music Mode. This will emphasize the mid tones and avoid either extreme, particularly the high end, the treble, which is going to rattle around a lot more.”

9. Take advantage of Dolby Atmos

Hisense

Even if your TV doesn’t have inbuilt speakers firing from all angles, if it’s got decent internal decoder and digital tuner it should be able to process high-quality audio sources like Dolby Atmos, which is available on Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Max, Paramount+, and Vudu. It’s likely you’ll see an improvement in sound even with a simple stereo speaker set up, but, as Michael points out, you need to make sure that you’re getting the Dolby feed with your plan. Basic subscriptions won’t usually offer it – for example, in the case of Netflix, you’ll need its Premium Plan ($24.99).

10. Try a firmware update

TV makers roll out firmware updates from time to time, and they don’t just fix bugs – they can improve things like audio performance. It’s worth popping into your TV’s settings once in a while to check for updates. That quick click might give you clearer dialogue and better sound without you spending a dime.

(function(){if(document.currentScript){var e=document.currentScript.parentNode;if(e.classList.contains(‘dtads-location’)){if(!e.classList.contains(‘dtads-‘+window.DTScenario.getExperience())){e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}}}}());If none of these changes make the impact you’re hoping for, you may need to shop for a soundbar or surround sound system. And as Michael points out, it’s worth being realistic when you choose your TV. “There are always things you can do in the settings, but the speakers themselves make a big difference,” he says.

“Often the reason that people are underwhelmed by TV sound is because they go for the thinnest TV possible. But if you go for the thinnest TV possible, you’re likely going to get the smallest speakers possible. Sound is essentially air vibrating. So if it vibrates in a tiny little speaker, it’s not going to sound that great.

(function(){if(document.currentScript){var e=document.currentScript.parentNode;if(e.classList.contains(‘dtads-location’)){if(!e.classList.contains(‘dtads-‘+window.DTScenario.getExperience())){e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}}}}());“If you’ve got a bigger speaker, you’ve got more space to vibrate more tones and create a greater dynamic range in the sound. So the number one thing is to bear in mind is what kind of speakers you’re getting, and set your expectations accordingly.”