What Are The Best TV Speakers?

February 15, 2020

As TV visuals improve, their speakers suffer. Here’s why external speakers are actually the best tv speakers. Learn more.

Ironically, the best TV speakers are never attached to the TV. We know, we know. It's a bit of an anomaly, but the truth is the truth. As amazing as modern TVs are, with ever-improving picture quality, faster refresh rates, and slimmer bodies, the TV audio aspect is taking a back seat.

In fact, it's television’s getting thinner that necessitates smaller internal speakers, often placed towards the bottom or back of the units. All of this is the antithesis of what would make for the best TV speakers. Good speakers require enough space for drivers and function best when facing the audience. Think about any concert you’ve ever been to; all of them use large speaker systems that face or surround the audience.

While some might try to convince themselves that improved audio quality is negligible, the most common complaint of poor TV speakers is not being able to hear the dialogue. Do you find yourself rewinding movies in order to catch what the bad guy said? Do you watch your favorite shows with subtitles? This is a telling sign that you need external TV speakers.

What Do Soundbars And External Speakers Do?

Even the best TV speakers in the best HD television lack the physical fundamentals of a good TV speaker. First, their small drivers are not large enough to produce the lower end bass. Second, their directional placement, often down or away from the audience, mitigates any chance of producing the treble needed to help voices and dialogue stand out. Combine these issues with layered sound effects and the various sizes of living rooms, and you have a formula for subpar sound quality.

Soundbars eliminate those issues. The dedicated housing allows for larger drivers that can produce better sounds. Plus, the speaker’s placement dramatically amplifies their effectiveness.

The difference between a subpar and a quality speaker is like the difference between someone talking while walking away from you and someone talking into a megaphone while staring right at you. Many external audio systems also come with a subwoofer that produces more bass than even the best TV speakers can dream of making.

Why Buy a Soundbar or Sound System?

It’s simple, do you want the best TV speakers? For less than a hundred bucks, you can buy a soundbar that sits right beneath your TV or mounts to the wall and delivers louder, higher sound quality than any internal speaker. Even budget soundbars are going to deliver better sound quality than your television does by virtue of it pointing towards you. External TV speakers vary in terms of quality and price and include features like multiple frequencies, Bluetooth connectivity, and wireless subwoofers.

A surround sound system will cost a little more but will offer an increased audio definition and further build the home theater experience. This is especially fun during movie nights and can really amplify your parties.

To put it plainly, you’re missing out by relying on your internal TV speakers. If you want to enjoy your beautiful HD TV to the fullest, get yourself the REAL best TV speakers on the market.

Some of Our Favorite TV Speakers

If you’re not sure which home audio option would be the best for you, the experienced customer service team at Howard’s is happy to help you out. Just walk into your nearest location and ask for help with home audio.

In the meantime, here's one of our favorite options to get you started:

Samsung Harman/Kardon® Soundbar with Acoustic Beam-HW-Q60RThe Q60R is a perfect mid-level soundbar and wireless subwoofer combo. The central channel is dedicated to clear dialogue, so you won’t have to turn on subtitles or rewind every 10 minutes. It is incredibly flexible and compatible with a variety of technology and televisions but seamlessly connects to the popular QLED Samsung TVs.

TL;DR: It’s loaded with features like 4K compatibility and game mode pro, all in a sleek package that easily fits within your current television set up.