Comedies, sports, films, drama – it doesn’t matter what you’re watching, there’s nothing worse than straining to hear what’s going on. Luckily, you don’t need to suffer any longer, as we’ve got some simple tips and tricks to improve the sound quality on your TV. You don’t need to be a tech whizz to get cinema-quality sound in your front room!
1. Switch up the sound modes
While you probably know you can change your TV picture mode for different programmes, you might not know that you can do the same thing for sound settings. On most TVs, all you have to do is go to sound in your settings and try out the different options.
Unless you’ve got too much time on your hands, you might not want to do this with every type of show you watch. We suggest you choose the type of programme you watch the most (even it’s reality TV, there’s no judgement from us!) and experiment with all the sound modes to find the one that works best for you.
2. Tweak the equaliser
This sounds like one to leave to the experts, but trust us when we say it’s not as tricky as it seems.
Equaliser settings let you adjust the specific parts of the sound range and are usually a set of controls listed by sound frequency (like 100Hz, 1kHz and so on). The lower numbers refer to bass frequencies and the higher numbers to treble frequencies. We’re talking a drumbeat versus a bird singing.
If all the sounds and speech are a little muffled, turn down the bass and increase the treble. If you want the explosions in an action movie to really fill the room, turn up the bass – but maybe apologise to the neighbours in advance!!
3. Experiment with advanced sound processing options
Ready for the next step in improving your TV sound? If so, head to advanced sound processing options. Some TVs have options such as virtual surround or Dolby Atmos, designed to make it feel like the sound is coming from every corner of the room. The quality won’t be the same as when you’re in a cinema surrounded by speakers, but it’s still worth having a play with them in your living room
4. Switch on the auto volume settings
Ever been enjoying your show before being rudely awakened by loud adverts? Don’t worry, your smart TV might just be able to sort this out for you. Lots of TVs have an auto-volume setting which we recommend turning on to try and even out sudden loud sounds.
5. Try an external speaker or soundbar
The above are great options for working with what you’ve already got, but if you want to make your TV sound set-up even more professional, invest in external speakers or a sound bar. Simply plug into your TV, adjust your output settings and enjoy more immersive sound quality instantly.
If you’re looking for more top tech tips, our expert buying guides are on hand to help.
