extra speakers for tv.

GlynD

InsideInsurance wrote: »

:eek:

Surely you aren't serious?

Go and look at a hifi shop and compare the cost of, for example, B&W 685 as a pair of stereo speakers and the B&W 685 5.1 setup (with the 685 as the L & R)... the 5.1 is over 3 times the price!

You can of cause buy ultra budget versions of both stereo and surround sound but to compare a £500 stereo system to a £500 surround system is like comparing a Ferrari with a Smart Coupe and saying they're both sports cars and both gets you from A to B.

Before you get into the real top end prices where taste comes into play then you will have to always spend at least 2.5 times the amount on a 5.1 system to simply get an equal quality of sound than a 2.0 system.

OP's only asdking for a cheapo solution though - not state of the art sound.

googler

GlynD wrote: »

OP's only asdking for a cheapo solution though.

No he isn't.

hardpressed

googler wrote: »

No he isn't.[/QUOT

I was, actually.

I'm afraid most of the answers are way above my head but thanks anyway.

googler

Model numbers and make of the Tv and all the bits of HiFi?

hanwellmike

I have connected my new tv to my existing hi-fi (2 speaker system). The connection is from the 3.5 mm headphone socket on the tv to the hi-fi amplifier. The lead (3.5mm into 2 phonos) was cheap and easily available. Sound quality is much improved. Connecting to the headphone socket means the tv speakers are now cut off, so amplifier has to be turned on when tv is turned on. My amplifier is at least 15 years old so no optical input which is why headphone socket is only option.

almillar

hanwellmike - I assume you've checked the rear of your TV for stereo phono OUT (red and white), which would be a better solution than the headphone socket?
Old stereo systems will sound FAR better than the cheapo 5.1 systems. Assuming you actually manage to connect that system up correctly there's still not that much 5.1 stuff broadcast, and when you do get it, the little speakers won't make much of it.

BelindaArch

We've got a Philips soundbar and subwoofer. It really improve the sound greatly from our telly and I glad we've bought it. Also great for playing music through (much better than the cheapo speaker 'docks').

Telly and soundbar both from Tezzy's.

hanwellmike

almillar wrote: »

hanwellmike - I assume you've checked the rear of your TV for stereo phono OUT (red and white), which would be a better solution than the headphone socket?
QUOTE]

Al - thanks for the shout but I have checked. I have bought 2 new tv's this year (Sony & Samsung) and neither has phono out (as did my old tv's). When I was shopping I saw many tv's without phono out so I think they are replacing phono out with optical out.

basill

It seems the OP was after a budget solution, I have a set of Logitech 2.1 speakers connected to the headphone socket of my bedroom TV, it really improves the TVs sound and can go quite loud if necessary.

Before you buy it is worth checking the headphone output of your TV, on some TVs (Panasonic for one) the headphone volume can only be altered by entering th TV`s setup menu. In this case you will need speakers with some kind of remote control or you will need to press several buttons or manually change the volume. Soundbars usually have their own remote for this reason.

if the volume goes up and down with the main volume control computer speakers will work very well.

B

Idiophreak

There are a a couple of simple things you need to think about OP, before you start getting into the various solutions squabbled about above.

1) What does the TV sound like? Wait til you've got the thing, put it in place and see how you get on. Some don't sound great, you're right, but I put up with mine for about 3 years before buying surround.

2) What do you want the TV for? If you just want it for watching Neighbours quietly in a flat, it will probably be fine. If you want to be watching transformers at full blast, you're going to be disappointed.

3) How fussy are you about sound? Personally, I'm very sensitive to poor, distorted sound...it hurts my head.

If, the points above considered, you decide you want more powerful sound, there are a number of different avenues you can take, with vast differences in cost. In roughly ascending order of cost:

a) Connect TV to your existing hifi (free)
b) Headphones (£20)
c) Get hold of a cheapo/2nd hand hifi (£25+)
d) Get a set of active 2.0 speakers (£30?)
e) Get a set of active 5.1 speakers (£50?)
f) Get a soundbar (£100?)
g) Get a one-box surround system (£150?)
h) Get an entry-level 2.0 system (£200?)
i) Get an entry-level 5.1 seperate system (£300?)
j) Then up up and away.... (£1 billlllllllion)