flat televisions In recent years they have been characterized by offering a sound quality that, to put it mildly, leaves much to be desired, especially if we intend to use them as the central core of a home theater system.

It is true that we can improve the situation by purchasing some additional equipment such as a sound bar or a home theater set, but what happens in this case? We don’t want to spend any more moneyIs it possible to somehow improve the sound of our television?

Fortunately yes. Modern televisions have many features. configuration options this will allow us to scratch the audio quality a bit in the form of better audio quality clarity, understanding of dialogues and depending on the model, adhesive can also be used. How can I do it? Below are some basic guidelines to keep in mind.

Acoustic correction and equalization of television

If our TV is in the mid-high or high range, it probably has some acoustic correction system with a balancing system integrated into your room and/or operating system. These two systems are very useful when it comes to adapting the capabilities of TV speakers to the characteristics of our room.

This is often the case with televisions that come with a TV, for example. microphone on remote control we need to place it in the usual viewing spot and go through the corresponding configuration system from the TV menu.

The acoustic corrector is necessary to minimize sound deficiencies in the room, for which two basic adjustments are made: frequency and time domain. The first basically tries to vary the amplitude of the signals in each frequency range depending on the characteristics of the room and the speakers, trying to achieve as flat a response as possible.

Second, it takes into account the temporal response of the speakers and the room when making adjustments. That is, it analyzes how long it takes sound signals to reach us from the speakers, by examining the reflections and phases of each signal. correct them to the point of hearing Thus, we hear the signals in phase.

The result should ideally be a sound eliminates bass peaksit has a more balanced response and, above all, delivers sound in phase from all installed speakers; This is essential for clearly distinguishing powerful sounds and effects.

If our TV doesn’t have one of these automatic acoustic correction systems, it probably still has some. built-in equalizer This allows us to manually adjust some frequency ranges. Essentially, it’s about varying the amplitude of signals within each available frequency range, trying to achieve as flat a response as possible.

We can try to reproduce some of these cases. a specific video or audio file To make an equalization like in these lines and to try to ensure that there are no frequency ranges that are larger than the others.

Doing this by ear will be more difficult and less accurate than with systems that come with a microphone, but we will still be able to locate it. most prominent frequency bands get a flatter and more homogeneous response than the rest.

Choose the best TV sound mode

Another option that modern TVs often offer us is sound or hearing modes. Different compensations and effects applied at the factory to achieve a certain atmosphere or sensation with different configurations; For example, one is for science fiction movies, the other is for action movies, horror, concerts, sports, etc. for simulation.

Depending on the manufacturer we will find different pre-configured options in the audio section and yes, worth trying them allEven though its name doesn’t always match the type of content we see, as some can better adapt to our situation or what we’re looking for.

It is also useful try all custom options Which the manufacturer offers us in the configuration menu of the audio section. For example, on some televisions we have the option to change the sound to ‘Standard’, ‘Optimize’ or ‘Upgrade’, or for music, ambient or surround sound we have a special system that needs to be tested to see if the response of the sound is correct. speakers.

On modern televisions we also have options that apply a certain equalization through various algorithms depending on the content we play. An example of this is in LG televisions with the function: ‘Artificial intelligence voice’ in sound settings. Although not completely foolproof, balancing sound pressure can be helpful.

Some models also have sound modes that enhance the sound. clarity of soundsIt is an ideal function if our problem is not being able to understand the dialogues in movies well. The problem with this option is that they tend to worsen the team’s overall response to the rest of the soundtrack, but it’s an option worth considering at specific moments in a given film.

“Smart volume”

Although it has many different names and different applications, it is one of the most popular features of recent years. “smart volume” Its job is nothing more than keeping the volume constant so that we do not experience shock when changing the source or channel.

For example, you must have seen that the volume changes a lot when you change the channel, play a DVD, or play an external player connected via HDMI. That’s actually one of the things they’re trying to solve.

However, we can also find the following systems: “night listening” or similar basically applies dynamic compression added to some audio tracks or creates a specific listening mode with similar effect.

This allows lower volume sounds such as voices and whispers to be heard. volume increase Louder sounds such as music, explosions and effects reduce their intensity.

It is very useful if we want to watch a loud movie at night without missing the dialogues. don’t disturb the familyHowever, it will negatively impact the user experience with a much flatter and less punchy sound on a daily basis.

Place the TV well and improve the acoustics of the room

Another choice we have to make to improve the standard sound of our TV is not from the configuration menus, Adapt to the acoustics of our room To get a more balanced sound. At that time we saw in detail some of the tricks to doing this, the most relevant of which are listed below.

We can try to get started play with the distance from the wall If it’s not hanging, it’s on the TV. We can try moving it closer or further away from the wall behind it to adjust the bass response thanks to the natural amplification of the room’s resonant wave modes.

Since every room, TV and furniture is different, there is no optimal distance that will give you the best sound, but you can go trying various positions until you find the one that gives you the best bass balance without a booming sound. First of all, if your TV has woofers positioned behind the panel facing backwards, you’ll be able to get the best results in this setting.

The closer you are to the wall, the more bass frequencies you will hear, but you should be careful because the final result will depend on other factors such as the loudness of the sound. furniture type and wall material.

It is also useful avoid placing equipment and devices under the TVrouter, DTT receiver, multimedia player, decoder from our cable operator, etc.

Modern TVs usually mount their speakers on the bottom. route output drivers to the bottom. If we put obstacles in front of the woofers we will find that we will lose mid-high frequencies and get a less clear sound.

Sometimes there is no choice but to recess the TV into the furniture because you run out of space in the living room, but if you have the option, try to make sure the TV is not mounted in a piece of furniture. everywhere is surrounded from wood or plastic panels.

If this is your situation, you will receive a louder sound Because the furniture itself will act as an acoustic surface, creating echoes and undesirably amplifying some mid-low frequencies. If you have no choice but to place it this way, at least try to place it as far away as possible so you minimize the problem.

A previous version of this article was published in 2022.

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