Have your say & ask the experts

I have recently bought this top of the range Panasonic LCD TV. I had been waiting for its launch for a number of months. I wanted it to replace my very old B & O CRT TV which had really come to the end of its days. The new Panasonic is a great looking TV that's for sure and the picture is very good, even in Standard Definition. The problem I have with it the sound quality. It is really poor. Its flat, lifeless and sounds like it is coming out the back of the TV. Having been used to a CRT TV with speakers pointing out from the front this is very disappointing. I watched the Clint Eastwood film Gran Torino on Saturday and it was almost unlistenable through the TV. I like to watch my films quite loud and the speakers on the TV would just distort. I resorted to playing the sound track through my HIFI which was fine once I got the balance right. Although this may be the answer for films, its is a pain for every day TV. What are my options? I really don't want a 5.1 surround system. Is a sound bar a consideration? I would like something simple that just plugs in, by-passes the TV's speakers and that can be used with the Sky remote volume button? I believe the Yamaha sound bar has a Viera-link could this be a consideration?  

No LCD/Plasma will match the sound of a crt tv, there's just not enough room to get crt style speakers into the relatively thin lcd/plasma tv's. Even the best all singing and dancing models will be no match for a decent crt.

I have a Pany 42PZ85 and it is no match compared to the 32"crt Pany it replace, it did have pro-logic surround though with a fairly hefty centre speaker. Saying that though it is pretty good by lcd/plasma standards and even at stupidly high volumes it does not distort, if anything it's the bass thats missing but thats hardly suprising considering how small the speakers are. For late night viewing or general tv viewing it's good enough though. I have a proper system for movies though.

You have a few different options to beef up the sound, what sort of budget do you have ?

Personally I am yet to hear any flat panel TV which has good inbuilt speakers but I think this will always be the case due to how small they have to be to fit into the TVs chassis.

I use a Soundbar plus Subwoofer and am happy with its performance. If you can try and audition before you buy to make sure that is exactly what you want. I would suggest either the YSP 600 or the dearer YSP 30D to match your 37 inch TV and the vierra link works fine.

One of my neighbours has recently purchased the YSP 600 after listening to my setup.

I have a panasonic tx-26lxd80 and I have it in an alcove and i think that the sound is okay for everyday listening it has a reasonable amount of oomph to it. Although for watching films I have it connected to my hifi and subwoofer. I know what you mean, it is a pain having to have two remotes, one for the tv and one for an amp just to watch a quick tv programme. If your tv isnt wall mounted I would have a play around with positioning if possible as the position of the tv can affect the sound quality.

JG333:

I have a panasonic tx-26lxd80 and I have it in an alcove and i think that the sound is okay for everyday listening it has a reasonable amount of oomph to it. Although for watching films I have it connected to my hifi and subwoofer. I know what you mean, it is a pain having to have two remotes, one for the tv and one for an amp just to watch a quick tv programme. If your tv isnt wall mounted I would have a play around with positioning if possible as the position of the tv can affect the sound quality.

i have no idea what to say i just wondered if answering 6 posts in a row was a record ? im hoping i may win a prize ? anyway my taxis here , er , goodnight ...

I have a v10, but the plasma, and the sound is, as you say quite flat out of the box, but there is a setting, in the plasma atleast, which i think improves things. I change MODE from 'speech' to 'music' and SURROUND from 'off' to 'v-audio surround' and the sound is actually quite good. I'm not sure what your setup is like, but I don't need anything more than this because I live in a flat where, I have a feeling, surround sound may not be appreciated/ tolerated! But if you've always used your tv's speakers, like me, then the v10 with the above changes sounds quite good.

Hope this helps, let me know how it goes.

HiI have the same TV and find the picture great but also found the sound poor.

Like everyone is saying there are not many LCDs with a good sound, I have a surround amp and speakers so for movies and sports thats fine but for everyday listening I use mine set to music and V Surround, also up the bass and treble a small amount

Its bearable now