New T.V.

[marine65]

I bought a 55" Insignia 4K just before Super bowl. Model 55DR710NA17
Brought it home Saturday night and hooked it up.
Same problem as the old T.V. the little crummy speakers were hard to hear.
So lets do this right. went back to Best Buy Sunday morning and got a sound bar.
Huge improvement.
I paid $429 for the set.
I did not expect top of the line performance at that price point but its pretty good.
I paid $99 for the sound bar. just bought a cheap one to hear the T.V. it works great.
All in all for what I paid I'm happy.

 

[JamesBond]

What model is the sound bar?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Even a $99 soundbar should be an improvement over the built-in speakers, but in general, cheap soundbars are not that great.

 

[Tomioka]

Originally Posted By: JamesBond
What model is the sound bar?


I'm assuming an Insignia soundbar. If you buy the same brand soundbar as the TV it will receive the TV remote's IR signal to control power and volume.

As TV's get thinner from CCFL to LED and even OLED, sound quality gets crushed with the built-in tinny speakers where it's almost necessary to get a soundbar with these newer TVs. I really loved the full range speakers on some of the 90's CRT's I've owned before. Heck my 2009 Vizio VF550M CCFL LCD TV comes equipped with full range speakers and an adjustable 5-Band Equalizer (set in a V formation.)

 

[Wolf359]

I built a 5.1 surround sound system about 15+ years ago and it's still going. Back then the receiver was around $300, the speakers $100 and the subwoofer another $100. The subwoofer died on me a couple years ago, but I was able to get a replacement for around $80. It's amazing how the prices haven't really changed that much over the years so it really means the price went down. I think you can get an all in one Home theater DVD system starting at around $150 but if the player dies, then the whole system is worthless. Even bad movies sound good.

 

[marine65]

Originally Posted By: JamesBond
What model is the sound bar?


This one
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-sou...p?skuId=4849500

 

[marine65]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Even a $99 soundbar should be an improvement over the built-in speakers, but in general, cheap soundbars are not that great.

I live in an apartment and cant have a big booming sound system.
I'm 70 years old and don't hear as well as I used to.
This sound bar fits my needs.

 

[Jetronic]

I never used the built-in speakers on my tv, always ran a set of rca cables to my simple but powerful stereo system and enjoy the full range of sound.

The stereo is a Philips FWc-399 http://www.qvc.com/Philips-FWC399-240-Watt-3-CD-Shelf-System-withRemote.product.E121173.html

But I replaced the speakers with Pioneer CS-3070 a few years ago.

 

[Malo83]

I run all sound thru my home theater also, wifey wants all my speakers out of the living room, so a soundbar is in my future, told her the SVS 20-39PC++ tube subwoofer stays in the corner, any suggestions on a quality soundbar with subwoofer hookups??

 

[Papa Bear]

I took the back off my 46" cheap LG TV and disconnected the speaker wires.
I ran 2 pair of wires off them out through a small hole I drilled in the bottom of the cabinet.
I hooked the wires to a pair of Radio Shack Minimus 7s that I had from the 1970s and they sound like a million bucks

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
I took the back off my 46" cheap LG TV and disconnected the speaker wires.
I ran 2 pair of wires off them out through a small hole I drilled in the bottom of the cabinet.
I hooked the wires to a pair of Radio Shack Minimus 7s that I had from the 1970s and they sound like a million bucks


This is a great idea. I wish the manufacturers still offered a set of external speaker terminals...but I guess those days are over.

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
I hooked the wires to a pair of Radio Shack Minimus 7s that I had from the 1970s and they sound like a million bucks


Yea....I bet

 

[Papa Bear]

You'd lose.

 

[Y_K]

Those dinky PC soundsystems are the best IMO. Although, I am a troglodyte: TV-free since 2004

 

[marine65]

I found a web site where a so called expert reviewed my Insignia T.V.
He listed the settings he used to do his review.
I adjusted my set to match his.
Based on how he set up the picture I would have gave the T.V. a middle of the road review myself.
He had it set to be rather dull.
I of course wrote down my setting and wasted no time in resetting it.
To my eye it looks much better. I spent some time tweaking it to how I liked it in the first place.
I guess its subjective.
So don't always believe the experts.

 

[RTexasF]

Originally Posted By: Malo83
I run all sound thru my home theater also, wifey wants all my speakers out of the living room, so a soundbar is in my future, told her the SVS 20-39PC++ tube subwoofer stays in the corner, any suggestions on a quality soundbar with subwoofer hookups??


I have one similar to this model. No external sub hookup but it has three powered subs built in (mine has two). TV sits right on top of it so it blends into the surroundings. I seldom even turn on the surround system anymore because this works so well. Not cheap but there are other models available. Voice enhancement is incredible, even watching the news much less a show or movie. Plenty of bass and it will crank it up when you want it to.

http://www.zvoxaudio.com/divinity-cart/item/4007701/zvox-audio-soundbase.770/1.html

 

[emg]

Originally Posted By: Kibitoshin
I'm assuming an Insignia soundbar. If you buy the same brand soundbar as the TV it will receive the TV remote's IR signal to control power and volume.


Our soundbar has a setting to configure it to use the remote for whatever TV you have.

But, yeah, the TV's own speakers are abysmal. They're on the back of the TV, so the sound is louder in the kitchen than the living room.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

What brand do you have - that puts the speakers on the back of the TV?

 

[emg]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
What brand do you have - that puts the speakers on the back of the TV?


Panasonic, I think.

 

[alarmguy]

Sound Bar is on sale for $69. This week you can get a refund before the sale ends.