The sound quality is pretty lousy.

I only ever watch TV with headphones on. That's because it improves the sound quality and it brings a closeness to what's happening on the screen.

My TV is a big 80 inch CRT bought just before the flat screens hit the stores.

The sound is disappointing, and I'm wondering if there's a gadget ~ a box of some sort that I could connect to the antenna and then plug my headphones into.

My TV is a 'surroundasound' but I've never noticed any surround sound despite fiddling with the remote.

The vision is good, but the poor sound is really beginning to piss me off.

Any suggestion?

And how much could I expect to spend?

http://www.logitech.com/en-au/product/speaker-system-z323

"Integrated headphone jack

"When you want to listen privately, you just plug in your headphones."


http://www.logitech.com/assets/15616/15616.png

;D ;D ;D

Jesus, Greg! I'm not looking for a ghetto blaster to shake the tiles off my roof!

Or the fillings out of my teeth.

I'm looking for something smallish but technically the latest that I can plug my headphones into.

The only way to do it and end up with better sound than via your TV is through left and right channel RCA leads from a set top box (DTV receiver) to an AV receiver and then out through the headphones.

At new prices a $300-$400 exercise using low end (i.e. cheap) gear. If you're already going through a set top box then about $200-$250 for just the required AV receiver.

Life_goes_on wrote on Jan 14^th, 2014 at 8:09pm:

The only way to do it and end up with better sound than via your TV is through left and right channel RCA leads from a set top box (DTV receiver) to an AV receiver and then out through the headphones. At new prices a $300-$400 exercise using low end (i.e. cheap) gear. If you're already going through a set top box then about $200-$250 for just the required AV receiver.

I'll check it out.

Thanks.

If you live in melbourne, I have so many good old speaker systems I don't use, I could give you a set of surround sound ones if you want.

Lord Herbert wrote on Jan 14^th, 2014 at 7:41pm:

;D ;D ;D Jesus, Greg! I'm not looking for a ghetto blaster to shake the tiles off my roof! Or the fillings out of my teeth. I'm looking for something smallish but technically the latest that I can plug my headphones into.

That system is small.

The speakers are only 20cm high (8 inches).

A nice little compact system, with a headphone socket on the side of one of the speakers.

You can pick these up for about $70 in JB HiFi.

Speaker dimensions (H x W x D):
Satellites: 8" (20.3 cm) x 3.4" (8.7 cm) x 5.3" (13.5 cm)
Subwoofer: 8.7" (22.1 cm) x 6" (15 cm) x 7.2" (18.2 cm)

Slightly off topic but don't want to start a new thread for my question.....

Does anyone here lose their TV signal during hot weather?????

I don't.

Cheers Mozzaok........signal OK now.......fingers crossed for no power outage this afternoon...

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 16^th, 2014 at 11:25am:

Lord Herbert wrote on Jan 14th, 2014 at 7:41pm: ;D ;D ;D Jesus, Greg! I'm not looking for a ghetto blaster to shake the tiles off my roof! Or the fillings out of my teeth. I'm looking for something smallish but technically the latest that I can plug my headphones into. That system is small. The speakers are only 20cm high (8 inches). A nice little compact system, with a headphone socket on the side of one of the speakers. You can pick these up for about $70 in JB HiFi. Speaker dimensions (H x W x D): Satellites: 8" (20.3 cm) x 3.4" (8.7 cm) x 5.3" (13.5 cm) Subwoofer: 8.7" (22.1 cm) x 6" (15 cm) x 7.2" (18.2 cm)

$70?

I'm not looking for tinny-sounding crap.

Thanks anyway.

Don't waste money, head off to the local Chemist and buy some Audiclean (ear cleaning wash). The need for a "better audio system" is often due to a build up of ear wax!  ;)

Neferti wrote on Jan 16^th, 2014 at 3:27pm:

Don't waste money, head off to the local Chemist and buy some Audiclean (ear cleaning wash). The need for a "better audio system" is often due to a build up of ear wax!  ;)

Huh!  ;D

I had my ears serringed* a few years ago. It hurt like hell.

*That's how it should be spelt.

Tiny doesn't always mean "tinny" herbert.
The speakers I use on my PC are less than 1/4 the size of that Logitech system.
Bose Companion 3, and the sound they push out is good.

Life goes on already told you the best option is an AV Receiver, and I have to agree.
Pick one up second hand for $50 to $150, which you can plug in headphones, or speakers, stereo, or surround, whatever you want, with sound quality as good as is deliverable by the worst component in the setup.
If you have HiFi headphones, then AV receiver will deliver the best sound, BUT, if you just want convenience then a unit like this wireless sennheiser RS 120 will do the job, for about the same as you would spend on a receiver. Cords hanging around are a pain in the bum when watching telly, especially in bed.
http://headphones.com.au/psingle?productID=78

Thanks Mozz. I'll be taking the leap soon.

I hear soundbars work well... it may suit your requirements, prices vary depending on which one you get. Here are some reviews although I'd be wary about reviews on the net ... go to your local electronics store and try them.

http://reviews.cnet.com/best-sound-bars/

Logitech is actually one of my fave tech stuff....the speakers for my computer, the mouse, keyboard...all better than all the others I have tried.
You would be surprised how good their smallish systems are.
Them soundbars have come down a lot in price now, and actually intrigue me to think about buying it.

I subscribe to Choice online...so if anyone wants me to find out the comparison between certain models and which one to pick.....provided Choice have made the tests....just give me a hoy and I will look it up  :)

Sophia wrote on Jan 17^th, 2014 at 11:55pm:

Logitech is actually one of my fave tech stuff....the speakers for my computer, the mouse, keyboard...all better than all the others I have tried. You would be surprised how good their smallish systems are. Them soundbars have come down a lot in price now, and actually intrigue me to think about buying it. I subscribe to Choice online...so if anyone wants me to find out the comparison between certain models and which one to pick.....provided Choice have made the tests....just give me a hoy and I will look it up  :)

That's very kind of you lol.

Lord Herbert wrote on Jan 16^th, 2014 at 2:36pm:

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 16th, 2014 at 11:25am: Lord Herbert wrote on Jan 14th, 2014 at 7:41pm: ;D ;D ;D Jesus, Greg! I'm not looking for a ghetto blaster to shake the tiles off my roof! Or the fillings out of my teeth. I'm looking for something smallish but technically the latest that I can plug my headphones into. That system is small. The speakers are only 20cm high (8 inches). A nice little compact system, with a headphone socket on the side of one of the speakers. You can pick these up for about $70 in JB HiFi. Speaker dimensions (H x W x D): Satellites: 8" (20.3 cm) x 3.4" (8.7 cm) x 5.3" (13.5 cm) Subwoofer: 8.7" (22.1 cm) x 6" (15 cm) x 7.2" (18.2 cm) $70? I'm not looking for tinny-sounding crap. Thanks anyway.

Not tinny-sounding at all.

I use that system on my laptop, for playing music, and it is very good (and I'm quite fussy when it comes to sound).

Logitech make excellent compact systems.

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 18^th, 2014 at 7:53am:

Lord Herbert wrote on Jan 16th, 2014 at 2:36pm: greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 16th, 2014 at 11:25am: Lord Herbert wrote on Jan 14th, 2014 at 7:41pm: ;D ;D ;D Jesus, Greg! I'm not looking for a ghetto blaster to shake the tiles off my roof! Or the fillings out of my teeth. I'm looking for something smallish but technically the latest that I can plug my headphones into. That system is small. The speakers are only 20cm high (8 inches). A nice little compact system, with a headphone socket on the side of one of the speakers. You can pick these up for about $70 in JB HiFi. Speaker dimensions (H x W x D): Satellites: 8" (20.3 cm) x 3.4" (8.7 cm) x 5.3" (13.5 cm) Subwoofer: 8.7" (22.1 cm) x 6" (15 cm) x 7.2" (18.2 cm) $70? I'm not looking for tinny-sounding crap. Thanks anyway. Not tinny-sounding at all. I use that system on my laptop, for playing music, and it is very good (and I'm quite fussy when it comes to sound). Logitech make excellent compact systems.

I'll bear this mind. Ta very mooch.

If you want something you can use with other inputs, I use a Yamaha RX- V 367. I got it a few years ago, and it hasn't missed a beat.
http://www.trustedreviews.com/Yamaha-RX-V367_Surround-Sound-System_review

The sound quality is quite adequate. As we get older, we can't hear the higher frequencies anyway.
http://static.trustedreviews.com/94/65d84e/bf1f/14069-yamaharxv367img1.jpg

If you want to mess around with cheap computer sound systems that are not built for that purpose, go for it.

Wow. Looks good, muso.

I had the money saved up, but then something unforeseen came up and I'm back to square one financially.

I'll keep this thread bookmarked for future reference.

Thanks.

PS. I actually have extremely good hearing. All my working life in industry I was fastidious about wearing earplugs because of being prone to migraine.

Went in and had a look-see at what Choice have done with comparisons...and putting up a screen shot of some results...first one is surround sounds sytems, and the next one is soundbars....the ones at  the top of the list were the better performers...then you can check prices out elsewhere (Choice have a 'compare prices' button to do this, usually 'getprice' etc will come up)
There are more soundbars if I scroll up and do another print screen, if you want, but these are at the bottom of the list as performers.

http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo263/lolsnet/soundsystems.jpg

http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo263/lolsnet/soundbars1.jpg

I just run a set of Harmon Kardan speakers (stereo) with a subwoofer on my TV.

I refuse to pay the obscene charges for pay-TV, or put money in Mudrock's pocket
either, and free-to-air TV is so pathetic you could use NO sound and miss very little.

Good stuff, lols!  :)

I only have an analogue CRT TV set. I would have got a digital one ages ago except this CRT TV weighs 52kg and nearly broke my back when I helped the huge delivery man to carry it into the lounge room.

Being in macho-mode I pretended to carry my end with the greatest of ease, but I was dying inside. I could feel tendons snapping, and bones fracturing, and artery walls bursting, and cartilage collapsing ... but I just smiled through it all while this 6foot 5 monster was watching me from his end.  :)

The poor sound is probably because it's an old-style TV.

Herb, I had one of those huge CRT sets, lovely picture but, as you say, the sound was a bit ropey. And
yes, it weighed around ¾ of a ton.

As it was staggering along on its last legs a couple of years ago, I was wondering what to replace
it with as money was tight.

Well, blow me down if I wasn't lucky enough to win a nice 26" HD LCD set.

Been a great little unit, 26" isn't that big, but I have a smallish lounge-room so it's perfect. I would have had great difficulty getting the CRT set to fit.

(There's a 15" LCD set in the bedroom as well, for late-night cricket-watching...:-)  ).

Kat wrote on Jan 20^th, 2014 at 8:47am:

(There's a 15" LCD set in the bedroom as well, for late-night cricket-watching...:-)  ).

Late night porno-watching cricket watching in bed will get you to sleep soon enough ...  ::)

I've noticed some of the big LCD TVs are really cheap now.

Lord Herbert wrote on Jan 14^th, 2014 at 4:24pm:

The sound quality is pretty lousy. I only ever watch TV with headphones on. That's because it improves the sound quality and it brings a closeness to what's happening on the screen. My TV is a big 80 inch CRT bought just before the flat screens hit the stores. The sound is disappointing, and I'm wondering if there's a gadget ~ a box of some sort that I could connect to the antenna and then plug my headphones into. My TV is a 'surroundasound' but I've never noticed any surround sound despite fiddling with the remote. The vision is good, but the poor sound is really beginning to piss me off. Any suggestion? And how much could I expect to spend?

I have a WIFE, it is all the surround sound I require thankyou Herbert.

Adamant wrote on Jan 20^th, 2014 at 7:55pm:

Lord Herbert wrote on Jan 14th, 2014 at 4:24pm: The sound quality is pretty lousy. I only ever watch TV with headphones on. That's because it improves the sound quality and it brings a closeness to what's happening on the screen. My TV is a big 80 inch CRT bought just before the flat screens hit the stores. The sound is disappointing, and I'm wondering if there's a gadget ~ a box of some sort that I could connect to the antenna and then plug my headphones into. My TV is a 'surroundasound' but I've never noticed any surround sound despite fiddling with the remote. The vision is good, but the poor sound is really beginning to piss me off. Any suggestion? And how much could I expect to spend? I have a WIFE, it is all the surround sound I require thankyou Herbert.

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Adamant wrote on Jan 20^th, 2014 at 7:55pm:

Lord Herbert wrote on Jan 14th, 2014 at 4:24pm: The sound quality is pretty lousy. I only ever watch TV with headphones on. That's because it improves the sound quality and it brings a closeness to what's happening on the screen. My TV is a big 80 inch CRT bought just before the flat screens hit the stores. The sound is disappointing, and I'm wondering if there's a gadget ~ a box of some sort that I could connect to the antenna and then plug my headphones into. My TV is a 'surroundasound' but I've never noticed any surround sound despite fiddling with the remote. The vision is good, but the poor sound is really beginning to piss me off. Any suggestion? And how much could I expect to spend? I have a WIFE, it is all the surround sound I require thankyou Herbert.

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

muso wrote on Jan 18^th, 2014 at 5:40pm:

If you want something you can use with other inputs, I use a Yamaha RX- V 367. I got it a few years ago, and it hasn't missed a beat. http://www.trustedreviews.com/Yamaha-RX-V367_Surround-Sound-System_review The sound quality is quite adequate. As we get older, we can't hear the higher frequencies anyway. http://static.trustedreviews.com/94/65d84e/bf1f/14069-yamaharxv367img1.jpg If you want to mess around with cheap computer sound systems that are not built for that purpose, go for it.

yes, I've bought a bit of Yamaha gear over the years.
It's all pretty good stuff.

Aussie made Krix speakers with a top of the range Redgum Aussie, Denon Japanese or Arcam UK AVR.

My sound system's CD function went belly-up ... but then I came across a sound system being sold at a garage sale.

Paid only $20 and took it home. A couple of weeks later I tried it out and found the sound was really bad.

Got dudded.

End of story.

:'(

Still looking ....

Lord Herbert wrote on Jan 25^th, 2014 at 7:50am:

My sound system's CD function went belly-up ... but then I came across a sound system being sold at a garage sale. Paid only $20 and took it home. A couple of weeks later I tried it out and found the sound was really bad. Got dudded. End of story. :'( Still looking ....

If you have a local specialist hi fi shop ..pop in and get the best system you can afford.
Avoid places like Harvey Norman etc and only get your hi end audiophile stuff from a specialist.

Lord Herbert wrote on Jan 14^th, 2014 at 4:24pm:

The sound quality is pretty lousy. I only ever watch TV with headphones on. That's because it improves the sound quality and it brings a closeness to what's happening on the screen. My TV is a big 80 inch CRT bought just before the flat screens hit the stores. The sound is disappointing, and I'm wondering if there's a gadget ~ a box of some sort that I could connect to the antenna and then plug my headphones into. My TV is a 'surroundasound' but I've never noticed any surround sound despite fiddling with the remote. The vision is good, but the poor sound is really beginning to piss me off. Any suggestion? And how much could I expect to spend?

I went to Big W and bought a $139 soundbar and subwoofer from there. I got home and hooked it up. Tried figuring out the settings for the treble and bass. Used it for a week on some stupid setting. Then I realised that I had the treble and bass wrong and centred the sound. The next day, I upped the bass 3 points to be the way I like it. Now the sound is about the way I prefer, comparable to the headphone quality that I was using for sound.

A couple weeks ago, I was in Harvey Norman for the 40% off sound system sale. $500 for this 5.1ch surround sound and subwoofer system of cinema-quality. I was really interested. But, I figured that I was too poor to be buying.

You only need a screen with decent quality to see the picture. And a sound system to hear. Anything else is excessive.

Jesus, I thought Herbie had come back to life!   :o

Made in Australia
http://www.orpheusaudio.com.au/

greggerypeccary wrote on Aug 14^th, 2019 at 5:58pm:

Jesus, I thought Herbie had come back to life!   :o

RIP Herbie.

greggerypeccary wrote on Aug 14^th, 2019 at 5:58pm:

Jesus, I thought Herbie had come back to life!   :o

Even with the age of his posts, they never die.

UnSubRocky wrote on Aug 14^th, 2019 at 5:48pm:

Lord Herbert wrote on Jan 14th, 2014 at 4:24pm: The sound quality is pretty lousy. I only ever watch TV with headphones on. That's because it improves the sound quality and it brings a closeness to what's happening on the screen. My TV is a big 80 inch CRT bought just before the flat screens hit the stores. The sound is disappointing, and I'm wondering if there's a gadget ~ a box of some sort that I could connect to the antenna and then plug my headphones into. My TV is a 'surroundasound' but I've never noticed any surround sound despite fiddling with the remote. The vision is good, but the poor sound is really beginning to piss me off. Any suggestion? And how much could I expect to spend? I went to Big W and bought a $139 soundbar and subwoofer from there. I got home and hooked it up. Tried figuring out the settings for the treble and bass. Used it for a week on some stupid setting. Then I realised that I had the treble and bass wrong and centred the sound. The next day, I upped the bass 3 points to be the way I like it. Now the sound is about the way I prefer, comparable to the headphone quality that I was using for sound. A couple weeks ago, I was in Harvey Norman for the 40% off sound system sale. $500 for this 5.1ch surround sound and subwoofer system of cinema-quality. I was really interested. But, I figured that I was too poor to be buying. You only need a screen with decent quality to see the picture. And a sound system to hear. Anything else is excessive.

I was too poor to be buying a 5.1ch surround sound system this month. But I did it anyways.

FD, Here is a quite good article which explains the pros and cons of surround sound versus Sound bars.


Which is better for you, a sound bar or a surround system? Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
TOM WESTRICK 23 Aug 2018

Your TV or projector will almost certainly have speakers built-in, and it may be tempting to use these. After all, that's one less thing to buy, find space for and maintain. But as soon as you hear a system with dedicated speakers, you'll know what you've been missing.

The question then is just what sort of speakers to get. Sound bars are compact, easy to install and they range in price from fairly inexpensive to a bit spendier to ludicrous. No matter your budget, there's a sound bar for you.

Surround speakers may be appealing as well. They take a bit more time to set up than a sound bar, but they allow for a more flexible arrangement. And if you decide to expand in a couple years, you can do so without replacing your entire kit.

Read on here

https://www.cordcutters.com/which-better-you-soundbar-or-surround-system



And the more you investigate the more complex it becomes.

The 12 Best Wireless Speakers for TV
TV BY QUINN JULY 19, 2018

In this day and age, no one wants to be bogged down by a bunch of connector cords. And when talking about your home entertainment system, this is even truer.
Imagine having your perfect entertainment system set up: a wide, flat screen TV, your cable and gaming consoles, surround sound – the whole nine yards. Only for it to be surrounded by a bunch of cords running all over the place.

Your system is simply not complete without good speakers in place. But you shouldn’t have to deal with a tangled mess of cords just to have the best sound system.


Thankfully, with the rapid advancement in technology, you won’t have to deal with wires running all over your walls and floors just to have a good sound system. And you don’t have to keep plugging and unplugging your speakers to listen to different devices, including your TV.

Here are 12 of the best wireless speakers for TV.

https://improb.com/best-wireless-speakers-for-tv/



And Harvey Norman has so many choices you will need to sit down.

https://www.harveynorman.com.au/tv-blu-ray-home-theatre/home-theatre-speakers




There is no shortage of info to help you choose.

How to improve your TV's sound: budget and premium options for better audio
By Andy Madden 6 days ago 

Because you - and your TV - deserve better

How to improve your TV's sound
The laws of physics are cruel mistresses. It is they who keep your television’s audio quality at its current inadequate standard.

Current flatscreens, with their sleek and slim profiles, simply don't have the enclosure space necessary to allow drivers to give you big, punchy TV sound for big action films, or the detail needed for dialogue-heavy shows.

Most TVs place their speakers at the bottom of the screen, firing downwards, although many are in the middle on the rear to help with spatial dispersion but, either way, it's hardly the best way to get really satisfying, impactful sound.

While some sets, such as Sony's AF9 OLED TVs and XG95 LCD TVs, have managed to incorporate speaker technology that deliver decent sound, and others like the Panasonic TX-55FZ952B, Philips 55OLED903 and LG OLEDE9PLA feature built-in soundbars, a large number of TVs still emit wispy, tinny sound that doesn't do justice to that gorgeous 4K HDR picture you're seeing.

Read on here

https://www.whathifi.com/advice/how-to-improve-your-tvs-sound