Sound Options for Basic Home Theatre Set-Up

LHershall Von Studley on 21/01/2017 - 09:54
Last edited 21/01/2017 - 10:38

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to figure out how to improve my basic TV sound system for my living room setup, and I'm hoping for a bit of advice.

I had previously been using a set of Logitech z506 computer speakers plugged into a Samsung TV via a 3.5mm audio jack. This worked well enough for my needs, as it sounded good enough for me and I could just plug in the speakers and control the volume from the TV remote.

I recently upgraded to a bigger Samsung smart TV (48" Series 6 Samsung 6200), and now when I plug in the speakers, the TV refuses to control them. Which means every little volume change requires walking over to the speakers and manually adjusting the volume knob.

From my research I think that the older TV had an inbuilt amplifier (or something like that) that could drive the sound, but the new one does not.

I had just been sucking it up and adjusting volume manually for the past few months, but now the Logitech speakers have died, so I figure this is a good opportunity to address the issue. I'm looking for a solution that will provide decent sound and the convenience of remote volume control without breaking the bank.

After spending some time researching options, I'm a bit lost. The inbuilt TV speakers sound rubbish, but it seems that if I want something better I need to either buy:

  • receiver plus speakers (expensive, complicated and messy) OR
  • soundbar (less complicated, but very expensive)

Are there any options for getting improved sound and convenience for less than $200?

Thanks so much for your help!

TLDR: I need advice on speaker configurations for my lounge room set-up that have both decent sound quality and remote volume control, for the best value possible.

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • altomic on 21/01/2017 - 10:30

    what is the model number of the samsung TV?

    • Hershall Von Studley on 21/01/2017 - 10:37

      The new one is a 48" Series 6 Samsung 6200.

      Not sure what the old one was, but it was smaller and non-smart.

      • altomic on 21/01/2017 - 10:51

        well the bad news is that the actual TV is apparently really limited for connecting external speakers according to this post

        possible solution is to get a universal remote control with a learning capability such as the Sony RM-VL600 and an external amp that has remote option

        • Hershall Von Studley on 21/01/2017 - 11:21

          Thanks very much for your reply. I've read through the forum you linked but I'm still a bit confused about how the external amplifier works. Is an external amp the same thing as a receiver? What kind of amp should I be looking for?

        • aboabo on 21/01/2017 - 12:03
          +2

          @Hershall Von Studley: Start with something like this;

          http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/healesville/stereo-systems/so…

          TV audio out > stereo aux in. Now you have remote control volume with decent sound for < $100

          Forget the universal remote control idea.

  • ItsMeAgro on 21/01/2017 - 11:26

    Not going to get much under $200 - maybe a soundbar that sounds slightly better than the TV speakers?

    But only $500 or so could get you a an entry-level proper 5.1 surround system with receiver that'd be a significant improvement.

  • Frankdb58 on 21/01/2017 - 12:34
    +1

    I'ld be chasing up a Sound Plynth, like a Zvox or Cambridge Audio. The Zvox models can learn the TV's volume control codes and you with then only need to use 1 remote.

    Most dealers only sell soundbars, but a sound plynth sounds a lot better. Yes my company sells both brands, and so do many other specialist Hi Fi retailers

    Of course a proper amplifier and speakers is better again, however if you want it simple and not expensive, check out Zvox. There are some awesome runout deals available

  • alexbk66 on 21/01/2017 - 19:20

    Depends on what you listen, for movies soundbar if fine, but you might need a sub-woofer too. I reckon to be future proof you should invest in the receiver and speakers, you can buy decent Yamaha amp relatively cheap (may be second hand). It will last you forever. Speakers you can always upgrade later, so can start from entry level. Of course it will cost more than $200 but you won't need in the future to throw away cheap stuff you bought and look again. I wouldn't recommend buying second hand speakers as it's unpredictable how they were used and how long they will last. I always look at display models (i.e. JB-HiFi)

  • Tech and cars on 31/01/2017 - 16:35

    http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/powerful-thx-sound-z62…

    • this has optical, so I think it will work directly with your Tv.

    If you were happy with the Logitech sound and your only complaint is getting up - this should be good.

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