To get over the sound issue, one thing you can do if your TV is connected to the internet, and you have WIFi AirPods, is that you can use the AirPods to listen to your TV sound. This gives you very clear sound, and it can be controlled by your TVs remotes volume switch. It just takes a short time to set it up providing you have a fairly modern TV. I’ve been using this method for some time now.
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Good to know it’s not just me who has problem hearing the TV but VERY DISAPPOINTING that we seem to be going backwards in sound quality given the advancements in technology we have supposedly achieved plus the high cost of these items. It grieves me that to get any sound quality I must invest in a sound bar especially after laying out $2K or more for a flat screen TV.
We invested in a pair of mid-range Wi Fi headphones which we can configure to the speaker system of the TV and quite happy with them.
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A home theater system is not about TV. It is about audio. If you are happy with mono or basic stereo, then fine.
Multi-channel encoding like Dolby and DTS can only be realised by a surround system with at least five speakers.
Inbuilt speakers on a flat screen will never do, nor will a soundbar.
My system puts dialog through the front center speaker and all other stuff like sound effects and music through left and right front and rear speakers. It can turn ordinary source sound into surround. My CDs sound incredible compared to ordinary stereo. Likewise TV or a lot of Youtube music videos I watch.
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Surround sound, bless the marketing, is all about delivering an experience. Enjoy! The audio sales staff and manufacturers will be all the wealthier for our dedication.
The Choice TV reviews do assess the sound quality or lack there of from modern flat screens.
As others have observed there are various reasons the speech component of broadcast TV may be indistinct, difficult to hear. Surround sound is not “the” solution. A single speaker enclosure with a studio monitor response can deliver an accurate representation of audio, albeit without directional attributes.
If only I had 5 ears appropriately aligned. Actually 2 working effectively might be sufficient. Which may highlight another possible factor. 
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When my PC went from two to five speakers, the difference was incredible even though I did not hang those speakers all around me. If I spent as much time watching the TV as I do on the computer, then it would probably be worth the money.
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I often watch overseas news programs on SBS. To understand what is being said, I have to have the sound cranked way up because the volume is so low. When the commercials come on, the volume triples, at least!
This isn’t the ordinary show-to-commercial volume difference that you find with any TV channel. Other SBS shows don’t demonstrate nearly as much of a difference, just these overseas news programs. It’s very irritating.
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This is a subject close to my heart or should I say, ears. I used the surround sound for a few years but headphones are better. The only drawback is the volume levels from speaking to loud bang can be uncomfortable especially if you are a bit slow on the volume button. I can’t understand why movie makers do it, seems they want to frustrate the audience rather than entertain.
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The main thing I have gained from this conversation is exactly that ! It’s not just me getting old and senile (although they could be contributing factors). I have been experiencing the same thing and had experimented with remote headphones my later mother used to use. The variations between programs is significant, and proves that some shows get it right while others make us all think we’re losing our hearing !!
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I was interested in your post as I have a lot of trouble at times not understanding what they say. However if I put the headphones on it all becomes a lot clearer. So is it the speakers?? I believe the producers of some of these shows don’t emphasize enough, a bit more clarity in the actors speech.
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Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple “turn this on” answer for some of this but, with newer TVs and/or soundbars, there are many settings to alter the audio characteristics. Some TVs or soundbars may have settings to “improve” audio.
For example, some Samsung TVs have options for audio.
Part of the above answer says:
"Or you can try this method available on all Samsung TVs. Press the Home button on the remote, and then navigate to Settings. Select Sound, and then select Sound Mode. From there, select the one that sounds best to you.
- Standard: Balanced sound where no tones are emphasized, such as the voices or bass.
- Optimized: Specific effects are more powerful and sounds are more spacious.
- Amplify: Amplify mid and high tones of the sound. This is useful when voices are difficult to understand.
Youwould have to check your TV and soundbar’s manuals to see if there are similar settings but it is a “try it and see” approach.
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Just on subtitles ,which I have resorted to more and more , does ABC not broadcast with subtitles in the arvo or is it my t ?v
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From ACCAN
Your rights: captions on television
What are captions?
Captions provide the dialogue and important background sounds in onscreen text for television viewers who are Deaf, hard of hearing or people watching television in noisy places, like the gym. Captions are displayed in text, usually at the bottom of the screen.
When are captions supposed to be provided on television?
All Australian free-to-air broadcasters must provide closed captions on programs shown between 6:00am and midnight on their primary channel (for example: Nine, Seven, Ten, ABC1 and SBS1). News and current affairs programs must have captions at all times.
Free-to-air multi channels, such as 7Mate, GO!, ABC2 and SBS2, only have to have closed-captions if the program was previously screened on its primary channel with captions. For example, if Channel Seven broadcasts American Dad! with captions it must include captions if it broadcasts the show on 7Mate.
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Sometimes it’s not the speakers but the production. We are used to American productions. American actors seem to make a point of speaking with clear unrushed diction as it they were on stage, which they sort of are. This is not so with some Aussie productions. For example, the series “Mystery Road”. It seemed to me that the actors tried to increase the drama by mumbling quickly. I missed most the critical dialogue. Those oversees would have no hope.
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Hi Archie. I did what you said re Samsung TV’s and set it on amplify. It is certainly better but not perfect. Some of these actors just mumble and directors take no notice. Thanks for your help.
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Here are some interesting ( alarming ) stats out of the US.
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I found the figures above the bar chart the reverse of what I expected which was that age would correlate to use.
interesting that they combine the two
alarming at first read although the question might have been posed to include while in a vehicle but not necessarily driving a vehicle. Regardless if that is > 0 at the wheel they would be… I’ll stop now.
Re the hardest to understand accents? They need to get out and about a bit more (only 56% have passports and I’ll punt many do not use them)
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4% of ‘mericans can’ unnerstan’ Strine?
