Has Mrs Fox and i got the same hearing problem?

[silverfoxcc]

We have a Sony Bravia TV model KDL32w705B

We have both noticed that a lot of TV programmes that have background music, the music is a lot louder than the speech and we have trouble hearing what is being said

the set is running as straight out of the box and i have downloded the manual and it says there are various settings Standard Cinema Sports Music

Is it worth fiddling around with these, or would a soundbar improve the output?

Any thoughts?

[Big Pants]

There'll be more technically adept responses, but yes, a soundbar would dramatically improve the audio experience. Richer Sounds would be my recommendation as a starting point.

[Scrump]

The sound presets (music, voice etc) will alter how it sounds and you are likely to find one better than the others.
My father had a similar issue with his TV. Selecting a different audio preset helped a bit.

He went on to buy a soundbar but this made things worse as it had a subwoofer etc (or that is what he said!). He now has a more basic soundbar and finds it a big improvement.

[silverfoxcc]

Big Pants an Scrump


Thanks for the input.
will do the cheap option first.....fiddle with the settings... before embarking on releasing cash from the wallet

[Ham_and_Jam]

silverfoxcc said:

Big Pants an Scrump


Thanks for the input.
will do the cheap option first.....fiddle with the settings... before embarking on releasing cash from the wallet

Definitely try putting the sound mode into ‘voice’ if it has one.

I also find that whilst ’cinema’ gives the best surround sound with the best hardware setup, voices sound weaker and can get lost when just using a standard tv sound output.

If you can manually set the equaliser, up the mid frequency bands.

The main problem with modern flat tvs is that the speakers tend to fire up / back so lose a lot of fine details. Ultimately a soundbar / soundbase will work a lot better for you.

If you do get one, invest in a decent one, as they can be used again even when you upgrade your TV. The best thing is you can then just concentrate on getting the best picture TV rather than sound and picture.

Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Wednesday 9th December 15:24

[stevoknevo]

Is there an option for wall or stand mounted in the sound settings? My previous Sony KDL42W654 had it and it made a noticeable difference having it in the correct mode (I had it mounted in both configurations over the years) It was connected to an AV system but we just used the in-built speakers for daily watching, in the general setting, and no issues - probably worth running through the settings and making sure they are as they should be, turn off the automatic volume level (intended to stop noisy adverts giving everyone a fright with their loudness, but I've found it does compromise sound quality)

[outnumbered]

We've got a similar vintage Bravia, and the built-in speakers are just terrible. We always play sound through the hifi. I'm sure a sound bar would make a massive difference to your experience.

[dba7108]

We have a Panasonic, around 3 years old. 43" i think it is. The sound is utter pants. It is mounted on the wall in the kitchen with a sofa and it is very hard to hear. I am watching The Godfather on BBC now and it is hard to hear what they are saying, so i turn it up and then when the music comes on it blasts out. Im thinking of getting a sonos beam.

[jet_noise]

It is a not uncommon complaint about "modern" TV programmes and films.

Especially if you've less than perfect hearing.
Can't comment on soundbras (yes I know it's a typo but I rather like it) or your specific TV

[Getragdogleg]

I gave up trying to get the sound right from the TV, I bought expensive wireless headphones and it's revolutionised my TV and film experience.