Ok. So I’m getting some work done to our living space and thinking about cabling and TV.

I need better sound from the TV, not home cinema (have 5.1 in another room) but just something that will make the news and the Giro sound better! Really it needs to be simple and easy for wife and kids to operate. I’d like to avoid a separate amp if possible.

So what are my options, I’ve been thinking flush wall mounting some speakers, small bookshelfs/satellites (but would need amp?), or something like a Sonos Play.

All ideas welcome!

FYI not chosen the TV yet so if there’s one particular brand that has something specific I can look at it

We have a basic sound bar sitting under the TV shelf. Probably the home cinema purists will sneer, but the sound quality compared to the TV speakers is huge. Got it on special from Richer Sounds for less than £100, I think it is a sharp but can’t be arsed to get up yet to check.

Modern TV sound is rubbish – thin tellies mean thin speakers etc. From what you say, your best option is a sound bar, or to connect it to a mini system. Both will still sound better than the std TV

Yeah – the pain is having to turn/have on a separate amp, that’s what I’d like to avoid…another power line, another remote etc etc

2nd the soundbar. Really simple, just on/off and volume. My Panasonic has a wireless woofer, so can be placed anywhere without messing with cables.

I was looking at this recently. Test the TV first. I was really surprised at how much better the sound from my new samsung LCD was, compared to the 8 year old samsung it was replacing.

Obviously it’s not anything like “audiophile” 🙄 quality, but I use it for TV, movies and radio/music and its good enough for me…. which I was really surprised about – coming from a 5.1 setup.

No doubt somebody will be along to tell me that I’m wrong

I added this mini-system to my TV and it transformed it, especially gaming: http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/mini-hi-fi-system-deals/pah01881

If you can find them, some active in walls would be perfect as long as you dont mind leaving them on.

Parasound make OKish in walls as do Kef but James are the ones to go for if you can afford it. Parasound also make a really small amp that designed to be left on. You could fit this inside stud walls easily (Dont know what you’d do if it broke though)

Somebody on the last thread about this was recommending these:

http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-wireless-sound-booster/p231608399

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Assuming you have a modern stereo, why not get scart to phono leads and play it through your amp, just control it through the source button .

Panasonic

I have this panasonic one, if you get a TV with an HDMI ARC input then it switches on and off with the TV and the volume is controlled with the TV remote. Sounds quality is pretty spot on and also gives you option of how you want the speakers to sit

Bose Solo
I have one of these and I think it’s better than my Sony 5.1 about £350 though