LCD TVs have universally awful sound, especially at this sort of price. Nice pretty thin cases mean small, tinny speakers.
I run my TV sound through an old amp and speakers and it’s 100 times better. Or a soundbar like this will improve it no end without having a separate box: http://www.trustedreviews.com/home-cinema/review/2009/08/20/Sharp-HT-SB200-Soundbar/p1
26″ is a funny size though – I was after one about that big and it seemed they were all more expensive or less good than the more common 32″ size equivalents. Decided I could live with an extra couple of inches width and height instead.