External TV speakers

Modern TVs are getting slimmer and more powerful in terms of picture quality, for example, but sound often falls by the wayside. While a TV's built-in speakers may be sufficient for basic applications, they often don't provide the sound quality required for a truly immersive viewing experience. This is where external TV speakers come into play. They offer a significant improvement in sound quality and can take the viewing experience to a new level. Whether they are soundbars, compact speakers, standard speakers, subwoofers or entire surround systems, external speakers deliver powerful sound that is clearer, more dynamic and more voluminous than the built-in speakers. In addition, people with hearing problems can understand dialog better, more clearly and more distinctly, making it easier to follow the action in films and series.

What are external TV speakers?

External TV speakers are speaker systems that are used to supplement or replace the built-in speakers of a TV. They provide a significant improvement in sound quality by producing a fuller, clearer and more powerful sound. These speakers come in various designs, such as soundbars, compact speakers, standard speakers or surround systems, and offer a flexible way to improve TV sound. External speakers are a particularly valuable aid for TV sound lovers and people with hearing problems. They offer improved dialog intelligibility, making it easier to hear and understand conversations even with background noise or music. 

The sound reproduction becomes more precise, which is particularly beneficial for users who have difficulty understanding dialog clearly. External TV speakers, with their flexible settings and the ability to adjust the bass and treble reproduction, can help to optimize the sound according to individual needs and thus ensure a better listening experience.

Technological developments in external TV speakers

External TV speakers have developed considerably in recent years thanks to innovative technologies. Particularly noteworthy are technologies such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, which take the listening experience to a new level with 3D sound and expanded surround sound. These technologies simulate sound reproduction from different directions, giving the user the feeling of being right in the middle of the action. Many modern TV speakers are already equipped with these technologies, resulting in clearer and more spatial sound reproduction.

There have also been significant advances in the wireless connection of TV speakers. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are now standard for transmitting TV sound without cable connections. This not only makes installation easier, but also ensures a minimalist design in modern living rooms, which often want no visible cables or connections. These wireless solutions offer a high degree of flexibility and compatibility with various devices.

In addition, HDMI connections and optical inputs have become more established to ensure lossless audio transmission. These digital interfaces offer significantly improved sound quality compared to older analog connections and also support higher bandwidths to transmit modern audio formats such as uncompressed stereo and multi-channel sound.

Sound quality - What to expect from external TV speakers?

The sound quality of external TV speakers is usually significantly better than that of the TV's integrated speakers. They offer greater volume and a wider sound stage, so that bass and high frequencies are reproduced more clearly and in greater detail. Especially for movies, series or music that require a rich bass, external speakers offer a much stronger bass response than most TV speakers.

Another important aspect is dialog clarity. External TV speakers such as soundbars or compact speakers are often designed to emphasize mid-range frequencies, which increases speech intelligibility. This ensures that dialog remains clear and understandable even with loud background noise or music. This is particularly important for people with hearing problems.

Why external TV speakers are often the better choice than internal TV speakers

External TV speakers are not only an enrichment for the general sound experience, but also a sensible investment, especially for people who struggle with hearing problems or are looking for a better experience when watching TV shows. The TV's built-in speakers often offer limited sound quality as the space in the sets is too small for powerful speakers. This results in a flat sound image and poor speech intelligibility, especially for dialog in TV shows, which can be difficult for people with hearing impairments to follow.

In contrast, external speakers offer a much stronger and more dynamic sound quality. They allow much more precise control over the sound and can be better adapted to the conditions of the room. Systems that allow individual sound control, such as bass or treble adjustment, are particularly helpful for people with hearing problems. This ensures that speech is clearer and more audible, which is often not the case with most integrated TV speakers.

Another advantage of external TV speakers is their higher level stability. While built-in speakers quickly distort or overdrive at higher volumes, external TV speakers maintain their sound quality even at louder settings. This is particularly important for people who have difficulty hearing soft sounds or high frequencies, or for those who want to enjoy the TV at full volume without compromising audio quality.

For a true viewing experience, especially for movies, series or live broadcasts where clear dialog and detailed soundscapes are crucial, speaker systems with technologies such as surround sound or Dolby Atmos offer significant added value. These systems deliver a spatial sound reproduction that literally immerses the user in the action and improves speech intelligibility at the same time.

Differences in external TV speakers from different brands

The choice of external speakers is large and the variety of brands ensures that there is a suitable product for every need. Some brands offer high-quality soundbars that are equipped with Dolby Atmos and provide a true surround sound experience. However, these are also comparatively very expensive. Other brands focus more on compact speakers, which are less expensive but can still sometimes deliver good sound quality.

The finish and design of external TV speakers also vary depending on the brand and model. While some models are very minimalist and compact, other models offer a larger power supply and performance to meet the requirements of larger rooms.

For whom are external TV speakers particularly beneficial?

External TV speakers are particularly beneficial for anyone who wants to take their viewing experience to the next level - be it movie fans, music lovers, TV connoisseurs or people with hearing problems. In larger rooms, where the built-in speakers of a TV often do not produce enough richness and depth of sound, external speakers offer an excellent solution. They provide significantly improved sound quality and enable more precise adaptation to the room.

External speakers are particularly helpful for people with hearing problems, as they can help to make dialog clearer and easier to understand. Integrated speakers often have difficulty reproducing high tones or nuances in speech clearly, which makes it difficult to understand conversations. External TV speakers offer a decisive advantage here, as they allow individual sound regulation and thus improve speech intelligibility in particular. This makes them an ideal choice for people who have difficulty following dialog on normal TV speakers.

For home entertainment systems that want to create a realistic cinematic experience at home, external speakers are almost indispensable. They offer a more immersive soundscape than the often flat and limited integrated speakers of a TV. With advanced technologies such as Dolby Atmos or surround sound, they ensure that movies, series or music are vivid and captivating. The improved sound quality ensures that the listening experience is not only clearer but also more intense, which is particularly important for people with hearing problems to enjoy the subtleties of sound and clear dialog.

Available speaker positions and arrangements for external TV speakers

The positioning of the external speakers is crucial for optimum sound quality. With soundbars, the position is usually directly in front of the TV, either below or above the screen, depending on preference. If the soundbar is placed under the TV, it provides direct sound reproduction and fills the room with clear sound.

In surround systems, speakers are often distributed in corners or along the wall to create a real surround sound experience. A subwoofer is usually placed in a corner of the room to optimally amplify the bass without compromising the sound quality.

The OSKAR external TV speaker combines many of the above features in one device. It is the perfect choice for clear and precise voice reproduction. Via a base station, it enables a wireless connection to a TV, allowing the sound to be enjoyed comfortably and without the clutter of cables. The compact and portable design makes it easy to transport OSKAR to different rooms - be it the living room, bedroom or office. The practical carrying handle makes transportation easy, and the long battery life of up to 16 hours ensures that the speaker can also be used on the go or during longer TV evenings.

Thanks to its flexibility, OSKAR can be placed anywhere - be it on a table, next to a sofa or on a shelf. The elegant design and simple operation fit seamlessly into any home without taking up much space. OSKAR offers a user-friendly solution for a clear listening experience that ensures improved dialog intelligibility at all times without having to constantly adjust the volume.

Advantages of external TV speakers

• Improved voice and sound quality: clearer dialog and more precise sound reproduction.
• Better bass reproduction: stronger and lower bass frequencies.
• Higher volume without distortion: Ideal for large rooms and / or users with hearing problems.
• Integration of modern audio technologies: Support for formats such as Dolby Atmos or DTS:X (depending on model).
• Wireless connection options: Easier installation thanks to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or base station.
• Flexible placement: no cable clutter, suitable for different room configurations.

Disadvantages of external TV speakers

• Space requirement: Require more space than integrated TV speakers.
• Correct positioning required: Well thought-out positioning is essential for optimum sound.
• Power supply or cable connections: May be perceived as disruptive depending on the model and room design.
• Acquisition costs: Purchase of an additional device required.
• Installation effort: External device must be set up and connected.

Overall, however, there are very few disadvantages, except that an external device has to be purchased and connected. However, this extra step also means that you have greater flexibility and control over the sound quality, which more than compensates for the few disadvantages.

Why external TV speakers are the better choice

External TV speakers offer a clear improvement in the viewing experience compared to a TV's integrated speakers. They deliver much better sound quality, which is particularly effective in larger rooms or for demanding applications such as movies and music. With technologies such as surround sound or Dolby Atmos, external speakers create an immersive, cinema-like experience that makes the sound more three-dimensional and vivid.

For people with hearing problems, external speakers offer a decisive advantage: they enable better speech intelligibility and individually adjustable sound control, which is particularly helpful for hearing dialog clearly and distinctly. They also improve bass reproduction and offer greater level stability so that the sound is not distorted even at higher volumes.

In summary, external TV speakers are the better choice for anyone looking for not only improved sound quality, but also a customizable and more flexible solution for their viewing experience. They provide significant support for people with hearing problems and make listening to dialog and music much more enjoyable and understandable.