[Rclark]

So I'm moving, and have taken my systems all apart and boxed them. Am down to my TV, and my DAC with headphones. Anyway, my TV is a 2014 model Samsung H6203 (gorgeous, stunning TV that actually beats my Samsung plasma in visuals, exceptional fidelity). I am listening to a classical score right now (The Order 1886 Soundtrack) and it is far from awful. The unit has, allegedly, some built in long throw drivers (they say built in "sub"), and the sound is relaxed, full, crystal clear, room filling. I've even watched some movies with it on, and it does positional audio damn well.

What sorcery is this?

If I were a casual user and not a person who has spent 8-10K on audio gear as an intermediate audiophile, I would be completely satisfied with this.

[jarcher]

It's just you....... .......sorry, couldn't resist.  Most probably would be satisfied, or if not, buy a crappy soundbar 

[DaveC113]

Yeah, my Panny plasma is fine for speech. It's nice to have a good system for movies though.

[Rclark]

It's just you....... .......sorry, couldn't resist.  Most probably would be satisfied, or if not, buy a crappy soundbar 

Not trying to say it's audiophile level, have some perspective, I just remember a day not long ago when internal tv speaker systems were generally awful.

[jarcher]

Not trying to say it's audiophile level, have some perspective, I just remember a day not long ago when internal tv speaker systems were generally awful.

Just busting your chops a bit.  Speakers from my Panny plasma which I use for most of my TV viewing is fine for speech as well per DaveC113 as well. 

[wushuliu]

Keep in mind amazing class d chips like the TPA3116 family were made to be used in TVs as well...

[*Scotty*]

It may be you. I just had to spend a night in a hotel room in Quantico with a 42inch LG that sucked on toast. No possible adjustment of the controls affecting the sound of this POS would make the mid-range acceptable at any volume, just plain weird. Even a simple TONE control would have solved the problem.
Scotty

[Rclark]

It may be you. I just had to spend a night in a hotel room in Quantico with a 42inch LG that sucked on toast. No possible adjustment of the controls affecting the sound of this POS would make the mid-range acceptable at any volume, just plain weird. Even a simple TONE control would have solved the problem.
Scotty

Might just be the brand and model as well, and whatever mix of stuff they put in versus another manufacturer.

Yeah Wushuliu, it has to be Class D in these tv's nowadays. I can't imagine why they'd use anything else.

[ACHiPo]

My Samsung 65" LED has awful sound.  The SONOS works well, though.

[Rclark]

I'm listening to Steve Miller best of 74-76 right now, with just the TV, and I stand by my statement. It is perfectly fine, and sounds much more modern and hifi than any TV I remember. It's been years since I've used the output of a TV, but have a lifetime of experience with them. It's one of the things that drove me into hifi...

This is ok.

Of course, these TVs are rear firing, and mine is firing straight into an 8 foot by 4 foot, 11 inch deep diffuser.

[Dan Driscoll]

The audio from my Samsung plasma is fine, especially for voice. I suspect the speakers in most decent TVs are optimized for voice. When I want to listen to music from the TV (AXS, Palladia) I run the digital output to my audio system.

[low.pfile]

RClark,
I think you are fortunate to have found modern TV with good sound. I was not familiar with your Samsung H6203 so I looked it up. I see the thickness at the bottom is 3+ inches and the speakers fire downward. This is rare with most uber thin TVs of today. So they may have been able to use larger drivers which likely help it sound very good
As you stated most TVs today have rear facing speakers and most TVs are pushing to be very thin and therefore around 1.25-2.0 inches thick which does not allow for much speaker depth. I'm sure they are getting elaborate with some sort of transmission line approach to maximize volume, etc. But having an front firing speaker at the base of my older Sony LCD, which sounds decent, I have yet to hear a friend's  50"+ super thin TVs sound better than a transistor radio circa 1965.

[*Scotty*]

I have to agree with low.pfile, a "good" sound out of one of these thin TVs is probably a crapshoot. The presence of a micro-powered Class D amp is not going to guarantee a good outcome from the sound portion of the TVs design. It will take a fortunate confluence of variables that result in a good sound. I also don't think the manufacturers are putting the effort into designing any transmission lines into the TVs enclosure. I think the sound maybe made just good enough to sell and then marketing takes over from there.
Scotty

[JLM]

Good speakers in my mind only commit errors of omission, not commission.  (Versus great speakers that "do it all".)  I have 4 "systems" and enjoy them all.  Each serve a purpose from casual background listening to filling out the A/V experience to full blown audiophile involvement.  Within their limits all are musical (not artificial hi-fi sounding) while not exhibiting bloated bass, excessive colorations, or exaggerated bass/treble.

Good TV speakers, intended mostly for low volume reproduction of mid-range frequencies that are driven from a known amp should not be a huge design challenge or particularly expensive to go from mediocre to good sound.  It just takes someone to make it a priority.