It's a sad fact of life that even some of the best TVs have terrible sound quality. Some, but not all.
Because, thankfully, a few of them sound pretty good. Not as good as one of the best soundbars or best surround sound systems, certainly, but miles better than the competition.
They're not one-trick ponies, either. As well as sounding great, they look pretty stunning too, with excellent picture quality. Because what good is great sound quality if the picture is an insult to your eyes?
So if you don't want a separate sound system for reasons of space, budget, aesthetics or principle, check out the best-sounding TVs below. Your ears will thank you.
Sony Bravia 8 II
The Bravia 8 II has the same actuator-based sound system as the A95L, which is, in a word, fantastic.
It features two actuators that vibrate the screen in order to create sound, along with two subwoofers on bass duties. On set up, the Acoustic Calibration exercise helps make the sound more spacious, making it closer to a virtual surround sound effect.
Considering the sound is coming from the screen, the results are stunning. It's a proper room-filling sound, with the audio and picture linked in a way that rival systems can't match.
"There’s excellent detail, too, and enough dynamic nuance to convey the emotion in an actor's performance," we wrote in our review. "Bigger dynamic shifts are also handled well, with chapter two of Blade Runner 2049 building steadily where rival sets sound flat."
It's not the last word in bass, but it is sufficiently weighty and – crucially – remains composed where others flounder.
This is one of the few TVs that won't be improved by a cheap soundbar – you'll need to spend a bit more to better this set's audio.
Read the full Sony Bravia 8 II review
Philips OLED909
The 909 'only' scored four stars in our review, but for sound, it's a five from us.
Like the OLED908 before it, it has a sound system designed by British hi-fi stalwarts Bowers & Wilkins – a 3.1 channel 81W arrangement comprising a front-firing speaker bar arrangement and a subwoofer.
It supports a range of audio formats, too, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
The results are a cut above most OLED TVs we review.
Sound is clear and punchy, with surprisingly solid dynamics. It verges on the lean side from time to time, but it's still impressive for a TV.
The bass is impressive too. While not on a par with a separate subwoofer as part of a surround sound system, it still provides pulsating low-end effects with ample depth.
The Dolby Atmos spatial effects also work. "It’s not as directional as an external sound system, but we can hear the B&W speakers attempt to shift the sound around in a fairly organic fashion in order to replicate a sense of space," we wrote in our review.
And the sound is pleasingly musical, as you would expect from B&W. Vocals are clear and timing is on point. Which can't be said of most TVs that grace our test rooms.
Read the full Philips OLED909 review
- Dolby Atmos: what is it? How can you get it?
- What is DTS:X? Which devices have it?
Panasonic Z95A
Panasonic's second-gen Micro Lens Array OLED TV is one of the best the brand has ever made, not just visually, but sonically too.
True, it has the same 5.1.2-channel 160W, speaker system as its predecessor, the MZ2000. But Panasonic promises improved audio thanks to Technics' '360 Soundscape Pro' tuning and the TV chip's enhanced processing.
There's also a Space Tune feature, which optimises the sound to your room.
It works a treat. Audio has plenty of attack, with low-end rumbles pleasingly free from distortion. The audio also provides a slight sense of height on occasions, though it's minimal compared to a decent Dolby Atmos soundbar.
It can lack directionality at times, somewhat compromising the spatial effect. Against a decent soundbar, it will struggle. But compared to most TVs? It's head and shoulders above.
Read the full Panasonic Z95A review
Panasonic Z95A vs MZ2000: how new and old flagship OLED TVs compare
Why is the sound so bad on my TV?
It's a problem common to modern televisions. As TVs became slimmer – as they did at the start of the OLED era – they had less space for decent speakers and so had to make do with what would fit inside.
That meant sub-par sound – though TV makers are now finally coming up with new, inventive ways to squeeze better audio performance out of them.
Which TV sound is best?
We rate the Sony Bravia II as the best-sounding TV of any we've tested. It sounds identical to the 2023 A95L.
What about Samsung and LG?
You may have noticed neither Samsung nor LG have been mentioned yet. That's because while they're the two biggest TV makers in the world, their sets have struggled in terms of sound.
Both companies have traditionally pursued invisible speakers in an attempt to push punters to buy their own-brand soundbars.
But their TVs are getting better audio – the LG C5 and Samsung S95D certainly sound better than their respective forebears from a few years ago.
Which soundbar should I buy?
It depends how much you want to spend. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) will beat almost all TVs for sound, and we've never tested a TV that sounds better than the Sonos Arc (or Sonos Arc Ultra) or Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9.
See our round-up of the best soundbars for more.
MORE:
How to improve your TV's sound: options for better audio
Find out how to choose and set up a soundbar
