Acoustic and Sound Features for TV
We cover the most common sound features you might come across when looking at TVs, along with some sound technology employed in Sony and Samsung screens.
Surround Sound formats:
Dolby Atmos: The latest in surround sound technology adds height channels to a traditional 5.1 set-up to give listeners a 3D sound performance that emulates sound coming from above as well as from the side or front. TVs that support Dolby Atmos will emulate this audio separation when watching Atmos-recorded content. TVs with an HDMI eARC connection point and Dolby Atmos compatibility will allow you to stream Dolby Atmos content and reap the benefits of connected Dolby Atmos soundbars or surround sound systems.
Dolby Digital: This is the standard surround sound codec used for most 5.1 recorded content. A TV that can handle Dolby Digital will be better suited for movie watching.
DTS:X: Another form of 5.1 surround sound that’s less commonly used. A lot of Blu Ray discs and players only support DTS:X, so if this is an integral part of your viewing habits it would be worth looking for a TV that supports DTS:X
Stereo or PCM: This is ‘standard’ two-channel audio. Most regular TV programmes and some older films will only support stereo PCM. All TVs will support Stereo as a minimum
Speaker & Audio technology in Sony and Samsung screens:
Acoustic Surface Audio
Sony OLEDs fitted with Acoustic Surface Audio turn the screen itself into a speaker. Sony TVs with Acoustic Surface Audio enabled offer true-to-life audio with added bass and depth.
TVs with Acoustic Surface Audio enabled are a good option if you want the best sound possible without a soundbar.
TVs with this technology:
- Sony A80L (Acoustic Surface Audio +)
- Sony A90K (Acoustics Surface Audio +)
- Sony A95L (Acoustic Surface Audio +)
Acoustic Multi-Audio
Instead of actuators built into the screen, Acoustic Multi-Audio places two sound-positioning tweeters halfway up the frame to provide additional sound direction to the two existing speakers in the bottom of the frame.
This is definitely a step up from traditional TV audio, but wouldn’t outperform or compete with a soundbar or surround system.
TVs with this technology:
Object Tracking Sound Plus (Samsung)
Creates 3D sound that moves with the action happening on screen. Dedicated TV speakers arranged throughout the screen aim to best emulate the action, making your listening experience more immersive and truer to a surround sound performance
TVs with this technology:
Object Tracking Sound Lite (Samsung)
OTS Lite has the same aim as OTS by virtually tracking objects as they move across screen to produce sound that’s more accurate to the onscreen scene. It then virtually recreates OTS without having special speaker drivers behind the screen. OTS Lite relies on standard TV speakers at the bottom of the panel.
TVs with this technology: