Choosing the best sounding TV could mean the difference between haphazard and choppy sound or a rich and immersive audio experience. Our evaluation focused on performance/display, sound quality, and interface/user experience.
After more than 16 hours of research, our pick for the best sounding TV goes to the LG OLED E9 Sounding TV. It is an all-around workhorse, boasting Dolby Atmos surround sound, LG’s α9 Gen 2 Intelligent Processor for a super vivid picture, and built-in Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Airplay 2 compatibility for voice controls of playback functions and smart home devices. If you like what you have read so far, keep reading to learn more. And, if you would like to see some more quality products, a good place to start is our guide to the best TVs.
Top 10 Best Sounding TVs
#1 LG CX Best Sounding TV
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best-sounding TV features Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos for optimized multi-dimensional surround sound, a recommended pick for a home theater in any sized living room.
- Dual speakers are Bluetooth Surround ready
- Supports Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG formats
- Whopping 4 HDMI and 3 USB ports
- Somewhat sensitive TV remote
- Very short power cord (roughly 3 feet)
Our favorite feature of this best-sounding TV is its Dolby Atmos setup, which uses full 360 degrees of sound to fill up the room, delivering audio based on 3D space and not a particular speaker for the best sound output for TV. Bluetooth Surround Ready technology also allows connecting of up to two LG Bluetooth speakers. Dolby Vision IQ also enhances the viewing experience with potent picture processing, adjusting picture settings based on background lighting conditions. Kudos for NVIDIA G-SYNC** and FreeSync*, which deliver low input lag and blistering quick response times with high motion scenes. If you want more quality televisions with quick response times, then check out our guide to the best time to buy a TV.
Another homerun-hitting feature of this TV with the best sound quality is its LG ThinQ AI, webOS platform, which intuitively lays out streaming content. Built-in Google Assistant and Alexa also work with Apple AirPlay 2 & HomeKit to playback using voice commands and stream content straight from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. It’s a nice upgrade for anyone who has been looking for the best 1080p TV.
#2 Samsung Q80R Best Sounding TV
Award: BEST FOR BRIGHT ROOMS
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best-sounding TV delivers with Quantum Dot technology for a 1+ billion color palette and Direct Full Array 8X technology for contrast optimization, an excellent choice for people who want the brightest picture possible.
- 1 billion+ colors (QDot Technology)
- Quantum 4K Processor for rich color depth
- Captivating Ambient Mode with at-a-glance info
- Lots of Samsung ‘bloatware’ pre-installed
- “Bixby” voice command system not the most responsive
This best-sounding TV’s Quantium 4K Processor technology is really potent, upscaling non-HD content to near 4K for a vivid contrast and rich color depth. Precision-controlled LEDs (Direct Full Array 8X) contribute to purer blacks and whites, with HDR delivering a much brighter picture than standard dynamic range TVs.
We love this best sounding TV’s Ambient Mode, which converts your screen into a visual backdrop with wallpaper, at-a-glance information (e.g. news and weather), and a collection of different designs and patterns when the TV is not in use. Two voice command technologies (Alexa and Samsung’s own Bixby) also make it easy to voice command TV functions, ask for weather updates, and more. All of these features make it the best TV for bright rooms on our list.
#3 Samsung QN65Q6FN Best Sounding TV
Award: BEST REMOTE CONTROL
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best-sounding TV comes with a striking, bezel-less display and OneRemote for detection and control of compatible devices, making it a great choice for minimalists who want to reduce clutter.
- Minimalist bezel-less display
- Q Color technology for deep color range
- Smart home UX is very intuitive and responsive
- Not the best brightness levels
- Slight learning curve setting up Samsung SmartThings
This TV’s best feature is its picture quality, with blisteringly accurate colors using Q Color technology for more than one billion shades. Q Contrasts technology also creates outstanding depth with a high dynamic range, resulting in deeper blacks and purer whites. Ambient Mode also does an excellent job of blending in your TV with scenery using photo colleagues or at-a-glance info when not in use.
Its universal OneRemote is very responsible, detecting and connecting multiple compatible devices such as Blu-ray players and surround sound systems to minimize clutter. Kudos for the included SmartThings app, which shows all of your connected devices on the screen for easy toggling. For ease of use, we think it’s one of the best TV for seniors options on our list.
#4 Hisense 55H8G Sounding TV
Award: BEST VALUE
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best-sounding TV supports Dolby Vision and is equipped with Dolby Atmos sound, making it an excellent choice as a value home entertainment system away from the big names such as LG, Samsung, and Sony.
- Up to 700 nits brightness
- Built-in Alexa and Google Assistant
- Full array local dimming for superb contrast and brightness
- Viewing angles could be better
- No backlighting and clunky remote
The combination of Quantum Dot technology for 1 billion+ shade and Dolby Vision HDR support really creates a vivid and captivating picture across dark and light scenes. Arguably this 55-inch TV’s biggest strength is its brightness, with an up to 700 nit rating for increased light and deeper contrasts. Motion rate 240-image processing also works to provide no noticeable blur and low input lag for high-motion scenes like football scrimmages and UFC fights.
The Android TV platform is one of the smoothest, most responsive TV interfaces we’ve researched, cleanly presenting navigation in an icon-heavy format with responsive scrolling. Its remote has Google Assistant-enabled, making it easy to connect smart home devices and search for your favorite music and shows. All in all, we were very impressed with this best sounding TV’s combination of picture quality and user-friendliness. It’s one of the best TV for sports options on our list.
#5 LG OLED65E8PUA Best Sounding TV
Award: BEST FOR HEAVY STREAMERS
WHY WE LIKE IT: This TV features the α9 Intelligent Processor for a super smooth picture and the LG Magic Remote, which uses a pointer like a cursor to navigate menus – great for heavy streaming content watchers who want the easiest way to toggle menus.
- Dolby Atmos for 3D surround audio
- Amazon Alexa and Google Home compatible
- α9 processor for exceptional picture clarity
- Risk of image burn-in over time due to static images
This best sounding OLED TV leads with Dolby Atmos, which offers true surround sound. It also features a super sharp picture using its α9 processor for outstanding depth and a deep color palette. Combined with Pixel Level Dimming, it controls 8.3 million lit pixels for incredible picture detail, dimming and brightening individual parts of the screen for true color clarity. Kudos for supporting HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision formats.
We like the fact this best sound TV is Amazon Alexa and Google Home compatible, allowing for easy voice controls of playback functions and smart home devices. iTs LG Magic Remote is a true winner, using a pointer cursor to toggle menus – a neat contrast over pressing buttons to reach your favorite music and TV shows. It’s one of the best smart TV for streaming on this list.
#6 Samsung Series 7 RU7100 Best Sounding TV
Award: BEST CONTENT DISCOVERY
WHY WE LIKE IT: This incredible TV features Purcolor technology for a wide color palette and a Universal Guide, making it an excellent choice for people who want to discover new content based on what they watch.
- Intuitive Universal Guide discovers content
- Purcolor for deep color palette
- Three HDMI ports, two USB ports
- Does not support Dolby Vision; not a high brightness rating
- Remote could be more intuitive
- Shadow details not as pronounced; contrast could be better
Our thoughts on this best sounding TV are that it is sound, not stellar, across the board. Purcolor technology delivers millions of shades of color, and a 4K UHD Processor helps upscale non-HD content to near 4K – all at a shade below QLEDs and OLEDs with full-array local dimming and a host of other backlighting technologies for richer contrasts. This best sound TV also performs exceptionally well with fast-moving images using Motion Rate 120 technology.
Kudos to Samsung;’s SmartThings operating system, which uses a dashboard that integrates all of your smart home devices to control in one screen. It’s a perfect alternative to barking voice commands on a distant Echo Dot or Google Home devices in a larger home.
#7 Samsung UN55NU7100 Sounding TV
Award: BEST INTERFACE
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best-sounding TV is an entry-level performer with 4K LED resolution and the Samsung SmartThings platform for a responsive interface, a great choice for people who want to discover and find content easily.
- Excellent all-around bass
- HDR-ready for HDR10 format
- Three HDMI ports and two USB ports
- Not the brightest screen; only 60Hz refresh rate
- Not all viewing angles are created equal
- Does not include full-array local dimming
This best-sounding TV offers one of the cheapest budget options with a two-channel, 20-watt sound system that is filled with booming bass, – surprisingly agile for a value set. On-screen dialogue, motion effects, and louder sounds are heard crystal clear from different room spots, especially with low-end bass levels. All in all, we were very impressed with this best sounding TV’s bass quality.
In terms of display, it offers decent 4K HDR quality at the expense of edge-lit backlighting and a low brightness level, making it more watchable in darker rooms. Our favorite feature with this best sounding TV is the Samsung SmartThings platform, which intuitively lays out streaming content and a smart home device dashboard for all-in-one controls. It’s a nice choice for anyone looking for the best TV for bedrooms.
#8 Samsung Q9F Best Sounding TV
Award: BEST SUBWOOFER
WHY WE LIKE IT: Features a built-in subwoofer and 4.2CH audio system, which is great for people who enjoy deep bass without resorting to a soundbar.
- Ambient Mode blends with decor
- Bluetooth Headset Support works for quiet listening
- Excellent sound quality with built-in subwoofer
- Bixby voice assistant not as responsive as Alexa
- Does not support Dolby Vision
We love this best small TV for sound quality’s picture quality, leading with Full Array Elite backlighting for contrast optimization and Quantum Dot technology for a billion+ color palette, creating a more life-like and vivid picture. An Ambient Mode also converts your TV to a living, breathing wallpaper when not in use, displaying at-a-glance information or background music and screensavers.
This best-sounding TV is pretty good on the sound front, with 4.2CH speakers and a built-in woofer to dent the walls. TV Sound Connect and Bluetooth Headset Support are also enabled, making it great for partners to watch movies alongside a sleeping partner. All in all, its High Dynamic Range and sound quality make it a pretty well-rounded machine. If picture quality is a major concern, you might also like our best curved TV buying guide.
#9 LG OLED E9 Best Sounding TV
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best-sounding TV comes with an embedded soundbar and supports Dolby Atmos, an excellent choice for pure audiophiles looking for the best sound possible in a home theater.
- Dolby Atmos 3D audio
- LG’s α9 Gen 2 Intelligent Processor for outstanding color depth
- Built-in Alexa and Google Assistant for voice commands
- Permanent burn-in may be an issue
- QLED is brighter than OLED; better for dark rooms
This best sounding TV uses Dolby Atmos, which is a surround sound technology based on height channels or “object-based” to produce a more immersive sound effect. An embedded built-in speaker/soundbar really pops with great sounds. Separately, image clarity is on point, led by LG’s α9 Gen 2 Intelligent Processor and (8K HLG Pro, 4K Dolby Vision, 4K Technicolor HDR support) and 4-step noise reduction for exceptional picture quality and less distorted picture.
Kudos to its built-in Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows watchers to voice commands for playback functions to control smart home devices. Even Apple Airplay 2 is supported for streaming directly from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to your TV. All in all, we consider this unit as having the best TV sound for the hard of hearing. It’s a great option for anyone searching for the best HDR TV.
#10 LG 65SK8000PUA Best Sounding TV
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: This 4K Ultra HD best TV uses Dolby Atmos and runs on Dolby Vision, as well as HDR10 and HLG, great for users who regularly consume content supported by all three types.
- Nano Cell technology 1B+ shades
- Whopping 4 HDMI ports and 3 USB ports
- intuitive LG Magic Remote for easy content search
- So-so local dimming and brightness
- Saturated blacks; limited contrasts
Our favorite feature with this LED TV with the best sound quality is its Dolby Atmos integration, which bests surround sound with moving audio that resonates across different touchpoints in a room. Forest fires appear aimed at the floor, and crackling fireworks appear heard overhead, resulting in a more immersive audio experience.
This 65-inch TV with good built-in speakers really pops using Nano Cell technology, representing more than 1 billion colors for a rich color palette, and deep black/white levels excel across all viewing angles. Full-Array Dimming Pro also powers backlighting for on-screen optimization of color contrasts. All of the popular high-dynamic range formats are supported, including HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision. If you’re looking for something with better dimming, the best outdoor TV will have more options for you.
How We Decided
In determining the best sounding TV to buy, we explored performance display, sound quality, and smart features/interface.
Our preference is for the best sounding TVs to carry OLED or QLED screens, which quadruple the number of pixels of standard HDTV screens. They deploy an increased pixel count over traditional HDTV/1080p and are layered with technologies to increase color depth, shade quality, and similar settings (e.g. Pixel Contrast Boosters and Direct Full Array 16X). Kudos for a 120Hz native refresh rate, which creates an even better flowing picture with no blur on high-speed motion scenes, especially useful for gaming or watching sports.
Our favorite best-sounding TVs use Dolby Atmos, which beats surround sound with more targeting sound waves in different directions based on where the action is occurring on the screen. Flying bombs offer a three-dimensional effect of being heard overhead, a product of the technologies’ use of height leveling. All in all, it creates a more immersive TV-watching experience by placing you right in the action. Of course, if none of the options in our list are up to par for you, check out our buying guide for the best wireless surround sound to see if it fits your needs better.
Lastly, look to the best sounding TVs with an intuitive and easy-to-navigate menu system. We are big fans of the Roku TV platform, Samsung’s SmartHub, and LG’s webOS for this purpose, all of which offer built-in Alexa, Google Assistant, and voice-enabled remotes to find your favorite content a breeze. Or, if you prefer Apple TV as your streaming device of choice, we also have a guide on the best TV for Apple TV.
Best Sounding TV Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Performance/Display
Look for the best-sounding TVs from the top-tier TV brands with OLED or QLED screens.- QLED displays use Quantum Dot technology to produce 1 billion+ shades, for a wider and richer color gamut. Often, these screens are supplanted with layered technologies (e.g. Direct Full Array 16X technology for contrast optimization) or α7 GEN processor that works to render color accuracy in incredible detail.
- Remember to look for a minimum of 4k display, which quadruples the number of pixels of standard HDTV screens. Your 50-inch and high-end 70-inch TVs and larger TVs are mostly 4K with millions of pixels.
- Secondarily, look for a minimum 120Hz refresh rate, which helps produce no blur with high-motion images. This is especially useful for gaming and sports watching.
- Moreover, keep up with maintenance on your TV, not only with sound but with picture quality. And, if you experience cloudy output, read our guide on how to fix clouding on an LED TV.
- Sound Quality
Our preference is for the best sounding 4K, QLED, and OLED TVs to incorporate Dolby Atmos, which beats surround sound by adding height channels to give off the illusion of sound as a three-dimensional object.- Watch an on-screen bombing and feel as if overhead bombs are raining down.
- Moreover, you’ll have better sound if you understand the ARC on a TV and how to use it effectively.
- And, if you’re needing one of the top bedroom TVs for late-night moving watching, make sure you get a model with decent sound.
- Smart Features/Interface
Our favorite best-sounding TVs have intuitive smart TV operating platforms such as LG’s WebOS and Samsung’s SmartHub/SmartThings platform that allow you to discover and find new content with intuitively laid out navigation menus with clearly marked apps and universal guides. HDMI 2.1 ports, built-in Alexa, and Google Assistant even allow voice commands for playback functions to search, play, skip, fast forward, and more, in addition to controlling smart home devices.
Although, smart features aren’t for everyone. Some folks might still want a Blu-ray player over a Smart TV, as they can be easier to use.
