On today ’s You Asked : How to get cinematic auditory sensation in an apartment without pissing off your neighbor , in - cap 7.1 surround versus 5.1.2 Atmos environs — which is better ? What ’s the best TV under $ 500 to buy this Black Friday ? And why do n’t more reviewers quiz TV tuners ?
Cinematic Sound in an Apartment
Doug writes : I have a great TV and love its picture but I also think sound recording is just as important for the whole motion-picture show - watch experience . However , I last in an flat , so the whole 5.1 , full - sized speaker thing is not really possible . Even a soundbar seems antisocial . So what are my options ?
I feel your pain . I used to pick specific apartment — sometimes a townhouse with a neighbour only on one side , and on the opposite side of my audio system — because I did n’t require to give up on having great - sounding euphony and movies in my space . I did tip over a few neighbors over the year . And , honestly , some apartments are build with rampart that are superthin or uninsulated , so even moderate sound shed blood through . It ’s passing hard to be an audio partizan in apartment and some condo spot .
I call up the in force answer is headphones . Granted , that ’s gon na mean a political party of one , so I ’d recommend a stand - alone soundbar with decent basso for find out with others . And when you really wanna crank it up , you employ the earphone rig . If it were me , I ’d get anApple television set 4Kand either theAirPods Pro 2or theAirPods Max . The spacial sound you get from that arrangement is spectacularly good . You could even wait into adding sea bass transducer under the cushion of your couch , though that buzzing could potentially nark others , too .
you may employ other wireless headphones , for sure . Actually , peradventure you get theSonos Ace headphoneswith aSonos Arc soundbarnow , or with aSonos Beam Gen. 2or aSonos Raylater this twelvemonth . That path you’re able to skip the Apple TV if you require and still get spacial audio in the headphone and a soundbar for listening and watching with others . Bluetooth phone can work , but there ’s often remand , and rarely any surroundings support . So , either the Apple TV and AirPods bundle , or the Sonos Ace headphones with one of those Sonos soundbars . The Arc works now , and the Beam and Ray will work with the Ace afterwards this year .
Ceiling 7.1 vs. 5.1.2 Atmos Surround
Chip Kiple wrote in excuse that he put a 7 - channel in - ceiling speaker system in his habitation when it was built in 2013 . He just got a 98 - column inch Sony X90L and is looking at getting a new receiver , too , which bring up the doubt of whether to use his speaker system of rules in a 7.1 configuration , or in a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos contour . And along with that , he was wondering what the immersive effect of Atmos might be like in his situation .
You do have a slightly tricky place going on here . Dolby Atmoseffects are intend to come from above . you’re able to accomplish this with in - cap speaker or , in some cases , bounciness sound off the ceiling with speakers train upward . Those Dolby Atmos channels — the .2 or .4 at the ending of a number string like 5.1.2 or 7.1.4 — cite to Dolby Atmos channels . you could have two or four of themdepending on your speaker configuration . But the important thing to realise here is that they are meant to avail complete a attic of sound . So , ideally , the other speakers in a Dolby Atmos organization would be at a low-down natural elevation in the room , firing at you .
Your situation is actually middling common . A mint of family choose to go with all in - ceiling speakers rather than a blending of in - bulwark speakers and in - ceiling , or a blend of floorstanding speakers and in - roof .
So you may imagine that with all of your loudspeaker system in the cap , you ’re going to rely on some acoustical hocus-pocus to make it seem like the front left , right , and substance channels are coming at you from the screen stage , as opposed to seeming like they come at you from the roof level . And the frame-up algorithmic program build into modern receivers today can help you attain that .
As for your billet , I see two selection . you may wire your speakers to your receiver as a stock 7.1 system , where you have front left , right , and center , plus “ side environment ” speaker and “ palisade back ” speakers . Or you’re able to electrify and plant it up as a 5.1.2 system , where you have front left veracious and center and your “ side surround ” speakers become Atmos speakers , leaving your rearward environment speaker to take on the roll of the side surround Speaker .
If I was establish this system , I ’d adjudicate both and decide which sounds better to me . That have in mind you ’re going to have to do a little work . You ’ll demand to move speaker wires on the back of the telephone receiver from one set of output to another , and then you ’ll involve to go into the receiver ’s loudspeaker system frame-up menu and make some adjustments .
When you know which you wish best , stick with that .
Best TV Under $500 for Black Friday
Brent Graves wrote in saying he ’d like to get a cheap 55 - inch television receiver for his garage . He ’s let a $ 500 budget and plans to buy around Black Friday .
Well , Brent , you’re able to do really well with $ 500 when you ’re appear at a 55 - inch size . I do n’t have a crystal ball here , but I do know that history tends to repeat itself . I see that the2023 TCL Q6is trade for $ 434 flop now , so I count the 2024 TCL Q6 will be down around that same monetary value come Black Friday . Also , the 2024 Hisense U7N will probably dip down below $ 500 by Black Friday . I ’d do some compare between those models to make your picking , and I will review both of those before Black Friday to help you decide .
Including TV Tuners in TV reviews
Scott M writes : These days , we have a lot of “ TV ” reviews , but they are really “ monitor ” reviews , as what really make them TVs ( radio ! ) is n’t ever discussed . With Nielsen referencing that nearly 23 million U.S. homes access gratis TV computer programing using digital antennas , do you think boob tube reviewer will ever test TV radio receiver establish into the sets in comparison to each other ?
I once lent a buddy a telly to employ until he could purchase his own ( I ’m just that variety of friend ) , and when we set up the TV he bought , we noticed that the goggle box he got did n’t pull in stations quite as well as the TV it replace . The television receiver tuner just was n’t quite as dear . I wish I could fold up this into TV reviews !
Here ’s the challenge I ’m run into : I have not figured out a way to objectively try out out a tuner ’s operation . Gettingthe veracious kind of antennafor your country is go to be a far more good way of pulling in communication channel than the unornamented strength of a tv set ’s radio set . And I ’d rather see masses prioritize hooey like movie quality and audio quality over wireless strength , andthenget an antenna that will work best for their area .
Will LCD/LED ever catch OLED?
Andrew K write : After multiple decade of LCD screens , couple with the fiscal backing of some of the largest tech companies in the world , why has n’t there been a discovery in the ability for the liquid crystals to fully lug out the backlight ? It seems that would greatly even the playing theatre of operations with other newer screen engineering such as OLED and Micro LED .
That ’s an interesting and valid question , Andrew . And while I miss inscrutable understanding of the science at playing period in a liquid crystal show , if scientists could follow up with a cost - effective agency to make the foundational function of a liquid quartz glass better , they ’d do it . I just do n’t see scientist going , “ Ya have sex what , LCD is deadening . Let ’s just make some other video display technology up so we do n’t get bored . ”
rather , I think what ’s happening is that the compound that we can use to make an LCD control board employment — or perhaps it ’s the very nature of a liquid watch crystal situation — are inherently limited when it comes to blocking luminousness . They ’ve twisted and twerked the LCD as much as they peradventure can . And we are where we are today because of that innovation .
At some point , it made horse sense to check test to get more milk out of a dry - up cow and move on to a different animal .
