Silent TV, quiet speakers
March 27, 2016 6:21 PM   Subscribe

I want to buy I new TV and put it on the wall I share with my neighbor's bedroom. But I want to be a good neighbor, so I thought I would buy a TV and also buy wireless speakers, and then configure everything so sound only comes from the speakers (which would be close to the couch, and far from my neighbor's bedroom). So my question is, what should I buy?

I read this recent question, and it was full of good TV advice (I'm leaning towards this Sony TV), but before I buy I was hoping to get some speaker advice as well. I was imagining two speakers on end tables by the couch, but there are also "sound bars" out there apparently, which I could put on my coffee table. Most important things: no wires from speakers to TV, and no sound coming from the TV itself. Thanks!
posted by middlethird to Technology (7 answers total)
 
No sound coming from the tv itself is a standard feature when you use external speakers. You just have to navigate the options menus to disable the tv speakers.

If you want to go fully wireless you will need a tv and sound system that support bluetooth connectivity. I'm just going to warn you now that switching to a software solution in order to eliminate wires sometimes comes with problems. Your systems may need more frequent reboots and software updates can wreak havoc on your setup. Because I dealt with this when setting up my dad's system, I can't offer any specific recommendations because I am constantly wrestling with my parents' setup when they're living here for 6 months out of each year. The problems I experience most frequently are: no sound (requires hard reboot of everything, including cable box), stutter (reboot the soundbar), and audio mismatch (hard reboot everything). My parents' sound system is about 2 years old and was made by Sony, the same as their television. YMMV.
posted by xyzzy at 8:39 PM on March 27, 2016


Add wireless headphones to your options, there are some nifty but loud movies to submerge into.
posted by Freedomboy at 9:39 PM on March 27, 2016


Bluetooth has terrible latency. There is a system called APTX that's not bad. though.
posted by effugas at 9:58 PM on March 27, 2016 [1 favorite]


Coming to say what effugas said; Bluetooth latency can be material and annoying. I don't have a recommendation otherwise, but to the extent you can test listen to your setup, do so.
posted by AugustWest at 10:18 PM on March 27, 2016 [1 favorite]


Just my anecdata: We bought a cheap vizio soundbar with the built in sub and it's greatly increased sound quality and reduced that reverb-y humming that the TV speakers had with bassy sounds.

Now none of my stuff is mounted on the wall but I am in an apartment and our bed is against the wall that the tv is set by in the living room. Since getting the soundbar I haven't had a problem with hearing any tv noise when in bed if my husband is up- whereas before I would have to ask him to turn it down and I would still hear reverb even if you couldn't hear dialogue.

So +1 for soundbar or some sort of external speaker and try to avoid a separate subwoofer in an apartment. That said can you put them on a stand? Off the wall will help. We also use it hard wired. I wouldn't trust Bluetooth for anything more than when I randomly steam music to mine.
posted by Crystalinne at 12:35 AM on March 28, 2016


We use these wireless speakers in the bedroom to watch TV/movies when our daughter is sleeping, with one speaker on each side table. This model is a little cranky, with occasional static that requires pushing the RF channel button on the side of the speaker to reset the signal, but the solution works great. With the speakers turned inward toward the sitting area, even at a reasonable volume the sound is barely discernible while standing near the TV--your neighbors certainly won't hear anything.
posted by prinado at 9:31 AM on March 28, 2016


Just buy a soundbar, feed it from the digital audio out of the TV, put it on a piece of furniture that's under the TV so it's not touching the wall.
All other solutions are much more complicated.
posted by w0mbat at 11:53 AM on March 28, 2016


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