Posted on 04/11/2012 7:03:20 AM PDT by pabianice
Wouldn't be surprising. For digital recordings, such as DVDs, the audio portion is significantly larger than the video (IIRC, 2-3 times for last one I looked at).
AVRs (Audio Video Receivers) can be had for $100-up (to the stratosphere), depending on features.
For me the sweet spot is an AVR with 5 channel output (including subwoofer), built-in Blu-Ray player and net access for video streaming, for about $450. I use only DVDs/Blurays, Netflix, and Blockbuster; no broadcast TV.
In my case, Samsung for both the TV and AVR.
I recently helped my father-in-law with exactly this issue. My solution was the Altec Lansing PT7031. It originally retailed for $600 but is now discontinued and can be had for $150 or less. Read about it here http://www.alteclansing.com/ae/us/archive-speakers-for-home/pt7031/invt/pt7031/&bklist=,type=icat%3E and one place to buy it is here http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/58-14930 . It sounds good and eliminates any need for an AV receiver (it has both digital and analog inputs). You can always add a subwoofer later. Unlike most sound bars out there it is very large and hefty.
If you tend to be picky, Bose is your buddy.
Modern TVs are built under the assumption they’re part of an “entertainment system”, which includes some sort of external speakers.
Go here and start reading:
http://reviews.cnet.com/home-audio/?tag=hdr;brandnav
Update: www.thingfling.com has it for $129.99 + $6 shipping.
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