Are you tired of difficult to understand dialogues on your TV? Here's how to fix the problem once and for all

It’s become a ritual: Dimming the lights, settling into a movie or show, and immediately reaching for the rewind button when a key piece of dialogue lands with a garbled thud.

I’ve tested budget TVs, mid-range models, and high-end flagships, and I can tell you that no TV is immune to the problem of hard-to-hear dialogue – even the best TVs on the market. But if televisions are getting better and better, why is it still difficult to understand what the characters on the screen are saying?

The problem is pretty complicated, but depending on your setup the solution could be pretty simple.

Why is it so hard to hear dialogue on my TV?

(Image credit: Album / Alamy Stock Photo / Universal Pictures)

For some filmmakers (like filmmaker Christopher Nolan), soft, imperfect dialogue is more of a feature than a flaw. In addition to using notoriously loud IMAX film cameras for many of his most famous sequences, Nolan famously favors a natural soundscape without dialogue, carefully recorded in a studio and added back into the mix in post-production.

However, not every filmmaker is Christopher Nolan and films and shows this Do People using automated dialogue replacement (ADR) still occasionally suffer from incomprehensible dialogue or what appears to be a lot of mixed speech as in car crashes and explosions. So what else is going on?

I recently broke down how the rise of expensive theatrical television might explain why newer series on television look too dark. The same factors could contribute to the muted dialogue trend. Everything from on-set equipment (e.g. microphones) to post-production tools (e.g. audio mixing software) is now better than ever. Additionally, filmmakers blur the line between film and television, sometimes striving for a presentation more suited to a movie theater than your living room.

What can I do to hear dialogue better on my TV?

Most of us have no control over how television shows and films are shot, mixed and compressed Are There are a few things you can try to help you better understand what is being said when characters speak.

1. Change your TV’s audio preset

Most TVs – even the cheapest ones on the market – offer at least a few audio presets, similar to picture modes. Some of these presets may have names reminiscent of specific picture modes, such as the Hisense U8N’s Theater Audio mode.

On entry-level Samsung QLEDs like the Q60D, the options are a little more limited: Standard and Amplify (the latter is self-explanatory). You may even notice that one of your TV’s audio presets has a name that highlights clear (or improved) dialogue. For example, the U8N mentioned above offers a preset called Speech.

You’ll need to play around to find what works best in the acoustics of your living space. I always prefer presets with names like “Cinema,” “Theater,” or “Film,” but your utility may vary.

2. If you haven’t already, set your TV’s sound to stereo (or enable surround sound).

On a mid-range or high-end TV, you’re less likely to encounter a simple stereo setting. However, if you have a budget TV with a basic set of features, chances are that stereo audio isn’t yet enabled by default.

Look for a generic surround sound setting, either in addition to or instead of a stereo switch. Even if you rely on your TV’s built-in speakers, this setting could improve the TV’s sound somewhat. Years ago I owned an entry-level Vizio TV that sounded much better with the surround sound mode turned on.

3. Try additional audio settings if available

Some TVs (particularly higher-priced models) may provide you with a range of audio features designed to enhance your experience when using the TV’s built-in speakers. Many of these settings are specifically designed for dialogue that is difficult to hear.

Sony’s Voice Zoom 3 comes to mind, which isolates dialogue and allows you to control the volume independently from the rest of the audio. This setting can be found on both the Bravia 8 and the Bravia 9.

But even if you don’t own a more expensive TV like this, your TV may still have some audio-based tricks up its sleeve. There’s no voice zoom on the entry-level Bravia 3, for example, but Sony has still equipped this TV with audio settings that could improve dialogue clarity. There’s a surround effect, automatic volume control (which consistently levels the sound across different inputs), and even something called Dialog Enhancer.

The point is that no matter how basic or fancy your TV is, you may be stuck with audio settings that should be enabled or disabled depending on your preferences.

Subtitles can be activated quickly and are easy to get used to

Many of my friends and colleagues have embraced the subtitled lifestyle.

Many of my friends and colleagues have adopted the captioning lifestyle and will never go back. For one thing, the setting is relatively easy to activate and deactivate, regardless of the streaming service, cable provider or format. Subtitles are also a good option if you’re trying to keep the TV volume to a minimum (for example, at night while others are sleeping).

This is an obvious tip, but if you’ve experimented with every audio preset and exhausted all of your TV’s audio enhancements, you’ll be able to get through the explosive finale of “Tenet” with subtitles without waking up your spouse. (However, I can’t promise that understanding the dialogue will help the plot).

Choose a soundbar – you won’t regret it

Yamaha YAS-209 on TV stand with screen above

(Image credit: Yamaha)

These days, you don’t have to spend a lot to bring home a reliable, affordable soundbar, and if your TV doesn’t have top-notch onboard audio, even the most basic soundbars are an upgrade for your living room.

A major upgrade like this could make all the difference.

We loved our favorite budget soundbar, the Yamaha Yas-209, when it was available for $350. Currently, you can snag a Yamaha Yas-209 on Amazon for about $160. It is even equipped with a subwoofer for additional bass in the low frequency range.

If this model isn’t right for you, take a look at our guide to choosing the best soundbar. Bringing more devices into your living room may seem intimidating, but if you struggle to hear dialogue relatively frequently, a simple upgrade like this could make all the difference.

Are you tired of difficult to understand dialogues on your TV? Here’s how to fix the problem once and for all

Recent Posts