Ghetto Modding TV Speakers (well, sort of)
 

As well all know modern TVs have terrible sound. The built in speakers are too small, they have no tweeters and they have no proper enclosures so they vent out the back of the TV. Meaning the result is poor volume, tinny sound, and no bass and no treble. Most point downwards as well so that ruins any ability to produce decent stereo/spatial effects.

What do you do? You buy a A/V amp, Sound bar or whatever. Anything makes it sound better. Now with a big TV that's fine HDMI-CEC usually means you can turn on/off the amplifier and adjust volume with the original TV remote, so no multiple remote controls (usually).

BUT what about the small 19" TV in the kitchen? It has no HDMI-CEC so you'd need a second remote to adjust the volume, a A/V is overkill and sound bars are too wide/big. There is of course PC speakers, but again there is no solution to turn them on/off other than a manual switch.

What to do? Replace the TV's speakers!

In my case with my TV (19LG300) I had a spare set of Wharfedale DX1s, so disconnected the internal speakers exntended the wires that fed them with some thin cable and threaded them out the vents and connected up the Wharfedales.

The end result, gobsmacking. You'd think the TV would have a weedy amplfier that would complain if pushed hard. Turn outs no it doesn't. It has Bass (well, as much as a pair of DX1s can accomplish) AND it has volume. Crank it up louder and louder and it just keeps delivering. Better treble, better stereo imaging, quite remarkable.

You see this TV, like most probably has a class D amplifier, very efficient and fairly powerful, so little wonder it can deliver. Ok its probably 10watts, but 10watts into a decent speaker enclosure goes a long way.

Anyhoo, pics enclosed. Thought it be of interest, although I'm not sure if hooking up £70 worth of speakers is exactly a "ghetto" mod. But it does mean no messing about with extra remotes or soundbars.

The end result ( crappy iphone shots, hence two pics):
https://www.scoobynet.com/picture.ph...ictureid=26315
https://www.scoobynet.com/picture.ph...ictureid=26316

Rear view:
https://www.scoobynet.com/picture.ph...ictureid=26317

The tiny one-way internal speakers, pointing downwards away from the listener with no enclosure (basically an backed open dipole arrangement - always poor for bass unless you have 1 megawatt of PA system and 20" woofers ;) ):
https://www.scoobynet.com/picture.ph...ictureid=26318


PS. I will not be held resposnible if you f**k up your TV by doing this. But mines been like this for a month and so far so good :cool:

Nice job :lol1: Think I would have mounted a couple of speaker terminals on the back though :D

What is the impedance of the internal speakers?

4ohms

I may put some terminals on the back of the TV at a later date along with a switch to enable/disable the internal speakers, but its pretty tight on space inside there. At the time I didn't know how well it was going to work. :cool:

No likelihood of overheating the amps then :)

Shouldn't think so. Class D amps (Tripaths etc.) usually just cut out when overloaded/overheating as its a single chip amplifier.

The biggest issue will be the TV's main powersupply, but time will tell. :)

Brilliant mod and makes you wonder why TV manufacturers don't do this as amatter of course (terminals on the back and a switch)

Most TV's used to have a pair of speaker sockets on the back, the old spade and pin type, they mostly don't bother as many buy a home cinema amp these days so a SPDIF socket is usually more appropriate.

Yep our old CRT TVs in the lounge used to have have spring terminals on the back for external speakers. Built in subwoofer, and 5.1 surround. Even the early first gen plasmas has proper speaker enclosures and sub woofer outputs (but they did cost over five grand, so you'd expect it).

Portable TVs never really needed it, as the sound was always adequate, even if it was mono. Just LCDs today have just gone too far downhill sound-wise and for me its unacceptable even on a 19" LCD.

Indeed, it was a lot easier to put decent speakers in a huge box, not so easy in a flat screen.

Can't be having your enjoyment of Jeremy Kyle ruined by poor sound quality, Al. :D

I struggle understanding what most of the guests say as it is :lol1: