Modest two speaker setup for bedroom

[insomniac2587]

Hi all,

New member here with a question about a cheap and (hopefully) easy speaker setup. My girlfriend and I have an apartment together in the city and have recently turned the bedroom into something of a cozy movie-watching environment.

We've been using a Samsung Blu-Ray player and a 18 1/2" Sharp LCD TV. It's been working well enough, except for the fact that the TV's speakers really aren't cutting it given the distance. Thus, I'm looking into speakers.

I don't want to go all out with a 5.1 setup, but rather, was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for a simple two-speaker setup we could use. I figure this would involve using a left and right rear speakers, which I would think to mount above the bed.

The TV itself as a basic R/L audio input, as pictured:

Any suggestions on a cheap but decent two-speaker setup?

Much thanks,
Kyle

 

[Adam]

Hi, Kyle. You mention that the TV has a R/L audio input. Does it also have an audio output? The output is what you'll need to send a signal to an external audio system.

There are many options available. From "regular" speakers with a receiver or amplifier, to PC speaker systems. What is your desired budget for this? Also, do you need the speakers to be wireless?

 

[MidnightSensi]

Why not have the speakers on the left and right of the TV (in front)? It will save you from running wires to the back, and also make the quality a lot better. Watching someone talk from the front and hearing it from the back could be sort of strange.

 

[insomniac2587]

Adam: I appreciate the quick response! The TV does indeed have an optical output, which I know is more or less the standard these days. Ideally, I'd like to find a good deal at $40/50, but can imagine what I'm looking for might logically start at $100. Wireless is certainly a possibility too.

MidnightSensi: I would consider that -- I just figured mounted speakers at the back of the room would make it easiest to hear, since low volume seems to be our problem. Any speaker suggestions?

 

[fredk]

Actually, its not low volume, but clarity/detail that is your problem. Most TVs just don't have very good speakers.

With good speakers, you will find it much easier to understand dialog.

Given your budget, I would look into the used market. There are a couple of threads here on good bookshelf speakers in certain price categories. If you do a search on bookshelf in the subject/title, those threads will show up. Read through those and come back with questions.

You really do want the speakers up by the TV so that the dialog is anchored to the screen.

 

[KRAZYxKLOWNx]

Hey bro, the budget thing is all well and understandable but if you want something that cheap you might as well go out and buy a normal hi-fi tower stereo from K-Mart which will do what $100 is supposed to do. If you are even the slightest movie enthusiast just save some money and buy nothing less than a pair of bookshelf speakers and a receiver to go along with it. If you would like a great little surround sound package for around $400 full 5.1 set up with receiver included try the Yamaha YHT-195 its a great little unit for the price and i still have in my own bed room. For such a compact system it sure shakes the neighbors walls! Hope this helped

 

[jostenmeat]

Easy and cheap could be a pair of self powered studio monitors. Check out Behringer and KRK. Problem could be to control volume: ya gotta get up, unless TV has special feature to be able to control volume output.

Cheap stereo receiver can be found with Sherwood. Search it here, msrp is $100, but its fallen to as low as $60 recently. Then the monitors don't even need to be self powered.

 

[no. 5]

Problem could be to control volume: ya gotta get up, unless TV has special feature to be able to control volume output.

My friend has an older Sharp Aquos and its audio output can be set to 'variable', so maybe the OP got lucky and Sharp kept that feature.

 

[allargon]

I know you said you wanted two speakers, but what about 2.1? Will a sub cause problems for you with other neighbors?

 

[dgshtav]

I think powered THX certified multimedia speakers would be a good fit for your requirements.