My parents started out with a cheap HTiB, but complained that they couldn't hear the dialog clearly. I replaced it with a nice pair of Athena F1s and an Onkyo receiver. They liked how the music sounded, but still complained about the dialog. This weekend, I tried switching to the built-in speakers in the TV (a 27" SD Philips, about $250 when new 7 years ago.) Now they say that the dialog is clear, and prefer it to both of the other options.
Proof that being an audiophile is
not genetic!