The laws of physics make it difficult to get powerful sound from modern TVs. In pursuing wafer-thin, flat-screen superiority, speakers have shrunk and migrated from their logical position on the front face to the rear of TVs, or underneath, or wherever they can be crammed in.
Large speakers that face forward will always be clearer and louder than tiny speakers pointing in another direction. Unsurprisingly, these diminished drivers don’t pack much in the way of dynamic punch or range.
Manufacturers have tried, with varying degrees of success, to enhance the audio coming out of their televisions. Still, if you want to improve TV audio, you need a separate speaker designed for that purpose.
You could go down the route of building a dedicated surround sound system or adding powered desktop speakers. Still, these options aren’t always practical or desirable for many households, which is why the soundbar was invented.
Soundbars are slim speaker systems with drivers positioned side by side that are designed to slot underneath your TV or to be fitted neatly to the wall. With front-facing drivers, even basic, budget soundbars will typically offer more direct and clear audio than a TV several times its price.