TVs aren’t known for their great out-of-the-box sound, but some panels have bucked that trend to incorporate a great all-in-one package using truly innovative designs—or with AI integrations. The Sony A95L, our pick for the best TV for sound, can use the whole screen as a speaker, delivering sound that punches well above the wattage of its internal speakers. Samsung’s 8K flagship, the Samsung QN900D, sounds equally impressive and offers 8K resolution support, too.
Most of the best TVs for sound are also some of the best TVs you can buy, but there are some great affordable offerings, too. The Hisense U6N is really impressive for its price and is a great choice if you want an all-in-one home entertainment system without spending four figures. Here’s how it stands up with the other best TVs for sound in 2024.
Best TV For Sound Overall: Sony A95L
Best Budget TV For Sound: Hisense U6N
Best OLED TV For Sound: Samsung S95D
Best Premium TV For Sound: Sony Bravia 9
Best 8K TV For Sound: Samsung QN900D 8K
Best Overall
Size: 65-inch | Type: QD-OLED | Resolution: 4K | Refresh rate: 120Hz | Operating system: Google TV | HDR: HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG | Sound: 2.2 Actuator sound system
Best for: Enjoying your favorite TV shows and movies at their best.
Pros:
Acoustic surface audio system uses the screen as a speaker
Supports XR 3D virtual surround
Incredible OLED picture quality
Cons:
The Sony A95L is one of the best TVs you can buy, period. But when it comes to sound, it is the best TV you can buy, period. It’s a flagship TV so it comes with core panel software, including Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG. With Sony’s top-tier visual processing, it showcases some of the best HDR of any TV out there, including sky-high brightness and deep, inky blacks for a nice contrast. And, of course, you can cloud game on the TV, for those that want to boot up some of the best PlayStation 5 games. But when it comes to audio, this TV really separates itself from the pack.
It features Sony’s excellent acoustic surface technology, whereby it uses actuators in the TV to use the screen itself as a speaker. There are two actuators, backed up by two subwoofers, which collectively contribute to the TV’s slightly thicker profile. The effect is impressive, delivering the kind of audio that you’d get from a mid-range subwoofer—without the need to add anything else to your home theater. It also comes with full support for Dolby Atmos and 3D virtual surround, and smart AI processing that ensures you always hear the dialogue in movies and shows. For those with custom A/V systems, this TV supports HDMI 2.1 for eARC connectivity, and its audio options are some of the best, letting you fine tune your sound for exactly how you like it.
Size: 65-inch | Type: Mini-LED |Resolution: 4K | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Operating system: Google TV | HDR: HDR10, HDR10+ | Sound: 2 x 10 speakers
Best for: Enjoying your favorite TV shows and movies on a budget.
Pros:
Supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual X decoding
Supports ARC
Incredible brightness and strong contrast
Cons:
Lacks powerful speakers of higher-end models
Lacks HDMI 2.1 and eARC
Limited to 60Hz refresh rate
You don’t typically get amazing sound from more budget-oriented TVs, but you can get good sound if you pick the right one. Take the Hisense U6N, the latest in Hisense’s iconic, budget-friendly panels that offer the kind of performance you typically only find in much more expensive models. The picture quality on the U6N is stellar, with high brightness, strong contrast and impressive dimming zones for a mini-LED TV. On the audio front, it has full support for Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual X decoding for spatial sound, and you can setup a powerful A/V system using ARC over the HDMI 2.0 connection if you wish.
Right out of the box, you get some impressive sound quality for such an affordable TV. The 10W speakers are much more powerful than the 8W models you see in most affordable TVs, and they can deliver some serious volume if turned up. You won’t get amazing bass response there, but there’s plenty of scope to improve the sound in the future if you want to.
Best for: Enjoying your favorite movies, shows and games on a huge screen with the power and beauty of OLED.
Pros:
Vibrant colors with a gorgeous picture
Voice assistant built-in
Supports Dolby Atmos and DTS
Cons:
For those seeking an OLED TV with gorgeous contrast and solid audio, you can’t go wrong with the Samsung S95D TV. Its default 70W4.2.2 speaker system is a major uplift over budget TVs. Plus, it supports Dolby Atmos and DTS, so you’re getting the latest audio software in this panel.
Elsewhere this TV is incredible bright, with a rich OLED picture, amazing gaming support and some of the best HDR you’ll find on any TV. Plus, it comes with Xbox cloud gaming in part thanks to the Samsung Gaming Hub, so you can game—no console required. During a hands-on, testing noted that its very responsive and the colors look beautiful on-screen. Plus, there are some smart improvements to the Samsung Tizen system that make for a more user-friendly, intuitive experience. It’s expensive, but there are few TVs that can do everything as well as the Samsung S95D. It’s great for movies, TV, gaming and just about anything else you can think of.
Best for: Enjoying the benefits of LED and OLED in one convenient package.
Pros:
Bright picture with vibrant colors
Powerful speaker configuration
Supports a range of audio enhancement features
Cons:
Lacks the ultra fast response of OLED
The Sony Bravia 9 is being hailed as the “OLED Killer,” by some, for the incredible advancements Sony has made in Mini-LED technology. This TV comes with a newly designed dimming engine and LED design, leading to a massive 4,000 nits brightness. It can get that high without any discernible blooming around bright elements on dark backgrounds thanks to an enhanced dimming build behind the screen. It’s this same build that can deliver a similar inky blackness to OLED TVs, whilse also offering the punchy brightness of Mini-LED. It has HDMI 2.1, all the main HDR modes, and fast refresh and response time for gaming.
It’s not quite as fast as OLED, but whether you’re gaming or watching movies, the sound right out of the box is stellar. It has a 2.2.2 speaker system, with a combined 70W of power which is orders of magnitude more than most TVs—even high end ones. It’s the world’s first TV with beam tweeters in the TV itself, giving you sound directly from the screen. Combine that with Sony’s powerful XR processor, technologies that enhance dialogue and subtle sound and general technologies like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and you have a TV that has to be heard to be believed.
Best for: Future-proofing your cinematic experience for years to come.
Pros:
Gorgeous visuals
Future-proof display with incredible detail
Strong speaker setup
Cons:
Overkill for casual homes
Very expensive compared to 4K models
The Samsung QN900D is the latest and greatest in Samsung’s 8K flagship TVs and it sports just about every high-end Mini-LED feature you could imagine. The picture on this TV is incredibly bright, with fantastic detail thanks to its 8K resolution—even in upscaled content. It has rich colors and the powerful processor makes it super fast for gaming, and it supports variable refresh rates (up to 240Hz at lower resolutions) with a snappy response time. The audio right out of the box is super impressivetoo, with a 6.2.4 speaker setup, and a full 90W of power, which you won’t find on any other high-end TV.
It supports Dolby Atmos and object tracking sound, for immersive audio in movies, TV shows and games, and there’s an amplification mode for highlighting dialogue in movies. During testing, consumer tech editor Rebecca Isaacs stored her own soundbar in favor of the audio this TV could produce. If you want to expand it in the future too, there’s Q Symphony technology, which helps you use the TV’s sound with external soundbars and/or speakers for a more impressive audio experience. This model is the 65-inch version, but it’s also one of the best 85-inch TVs if you’re willing to pay for it.
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
The Forbes Vetted tech team has years of experience writing about a broad range of consumer electronics and have the background and expertise to help you make the best buying decisions possible. In particular, this story was written by contributor Jon Martindale and tech editor Rebecca Isaacs.
Jon Martindale is a regular Forbes Vetted contributor who has been writing about tech for nearly two decades. He has bylines in digital publications including Digital Trends and PCWorld, and formerly ran his own PC hardware review website.
He has written extensively about TVs, including sharing insight on the best TVs, TVs for bright rooms, outdoor TVs and more.
The tech section is overseen by tech editor Rebecca Isaacs. She is a home entertainment expert who has personally tested plenty of panels including going hands-on with a slew of gaming TVs.
She has extensive experience going hands-on with most of the devices on this list, including the Samsung QN900D 8K and the Samsung S95D.
How We Chose The Best TVs For Sound
Here at Forbes Vetted, when we’re not working, we’re gaming and streaming on our TVs. We are experts in the home entertainment area and we love sharing hands-on insights and give you a better picture as to what TV is best for your home.
We combed through the major retailers including Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense, TCL and more to narrow down our options.
From there, we carefully conducted robust research and interviewed tech analysts, diving into the latest technology in panels and what you should be considering when buying a great TV for sound. We also combed through real customer reviews to compare the perks and quirks of each TV.
We also jumped heads-first into testing many of these panels, including the Samsung QN900D 8K, and we used our impressions during briefings and hands-on experience with panels like the Sony Bravia 9 like the to inform our choices of the latest and greatest. In fact, tech editor Rebecca Isaacs, who spearheads the vertical, has rigorously tested many of the TVs on this list.
We carefully evaluated each TV’s resolution, refresh rate, display type, smart features and more to compile our list of the TVs for sound on the market today.