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A lot of the best improvements for TV audio come from sound treating your space, rather than setting up fancy speakers and soundbars. And don't worry, you don't have to spend a fortune on professional soundproofing.
You'll be able to get a little more out of your TV speakers with things you already have on hand, or can get for fairly cheap. Your TV may also be hiding a few menu settings that can help you push your sound quality even further.
Also: Why TVs look bright and vibrant in stores, but dull in your living room
To help you curate the best space for creating clean, rich sound, I've put together a list of simple hacks that don't necessarily require you to open your wallet.
Soft materials and surfaces
Sound waves love to bounce off hard surfaces like walls, floors, and ceilings. This can cause annoying echoes, tinny-sounding music and dialogue, and generally muddled audio as sound waves move around the room and crash into one another. Thankfully, you can easily combat this simply by filling the room with your favorite furniture and decorations -- preferably made of soft materials.
Cloth, leather, and other fabrics absorb sound, rather than reflect it, helping reduce the number of sound waves bouncing around the room. Couches, rugs, throw pillows, and blankets can all play a vital part in your home theater or living room acoustics. Even canvas art on the walls can help absorb sound.
With just a little rearranging in your house or apartment, you can massively improve your TV audio for free.
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