Most smaller TVs have a headphone jack, into which you can plug any set of powered PC speakers. If you feel the same way about your TV, there may be an easy and affordable fix. (Come to think of it, a lot of midrange and higher-end TVs sound pretty crummy, too.)įor example, not long ago I grabbed a 24-inch Vizio HDTV for the bedroom, and while I love the razor-sharp picture and built-in Internet goodies (Netflix, Pandora, and so on), the speakers make my ears cry.

It's pretty easy to score a great deal on a TV these days, but most of the lower-end and bargain-basement models have one thing in common: rotten speakers. Even a cheap pair of PC speakers can make a huge difference in the quality of your TV audio.