My wife wants one thing, and only one thing, from a new audio setup: she doesn't want to have the remote near her at all times to adjust 17 times over the course of a movie to hear dialog and not go deaf from explosions/action scenes. She doesn't care about the rest - surround sound vs 2.1, speaker vs soundbar (of which the answer s definitively speakers), passive vs active, etc. We are currently using TV speakers (yeah they are terrible), and have tried a JBL soundbar (meant as a temporary solution while we figure out the real solution) - both required constant use of the volume control mid-movie.
What would be the best chance we have at eliminating this problem? Our room is rectangular, so we would be farther from the front L/R speakers than the 2 speakers would be from themselves. I'm kinda hoping 2.1 or 3.1 would be better here (giving the center channel dialog lifting) so I don't have to run wires or plug in multiple speakers to an outlet behind us. But with the separation surround provides, perhaps that will help with the balance? Or maybe the sound balance in movies/TV are just so bad that this is something we have to live with? Maybe our options have just been so terrible so far that just getting a good 2.1 setup is the answer?
Is there a good source of info for this? I realize I'm coming in without much background knowledge, but I have previously relegated my knowledge to just headphones.
What would be the best chance we have at eliminating this problem? Our room is rectangular, so we would be farther from the front L/R speakers than the 2 speakers would be from themselves. I'm kinda hoping 2.1 or 3.1 would be better here (giving the center channel dialog lifting) so I don't have to run wires or plug in multiple speakers to an outlet behind us. But with the separation surround provides, perhaps that will help with the balance? Or maybe the sound balance in movies/TV are just so bad that this is something we have to live with? Maybe our options have just been so terrible so far that just getting a good 2.1 setup is the answer?
Is there a good source of info for this? I realize I'm coming in without much background knowledge, but I have previously relegated my knowledge to just headphones.