JVC Procision LT-47X899 LCD HDTV Review - Audio

The JVC LT-47X899 does not offer the same simulated surround sound that some other TVs do, but since this is usually a gimmick anyways we don't consider it a major loss. The quality of the built-in speakers are adequate, but if you want a true cinematic experience you'll probably want to invest in some sort of speaker system.

Sound Quality (3.0)
The quality of the JVC LT-47X899's speakers is good for television speakers, which means they won't hold a candle to a dedicated surround sound setup. If you're not an audiophile, however, and you don't feel the need for that "real" cinema experience they will serve you quite well. You can even make some slight adjustments via the TV's MaxxAudio feature, which allows you to choose from several presets or make adjustments to bass, treble, etc on your own. In our tests we found that the presets did have a discernible effect on the sound, although whether it is better or worse is a personal judgment.

Surround Sound (0.0)
The JVC LT-47X899 does not have a simulated surround sound mode, which is probably to the best as we've not been impressed by the simulated surround sound on other TVs like the Panasonic TH-46PZ8OU or the Vizio VO47L.

Loudness (8.98)
The JVC LT-47X899's speakers were able to get up to 89.8 decibels. This should be quite loud enough for anyone, in fact it's quite deafening and we don't recommend you turn the volume up this loud on a regular basis, not unless you're sitting fifty feet away. The JVC LT-47X899 is actually several decibels louder than either the Panasonic TH-46PZ8OU or the Vizio VO47L. We measure loudness using a sound pressure meter from a range of five feet. We use a standard tone for this test.