TVs are becoming wireless surround sound hubs

These Sonos-like wireless audio platforms let you upgrade your TV's surround sound – and bass – simply by adding speakers wirelessly. Several competing solutions are emerging.

Audio can be liberated when you no longer need to run long cables across the living room to add, say, rear speakers to a bulky AV receiver. This is likely to lead to surround sound in many more living rooms around the world, given that the traditional solution of an AV receiver and wired speakers never went mainstream.

It is a case that FlatpanelsHD has been making to TV makers for many years, and they have been listening – at least to some extent. In recent years we have seen a series of launches where wireless audio is moving into the TV itself.


From soundbar to audio platform
Wireless rear speakers are of course nothing new. We have been able to connect them to a soundbar or AV receiver for years. Sonos in particular has been well ahead of the curve when it comes to building wireless surround sound around a soundbar.

What is new is that these wireless audio platforms are now moving into the TV itself, so you no longer need a soundbar or receiver as the hub. Speakers can be connected wirelessly directly to the TV – provided the devices are compatible.

Compatibility is likely to be the big talking point in the years ahead, as several TV makers have opted for solutions where only their own speakers can be connected wirelessly to the TV. That was not quite what we had in mind when we pushed manufacturers to embrace wireless audio...


Different wireless audio platforms
Samsung is betting on its own Q-Symphony system, while LG previously had its own Wowcast. Roku similarly has its own wireless link and Sony has just launched its proprietary Direct Connect for wireless surround.

There is also Apple, which has a proprietary wireless link between Apple TV 4K and HomePod, though AirPlay pairing from Apple TV 4K to wireless speakers works with AirPlay 2 speakers from any brand including Sonos – albeit with some limitations.


Google has also just launched its own proprietary wireless TV audio platform for Google TV, but for now it is limited to Google TV Streamer paired with Google Home Speakers. There is still no option to connect third-party Google Cast speakers wirelessly to Google TV.

Dolby has now entered the field with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, which has the potential to become a somewhat more open solution. So far, LG and TCL have embraced it in their newer Smart TVs, and you can connect up to four speakers and a subwoofer wirelessly to the TV. For now the speakers must be the same brand as the TV, but that is a choice rather than a technical constraint. FlexConnect already looks like a solution with more momentum behind it than DTS's equivalent Play-Fi platform, which Philips adopted before later dropping it.

 Also read: First impressions: LG's Dolby Atmos FlexConnect speakers

You can of course also connect Bluetooth speakers directly to most modern TVs, just as wireless headphones can be paired, but Bluetooth has very limited bandwidth, which means audio quality is low and only one set of external speakers can be connected at a time. There is also often signal latency. Bluetooth is unsuitable as a wireless audio platform for TVs.

Worth noting is that the external media player Sonos developed a few years ago was intended to include the company's wireless audio platform, eliminating the need for a soundbar. Unfortunately, the device never saw the light of day, and it remains unclear whether Sonos is still considering such a solution. In theory, the platform could be integrated directly into Smart TVs from partner brands, but that would be entirely up to Sonos.


Where is this heading?
The many recent introductions of wireless audio platforms for TVs show that manufactures have caught the scent of something promising, and the technology is maturing. In the demonstrations we have seen, the audio quality has been good and signal latency issues largely eliminated.

Dolby's FlexConnect in particular shows promise, as it can also virtualize audio channels in the room, providing greater flexibility in speaker placement. After all, it is rare to be able to position rear speakers in two ideal spots unless you have a dedicated home cinema.

Apple's AirPlay 2 solution is interesting because it allows you to mix brands. You can, for example, connect Bose, B&W or Sonos speakers with AirPlay 2 wirelessly to Apple TV 4K. The downside is that it requires Apple's box and it is not currently possible to set up a surround configuration – only stereo.

We have not yet found a perfect solution, but it is starting to take shape. If you have been dreaming of better sound without turning your living room into a cable mess, this is a trend worth keeping an eye on. FlatpanelsHD will keep you updated. The TV database will soon include information on what specific wireless audio platform a given TV model supports.