You have an older TV in your living room, guest room, or bedroom. Maybe it’s an early-generation model from a decade ago, or maybe it’s an old, reliable tube TV that you just haven't felt the need to replace. It works perfectly fine for watching your shows, but there is one massive problem: you can't hear a word anyone is saying.
As we age, our ears naturally struggle to pick up high-frequency consonant sounds, making TV dialogue sound muddy. Combine that with the basic speakers built into older TVs, and you've got a recipe for constant rewinding and heavy closed-caption use.
You might think the solution is to buy a standard modern soundbar. But here is the catch: most modern soundbars require an "HDMI-ARC" or "eARC" port—something older TVs simply do not have.
If you want to upgrade your older TV's audio to get crystal-clear dialogue, you need a speaker that uses traditional, universal connection ports (like a headphone jack, RCA cables, or standard Optical) but features cutting-edge internal audio processing. That is exactly where the ZVOX AV157 and ZVOX AV100 AccuVoice TV speakers come in.
Why Your Old TV Can't Handle Modern Audio
Older televisions simply weren't built to handle the complex, heavily-layered audio mixes of modern shows and movies. Decades ago, TV shows were mixed with the dialogue front-and-center. Today, movies and shows are mixed for massive home theater systems, meaning the dialogue gets buried under loud background music and booming sound effects.
Standard, cheap soundbars just amplify this muddy audio—making the explosions louder, but leaving the voices buried. Worse, if your TV doesn't have an HDMI ARC port, most of those new soundbars won't even plug into your TV.
ZVOX approaches the problem differently. Built with patented AccuVoice technology, ZVOX soundbars use algorithms inspired by hearing aids to physically separate the voices from the rest of the soundtrack and push them forward into the room. Best of all, they connect to older TVs using simple, traditional cables—no HDMI required.
Here is a look at the two best upgrades to breathe new life into an older television.
Option 1: The Living Room Upgrade — ZVOX AV157
If you are upgrading your main viewing TV, the AV157 is the ultimate problem solver. At just 17 inches wide, it fits easily in front of almost any TV stand.
-
Unmatched Dialogue Clarity: The AV157 features an incredible 12 levels of voice boost. It includes 6 levels of standard AccuVoice to lift dialogue, plus 6 levels of the new "SuperVoice" technology, which actively suppresses distracting background noises so you can focus on the words.
-
Tames Loud Commercials: Older TVs don't have built-in audio normalization. The AV157 features Output Leveling (OL) technology that automatically turns down jarring, loud commercials and boosts quiet scenes, saving you from constantly grabbing the remote.
-
Universal Connections: The AV157 comes with an optical digital cable, a 3.5mm analog cable, and an RCA to 3.5mm cable, ensuring it will plug directly into the "Audio Out" or headphone jack of virtually any older television.
Option 2: The Bedroom/Small TV Upgrade — ZVOX AV100
If you have an older, smaller TV in a bedroom, kitchen, or office, a full-sized soundbar looks ridiculous. The ZVOX AV100 is the world's smallest home theater system, coming in at just 10 inches wide and weighing under a single pound.
-
Powerful Processing in a Tiny Box: Don't let the size fool you. It still packs 6 distinct levels of AccuVoice dialogue boost and PhaseCue virtual surround sound.
-
Easy Analog/Digital Connection: It utilizes a single 3.5mm combination analog/digital port. Whether your older TV has a standard headphone jack or basic red-and-white RCA audio outputs, this little speaker will connect seamlessly.
-
Clear Audio, Less Clutter: It features two high-output speakers and a passive radiator for surprisingly rich sound, ensuring late-night viewing is perfectly clear without needing to blast the volume and wake up the house.
Which AccuVoice Speaker is Right for Your Old TV?
| Feature | ZVOX AV157 (The Living Room Fix) | ZVOX AV100 (The Compact Fix) |
| Size | 17" Wide (2.8 lbs) | 10" Wide (Under 1 lb) |
| Dialogue Boost | 12 Levels (Includes SuperVoice) | 6 Levels (Standard AccuVoice) |
| Output Leveling (Commercial Taming) | Yes | No |
| Connections for Older TVs | Optical, 3.5mm Analog, RCA | 3.5mm Combo (Analog/Optical), RCA |
| Remote Control | Yes (Large buttons, easy to read) | Yes (Large buttons, easy to read) |
Give Your Old TV a New Voice
You don't need to throw out a perfectly good, reliable TV just because the built-in speakers are showing their age or you can't hear the dialogue anymore. By upgrading to a ZVOX AccuVoice soundbar, you can bypass the complex receivers and HDMI headaches, turn off the closed captions, and finally hear every single word.
