Panasonic TX-32AS600 Review - Sound and Conclusions Review
Sound and Conclusions
A mostly good 32-inch TV let down by a familiar flaw
Sections
- Page 1 Panasonic TX-32AS600 Review
- Page 2 Picture Quality Review
- Page 3 Sound and Conclusions Review
Panasonic TX-32AS600: Sound Quality
The 32AS600’s speakers are decent enough by 32-inch TV standards. Such TVs inevitably provide precious little breathing room for speakers to operate in, and you can hear this limitation in the rather thin, bass-light feeling to the 32AS600’s sound. It’s also apparent in the way the soundstage tends to just become harsher during action scenes rather than expanding to meet the challenge.
However, the mid-range is a little more wide and open than those of many small TVs, helping voices sound quite convincing and varied, and the set is able to achieve higher-than-average volume levels without distorting or ‘phutting’.
Other things to consider
Thanks to its carriage of Panasonic’s latest Smart Viera system, you can rather handily control the TV via the Panasonic Remote app for your smartphone or tablet.
This app supports track pad navigation (handy for some of the smart menus and integrated web browser), swipe controls, and features for sharing content easily and robustly between the TV and you smart devices.
The main remote you get with the TV isn’t bad actually, but we strongly recommend you give the smart option a whirl.
Any 32-inch TV has a good chance of becoming a video game monitor at some point. So it’s disappointing to find the 32AS600 serving up an input lag measurement of 66ms – high enough to slightly hamper your skills with games based on fast reactions (we generally hope for below 40ms).
One last point to include here is that we did feel that some of the smart features ran a little sluggishly at times, making us think that maybe Freetime in particular requires Quad Core rather than dual core technology.
Should I buy a Panasonic TX-32AS600?
If you’re mostly after a set for a bright room on which you’ll mostly just be watching daytime TV, then the 32AS600 is worth considering given its price and built-in Freetime functionality.
More ‘serious’ users wanting something they can watch films and play games on, though, might want to look elsewhere – something like the Samsung UE32H6200.
Verdict
The 32AS600’s smart features are excellent, practical and well-suited to second-room use, and its design is an exercise in space-saving efficiency. However, the inability of current IPS LED TVs to deliver a convincing native contrast performance strikes again, undermining what could otherwise have been a winning picture effort and compromising the TV’s appeal to film fans and gamers.
Next, check out our full range of £300-£600 TV Reviews.
How we test televisions
We test every TV we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Trusted Score
Score in detail
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Features 9
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Value 8
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Smart TV 9
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Image Quality 7
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Design 8
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Sound Quality 7