Better sound for a TV?

We just bought a SAMSUNG 32" led TV for my "den/office/cave)
The last TV that we bought was a VISIO 37 for the bedroom its an LCD.
You know how you look at TV's in trhe store and they seem so sharp, then when you get it home (even the HD) doesn't seem that great.
Well the SAMSUNG is incredible, maybe it's just the LED but even old movies are super sharp....
Holy S**T...however the sound is not that great, on any of our TV's.
What would be the least expensive, say $150(?) way to get "descent" sound from it...I'm not looking for "blow your clothes off", just a little better, would be nic if it hooks up easily. Getting the new set to work wirelessly(?) on our UVERSE took 45 minutes on the phone

 

Flat screens cannot produce the same sound as the old tube TVs due to such a small space for the speakers and essentially what is a resonance chamber on the tube TVs.

If you don't want to go with a traditional surround sound system you might try a sound bar.

 

Go on Newegg or Amazon. Get a set of Dolby Digital 2.0 speakers (the older, cheaper kind; you really don't need surround unless you're willing to fork out the money for it). If necessary get an audio converter cable from Walmart, then plug into the red and white ports on your TV.

 

The biggest bang for bucks I've found is ebay. Recently I bought a Denon ADV71 amp (for £16) and a Sony NX1 system (£11) both spares or repairs. Neither of their DVD/CD drives worked - not a problem as I have a Blueray player that does -combining the speakers from the Sony with the Denon amp has left me with a sound which can not only blow your socks off but sounds better than any set up I've heard.
The Denon has Dolby Virtual Surround from two speakers (a worlds first) and a dedicated dolby surround headphone amplifier (another worlds first), and the Sony speakers are the best I've heard since I used to be into high end hifi.
Retail for the two systems new was around £1800 and it sounds like it too, old stuff this good gets almost thrown away nowadays.

 

I would go for a 2.1 soundbar system with a subwoofer. You can get them pretty cheap (definitely under 150) at any big box store.

Also, check out cnet.com for reviews

 

Bang for the buck and ease of setup? Get a name brand soundbar with subwoofer. Will improve your sound like whoah.

A good example is the Philips CSS2123/F7 SoundBar on Amazon. Look it up.


If you want to go for something a bit more complex, there are about a million options out there.

 

37" TV, good sound for the price, easy to hook up, and compact since it's going in your bedroom and not a home theater? You're looking for the Vizio VSB200 Amazon.com: VIZIO VSB200 Universal HD Sound Bar: Electronics

You may want to browse through the AVS Forum thread on it, its big drawback is that a lot of UVerse remotes don't have a code that will control it.
Vizio VSB200 Soundbar

If you're willing to bump your budget up to $225 (or for anyone else browsing who is looking to spend a bit more,) the Sony CT-150 is a solid choice and comes with a subwoofer
Amazon.com: Sony HT-CT150 3D Sound Bar System: Electronics

 

HDMI Cable, Home Theater Accessories, HDMI Products, Cables, Adapters, Video/Audio Switch, Networking, USB, Firewire, Printer Toner, and more!

Monoprice is the place to get AV cables and basic equipment. I don't know if you are looking to keep it really simple or do in-wall speakers. Also a simple receiver and speakers can really shake the room.

 

I bought a pair of in-wall speakers from Monoprice for an installation at work. They're decent for $40 but I'd still go with the Vizio soundbar I recommended if you're doing more than making announcements and playing elevator music. The bass is as good as you'll get from a 5 1/4" cone, but either the tweeters or the crossovers are crap. Everything over 400hz or so is muffled.