Forget Sky Glass! Panasonic reveals an awesome sounding new TV

If you thought the built-in soundbar that Sky Glass offers customers was a great idea, wait until you see what Panasonic is launching this year. The technology firm is renowned for making some of the best-sounding televisions on the planet and in 2022 it appears they are turning things up to 11!

The new LZ2000 has just been unveiled at the CES technology show in Las Vegas and it certainly sounds impressive.

Tucked under the OLED screen is a huge front-firing soundbar that runs across the entire width of the telly. It features a total of 14 speakers and should mean there’s no need to invest in any extra audio equipment.

But that’s not all as this gogglebox also gets upward-firing and side-firing speakers which are placed on the rear case to offer full 360-degree audio.

Panasonic is no stranger to featuring hugely impressive sound but the firm says that it has completely overhauled things this year to make the experience even more immersive. 

There are even different modes including “Pinpoint”, “Area” and “Spot” which can be used to suit all rooms and people’s specific tastes plus there’s the addition of something called Directional Sound.

This allows users to focus the sound. So parents with young children sleeping behind a wall on one side of the room can direct the sound away from them.

Another practical application is being able to boost the volume for a viewer who is hard of hearing but not for other viewers. Of course, most people want stunning visuals on their TV as well as epic sound and it appears that Panasonic has that covered.

The LZ2000’s OLED panel has been tuned by Hollywood pros to make sure it looks as good as it sounds. There are also advanced sensors that can detect the ambient room light colour temperature and adjust the picture to deliver a more natural experience when, for example, watching at nighttime.

Another bonus is something called Auto AI mode which auto-detects what type of content is being viewed. Things are then adapted accordingly to make sure things are set for the ultimate image.

Anyone who owns one of the latest consoles will also find a dedicated gaming mode called “Game Control Board”.

This collects all relevant game settings and information in one place and presents them as an overlay over the game.

The TV also supports 4K at 120fps making visuals look silky smooth plus a Dark Visibility Enhancer allows gamers to adjust the near black portion of dark scenes, making it easier to see the route forward or detect enemies hiding in the shadows.

Other features on the LZ2000 include voice controls and full access to all of the latest and most popular streaming applications such as Netflix.

It will be available in 55-, 65-, 77-inch sizes with full pricing and an official launch date coming soon.