One of the big problem with these fancy modern flat screen TVs is the fact that the speakers invariably point to the back of the set because they don’t have space to place them on the front. It makes the TV look very elegant, but unfortunately it can also play havoc with the sound quality, which is why sales of aftermarket addon speakers are booming (!).

A large part of the problem is not volume, but the fact that the sound becomes more muffled, especially dialog and even more so when placed alongside loud action sequences in movies and such. This Voice Clarifying TV Speaker is designed to amplify the frequencies associated with human speech while leaving the rest alone.

The device uses digital technology to separate the different sound, and works via an infrared transmitter which attaches to the television’s sound output socket and beams the sound to the speaker. This means you can position the speaker anywhere in the room to optimize the results, and it’s also rather cool that the speaker has a headphone port and volume control for even more (selfish) clarity. Priced at $199.95.