Panasonic Viera TX-L32S10 review

A basic spec and low price make for a decent, cheap 32-inch LCD TV

Panasonic Viera TX-L32S10
The Panasonic Viera TX-L32S10 is a great entry-level 32-inch LCD TV

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Panasonic viera tx-l32s10

While its performance is marginally better than most, the TX-L32S10B's underslung speakers lack any kind of panache – and certainly nowhere near enough for this to be considered a suitable all-in-one home cinema screen. That's hardly an unusual criticism of a flatscreen TV these days, yet this one has less of an excuse.

It's not a super-slim set, yet the designers have failed to exploit its extra girth – the speakers used are as underpowered as you'll find on skinny sets. Not that Panasonic hasn't tried to improve things, but some special sound options unfortunately don't help.

Sound settings

In addition to a standard mode, the TX-L32S10B features V-Audio, which boosts treble detail. It gives a slight lift to dialogue, but it's far too bright for music and doesn't exactly restore the rumble to movie soundtracks.

For Panasonic's attempt to create the illusion of 5.1 cinema, flick on V-Audio Surround using the dedicated button on the remote. Or, rather, don't. The sought-after 5.1 home cinema effect remains completely absent despite a more 3D feel.

Meanwhile, voices suddenly become bassier and far less prominent in the mix; there may be the odd sound effect or two that seems to come from the side, but the high cost is a mid-range mumble. Movies might be a struggle, but TV is acceptable.

Bottom firing and practically invisible, the TX-L32S10B's speakers are just about OK for everyday TV viewing duties, but there's simply not enough width, clarity or bass for anything more demanding.

For those who think sound quality is just as important as pictures and certainly more important than slimness, the TX-L32S10B isn't the answer. As usual, the solution is to invest in a decent soundbar or, better still, a 5.1 home cinema system.

Jamie Carter

Jamie is a freelance tech, travel and space journalist based in the UK. He’s been writing regularly for Techradar since it was launched in 2008 and also writes regularly for Forbes, The Telegraph, the South China Morning Post, Sky & Telescope and the Sky At Night magazine as well as other Future titles T3, Digital Camera World, All About Space and Space.com. He also edits two of his own websites, TravGear.com and WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com that reflect his obsession with travel gear and solar eclipse travel. He is the author of A Stargazing Program For Beginners (Springer, 2015),