We're looking for a basic 65" TV without gaming capability or other frills. The salespeople keep suggesting that we get a sound bar as well. What are your thoughts? Also, any ideas as to makes and models to look for or avoid would be appreciated. We've heard good things about Hi-Sense products, for what that's worth. Thanks for your help!

It depends on the quality of the speakers in the TV. Id buy the TV first and then the sound bar if you think it's needed. I didn't bother with my 75" TV as it sounded fine without it.
I have a Dolby 7.1 receiver on another TV that will find it's way over to this TV but haven't gotten around to moving it and doing cable runs all over again yet.

Im not a real big screen type guy with a 55 inch budget 4k but this one and my 43 inch units oem speakers are very sub par. One I have a nice sound bar on and the other a pc type speaker setup with a separate base box. I will say both my cheap sets can power both speaker systems well.

You didnt mention brand but im sure you could google it for overall sound quality out of the box.

IMO a soundbar is worth it, there are some nice low cost soundbars but again IMO why get a large TV and not get "large" sound too? Me I would get a soundbar and a small sub, it's amazing how it makes viewing a better experience especially some no commercial movies and shows. for what it's worth.

I second this. My wife bought one I claimed we didn't need, I can't watch TV without it now. Tv alone sounds flat and we have some brand new behemoth that I'm sure has good quality speakers as far as TV's go. Just gotta take time to have it setup properly.

Absolutely a soundbar is required...
For most HD displays they do very well for HD video performance of 4K....
But poorly for audio, as they have limited capability mainly due to lower amplifier power output, smaller drivers and limited enclosure space...

Just my $0.02... .

Have a sony, the sound quality sucks. Get the bar, I am certain they are designed for them

I think that the speakers on all the large flat screens are on the backside of the TV and they all sound muffled without a sound bar or a home theater type sound system.

At least that's my experience with them.

How old are you and how is your hearing ??

My hearing is shot, I need the sound cranked. Subsequently anyone in the vicinity wants the sound turned down. My wife and I can't watch TV together because it deafens her while I can't hear it. So I have sets of Sennheiser infrared headphones hooked up to each TV which I use while she listens to either the TV sound or through the stereo system.

I often consider a sound bar but without any base/treble adjustment (which most lack) it won't do anything for me, I really need the higher pitches cranked and the base turned down.

2 cents from an old, deaf guy !!

Required?

No, but it can be nice. Problem is finding one you like. Not like Best Buy has a bunch hooked up so you can listen to them and get an informed opinion.

And if they did they would not sound the same as your room.

There are a few sound bars that separate the dialog , enhance, clarify and amplify it so that it stands out. Sonos is one. There are a couple of other brands that claim similar capabilities as well.

This is correct. Speakers are not pointed in the right direction. I have 3 sound bars. One in my living room, garage, and race car trailer. It's nice for streaming music, where ever I am at from my phone.

And not only are the speakers pointed the wrong way but the flat screen tvs are too thin to have room for decent speakers. They probably use the same speakers as a cheap laptop computer.

I have a couple Samsung 55" units. One in my family room is connected to a 5.1 Marantz system for watching movies etc. The other hangs on a wall in our kitchen/dining area....I thought about a sound bar when we bought that and installed it but turns out the sound is more than adequate for its use. We have a couple smaller cheapy flat screens in other rooms and the sound on them is terrible. as far as what to buy....I really like the pic quality on the 2 Samsungs we have.

I have two different sound systems on our tv. Three if the tv speakers are counted, yet never use. I could have a total of 4 but don't.
For several years I used a computer gaming sub + L + R speaker that was plugged into the earphone jack and a separate onkyo av receiver through a separate sub, and hifi quality center L + R for movies, sports, etc. I tried two separate sound bars. The first given to me to try (for 15 minutes) was passed along as the sound sux'd. I now use an old bose sound bar for general viewing an a yamaha av with the same speakers previously used with the onkyo (thank you pge for power surge blowing the L channel amp).
If you have access to try a gaming speaker setup I think it worked very well and try a high quality sound bar I think for general viewing either will impress. Keep in mind most sound bars and even high end speaker systems have a certain "best" seating area.
For movies/sports sound step up to the AV receiver and hi fi quality speakers. I tried 7.1, 5.1 and for our home layout 3.1 is fine.
I should mention on the movies and sports, even if broadcast HD, or Satellite Dish or Cable some channels broadcast encoded signal. It's good to be sure that the equip you select can broadcars the formats.
When we watched the Basket Ball finals some games I played through the sound bar and others through the AV reveiver. Only on the AV receiver could I notice the crowd noise in the center and the announcers imaged from the tv location and the "slap or swoosh" of the ball hitting the backboard or the net correctly imaged left and right. I noticed it a little during sports and especially movies make good use of the technology i.e. planes or cars going by.

I had a 55 in Samsung and it needed a sound bar. As sound quality on it sucked in a large room. Its sin e been delagated to the patio and seems.......ok. with no sound bar

But have since upgraded to a 65in LG and the sound quality is much better. And doubt i will add a sound bar to it.

Mine had speakers but couldn’t go up high enough for me to hear so I had to get the sound bar with separate bass speaker acroos room. Tried hooking the tv up to my 12” stereo but wasn’t compatible.

I'm 63 and know my hearing isn't as good anymore (working in a Chrysler assembly plant didn't help) but my wife is 50 and she's thought the same thing about the sound quality of a flat screen TV.
The speakers point out the back on them and since our 50 in flat screen TV is in an amoire it really muffles the sound even more since it's harder for the sound to get out.
As others have already stated, the speakers on them are tiny and suck at sound quality.

Lots of affordable ones on amazon with tons of reviews. I'd buy there off reviews over best buy.