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The M-Series 5.1.2 builds on that experience, introducing a 6-inch subwoofer to the mix that adds the depth that bass-heavy tracks in music or action scenes in movies were missing. I did have to dial back the bass a bit at different points, mainly because it felt like the sub was trying to serve as the soundstage's star attraction. For the most part, though, it's a capable little woofer that fills out the lower frequencies well. Get the highest-quality audio from your sound bar with the included HDMI cable. With built-in Bluetooth, it’s easy to stream music, podcasts, and more from popular apps like Spotify, Pandora, and iHeartRadio.
The advantage to wiring the surrounds into the sub is that you’ll only need a single power cord in the back, plus the one up front for the main bar. After testing many soundbars and setting up a dedicated Dolby Atmos system, the price, quality and simplicity of the Vizio M512a-H6 stands out. It's short enough to easily fit in front of a TV without blocking the display.
Yes—dropped features aside, it's an unquestionable value
However, the bang-for-buck Atmos experience provided by the M-Series is a pretty good stand-in. There’s also a dedicated center channel to go with rear speakers, which combine to create immensely better performance when it comes to watching movies or TV shows. Dialogue doesn’t get lost in the action nearly as much as 2.1-channel setups, and the rear speakers add some excellent immersion that you won't find on many bars at this price.
A quality HDMI cable is enclosed as well along with the appropriate power cords for the bar and sub. Like many of its previous surround sound systems, Vizio’s M-Series 5.1.2 requires its rear speakers to be physically connected to the wireless subwoofer. This limits the sub's placement options, potentially barring it from sitting in the position that it would sound best in.
Vizio SB3651n-H46B-RB 36" 5.1 Sound Bar System - Certified Refurbished
Expand your entertainment experience with no strings attached. Low-profile surround speakers are volume-adjustable and can also be placed in front for a customizable 5.1 surround sound experience in any room. The overall balance and setup worked very well in my 400-square-foot room. The smaller subwoofer was a perfect match, and the surround speakers were in balance. My friends and I are all recent Formula 1 converts, thanks to Netflix’s Drive to Survive.
Despite being a few years old, the SB36512-F6 bar is an enticing alternative while you can still find it. Whichever path you choose, both of Vizio's entry-level 5.1.2-channel systems are a great way to dip into the wonders of Dolby Atmos on a budget. Third-party retailer data may not be based on actual sales. Add the products you would like to compare, and quickly determine which is best for your needs. Full-featured remote with comfort grip and easy to navigate. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation.
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It's also easier to keep free of dust than older Vizio models. The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time. App services featured here or on the included IR remote may not be available in all regions. VIZIO assumes no responsibility for such applications and content.
Compared to the SB36512-F6, the M-Series 5.1.2 didn’t change drastically in terms of dimensions. It is slightly taller and deeper, but these are similarly-sized soundbars at their core. The M-Series 5.1.2 does have a new aesthetic, however, and it’s a night-and-day difference in appeal.
Whether you are listening to movies with Dolby Atmos, gaming or watching surround-mixed shows on Netflix, the Vizio M Series 5.1.2 delivers amazing sound at an exceptional price. But the sharp edges of its rectangular design and the silver end caps, while being staples of the previous line of Vizio products, look dated. The M-Series sheds the boxy look for something more sleek and rounded, with darker end caps featuring the Vizio logo. A simple set of controls sit on top of the bar, while speaker grilles for the bar’s upfiring drivers flank both sides of the panel.
As a Marvel movie, it’s pretty much one battle scene after another. Though their formula is getting a bit repetitive, it’s still some of the best material around to demo a rockin’ sound system. The M-Series Elevate rocked for sure as CGI monsters and superheroes zipped around the screen defying the laws of physics. This relatively small sound bar and its accompanying sub and surrounds truly create a large soundscape that fills the room and makes the speakers completely disappear.
The thin black cables won’t be long enough for the biggest living rooms, but they worked fine in my medium-size testing room, and I like that they’re slim enough to fit beneath rugs. You won’t have to spend a ton of time finding an easy way to hide them if you hate cables. Though it seems minimalist at first, the M-Series Elevate Sound Bar and its remote offer a wealth of options to tweak the sound. I’ve already mentioned the Direct mode, but my favorite feature was the ability to use the extra width/height speakers for all content, not just Dolby Atmos.
The setup was quite easy, the subwoofer paired with no intervention on my part to the base. Comes with various connecting cables, I used the optical one to get sound from the TV. I'd have given 5 stars, except the setup of the Android app was quirky. I did get it to pair, after trying about 5 or 6 times, and I still don't know what actually made it work. Pairing from my phone to the base unit using "vanilla" Bluetooth was straightforward - read the manual as you have to push a button on the base at one point.
It is easy to hook up if you take time to follow the directions. I like it, sounds pretty good, as good as I'd expect, though I have no "high end" item I can compare it to. I like the fact that the subwoofer and attached rear satellite speakers don't need wires to the base bar unit, though the satellites are hard wired to the subwoofer.
While watching the Monaco Grand Prix, they noted how great the cars sounded when zooming behind their head, but it took them a second to realize it was happening. HDMI and eARC inputs send the highest-quality audio from your TV and allow you to conveniently control the sound bar with your TV remote. Every speaker features separate woofers and tweeters for stunning fidelity across the entire sound spectrum. Dedicated upward firing speakers project audio off your celling to fill your room with incredibly immersive 3D surround sound from above.
The eARC connection let me use the TV’s remote to adjust volume and mute the bar, and otherwise I just used the bar's buttons. Vizio’s latest $500 Dolby Atmos soundbar system does the same with surround sound. The M-Series 5.1.2 does everything I want, from rumbling my seat from John Wick's gunshots to whizzing engines behind my head during Formula 1 races, but it costs much less than most competitors. I didn’t need any of the mounting hardware to set up the M-Elevate Sound Bar at the front of my theater on a pair of low speaker stands.
It’s unfortunate to have to knock Vizio for this, since this soundbar packs so much value into a comparatively affordable package, but wired rear speakers for soundbars are a drag. To be fair, I did find myself boosting the levels of the height channels to give the bar the more pronounced Atmos effect that I was after. And, depending on the environment that the soundbar is working with (e.g., the height of your living room ceiling from which the speakers bounce the sound), your Atmos mileage may vary. But for the average person working on this kind of budget, the M-Series 5.1.2 is capable of delivering tangible 3D sound that most will appreciate. As far as sound goes, the M-Series 5.1.2 is money well spent. I previously enjoyed the M-Series AIO specifically for music, thanks to the detailed, distortion-free sound it produces.
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