With the release of Vizio’s M-Series, the soundbars seem too good to be true as the specs and functions of these All-in-One soundbars are impossible to pass on with a highly affordable price. Equipped with most of the essential functions and more additional tweaks to it, there are almost no competitors that can rival its price and functions in the market.
Forged as a soundbar based on budget and has all-in-one functions, Vizio’s new M-Series 2.1-channel bar wasn’t meant to cause a surge in the world. In fact, the soundbar itself is user-friendly and produces great audio quality. With a price as low as 129.99 after a $20 discount, The M-Series All-in-One (AIO) is the ideal device to merge compact and quality together. Of course, it isn’t the best in the world, but it does its job quite well, along with a few weaknesses here and there.
So, to determine if the soundbar is really as good as we thought, here is a review of the device itself. Is the All-in-One soundbar the perfect alternative? Or is it just a normal device at a high price point?
Buy VIZIO – M-Series 2.1 Channel All-in-One Sound Bar System – Dark Charcoal from Bestbuy.com
List of Specifications
Table Of Content
| Channel Configuration | 2.1 |
| Product Dimensions | 2.13 x 36 x 5.5 inches (Soundbar) |
| Weight | 5.56 pounds (Soundbar) |
| Wireless Audio Protocol | Bluetooth (Version Unspecified) |
| Audio Decoding Codecs | DTS TruVolume DTS Virtual: X Dolby Audio |
| Connectivity | 1 x Optical In – Audio 1 x HDMI Out – Audio/Video 1 x 3.5 mm – Audio 1 x USB – Updates only |
What’s Good
- Clean angular design
- HDMI ARC capable
- Effective virtual sound
- Easy to set up and use
What’s Not So Good
- Dialogue gets lost in action.
- Bass not powerful enough
- No WiFi
What’s in the Box?
- Vizio M-Series All-in-One Soundbar
- Remote Control
- User Manual
- HDMI Cables
- Digital Optical Cable
- RCA to 3.5mm Stereo Audio Cable
- Digital Coaxial Cable
- 3.5mm Stereo Cable
- Surround Speakers to Subwoofer Cable
- Power Cable
Design and Build
The Vizio M-Series 2.1 Channel Soundbar comes with various cables and only a dark charcoal colour. The main soundbar is designed angularly for better performance and slides beneath the TV without obstructing any vision. The sleek look helps in saving space while giving a modern touch to it, elevating the atmosphere.
The soundbar itself is built-in with Dual 3” subwoofers that produce deep bass effects without an extra subwoofer. Omitting a wireless subwoofer from the entire package will significantly save space and decrease the amount of work needed, unlike other alternatives that come with separate subwoofers. There is no need to find space or clear out your stuff to fit another subwoofer with this soundbar.
The M21D-H8R doesn’t come with a wall mounting system, but it can be wall mounted to save space. Otherwise, it’s easy to find a home on a flat surface for it, thanks to its compact size.
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Controls
Controlling the soundbar is easy with buttons on the side of the device. These buttons are prepared for power, adjusting the volume up/down, input selection and Bluetooth connections.
It also comes with a user-friendly remote, where controlling the bar is just as streamlined. The remote is filled with options for bass, treble, night mode, and DTS Virtual:X, as well as an EQ button that will toggle the soundbar through Movie, Music, Gaming, and Dialogue presets. A small display reflects changes in volume, bass, or treble on the bar’s front, and the system will literally tell you which EQ preset is engaged as you navigate through them.
There’s even an input key on the back of the remote to help decipher the colours on the bar’s display correspond to a built-in scroll pad that can do things like change tracks when listening to music through a connected Bluetooth device.
Connectivity
The soundbar offers various physical connectivity options to stream music from a wide variety of devices. Users may choose to connect via HDMI ports, Optical In ports, USB for updates, and a 3.5mm audio jack at the back of the device.
The best connectivity would have to be through HDMI. It is one of the best wired connections as it is not complex when setting up, and it also supports the best audio quality out of all the available options. HDMI cables are packed together so users wouldn’t have to worry too much about connections. All you have to do is plug it in, and voila, it is ready to play.
For wireless connections, the device only supports Bluetooth and not WiFi. Although it should be compatible with most devices, WiFi has a wider usage and offers connections to more content, so it is a shame that it lacks the feature.
The soundbar is also compatible with voice assistants like Google Assistant, Siri, or Alexa devices via dedicated AUX input or Persistent Bluetooth that is always ready for your command, even while watching a movie.
Performance
First of all, the Vizio M-Series has a subwoofer built into it, saving space by removing an external subwoofer. A single slim soundbar like this one often only features 2 channels, or it can be a 2.1 but with an external subwoofer, so it is already a take above the rest.
This AIO soundbar isn’t the best, but it is sufficient enough for normal music playbacks. Under normal circumstances, the soundbar should have less power than longer soundbars or discrete speaker setups because it doesn’t give enough audio quality. Its bass performance isn’t as good because of the lack of a wireless subwoofer, which generally decreases the bass quality, limiting it to the soundbar itself. However, the soundbar itself is more than enough for music streaming if you are not pursuing the best audio quality.
Overall, the audio produced is unexpectedly detailed, even when placed in a large room. There is little to no distortion at normal volumes. The subwoofers built into the soundbar are sufficient for tons of music genres but don’t expect much if you are into those that require heavy basses. If you plan to use this device to enjoy light or normal music, this is the right choice because it does the job just right without any other disturbances.
Besides, to help stimulate the most realistic audio frequencies, the soundbar has DTS Virtual:X to create a multi-dimensional soundstage to bring you dynamic sound. Once connected with HDMI, it can also support Dolby 5.1 content.
Competition
The Vizio M-Series 2.1 Channel might be one of the first choices, but it still has competition that should chase up to it at the right moment. Although it does not have a bass-heavy profile, there are still many features worth mentioning.
Here is how it stacks up against the competition –
LG SN9YG
The LG SN9YG is a feature-packed soundbar-and-subwoofer system with Atmos and DTS:X support (surround speakers are optional), as well as built-in Google Assistant and Chromecast.
On the other hand, the Vizio M-Series 2.1 Channel has no built-in voice assistants, but it has a built-in subwoofer that saves space. It also does not come with Atmos support.
Denon DHT-S216
For a basic 2.0-channel soundbar, the Denon DHT-S216 is pricey, and although vocals, dialogue, and music sounded decent, it does not have enough bass to balance out the sound.
Compared to this soundbar, the Vizio M-Series 2.1 Channel is victorious in terms of price. With a gap in the price point, the audio qualities are almost the same, while both lack sufficient bass to elevate the overall performance.
Conclusion
The review suggests that the soundbar is worth the price, and you should purchase it if you have the chance. With an affordable price and an enhancement in audio, you can enjoy it from various devices through different connections. The compatibility with voice assistant devices is also a plus for those who do not like to use controls.
All you need to set up the device is included in the box, and you can go from unboxing to enjoying your new soundbar in a matter of minutes.
Get the latest Vizio M-Series 2.1 Channel Soundbar from Bestbuy.com.
