There is good reason that Vizio is the top seller of sound bars in the U.S. market. For the price, they provide some of the best award-winning sound bars you can buy. Vizio deliver innovative features and excellent sound at a very reasonable price, not a bad combination!
One of the reasons I generally recommend surround sound systems is that sound bars cannot create that truly immersive surround effect which can add a lot to your video entertainment. Surround sound systems do take up a lot more space, and require more wiring, so sound bars are great for smaller spaces or where you want a simple way to create a lot better sound than your TV. Well Vizio offer sound bars that provide the best of both worlds. They can deliver true 5.1 surround with the ease of a sound bar setup by using wireless subwoofer and rear mounted speakers.
Vizio 5.1 Channel Sound Bar (S5451w-C2)
This is a 54” wide sound bar that is an ideal compliment for larger TVs. The sound bar has three channels that separate much better due to the wider format sound bar. In addition it has a wireless subwoofer to provide the important fullness of bass tones. It also comes with two additional satellite speakers to be placed in the rear, creating that true surround effect. Yet setup is simple by connecting the bar to the TV with one cable, and connecting the rear speakers to the wireless subwoofer. Since there is no receiver required and the subwoofer is wireless, it is a simple way to get great surround sound.
In addition, this sound bar has Bluetooth connectivity so you can play music directly from your Smartphone, tablet or computer wirelessly. It comes with a remote that has an LCD display, which is a great feature since you can see the sound bar settings in your hand right rather than squinting across the room to see a small display on the sound bar itself.
Vizio 5.1 Channel Sound Bar (S42512-B4)
The S42512-B4 Vizio Sound Bar is very similar to the S5451w-C2 above except it is a 42” bar, which is ideal for medium sized TV’s in the 35 to 50 inch range. In actual fact either sound bar will work with any sized TV, it is just that a bigger sound bar looks funny with a smaller TV. If the sound bar is a lot wider than the TV it is aesthetically out of balance.
This sound bar has all the same great features as the wider 52” model above: Bluetooth connectivity, remote with LCD display, and a wireless subwoofer with two additional rear speakers for a true surround sound. The main difference with this bar and the one above is the sound. The frequency range is not as great, and the subwoofer is smaller so the bass not quite as strong. This one doesn’t have any HDMI inputs, whereas the above has two. However, they both have optical inputs, coax inputs, and stereo RCA jack inputs so most will be fine with that.
Both are great surround sound bars, and which one to choose will depend on the size of the TV and the size of the room you have. They both sound great and are excellent value!
Vizio 2.1 Channel Sound Bar (S4221w-C4)
The Visio 2.1 Channel S4221w-C4 Sound Bar is also a 42” wide bar, similar to the one directly above. It is not a 5.1 Channel because it doesn’t come with two rear satellite speakers, and it has two channels in the bar with no center channel. The two channels each come with a pair of mid-range speakers and a tweeter, so the sound is still fairly full. You just won’t get the surround effect that you will from the above two options.
This bar is fantastic if you are less concerned about creating a surround sound effect, and instead just want to greatly improve the sound clarity and power in a simple way and at a relatively low cost. It is also excellent value because it comes with the other great features mentioned above: Bluetooth connectivity, wireless subwoofer, and a remote with an LCD display.
Vizio has won lots of awards with their sound bars, but probably the biggest accolade is the fact they are the highest selling bars in the US. A tribute to their product quality and value. These three are all great choices depending on your particular needs.
