Despite its ridiculous title, I used to be extremely jazzed in regards to the Vizio SB3621n-E8 soundbar when it got here out in 2017. It was a great-sounding, reasonably priced soundbar and has remained my favourite worth during the last three years. The Vizio V21 reviewed right here is its pure successor and enjoys numerous upgrades past a less complicated title. The new bar provides HDMI, adjustments the cosmetics and consists of an intriguing sensible speaker connection.

LikeExcellent house cinema sound on a budgetDTS Virtual:X improves immersionVersatile connectivity, with HDMI ARC

Don’t LikeSubwoofer is small and never very articulateVoice assistant connection not tremendous helpful

The sound high quality is as unhurried and pure as earlier than, however the competitors is way harder nowadays. Polk and Yamaha have been snapping at Vizio’s heels for a number of years, and fashions like the brand new Polk Signa S3 supply even higher sound for a bit more cash.If you need to improve your TV’s sound for beneath $200, the Vizio V21 must be amongst your high selections, and it’ll play again music in superb style too. It’s not fairly as shocking or energizing as the unique SB3621, however that is alright. The V21 stands by itself deserves as a reliable speaker at a wonderful worth. 

Vizio V21 ports, options and distantThe high panel.
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Soundbars are black blobs for probably the most half, heard and never seen, and the V21 follows the business template to the letter: primary black with a mesh cowl and a barely textured plastic high. The topside additionally provides a collection of controls together with enter choice, Bluetooth and quantity management. Though the size of the soundbar is now not within the title, as with the SB3621 (Sound Bar, 36 inches, 2.1 channel… get it?) the Vizio V21 can be 36 inches lengthy. That title nonetheless incorporates a lame Easter egg, nonetheless, as a result of this can be a 2.1-channel soundbar.The wi-fi subwoofer that comes with the system is a roughly 8-inch dice — now black as an alternative of silver — and it encompasses a down-firing driver and rear port.

The LED now adjustments colour based on the enter.
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After years of complaints (no less than from me), Vizio has up to date the soundbar’s LED show. Instead of an inscrutable collection of white dots the show can now change colour based on the enter and signify quantity stage by ascending vertically. It’s completely usable, though a conventional alphanumeric show can be even clearer.The most notable addition is the HDMI ARC port. This connector lets you hook up one cable on to the ARC port on the again of your TV, and it is best when you simply use the streaming options constructed into the TV itself, or use the TV to change between inputs. If you might have a extra difficult system, for instance an exterior streamer, you should use the bar’s optical connection. Other choices embody Bluetooth, USB, a 3.5mm analog enter and one other, all-new 3.5mm connection on your “voice assistant speaker” (learn: Amazon Echo Dot ($40 at Amazon)).
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The concept behind the “VA” (voice activated) enter is noble sufficient. You join your sensible speaker to this port and the soundbar switches to the enter routinely when it hears a command. But the primary drawback is that you just then want to make use of your distant to change again to a different supply manually. I’m positive Vizio is attempting to cater to individuals who need to use their Dot as a music or podcast supply and reap the benefits of the V21’s superior sound. In my expertise, nonetheless, switching again to HDMI or optical to make use of the V21 with one other supply — just like the TV or a sport console — shortly grew to become annoying.
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That distant is practical and comparatively straightforward to make use of, even when that you must keep in mind to make use of the up and down buttons to regulate the sub quantity as an alternative of the extra pure quantity keys.How does the Vizio V21 sound?Due to the need of testing at house, I haven’t got a Vizio SB3621 for direct comparisons, however the V21 is simply as even-handed as I keep in mind the earlier mannequin being. Instead I in contrast the brand new $180 Vizio in opposition to a few different 2020 fashions, the $250 Polk Signa S3 and the $300 JBL Bar 2.1 Deep Bass, but it surely’s clearly value conserving in thoughts the numerous value variations.Compared to these two merchandise, the Vizio’s secret weapon is its DTS Virtual:X compatibility. The characteristic, first seen in Yamaha audio system, permits humble soundbars just like the V21 to emulate a encompass system, and it performs very effectively. Alas the JBL and Polk lack this add-on and so did not supply the identical stage of immersion.While the larger sub of the JBL Deep bass provided the most effective bass articulation of the three, the JBL could not beat the Vizio in Virtual:X mode for immersion, particularly when it got here to the foyer scene in The Matrix. Bullets whizzed in direction of me and the ratatatat that precedes the soldier’s “Freeze!” was extra pronounced on the Vizio than both the Polk or the JBL.

The bigger subs of the Polk and JBL higher helped convey the gunfight’s impression, nonetheless. The Polk served up an thrilling and kinetic efficiency, due partly to the bigger and extra articulate sub. The Vizio was overwhelmed by among the low notes within the synth-bass rating by comparability.The Vizio’s expressive midrange made film dialog sound clear and balanced. During the thanator chase in Avatar (at 26:53), streaming from Disney Plus, the Vizio sounded sonically fuller than the Polk, which was slightly hole compared, with weaker, decrease midrange. Adjusting the Polk’s bass management and sound mode did not shore up the stability in a significant approach.The most-expensive JBL Deep Bass 2.1 was probably the most enjoyable on this scene. The bigger sub was in a position to catch extra of the low frequency results — from the pad of the thanator’s footfalls to the mild roar of the waterfall — and the jungle sounded extra alive with bugs and working water.With music, the Vizio did not sound as dynamic as both the JBL or the Polk, however nonetheless conveyed an actual sense of stereo sound. The easy handover to the subwoofer meant that acoustic music and male voices particularly sounded pure, though the Polk was nonetheless barely higher. When Ben Harper did his spooky “in your room thing” along with his tune Widow of a Living Man, a few the bottom guitar notes on the Vizio bonged in a approach that sounded misplaced. There was a higher distinction between the guitar and the voice on the Vizio, however I could not get the growth out even with the bass management at its lowest (there was a giant bounce between 0 and 1). The Polk was extra gratifying general with music, with a greater deal with on dynamics and extra highly effective bass efficiency. It’s the mannequin to decide on when you favor music over motion pictures.

Should you purchase the Vizio V21?There is not any such factor as an ideal soundbar — on account of dimension and funds constraints, their engineers have to make numerous compromises. None of the three I examined on this comparability can supply all the things to everybody. The Vizio and the JBL have a tendency in direction of house theater sound whereas the Polk’s most important energy is music. In common, the Vizio provided higher immersion than the others and the Polk is the most effective compromise between the three fashions.If you might have $200 or much less, the Vizio is a superb selection, with highly effective bass and an expressive midrange. It’s a superb follow-up to the SB3621 with the HDMI onboard particularly a welcome characteristic. I can not say but the way it will stack up in opposition to the most effective soundbars of the 12 months, however there is no denying it is a wonderful worth already.