(^20) [ April May 2019 [soundandvision.com
Vizio’s top-of-the-line Atmos soundbar
comes with a cumbersome model number:
SB46514-F6. Outside of that, this $1,000
Atmos system is a sleek, well-designed
package that delivers surprisingly potent
sound for the money. The addition of Chro-
mecast built-in and Bluetooth streaming,
along with Google Assistant compatibility,
make it a compelling option for anyone
seeking an all-in-one immersive audio solu-
tion to pair with their new TV.
Overhead effects with Vizio’s 5.1.4 Atmos
system are delivered through upfiring drivers
embedded in the top surface of the soundbar
and satellites. The package also includes a
wireless ported subwoofer with a 10-inch
driver that does the heavy liing for bass and
LFE. Unlike some other all-in-one systems
such as the Sony HT-Z9F that I reviewed in
the September 2018 issue, the satellites aren’t
wireless—you’ll need to connect them to the
subwoofer with the included set of speaker
wires. Depending on the size of your room,
this may or may not limit subwoofer place-
ment options.
The two-tone look of Vizio’s system is a cut
above average for its price point. Black metal
mesh covers the drivers on the soundbar
and subwoofer, and the ends of both are
capped with solid aluminum plates. Audio
and video connections on
the soundbar include a 4K
and HDR10-compatible
HDMI-ARC port, optical
and coaxial digital inputs,
an analog stereo minijack
input, and a USB type-A
port for playback
of WAV and MP3
music files stored
on a thumb drive.
Network connec-
tions can be made
Vizio provided
a good sense
of envelopment
in the forest
environment. The
gunshots fired by
To e v a l u a t e t h e s y s t e m ,
I went straight for a few
demo-worthy Atmos
moments on the Guardians
of The Galaxy Vol. 2 Ultra
HD Blu-ray. Watching the
Berhert ambush scene, the
via Wi-Fi or using the sound-
bar’s Ethernet jack.
With the Vizio linked to a
TV’s HDMI-ARC input, initial
setup can be carried out using the tiny black-
and-white display on the included remote
control in combination with indicator LEDs
on the soundbar’s front. A far beer option is
provided by the company’s SmartCast app,
however. Once you’ve linked the app—some-
thing you do by holding your phone near the
le side of the soundbar’s front panel for few
seconds—you can use it to link up to your
Wi-Fi network, select between Movie, Music,
and Direct (stereo) EQ modes, and adjust the
center, surround, and subwoofer level. You
can also adjust surround balance, but there’s
no control to separately adjust the height
(overhead) effects level. (The company says
this capability will be added in a future firm-
ware update.) Vizio’s app can also be used for
input switching and volume adjustment, and
it provides volume leveler and night playback
mode options.
For my physical setup, I placed the
soundbar angled up slightly on a low stand
beneath a projection screen in my 16 x
12-foot home theater room, the satellites on
high speaker stands directly behind and to
either side of my couch, and the subwoofer
in the room’s le rear corner so the satellite
speakers could be easily wired up to it. (Vizio
also includes wall-mounting hardware for the
soundbar and satellites.) Aer a few hours of
use, however, I found having the subwoofer
up-close to my listening position made it too
easy to localize its sound. Fortunately, the
included cables were long enough to accom-
modate placement in the front of my room,
where I was able to get a beer sonic balance
between the soundbar and sub.
Vizio 5.1.4
Atmos
Soundbar
Instant Atmos
RATING
PERFORMANCE
FEATURES
ERGONOMICS
VALUE
SPECS
SOUNDBAR
LCR Drivers: 0.75 in tweeter (3),
1.75 x 4.25 mid-bass (3),
1.6 x 5.4 in passive radiator (2)
Front height drivers:
2.3 x 2.9 (2)
Power: Not specified
Dimensions:
46 x 2.5 x 3.3 in (WxHxD)
Weight: Not specified
Inputs: HDMI-ARC, optical and
coaxial digital, analog stereo minijack;
Bluetooth, USB, LAN, IR repeater
SATELLITE
Forward-firing driver: 2.1 in
Rear height driver: 2 in
Dimensions: 3 x 6.5 x 2.7 (WxHxD)
Weight: not specified
SUBWOOFER
10-in driver, ported enclosure
Power: Not specified
Dimensions:
7.5 x 15 x 15.25 in (WxHxD)
Weight: not specified
THE VERDICT
Vizio’s 5.1.4 soundbar system
delivers powerful, immersive
sound plus Chromecast built-in
streaming at a reasonable price.
vizio.com
855-833-3221
Price: $999
Potent sound for the price
5.1.4 Atmos playback
Chromecast built-in for
music streaming
No wireless surround speaker option
No DTS:X decoding
quick take
wide
angle
AT A GLANCE
BY AL GRIFFIN
antfer
(Antfer)
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