VIZIO M-Series All-in-One 2.1 Immersive Sound Bar with 6 High-Performance Speakers, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Built in Subwoofers and Alexa Compatibility, M213ad-K8, 2023 Model

We are a household of people obsessed with sound. Well, ok. Maybe it's just me, but we have a full Dolby Atmos system in the living room, an Echo Studio in the dining room, a patio and pool area surrounded by speakers, and so on. We bought this particular sound bar to improve upon the absolutely horrible audio produced by the smart TV in our master bedroom. The room is on the larger size for a bedroom at about 23 by 17 feet. This little bar does a pretty good job of reproducing trebble, midrange, and bass audio. The trebble can be turned up so high as to be harsh, but EQ adjustments allow you to tone that effect down. Mids are clear, and dialog doesn't get swallowed up by everything around it. The bass won't shake the room the way a system with a dedicated sub will, but that's not really what I want it to do in my bedroom. Overall sound quality is great for the price and considering my initial hopes and expectations. The sound bar includes HDMI, 3.5 Mm, and bluetooth connectivity, and switching between inputs is easy. Switching between pre-configured audio modes is also simple, and there's even voice feedback as you switch from one to another. The reason I am writing this review is that I just recommended this sound bar to my sister for her living room, and I realized that I hadn't previously written a review, even though I bought the device more than a year and a half ago. I'd definitely like all of you and my sister to know that, in my opinion, you probably can't buy a much better sound bar at this price point. If you're looking to improve the sound coming from your TV in a small to medium room without breaking the bank, and you don't really need or want true surround sound, don't hesitate to pick one of these up.

This is a review of the 36" soundbar with integrated subwoofer. I don't know where I rate as an audiophile, but I just want the sound produced by my computer to be as close as possible to the sound that was originally recorded. In my opinion, that is what "high fidelity" really means. I tried to use an old set of Logitech 5.1 surround speakers with my computer, and it sounded muddy and distorted. It was way better than tiny laptop speakers or my gaming headset, but it still wasn't quite right. I thought maybe it was just my poor memory, telling me that I had once heard crystal clear sound that was closer to reality. Then I plugged this sound bar into the eArc port of my Vizio TV, and viola, that clarity was back. Speaking and singing voices are clear and crisp. Mids are smooth and distinct (I can hear harmony like it was recorded on a separate track). The bass is not overdone like so many small speaker systems trying to overcompensate. Honestly, the large subwoofer unit on my Logitech 5.1 still gave me a headache even after I had turned it down as far as it would go. So I have a theory about why this soundbar sounds so good. One is that all the connections right up until the driver are carrying digital data. In my old speaker system, the wires are RCA cables, so clearly they are carrying analog signal which is lossy and subject to distortion the longer the cables are (and nearby interference.) Of course the biggest factor should be the drivers in the speakers themselves; they just get old over time and pick up distortions just from being what they are. I don't know how the speakers in this sound bar will hold up in the coming years, but right now they sound AMAZING. You can pay a LOT MORE to get even better audio fidelity, but bang for your buck these are a steal.

I bought this for my PC after my last sound bar had problems staying connected to the wireless subwoofer. I bought this one first because the reviews were high, but most importantly because of the built-in subwoofer. I connected this to my PC via a 3.5mm analog cable. With mostly default settings, this had appeared to be working well and had great sound quality. However, I develop games on the side and was working on a project that uses a relatively low decibel, but constant sound throughout the game. During some testing, I started to realize that my sound would stop moving every time my character stopped moving (footstep audio stopped). I thought it was a problem with the game engine and had initially sent a report to the engine developers. I had also uploaded a Youtube video showing the problem off. About a week later someone posted a comment asking what the problem was because they could hear the sound constantly on their end. So I listened to my video on my phone and found that the video was constantly playing the audio that I thought was definitely cutting out when I played the audio through my sound bar. So that settled it. It was the sound bars fault. Sure enough, I tested the audio through some headphones and all was working as it should. This is where the annoying troubleshooting came into play. Most posts from other customers are reporting issues with TVs or specifically Vizio sound bars with the TVs to blame. However, in this situation, I couldn't blame a TV. It was my PC that would play audio perfectly on one device, but not another. Again, my audio settings on the sound bar were mostly default. I had changed the EQ to Game and made a few adjustments to the Bass and Treble. But, one thing that stood out was that my PC audio was fairly low and this was because I didn't want to blast my PC volume and have more wiggle room to adjust it from my PC when needed. Meaning not having to fiddle with the remote often. Out of curiosity, I turned the volume on my PC all the way up and turned the sound bar volume down very low. And sure enough, all the audio that was cutting out before was now playing perfectly. I'm not sure what it is. There's some mechanism in place on this sound bar to not play low decibel sounds when the input audio is low. I don't know how to explain it other than there's a threshold. So easiest solution if you are using the sound bar for a similar purpose is to turn your PC or device all the way up and lower the sound bar volume until it's a comfortable volume. This was very annoying though and shouldn't happen. Please don't program in volume thresholds for inputs. It will just lead to possible unnecessary customer service reports and rants or requests for help posts across the internet. If you design/develop sound bars, DON'T DO IT.

Let me just put out the disclaimer that I am not an audiophile by any means. Also this is my first sound bar. I live in an apartment and was looking for a budget sound bar with in-built sub-woofer for an easy setup and to avoid upsetting my neighbors. I like to do a good amount of research on the internet before I buy any device and I narrowed down on YAMAHA SR-B20A & Sony HTX8500. Both of which have good reviews and ratings. However upon watching a review for this new Vizio M213ad-K8 on YouTube by Digital Trends, I decided to give it a try as it is a brand new device and it fits my sub $300 budget. Since this is a brand new sound bar, there aren't too many reviews or ratings available to rely on. Looks : The sound bar looks fine. It does not stand out and blends right into my TV base. After a while you forget that it's there. Also, it's not too tall so it does not block my TV view. Setup : The sound bar is extremely light weight and an easy 1 person job for setup. The setup for the device was a breeze and it was up and running in 5 minutes. There are very few cables to connect to get it running. Performance : I am extremely impressed by the way it sounds. Despite the low price and small size, it sounds great. I have watched few movies & videos so far and have enjoyed all of them. It has few pre-defined EQ settings and I ended up going back to the movie mode for most of the content including songs. At 60% to 70% volume level it gets plenty loud for a small to medium sized room. Even at high volume, there is no distortion. Negatives : My only negative for this sound bar is that it lacks slightly in the base. The sound bar allows base adjustment and I have pretty much set it to its highest level. Don't get me wrong, you can definetly feel the base but in few action sequences I felt the need to have additional 20%-25% more base. For the price and the in built sub-woofer setup I shouldn't complain. But just wanted to share my experience. For 95% of my viewing habit though this fits my needs perfectly and I am extremely satisfied with this sound bar. Summary : This is a great sound bar for the price. I am extremely satisfied and am definitely keeping this one. I hope my review helps other potential buyers. I will keep updating my review if anything changes.

The soundbar is great, this soundbar is designed for small to medium rooms, for a large living room i suggest a sound bar with back speakers and a subwoofer. The sound bar is easy to install and the plus side is that it has an HDMI input and Output so you don't need to occupy an extra HDMI connection you can have your Apple TV, Roku or Amazon Fire device connected to the sound bar so you can get the Dolby Vision and HDR 10+ signal just fine. The bass is great! it won't compare to a subwoofer but the bass is rich and it sounds amazing. The box says Dolby Atmos but it's not truly Dolby Atmos, Now it doesn't mean that it sounds bad or it will sound in stereo mode it will give you a digital process of the Dolby Atmos sound since the speakers facing up are the bass speakers and up-firing speakers for surround, you will hear sounds coming from the sides of the room and sometimes from the top, the soundbar does a great job in imitating the Dolby Atmos sound. The Vizio app doesn't control the sound bars treble and bass, it only controls the soundbar through Bluetooth but it comes with a remote control and it's very easy to use, if you don't have a HDMI cable don't worry because it brings one in the box along with the tools to mount it on the wall if you don't want it laying in front of the tv, I highly recommend this soundbar for any bedroom, game room or small to medium living room. You won't regret it

I got this when we purchased the New Vizio TV. Everything paired easily not just to the TV but also to my other Bluetooth devices. Super easy to set up and connect to the TV. The remote is easy to use and has a great range as well. The quality of the Sound is great and has many different settings so that you can enjoy either music, direct voice, sports or movies.

After our previous sound bar with a separate subwoofer malfunctioned, we were in the market for a replacement that offered similar features at a comparable price point. The Vizio sound bar caught my attention due to its integrated Dolby Atmos, built-in subwoofer, and included wall mount kit. Features and Performance: - Integrated Dolby Atmos: Provides immersive audio experience with realistic sound effects. - Built-In Subwoofer: Eliminates the need for a separate subwoofer, saving space and simplifying setup. - Wall Mount Kit: Conveniently included, allowing for a sleek, furniture-free setup under the TV. Installation and Setup: - Mounting: Despite discarding the provided template initially, the installation was straightforward. It would have been helpful if a level was included, but I managed with one I had on hand. - Security: The sound bar sits securely on the brackets, even without being bolted down, which was pleasantly surprising. User Experience: - Sound Quality: Delivers powerful sound suitable for both TV watching and gaming, enhancing our living room experience. - Versatility: Smooth transition between different audio sources (TV, video games, music) without any issues. - Compact Design: Packs a lot of power and features into a compact size, ideal for smaller spaces. Conclusion: The Vizio sound bar has exceeded our expectations, offering impressive sound quality and functionality in our living room setup. The integrated Dolby Atmos and built-in subwoofer provide a rich audio experience without the clutter of additional components. Despite minor inconveniences like lacking a built-in level, the installation was manageable, and the sound bar securely mounted to the wall. Overall, it's a worthwhile investment for anyone seeking high-quality audio performance in a compact, all-in-one package.

I can’t speak for everyone but my experience with Vizio products aren’t great and this sound bar is no exception. I got this sound bar because I wanted 1 wanted Dolby Atmos or in this model’s case virtual Dolby Atmos. & 2 I couldn’t afford better and the price on this one compared to others that offered Atmos was in the ballpark of what I could spend. Sadly the “virtual Atmos” is means it’s virtually nonexistent whether I’m streaming from Disney plus Apple TV Plex or some other method the Dolby Atmos indicator light turns on occasionally and never for long. If it were just the lack of Atmos that were my issue this sound bar might be worth the money except the frequency to which I have to reset the soundbar just to get it to play sound is enough to turn me off Vizio forever. You’d think the compatibility with at least a TV made by the same company would be better but sadly Vizio isn’t what they used to be. I could go on a rant but let me stick to the facts the soundbar at this price isn’t worth it since it can’t handle Atmos and it’s unpredictable and unreliable Vizio makes cheaper soundbars with similar issues but at the price point those flaws are easier to dismiss not with this one. There’s a reason why I once bought Vizio and that was they made products that are durable and fairly priced. There’s also a reason why this will be my very last Vizio product. It’s clear they’re more concerned with harvesting user data than they are with building and maintaining a reputable brand that inspires consumer loyalty. If you have $150 to spend that you won’t miss and you’re not easily frustrated when you have to reset your sound bar multiple times in one evening for one movie then by all means buy this one but if you like me want a budget friendly sound bar that can handle Dolby Atmos gotta keep waiting for that. It’s not here yet and then when it is, it won’t be made by Vizio.