Is Vizio SoundBar Worth it in 2023

Recently I found a good deal on Vizio Soundbar 2.1 (M Series) which comes with a 5-inch wireless sub woofer. I bought it for $99 which is a great bargain price. It’s from Walmart and was delivered to me within 2 business days. My guess was it doesn’t go wrong for a $99 price tag. Originally this model was released for $299 and over the span it got discounted to $100-$150.

The specific model that I bought is VIZIO M-Series 2.1 Premium Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Wireless Subwoofer M215a-J6.

Pros with 2.1″ Vizio Soundbar

• Immersive Performance  You can Experience immersive, cinematic 3D surround sound powered by Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X® provided you have a TV with eARC support.
• Low-Profile Modern Design  Seamlessly blends into any environment.
• Latest Connectivity & Control  The latest HDMI eARC connectivity enables state-of-the-art 4K Dolby Vision pass-through to the TV and lets you control the sound bar using your TV remote.
• Dolby Atmos and DTS:X Cinematic and life-like 3D surround sound around and above you.
• 2.1-Channel Sound Experience powerful, room-filling sound from a surprisingly compact system.
• 5 High-Performance Speakers Separate tweeters & woofers deliver sound that’s rich, detailed, and spacious.
• 50Hz – 20kHz Frequency Response  Hear what the artist intended and more with a wide, natural frequency response.

• 5” Wireless Subwoofer  A high-excursion woofer energized in a compact cabinet provides deep, accurate bass down to 50Hz that can be placed anywhere in the room.
• 4K Dolby Vision® HDR Pass Through  HDMI eARC allows you to connect your source device to your TV through the sound bar at the highest quality possible with 4K Dolby Vision® HDR.
• HDMI eARC Unlock the highest-quality audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X with the simplicity of a single connection and enjoy seamless control of your sound bar using only the TV remote.
• DTS Virtual Make any content, in any room, more immersive with floor-to-ceiling, virtualized 3D sound and multi-dimensional virtual height effects.

• DTS TruVolume HD helps to Maintain a consistent volume level and eliminate annoying fluctuations between different types of content.
• Listen Your Way Easily customize the sound to accommodate your room and content with selectable EQ and tone, level, and balance controls.
• Adjustable Dialogue Enhancement  Enjoy calibrated, crystal-clear dialogue.
• Voice Assistant Input Use your voice to control your Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant devices through the sound bar with a dedicated 3.5 Aux or persistent Bluetooth connection.
• Bluetooth Streaming  Stream music wirelessly from your phone or other compatible Bluetooth devices.
• All-New Backlit Display Remote Full-featured, backlit remote with comfort grip that is easy to navigate, even in the dark.

Some of the Negatives in Vizio Soundbar

• If you have an old TV that doesn’t support ARC or eARC ports, you may not be able to enjoy the rich dolby atmos sound.
• This is not very loud in a big room so if you’re living space is larger, this may not be a best soundbar. It’s best suited for smaller living spaces like apartments or basements.
• You have to tweak the settings a little bit to get a better sound.
• There is no equalizer option with this Vizio soundbar.
• Sub Woofer looks like a cheaper build.

How to connect Vizio soundbar to TV

Connecting a Vizio soundbar to a TV is a relatively straightforward process. Here are the general steps to follow:

Note: The specific connections and setup may vary depending on the model of your Vizio soundbar and TV, so consult your user manuals for any model-specific instructions.

1. Gather your equipment:

• Vizio soundbar
• TV
• Power cables for both the soundbar and TV (if needed)
• HDMI cable (recommended)
• Optical audio cable (alternative)

2. Power on the Soundbar: Plug the power cable of the soundbar into a power outlet and turn on the soundbar. Most Vizio soundbars have a power button on the unit or a remote control to turn them on.

3. Connect the Soundbar to the TV:

Option A: HDMI Connection (recommended): If your TV and soundbar support HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel), this is the preferred connection method as it allows for better audio quality and control.

1. Find the HDMI ARC (or just HDMI) port on your TV labeled “ARC.” It’s usually labeled as such or may be labeled with a TV and an arrow going into the soundbar.
2. Connect one end of an HDMI cable to the HDMI ARC (or HDMI) port on your TV.
3. Connect the other end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI OUT (ARC) or similar port on your Vizio soundbar.
4. Make sure your TV is set to use the HDMI ARC input for audio output. You may need to configure this in your TV’s settings.

Option B: Optical Audio Connection (alternative): If your TV or soundbar doesn’t have HDMI ARC, you can use an optical audio cable.

1. Locate the optical audio output on your TV. It’s usually labeled as “Optical” or “Digital Audio Out.”
2. Connect one end of the optical audio cable to the optical output on your TV.
3. Connect the other end of the optical audio cable to the optical input on your Vizio soundbar.
4. Set your TV’s audio output to use the optical connection. You may need to adjust this in your TV’s settings.

4. Test the Soundbar: Turn on your TV and soundbar, and play some audio or video content to make sure the sound is coming through the soundbar. You may need to adjust the volume on both the TV and soundbar to achieve the desired sound level.

5. Additional Configuration (Optional): Depending on your soundbar model and TV, you may need to make additional adjustments, such as configuring the soundbar’s audio settings or using the soundbar’s remote control to control volume and other audio settings. Refer to the user manuals for your specific devices for more information.

Once you’ve completed these steps, your Vizio soundbar should be successfully connected to your TV, and you should be able to enjoy improved audio quality for your TV viewing experience.

Final Thoughts on Vizio Soundbar

For this price, Vizio Soundbar M215a-J6 does a great justice and an excellent buy for budget shoppers. If you don’t own a sound bar, try this one and you’ll have a great audio experience. It actually blown my old Samsung sound bar out of water in terms of audio quality.