30 second exam
The Vizio M512a-H6 is the company's sequel to the excellent M51a-H6, with the main difference being the addition of two Dolby Atmos speakers. For the uninitiated,
Dolby Atmos delivers more immersive spatial sound by adding upward facing speakers to help improve soundstage height. More and more streaming services are adding movies downmixed for Dolby Atmos to take advantage of this new audio format.
The name of the M512a-H6 indicates how the system is configured. There are 5 channels with a subwoofer and a further 2 up-firing Atmos speakers. The soundbar itself contains a center, left and right channel, as well as the two aforementioned Atmos speakers. The subwoofer connects wirelessly to the sound bar, but both satellite speakers are wired and must be connected to the subwoofer. That said, sound quality is good, and the addition of dual Atmos speakers helps create a more immersive movie-watching experience. While it's not the most detailed or comprehensive soundbar system, at just $450 (around €325 / AU$582),
the Vizio M512a-H6 is excellent value for money for an entry-level surround sound bar system.
Prices and availability
The Vizio M512a-H6 costs $450 (about €325 / AU$582) and will start shipping in May 2021 at least here in the US, though
UK/Australia availability has yet to be announced. That said, if you need something sooner than that, especially something more powerful, the $999 Vizio Elevate offers more immersion and bass punch, but for twice the price of the M512a.
Integrated
The Vizio M512a-H6 is an understated soundbar that visually disappears. The soundbar itself is covered in black mesh, hiding the pilots who live behind it. Additionally, the Dolby Atmos speakers are surrounded by black plastic covers, and there are physical controls for playback, source selection, Bluetooth, and volume. On the back there is an HDMI eARC, an HDMI input, optical, USB and a 3,5mm jack that can be used to connect to a smart speaker. Out of the box though, the M512a-H6 doesn't have built-in smart assistant support. The subwoofer has a 6” woofer and connects wirelessly to the soundbar, however both satellites are wired and must be connected to the subwoofer.
The good news? There is enough cable length for the satellite speakers for flexible placement, but unfortunately you will need to provide your own speaker stands for the satellites as they are not included. You can also position the satellite speakers to the left and right of the soundbar for use in a simulated surround sound setup.
(Image credit: Lewis Leong)
Features
In terms of features, the Vizio M512a-H6 is pretty basic.Note: There's no Wi-Fi for direct streaming and no built-in smart assistant. Nevertheless,
there is bluetooth when you want to use the sound bar system to stream music. There's also no support for airplay or Google Cast, so don't expect it to suit your multi-room music setup unless you connect a smart speaker to its 3.5mm connection.
Although basic in functionality, the basic experience of using the M512a-H6 is very good. The soundbar supports HDMI eARC so it turns on/off with your TV. The remote is surprisingly sturdy, too: It has a small LED display that lets you know what settings you're changing. Everything from the EQ, balance, inputs, and other parameters can be controlled with the physical remote. While the remote is great, we would have liked an app to control settings more easily, as the LED screen is so small that text often gets cut off.
(Image credit: Lewis Leong)
In terms of sound quality,
the Vizio M512a-H6 is well balanced right out of the box and the subwoofer disappears aurally. There's a great sense of space with the satellite speakers positioned behind the listener. The soundstage is surprisingly wide, but it lacks the pinpoint precision of a more expensive soundbar and speakers, meaning you won't be able to pick exactly where the different instruments are coming from. In our tests, it is clear that
the M512a-H6 is primarily designed for home theater, delivering tons of volume, impact and a wide soundstage. The music sounds good, but it lacks detail and separation of the instruments.
(Image credit: Lewis Leong) For the most part, movies are significantly more immersive though, and the Dolby Atmos speakers do a good job of adding a sense of height - well, they can depending on your setup. room.
You see, Dolby Atmos works best with flat ceilings and around 10 to 12 feet in height. Those with vaulted ceilings won't benefit as much from the Atmos speakers. Still, if you've got the setup right, it's surprisingly good performance for a soundbar at this price point. In terms of bass, the small 6-inch subwoofer does a good job of digging deep, but it won't pack the same visceral punch as a larger subwoofer. Those who want to feel the bass will have to settle for a system with a larger subwoofer like the Vizio Elevate.
Should you buy the Vizio M-Series M512a-H6 soundbar?
(Image credit: Lewis Leong)
Buy it if...
You want an affordable Dolby Atmos system.
Given that most Dolby Atmos soundbar setups from Sony, Samsung, and LG range in the hundreds, if not thousands, of others,
the Vizio M512a-H6 does a great job of packing Atmos into a compact and affordable package.
You want great sound and easy setup.
If the thought of building an audio system has always struck you as a headache, you'll appreciate how easy it is to set up
the Vizio M512a-H6 and how great it sounds right out of the box.
Don't buy it if...
You are looking for a robust and complete sound bar.
To achieve its lowest price, the Vizio M512a-H6 does some laps. There's no built-in Wi-Fi or smart assistant, and there's no app you can use to customize or calibrate the sound.
Looking for brilliant clarity in music or booming bass.
While the 6-inch subwoofer offers good bass response, it can't keep up with larger speakers like the one in the Vizio Elevate 5.1.4 system. Also, if you are a music lover, you may notice a lack of detail in the mids and highs when listening to your favorite songs.