Vizio's surround bar looks great, sounds uneven
[MUSIC]
So you want a sound bar, but you also want surround sound as well.
Until Vizio came around we would have told you you were crazy.
But in the past few years, Vizio's True Surround Bars have captured a previously uncatered-for part of the market.
The Vizio SB4051-CO is the company's newest system and it's undoubtedly its most attractive.
The black and real aluminum color scheme evokes a much more expensive system and certainly doesn't look like costs only 350 bucks.
Well, there's no real display, apart from volume on the unit itself.
The remote control offers a menu system for making changes to settings and it works quite well.
This is a 40 inch sound bar, which comes with a small wireless subwoofer, and tidy surround speakers.
The surrounds connect to the subwoofer, which means you will probably need to put the sub next to the couch.
The soundbar offers a wide number of connections including dual HDMI ports, optical digital, and Bluetooth with haptic support.
If you're watching movies, the Vizio supports both Dolby and DTS.
The video offers a much clearer sounds than it's previous sound box with excellent dialogue clarity, perfect for movies.
The one thing the company hasn't got right is that the subwoofer is still too loud, even with the sub volume all the way down.
But, with most content this will only be a minor nuisance.
If they can fix the subwoofer problem in a future film or update.
The VIZIO SB4051 will be a worthy successor to it's previous models.
But as it stands, this is still a very good option for surround sound enthusiasts.
This is Ty Pendlebury for CNet.com.
[MUSIC]
Up Next
Dolby's New Atmos System Lets You Place Speakers Anywhere in the Room
Up Next
Dolby's New Atmos System Lets You Place Speakers Anywhere in the Room
Razer Leviathan v2 Game Soundbar Delivers Big Sound, Front and Center
Razer Leviathan v2 Game Soundbar Delivers Big Sound, Front and Center
LG's latest soundbars promise more realistic voices
LG's latest soundbars promise more realistic voices
Soundbars: What to know before you buy
Soundbars: What to know before you buy
Vizio Elevate soundbar lifts the roof with Dolby Atmos
Vizio Elevate soundbar lifts the roof with Dolby Atmos
This luxury speaker brings Alexa smarts to art gallery design
This luxury speaker brings Alexa smarts to art gallery design
This is the best smart speaker
This is the best smart speaker
UE Hyperboom is built to party
UE Hyperboom is built to party
Samsung's Atmos soundbar offers big sound, fewer boxes
Samsung's Atmos soundbar offers big sound, fewer boxes
Amazon introduces high-end smarter speaker, Echo Studio
Amazon introduces high-end smarter speaker, Echo Studio
Tech Shows
Latest News All latest news
Robosen's Megatron Transformer Is Too Much Fun for an Evil Robot
Robosen's Megatron Transformer Is Too Much Fun for an Evil Robot
Apple May Give FineWoven Accessories One More Season
Apple May Give FineWoven Accessories One More Season
US vs. TikTok: What Happens Next
US vs. TikTok: What Happens Next
Battle of the Humanoid Robots: MenteeBot Is Ready
Battle of the Humanoid Robots: MenteeBot Is Ready
What to Expect at Apple's May 7 iPad Event
What to Expect at Apple's May 7 iPad Event
Did a Week With the Apple Watch Make Me Use My iPhone Less?
Did a Week With the Apple Watch Make Me Use My iPhone Less?
Most Popular All most popular
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Latest Products All latest products
Robosen's Megatron Transformer Is Too Much Fun for an Evil Robot
Robosen's Megatron Transformer Is Too Much Fun for an Evil Robot
Battle of the Humanoid Robots: MenteeBot Is Ready
Battle of the Humanoid Robots: MenteeBot Is Ready
2025 Audi Q6, SQ6 E-Tron: Audi's Newest EV Is Its Most Compelling
2025 Audi Q6, SQ6 E-Tron: Audi's Newest EV Is Its Most Compelling
Hands-On with Ford's Free Tesla Charging Adapter
Hands-On with Ford's Free Tesla Charging Adapter
Nuro R3 is an Adorable Self-Driving Snack Bar
Nuro R3 is an Adorable Self-Driving Snack Bar
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
Latest How To All how to videos
Tips and Tricks for the AirPods Pro 2
Tips and Tricks for the AirPods Pro 2
How to Watch the Solar Eclipse Safely From Your Phone
How to Watch the Solar Eclipse Safely From Your Phone
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro