Around - Sterling Sound soundbar for devotees

$329.99
Good: Vizio S4251w-B4, a sound bar sound bar system to provide a true surround sound experience allowing, includes two rear speakers. Most surround sound with this smart design that minimizes wire clutter the room, behind the back of the wireless subwoofer allows you to connect to speakers. The display includes a built-in sound bar itself is a stylish watch with a great remote, it is. Features Bluetooth and Dolby / DTS decoding with built-in are well covered. Include two additional speakers consider it a good price.



Bad: tabletop position is used when the sound bar to your TV's remote sensor can block. You use your TV to switch inputs when most listeners will not notice the addition, your chance, will not get the best possible experience all around. And there is no direct speaker calibration, setup, so you'll need to rely on your ears.

Bottom line: a sound bar for unparalleled sonics Vizio home theater speakers behind the S4251w-B4 games, but it is rare.

Almost every time it sounds wrong surround sound without additional speakers can make claims, and, with few exceptions, their claims are always overhyped.

Vizio ($ 330 list) S4251w-B4, two rear speakers with the traditional sound bar / subwoofer setup augments clearly, because the market can deliver true surround sound sound bar system is one of very few. Collection of the best sound we've heard from a budget sound bar, but immersive home theater cost nothing in terms of sound competition offers. The rest of the package with a tasteful design, too, is polished, built-in Bluetooth, and a built-in display with a minimalist, modern remote.

About S4251w-B4 we really only have two concerns. And, incidentally, these are not a problem unique to the competing Sony HT-CT260 sound is excellent as well ($ 300).

But around Sony HT-CT260 can not offer a real experience, and that makes it such a great product that S4251w-B4 is the trump card. It does not compromise the sound bar, but it will get you to $ 330 as near as.

Design: Is it true that back with less tension speakers
Every other sound bar on the market S4251w-B4 is a dedicated separate rear speakers.

(Credit: Sarah Tew / CNET)
Does the clutter. (Subwoofer needs to be plugged into an outlet.) Most manufacturers of these "wireless" speakers will call, Vizio Thankfully, because, well, they do not need wires, though.

Sound bar itself is a particularly good look. Vizio sticky glossy black finish that's a bias, it is S4251w-B4 understated matte black look is a welcome change. Under the grille black seat with a thin belt, too much of a "anything but - Speaker" look. This is a 3.15-inch thin design specifically, but the Vizio is designed to show that it means a lot S4251w-B4 (but not great) lends a sense. The build quality is very Sonos Playbar, but it's better than any previous construction Vizio sound bar.

(Credit: Sarah Tew / CNET)
While there is not a "front-panel display," S4251w-B4 voice left bar at the bottom by a row of small LED lights provide visual feedback. You adjust the volume or bass / treble settings to tweak when setting up a light, and in a lot of ways, subtle light that is hard to see from across the room sound bars include many smallish displays are better than .

The only real design flaw if you put it in a tabletop position S4251w-B4 may be blocking your TV's remote sensor. The front of your TV (pedestal style sound bars, as opposed to under) sat in with many sound bars can be a problem, and it is not a problem with the TV , while on our blocked sensor Sony XBR-55HX950. Which quickly becomes annoying voice again, more angled, top-up need to hold the remote to change inputs on the TV.

You can work around. However, potential buyers with their TV remote sensors measuring tape to find and want to break out of the can, then, the sound bar S4251w-B4 is 3.74 inches long. Vizio characterized by close, the competition included Sony HT-CT260 includes a remote control signal so it would be nice.

Able talking about a remote
Most sound bars feel like remotes afterthoughts, but S4251w-B4 clicker has obviously put in some work. The ability to feel quite easily and the buttons fall under your thumb with minimalist choice, as soon as you get it clear.'s.

(Credit: Sarah Tew / CNET)
S4251w-B4's actually built-in remote display, except that it specifies.

(Credit: Sarah Tew / CNET)
In practice, it is not you want to be a perfect solution. Works on single-line display menus Figuring out how much logic you use to start. This excellent button layout and overall it's a great remote seems to be, again, you have all the unique adjust.