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

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The good news to all of this is that you can do some tweaking of the sound through the remote. There’s only so much you can do with satellite speakers and a subwoofer of that size, but it’s nice having the option to turn them up or tweak them how you like and you can turn off the DTS Virtual:X if you find it distracting.

However, this is a speaker with practicality and affordability in mind. Its ultra-compact dimensions, tapered build and forward-facing speakers mean it takes up little space and removes any need for a clear line of sight for upward- and side-firing drivers, making it a practical choice for small rooms and even desktops. In addition to testing out a soundbar’s ability to deliver sound to accompany onscreen action, we take time to try out any wireless streaming capabilities it may have, be that via Tidal over Bluetooth or Spotify Connect over a Wi-Fi network. Content is also streamed via features such as Chromecast built-in and AirPlay 2 to ensure they work as intended. With its wide range of supported audio formats, the A7000 excels itself and includesDolby Atmos(in both the Digital+ and TrueHD formats),DTS:X, LPCM, hi-res wireless audio and Sony 360 Reality Audio. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Vizio SB36512-F6, however, is the wide array of audio formats it supports, including (impressively at this price) both Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio. Something to bear in mind, however, is that to experience overhead Atmos audio effects at their best, Vizio’s recommendation is that your ceiling is between 2.2m and 3.6m high. Vizio SB36512-F6E 36” Soundbar Review: Sound quality The key thing to know about optical is that it's restricted in bandwidth compared to ARC/eARC. So if you have the choice between the two and opt for optical, you might not be making the most of the audio decoding built into your soundbar. The most advanced immersive formats optical can handle are compressed Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 surround sound, so that means no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X.

Upgrade your television’s sound with our pick of the best soundbars you can buy

Less useful these days are analogue connections such as stereo RCA and 3.5mm inputs, and they’re becoming less common on soundbars, too. They’re still worth having for emergency use, but don’t worry too much if your soundbar doesn’t have these. There are preset EQ modes on the remote control for movie, music, and gaming, for example. But adjusting the balance of, say, the center channel for dialogue is under "Levels" on the remote. Also adjustable are the overall bass and treble levels, and subwoofer and satellite speaker balance. I also tweaked the height level adjustment so those rotating speakers could take better aim at my higher ceilings. The Arc supports Dolby Atmos (although only via eARC) as well as both Google Assistant and Alexa. It can be fully integrated into a Sonos multiroom audio system and controlled via the excellent Sonos S2 app. The only caveat is that physical connectivity is limited to a single HDMI ARC/eARC port, with no HDMI or optical digital input available. Otherwise, this is an astonishing achievement in AV audio engineering. The SF150 also features Sony's S-Force Front Surround technology, which applies processing to give the acoustic impression of a more encompassing sound stage. While there is no replacement for surround sound,it adds a dramatic sense of weight and separation.

It’s worth keeping in mind, also, that 5.1 is no longer the pinnacle of sound quality – that title belongs to spatial audio formats like Dolby Atmos. While 5.1 can give you a plane of sound, Dolby Atmos immerses you in a sound field with top-firing speakers that provide a height channel to the mix. Those bars are more expensive than what Vizio is offering here, obviously, but they’re worth investigating if you feel like you might be interested in having a larger sphere of sound.If high-quality 3D sound is important to you, then you'll want to make sure both your TV and potential soundbar support Dolby TrueHD and eARC. The ARC standard can handle Dolby Atmos, but only in its Dolby Digital Plus form, which is lossy, whereas Dolby TrueHD can deliver full-fat Dolby Atmos in all its lossless glory. Having a wide array of connection options is always a bonus as you will never know what you might want to connect to your soundbar in the future. The most convenient is HDMI: this is the connection favoured by most modern soundbars, even cheap ones. You will most often see an HDMI input (or maybe even two or three), which you connect your sources to (games console, Sky box etc) and an HDMI output, which passes the video signal to your TV. As ever, the more connections, the better, as it gives you more flexibility in the future.

Next, features and connectivity. Many modern TV soundbars boast ARC and eARC-enabled HDMI ports, which can handle high bandwidth multichannel audio formats as well as optical inputs for older TVs. If your TV has ARC/eARC, you'll be able to control the volume of your soundbar with your existing remote control. It's worth considering if having a separate physical remote for the soundbar is important to you or if you're comfortable with controlling settings from a smartphone app. If you’re part of the Alexa smart home ecosystem and want an affordable soundbar to slot neatly into it, the Polk React is the best choice around. If you’ve got a bit more cash to play with and want superior audio quality, we recommend you take a look at the Sonos Beam 2. Sports mode is one of four EQ presets available, with movie, music and night modes also on offer. They all do a good job at enhancing your audio experience when watching the content they’re designed to cater to, while Polk’s Voice Adjust technology allows you to increase how prominent dialogue is in the audio and works very well.Generally, soundbars are a single long speaker with several drivers inside but some come with external subwoofers for extra low-end extension and rear speakers for surround sound effects whereas others are compatible with other speakers from within the manufacturer's brand. If floor-shaking bass is high on your priority list then these are models you'll want to consider.