Customers highly value the exceptional sound quality, immersive Dolby Atmos experience, and user-friendly setup process of the 5.1.4-Channel Elevate Soundbar. The rotating speakers and powerful bass further enhance the overall cinematic experience. However, some users have expressed concerns regarding occasional connectivity issues and bugs in the accompanying app.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 3 Showing 41-60 of 780 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Dolby atmos, Easy setup, Price
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Very satisfied.
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Pros:
+ PRICE PRICE PRICE. Even more so if you get it on sale like I did.
+ Fantastic sound right out of the box. I'm no audiophile, I'm just a regular guy. I'll probably try to tweak the sounds settings at some point to squeeze out the best performance I can get but I'm not too worried about it at the moment.
+eARC and Dolby Atmos/DTS:X which is easy plug and play provided your device supports it. I have a tall, vaulted (10 in. slope) ceiling so I may not even get the FULL effect of Dolby Atmos but what I hear sounds amazing. From what I understand, flat ceilings work best.
The only cons:
- Satellite speakers must be physically connected to the subwoofer. Not a huge deal for me since I hid most of the wires under my area rug.
- Its hard to find speaker stands that fit properly because of the cables Vizio provided. The ends of the cables bend at 90 degrees which causes issues when mounting to some speaker stands. Also, it presents a problem trying to run cables down the inside of stands to hide them. I finally found a stand where the pole was wide enough to fit the wires, but just barely. Even then, actually mounting them was a small pain as well.
- There is no hdmi 2.1 pass through (only HDMI 2.0b) but to my knowledge no sound bar as of yet has HDMI 2.1 inputs. This isn't a big deal unless you're in need of more HDMI 2.1 ports for your devices, like a PS5 and XBox Series X, because your TV doesn't have enough HDMI 2.1 ports. Not a big deal and more of a luxury than anything.
Some people say the app is buggy and laggy but I haven't messed with it other than updating the firmware where I had no problems. As long as I encounter no bugs or defects in the future, I'm extremely satisfied with the purchase.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Price, Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Connectivity
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Excellent soundbar with some minor issues
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I would give it 4.5 stars if I can. The soundbar has very good built quality and very good sound. It works well with my nVidia Shield and BluRay player. There are a few issues I found during the set up but part of them are not Vizio's fault. My overall verdict is positive but I will just focus on the issues in this review.
First, I had some issues in the app setup. I have the Vizio Smartcast Mobile app installed on my phone and tablet for a long time as I have a Vizio SmartDisplay P55-E1 for a couple years already. When I first tried adding the soundbar to the app on my tablet, it failed in the WiFi connection step. It worked on the third attempt and completed the setup. I have two pretty good mesh networks at home so it is not likely my wifi network to be blamed. It would not have this problem if the soundbar has an ethernet port like the TV. Once it completed the setup, the app gives a lot more control of the soundbar than the remote, however, you need to be on the same network to access these controls. Hopefully, future updates in the app and firmware may add more function to it, such as more customized settings.
Second, the ARC is not working very well yet. I have only ARC but not eARC on my TV. The Atmos does pass through to the soundbar through ARC but I found the audio from my 4k FireTV Stick through ARC to be somewhat stutterd. Connecting to the soundbar directly has no issue. It may be an issue of the ARC my TV which is also from Vizio.
Third, I found Atmos/DTX-S media to be inconsistent depending on the streaming devices and app. This is mostly not Vizio's fault but I did see a lot of complaints about that. It has a lot to do with the connected hardware, how the device is connected to the soundbar, and which streaming app or version to be used in order to have the Atmos passing through properly. The same media from the same source (e.g. Netflix) and on the same or different streaming device may give you totally different audio output format. You will have to play around with your setup to get everything working properly. At this point, I am mostly satisfied with my nVidia Shield connecting directly to the soundbar for Netflix and Disney Plus. It also works well with my Sony UBX-700 BluRay player in playing disc (but not the streaming apps). It is funny to see the side speakers rotating up and down when playing different trailers or the main content on the same disc.
Last, I have a 10ft ceiling and the sound bar is >8 feet below ceiling making the Atmos a bit difficult to setup. I wish there is an automatic calibration tool like the JBL Bar 9.1. My rear speakers mounted in the mid-height level are working fine though.
In other words, to love or hate this soundbar may depend a lot on your room and hardware setup. Nevertheless, it is a great value at the sale price of $700 that I paid.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from VIZIOEntertainmentExpert
Posted .
Great review Tourist, thank you! We really appreciate the constructive feedback and passed it to the product team to incorporate into future updates and products.
Sound bars using eARC, ARC and/or CEC rely on communication between the TV and the Sound bar. While VIZIO tests across a broad array of TVs and manufacturers, signal detection timing can vary between TV models. Some of these timing differences may cause pops or clicks between content changes. VIZIO actively tracks these differences and rolls updates into Firmware updates. We encourage you to connect your VIZIO Elevate to your wireless network to take advantage of these Firmware updates as soon as they are available.
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
App
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Nice middle range option
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
It sounds good but the system itself is not the best. The app is terrible and most of the times won't connect. If is on sale a def buy.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Dolby atmos, Rotating speakers
Cons mentioned:
App
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great value if you get it on sale
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Going to be honest, I felt like I was taking a huge gamble buying a Vizio soundbar system. But with the Black Friday discount, I decided to go for it and the Elevate blew my expectations out of the water. I don't have much experience with high end soundbar systems like this, but there was a significant jump versus my old Yamaha YAS-209. It felt like I was at a movie theater when Dolby Atmo was playing.
And while a lot of people do say the Elevate's Rear Speakers aren't too strong, they sounded good enough for me haha. The subwoofer is beast though, and the soundbar itself is great too. The side speaker rotating up to Dolby Atmos/DTS-X mode is really cool.
My biggest complaint, is the terrible Vizio Smartcast App, set up, and how hard it is to upgrade the firmware. I had to reset my Elevate to factory settings to finally get the firmware to download. If I try to use the app, it will desync the Elevate from my TV, and will not turn off properly unless I unplug it. Hopefully Vizio addresses all these software issues in the future, but until then I pretty much use the remote only.
If you can get this on sale, be patient with the buggy app and set up, do some adjustments/tweaking, you'll be rewarded with a movie theater like sound experience.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Dolby atmos, Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great sound
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
So I have some history with Vizio. I bought a sound bar from this brand 5 years ago and that sound bar was wonderful. Not a single issue with it! I got a new tv and it was compatible so I decided to go back to Vizio and got a newer one about 2 years back. It was nothing but problems to the point where I had to fight Vizio for my money back. I then bought a V51 series and it was a lot better but still had its glitches. I’ve been wanting the Elevate sound bar for quite some time but I was hesitant to spend that much money on a Vizio sound bar considering my issues. I decided to bite the bullet and bought it. To my surprise, the quality is so much better than I thought. I watched a few scary movies and the bass has a lot of impact. The Dolby atmos really makes a difference however I do admit for having surround sound speakers, it’s not as good as this one Sony speaker I was considering. The Sony speaker just has the bass and sound bar yet the Dolby atmos was better when I tested it. However it’s $700 more so I stuck with the elevate. It’s a good speaker. It plays music clearly and movies sound fantastic. The sound bar is super bulky. My tv is a 65 inch and has legs and the sound bar barely fits on the entertainment center due to the depth and the length. I’m going to have to hang my tv now since the sound bar is so big. The only glitch I’ve gotten and I’ve had with all Vizio sound bars except my first one, the sound bar at times comes on by itself overnight and I wake up to the lights of the sound bar on. The elevate doesn’t do it as much as my other 2 soundbars (it’s done it twice while my other sound bars would turn themselves on overnight every night).
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy setup
Cons mentioned:
App
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Not perfect, but amazing when it does work!
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is my first 5.1 sound system with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X capability and so far, it's been an awesome experience paired up with my new Sony X90CH TV!
Pros:
- Easy set-up and connections. Wireless subwoofer with the satellite speakers connecting to it. Sound bar to the TV via HDMI E-ARC/ARC. Download Smartcast app on mobile and pair together for set-up and firmware update. Took me maybe 20 minutes altogether.
- Has all of the volume you'll ever need. This thing gets loud enough to fill up a large hall.
- Has about all the EQ settings I think you'll need. 4 Main EQ settings and all the main adjustable sound signature settings you'd expect like bass and treble.
- Auto-rotating speakers are super cool when they trigger Atmos content. They work well in providing height sounds given that it is coming from a sound bar and not ceiling speakers.
- Satellite speakers are great and can also get pretty loud, upfiring speakers in them also contribute to Atmos immersion decently.
- Even in the normal wide setting, the soundstage on this thing is absolutely impressive. Listening to concerns on Youtube makes me feel like I'm actually at the concert.
- Clarity and separation of sound is shockingly good for a sound bar. Even with the over-tuned amount of bass, dialogue, mids, and highs come through extremely clear and sound separate from the bass and low frequency instead of sounding like they're coming from the same speaker. If you adjust the bass properly for the content you're watching, the clarity I think is top notch of any sound bar on the market.
- Build quality on everything seems sturdy, nothing seems flimsy or easy to break.
Cons:
- Vizio Smartcast app is extremely buggy. Anyone with experience with their app and any other Vizio products knows exactly what I'm talking about. The app is slow and unresponsive considering how high quality the hardware it supports is. You'll press to change an EQ setting and it'll take multiple tries and up to 60 seconds to register as you fiddle back and forth.
- Accompanying the buggy app seems to be buggy firmware that doesn't work 100% properly. Audio will cut out and I'm unsure if it is a problem with the E-ARC function of my TV or the sound bar itself.
- The current firmware version causes the sound bar to not automatically power off when the TV turns off.
Overall, for the Black Friday price I got it for + open box (~$500) I think this sound bar system is absolutely worth it. I think with time and further firmware updates, it's value will only increase, as it has only some software and connectivity issues plaguing what is itself amazing hardware. I wouldn't pay full MSRP for it, but at a sale price, I think it absolutely beats any other comparable sound bar system out right now.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from VIZIOEntertainmentExpert
Posted .
Hello STat,
Thanks so much for your detailed review! So glad to hear you are enjoying the sound bar! Regarding the audio cut out you described, this has been resolved with the most recent firmware update. For information on how to update the firmware of your sound bar you can take a look at this page: https://support.vizio.com/s/article/Firmware-Information-3119?language=en_US
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Connectivity
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Love the elevate but more power would be good
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I owned a VIZIO 5.1 system and the app and the software is the same for the setup for the elevate, so it sometimes can be frustrating to connect the soundbar to the app and your Wi-Fi. My only suggestion is to go close to the soundbar when pairing and be patient because sometimes it takes time waiting as it configures each screen. Once connected every bad review discussing connection shou, because now you are connected and have control, until you reset settings.
App, connectivity and settings:
You have a lot of control with this soundbar and can customize everything from bass to dialogue, although you can’t adjust dialogue this with atoms media,but you really don’t have to because the dialogue on atoms is really good. There are a lot of options and selectors in the app, which are good, but sometimes too many options makes it difficult to know what to do. I tried everything and found that pre-set EQ “direct” with any signal that has true surround sound / atoms is the most accurate, and I found that EQ “movie” for all other signals such as Google live ,Hulu live, etc... gives you the simulated surround. I didn’t see if EQ “direct” has surround with a movie coming from FX or STARS using on demand but apps such as Prime, Imovies, Netflix, Disney + works amazing with direct. If you don’t hear surround with EQ “direct”, just switch to movie and it will process a 5.1 effect ( not nearly as good as a true signal, but still better than just the sound bar pushing out sound ). I just want to state that I’m pretty sure this goes for all soundbars, because I have an LG Atmos in my living room and it does the same; Only movie eq will activate the surround with tv streaming media on LG. In summary, get past the connectivity issues and disregard all the negative reviews on app connectivity. As for physical connections, I have no issues and no problems passing Dolby atoms through the tv hdmi arc, although Apple TV 4K, I had to connect directly to the soundbar hdmi input to get the atoms to tigger. I’m not sure if this is Apple TV or the sound bar, because the shield tv passes through just fine.
Sound Quality and output:
The sound quality of this sound bar is amazing. I don’t have any of the other soundbars to compare other than than an LG atoms soundbar, so I’m giving you this review with maybe three other soundbar impressions. The sound on this elevate has more separation in the dialogue than any of the others I have recently heard. The bass is amazing and surround is really good. With atoms, you will hear the difference than a traditional 5.1, not mind blowing, but enough to look for atoms media. Now for some things that I still don’t understand. This has to do with volume levels and output of the soundbar. I will start by saying that my LG soundbar just seems so much louder on a lower volume level. If I turn the LG all the way up it was louder but just not pleasant to listen to, so more power with the LG. With that said, I would never watch a movie or show that loud, so it might only be an issue if you are looking to fill a very large space. I’m in a basement movie room that has the surrounds about 10 - 15 feet away from the sitting area and the sub is about 10 feet and in front to the left of the seating area. With these room dimensions this soundbar still fills and creates a very full sound with amazing quality. My only comment is that I do need to put the volume very high to achieve this. As an example, my LG sound bar can be at a 20 out of 100 and sound super loud and the elevate will have to be at a 60 + to get a similar volume level. This does change based on media, but the elevate doesn’t have as much output than what I have compared it to, but has the best quality sound. The only trade off for all these other sound bars in my opinion is power, not bass, but just overall output of the volume. You may never even need it, so it’s really not a deal breaker for me and the quality of this entire surround system is amazing!!!
Aesthetics:
The look of this sound bar and the rotating speakers is comparable to all the other extremely expensive systems on the market. There is no issues with he build quality and the way this sound bar looks
Overall:
I thought about returning this just on power, but If I have to always lower the volume to watch tv or a movie because it’s too loud, than that’s enough power for me. There is a lot of power with this sound bar but you just have to turn that volume up to achieve it. You can put it full volume and there is no distortion and enough power to impress. Get passed connectivity and you are golden. All settings and connectivity that you can ask for . I do recommend this sound bar !
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Rotating speakers, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Exceptional Dolby Atmos Experience!
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I recently purchased this VIZIO 5.1.4-Channel Elevate Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer and Rotating Speakers in Charcoal Gray, and I can't help but share my overwhelming satisfaction with this remarkable audio system. This marks my third time acquiring this soundbar, and with each purchase, I find myself consistently amazed by its exceptional quality.
One of the standout features that sets this soundbar apart is the innovative design, particularly the motorized rotating speakers dedicated to delivering a captivating Dolby Atmos effect. This unique feature distinguishes the VIZIO Elevate from other soundbars in the market, providing a level of immersion that is truly unparalleled.
The seamless sound stage, extending from the low end to the high end, creates a unified audio experience that is both powerful and immersive. What truly sets this system apart is its ability to reproduce sound effects with precision, placing them in specific locations as intended by the content creators. Whether it's the sensation of rain overhead or a train moving across the screen, the VIZIO Elevate excels at transporting you into the heart of the on-screen action.
After owning other high-end soundbar systems, I can confidently say that the VIZIO Elevate holds its own against some of the best in the market. It competes admirably in terms of audio quality, creating an experience that rivals even the most discerning buyer's expectations.
The only drawback worth mentioning is that the rear channels are not wireless, requiring you to run audio cables (provided in the box) to the left and right Surround speakers. While I would have preferred if the speakers only needed to be connected to a power source, I consider this a minor inconvenience that, once overcome, should not deter you from making this soundbar a part of your entertainment space.
It's worth noting that the effectiveness of any soundbar system is influenced by factors such as room acoustics, surface materials, and placement. Understanding your specific room dynamics is crucial to maximizing the potential of the VIZIO Elevate. When set up correctly, this soundbar not only meets but exceeds the expectations of even the most discriminating audio enthusiasts.
If you're seeking an exceptional Dolby Atmos experience that goes beyond the ordinary, the VIZIO Elevate Soundbar is an investment that delivers unparalleled audio quality and innovation. Highly recommended for those who appreciate the finer details of immersive sound reproduction.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
App
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Amazing Atmos sound in 5.1.4
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
So I was very leery about buying this. Lots of review videos showing this as being a hard to setup, but great performing device. Well , I ended up getting it and am VERY happy that I did.
Let me be the first to tell you that the setup on this is not “difficult” but definitely time consuming. It’s mainly because the Vizio app is AWFUL! And that is what u use to set this soundbar up with. It’s very finicky, lots of “connection errors” and spinning wheels. But ultimately, got everything connected, set up, and firmware updated in the end. My best advice is that you will be successful in doing this, but you better be patient and don’t expect a five minute set up. It’s not gonna happen.
Another word of advice, make very sure that you understand how Dolby sound with Atmos is carried. All devices in the run need to be Atmos capable. The source, and every other device that it runs through, like the TV, need to be Atmos capable. I had a Roku ultra that I thought was Atmos capable, turns out I had to buy the 2021 version of the Roku ultra. Only the new device supports Atmos. Also was running it through a one-year-old Samsung television that supports dolby digital plus. Technically, dolby digital plus is capable of carrying the Atmos signal pass through, but the Samsung hardware couldn’t handle the baud rate. No problem though, as this Visio sound bar has two HDMI inputs, I just fed the Roku directly to the sound bar, then sent the signal to the television via the HDMI (ARC out) Port on the Vizio sound bar. Every device in line from the source to the sound bar MUST be at most capable for this signal to be seen by the Visio elevate. If not, you will need to hook the source directly to the soundbar. Just a heads up.
As far as sound, this thing is amazing. It completely lights up the room. Deep bass, stunningly clear dialogue, great Atmos and surround affect. I can’t begin to tell you how terrible my old sound bar was, until I heard this thing.
This sounds better than any other Atmos sound bar that I have listened to thus far, and that’s a lot of them. Not to mention that it’s the only true 5.1.4 Atmos soundbar that I know of. But, I will warn you that if you have zero audio, or technical knowledge, this might not be the bar for you as it is a tedious set up and does require some moderate knowledge. Not terrible, but there is some involvement.
The only troubles that I have had with this sound bar is the the power off control on the CEC connections to the television gets “finicky“. Twice this week it would turn on with my TV as it should, But wouldn’t turn off with the TV power. This was easily corrected by unplugging power to the TV/soundbar for 30 seconds. that’s all it took to solve this. I’m still guessing this is a Samsung CEC issue on my TV. Not the soundbar.
And lastly, I can’t stress how terrible the Vizio SmartCast app is. Don’t even try to adjust levels with the app. It’s impossible. Just use the included remote. The remote is excellent!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Great sounding soundbar with a Plethora of Bugs
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Have had this soundbar for about a month and a half now. I want to start with the things I really like about this bar!
- Design is amazing. Rotating speakers are definitely really cool. Surround sound speakers are small but sound good I think.
- Sound quality is very good at this price point. Possibly the best you will find under $1k, and I feel I'm pretty picky about sound. That being said it's not "amazing" in my book, but definitely worth the sub $1k price in my opinion. I think there are probably better options if you're willing to stretch your budget (sonos, samsung, etc).
- Bass is very good, you will need to turn down most likely. My settings are Treble: +5, Bass: -7, Sub: -8, Dialogue +6/7, Center: +3/4 and height: +5 on direct (height only adjustable in atmos content) and movie mode.
Here are some grievances I have with the product.
- Issue with no audio at all when turning on the tv and soundbar and trying to play something. Only fix I've found is to remove the hdmi cable from tv and plug it back in. Works 95% of the time.
- Delay in sound after a silent period (between commercials and between period of stopping commercial and returning to show).
- Music appears to fluctuate in volume (noticed this when playing music or movies). Noticed this more recently, so could be more of a bug, or a settings issue
Most of the problems with this bar can probably be fixed via software updates, but with a product on the market for over 6 months now and still having relatively major issues is not good. I cannot tell you how many hours I've spent tinkering with this to match preferences and find workarounds to issues...
I would not recommend this bar to someone who wants "plug and play" performance. If you're willing to wait for vizio to get things fixed, then by all means go for it. Again, the sound quality is very good in my opinion, but sound is also subjective. I'd recommend if you're on the fence to go check out review websites or better yet, go listen to different soundbars at Best Buy to get a rough idea of what to expect with these systems!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Brand response from VIZIO
Posted .
Hello WeathermanWheats, thank you for your detailed feedback today. It looks like the couple issues that were described have been resolved with the last firmware update that was released. Have you been able to take that firmware update yet? You can find this update as well as steps to install it here: https://support.vizio.com/s/article/Firmware-Information-3119?language=en_US If you have any questions or need assistance feel free to reach out to us by going to support.vizio.com and clicking 'contact us'.
Pros mentioned:
Rotating speakers, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Beautiful design with amazing sound
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I got my Vizio Elevate Soundbar today and I must say it's beautiful. The sound is amazing with deep bass and the technology behind the rotating height speakers when listening to Dolby Atmos content is truly fantastic for the price.
However I did noticed that while playing some Netflix Dolby Atmos content, the height speakers on the soundbar do not rotate. I am pretty sure Vizio will be fixing it in the future firmware update.
I am loving this soundbar. 5/5 for this product.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from VIZIOEntertainmentExpert
Posted .
Hello Suchir,
The default out of the box setting is to have the Height speakers always pointed up for an always immersive experience. You can change this setting to 'Auto' using the LCD Display Remote. This will make the speakers rotate up or down depending on the content that is being played.
Pros mentioned:
Price, Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Enough Boom and Bang for your Buck
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
So...I'm really enjoying this sound bar bring new type of immersive to my movies.
Now the up firing speakers still testing them to see how they simulate have speakers from a above..I can't really tell but this does take away my love for this sound system. Movies games hell commercial it make everything stand out. The subwoofer is bass heavy but I love hearing the bo.echo through my floor when watching certain movies.
Watch Encanto on it and the music just blast through my sound system was a thing of beauty.
I caught it on sale, I mean I know there are high end or if you the real audio person you have speakers everywhere celling, wall, couch even the floor but if you want a simple setup that give you that bang for your buck then I would suggest you his bad boy right here.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Rotating speakers, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Better value than Sonos - Amazing sound quality
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My quick thoughts after using the Elevate for a few days after watching the latest Mandalorian episode and a few movies off Disney+ and Netflix (Atmos enabled)
- Soundstage is really good due to its length and the option to rotate down the side speakers
- Sound quality is MUCH better than my previous sound bars (Sonos Beam + 2x Symfonisk + sub hack, Vizio SB4551-D5, and Vizio S4251w-B4. I've owned a Denon receiver and tower speakers in the past as well)
- The issue of not hearing dialog well are long gone with my previous soundbars. Dialog is crystal clear - this alone was worth the upgrade)
- Atmos phantom height effect is apparent but nothing "amazing." I do hear heightened sound effects but definitely not as good as dedicated speakers in the ceiling, as expected. Definitely increases immersion
- Rotating speakers are pretty cool to see and the wider soundstage on non-atmos content is nice
- I wish Vizio had ANY walkthrough for setup on speaker placement and atmos effect testing. I also wish they would let you choose how much the speakers rotated to potentially solve issues with different seating arrangements.
- Out of the box, the sub is WAY too bass heavy. I literally have to turn it down to -8 or turn on night mode. Really another reason why we don't get a full blown receiver and sound system, we would never utilize its full power potential.
I decided against the Sonos Arc (even though I have a sonos speaker in every room) because:
- Crazy expensive at $800 for just the bar (Elevate is 700-1k for a whole 5.1.4 setup)
- Sonos still doesnt do DTS (Elevate supports DTS)
- Does not support LPCM still, even though its promised in an update (Elevate supports LPCM)
- Need another ~1k for a full 5.1 setup (sub and 2 rears)
- No HDMI input, requires you to have a TV with eArc (Elevate has two HDMI inputs)
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from VIZIOEntertainmentExpert
Posted .
Thank you for such an awesome (and thorough) review Ranova! We appreciate the feedback and have passed it on to our product team. For your particular room, it's hard to offer exact recommendations, but the Elevate level settings likely need to be adjusted to provide a balanced immersive experience. The most common adjustment necessary is to reduce the subwoofer and surround volume. The volume of the both of these are greatly affected by how close they are to the listener compared to the bar. In addition, the subwoofer is affected by the size of the room along with the texture of the wall and floor coverings. Adjusting the subwoofer downward will smooth out the crossover point (the point where the sound bar hands off the signal to the subwoofer) and optimize the performance for your space.
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
App
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Vizio, fix your APP!!!
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
If the app worked, this thing would get a 5 star from me!!!
It’s that easy. Sound is very good for what it is. Bass is more than enough. I have a 12x12 gaming room with a LG CX. The Elevate fills is perfect. Took bit to balance in the sounds. Especially when the app doesn’t recognize, stay connected to bar, or register changes.
I have NOT played any shooters with it to gauge game sounds. But music playback off my iPhone and movies have been spot on.
I have a EQ mode set for music, and one for movies. Movies has the sub dialed way back.
The upfiring from front and rears works quite well for Atmos.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Price, Rotating speakers
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
CO66
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
We have this Soundbar in our open concept living room 15x30 it fills the room and the Bass is outstanding in fact we had to tone it down to our liking just FYI we have hardwood floors.the sound this thing puts out is just crazy voices are clear and crisp the rears are good and add effects but remember it`s a soundbar so you won`t get that effect like from a full speaker system. we had a LG SN10Y and this blows it out of the water the app can be a little tricky but once the bar finds it everything went good and you can control everything from there or the remote and i mean every sound level. movies are great we have this paired with our LG 758500 and has no issues both have eARC witch is what you need for the best uncompressed sound. the rotating speakers are smooth and quiet and you can set them to manual or auto when it detects Dolby Atmos or DTSX they rotate overall we love this bar very clean looking... is it worth the price ? we think so. Vizio put alot of thought into this bar and it comes with everything you will need in the box is it perfect ? No but pretty dang close watch out Samsung and LG there is a new kid on the block....
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Rotating speakers, Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Massive Sound In A Small Finicky Package
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Posted . Owned for 4 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Pros:
- Superb sound quality
- Stylish design
- Innovative swiveling height channels
- Imersive Dolby Atmos surround
- Two 4K HDR 60hz HDMI passthrough ports
- Tons of calibration/sound settings
- Elegant and functional remote control
- Relatively inexpensive for the features
The Cons:
- Rotating Speakers Click into Place
They sound like they are running on a cheap motor.
Worried about longevity.
‐ eARC Support is Temperamental
The soundbar will randomly lose connection with my LG CX TV. This requires a full reboot of the soundbar and sometimes even reinstating eARC settings on the TV.
- Rear Speakers are Finicky
They will crack, pop, and shriek high picked static when switching between sound codex i.e. Atmos, Dolby 5.1, PCM, DTS, etc.
Final Thoughts:
I have a love/hate relationship with this soundbar.
On one hand:
When it's working properly, it will push you into your couch and encourage tears of joy from how good it sounds. Literally! Movies with epic soundtracks like Marvel or LOTR will blow you away on this system!
On the other hand:
When it's not working, and this is quite frequently, you may very well want to rip this bar out of your entertainment system and throw it over the balcony. Or at the very least, gouge out your ear drums with a pencil when the rear speakers shriek static whilst changing inputs.
If mind numbingly good sound during movies is your main priority, reliability and frustration be d###ed, this is the sound bar for you.
I would encourage you to buy this if/when it's on a steep discount. I got it for $700 and can't complain too much.
Though, if I had to do it over again, I would buy the Sonos Arc purely for the ease of use and reliaility.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Dolby atmos, Easy setup, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Goodbye Samsung, Hello Vizio!
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
VERY impressed. I originally had a Samsung A650, but wanted more. I always thought Samsung out great machines and was leary of anything outside of Samsung.. that thought is out the door. I wanted a more full sound. This delivered. Everything from the soundbar, to the bass, to the rear speakers - this thing puts out great sound. Setup was smooth and fairly straight forward. The subwoofer was a huge upgrade from Samsung. Only thing I would note is that I listen/stream music from my phone to my Tv. The effect on the soundbar has to be put on Music and not Movie to have meaningful sound. As others have noted, the subwoofer and bass is big.. I personally like and appreciate it being a bit over the top.. Overall, very impressed and blown away by the Vizio Elevate.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Rotating speakers
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Near perfect sound held back by software bugs
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
PROS:
- Really impressive sound quality
- Bass is punchy and loud, downward firing
- No compromises on formats, supports LPCM, DTS-X, Dolby Atmos, eARC
- Remote is much improved over past Vizio remotes, has backlight LCD
- 2 additional HDMI inputs that support full 2.0 features (4k/HDR,Dolby Vision) (3 total including the eARC one)
- Price is about half of what comparable bars run
- Great wireless Support (Bluetooth/Google Cast built in)
CONS:
- Smartcast app is hard to setup, flakey after setup
- Firmware issues (many bugs, hdmi handshake issues) (current v1.01.04.1, released Nov. 2020)
- Rotating parts are fragile, questionable longevity
- Originally announced as having HDMI 2.1 inputs, but that was removed by launch.
ABOUT:
Hooked up to a LG C9 via eARC, all devices hooked directly to TV and passed via eARC (Xfinity X1 cable box, PS4 Pro, Nintendo Switch, WebOS apps: Netflix and Disney+). Have tested Multichannel LPCM, DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos DD+. Have not tested any DTS-X content or any lossless Atmos.
SOUND:
I've been really impressed by the sound. First, the center channel really pushes out some impressive voice, its easy to hear, clear, and doesn't get overpowered by the music/sound fx. The rotating Atmos upfiring speakers, while no replacement for ceiling speakers, does a good job at producing the desired "Atmos bubble" when watching Mandolorian on Disney+, and honestly its pretty cool to see them automatically move to the up position. When not in Atmos mode, you get a very wide soundstage, 5.1 TV and music sound great. The bass might be too much for some people; but as someone with a stand alone house and no sleeping children, I'm happy with its literal room shaking abilities, but you might need/want to dial it down (theres a dedicated night mode which drops the bass and automatically returns to normal after its powered back on). Unlike some cheaper bars, the lower volume levels continue to sound great and theres a wide range from lowest volume to max. The eARC support means things just work, no fiddling with extra remotes for normal day to day use. Just really impressive sound in both Atmos and standard modes.
WHY THIS BAR:
I chose this soundbar because I needed something that supported all the formats (DTS-X, Dolby Atmos and LPCM) via eARC, which is actually pretty rare in soundbars (high-end Samsung, LG, and JBL are among the others). Google Cast and Bluetooth support round out its wireless capabilities, letting you power your music selection from your phone/computer. As a bonus, this thing comes with every single cable you'd ever need. I also like the wired back speakers (wired to the sub, sub is wireless to the bar) because it only requires one power outlet (but might be a con for some people), while wireless back speakers would need three power outlets (or for you to charge them daily like the JBL 9.1). Finally the price, while the comparable Samsung and LG can do the same things, they're much more expensive (basically double the sale price of this one).
SOFTWARE:
The negatives around this bar are its current state of software. The Smartcast app is nightmarish to setup the first time, it takes multiple attempts but does eventually work and offers an ease/improvement over the standard remote. Post setup, theres times where the app just doesn't see the bar, then 20 mins later it does without changing anything; changes from the app are super laggy and sometimes just don't work. But the biggest frustration is around the firmware, this thing is brand new so hopefully Vizio squashes these bugs (issues are after the first firmware update v1.01.04.1). I ran into several HDMI handshake issues, particularly with Nintendo Switch (Multi-Channel LPCM) and would get stuck with just stereo or no audio at times, after literal hours of troubleshooting I got it working via earc, but I'm not sure why it worked when it did and not the previous times. Theres been several times the bar's software or audio output just locks up, requiring a reboot to fix. Reading reviews here and on forums shows a lot of people having a lot of software issues. I also get a loud popping noise from the speakers whenever the audio type changes (changing inputs, changing audio settings in a device, sometimes even just turning the tv off). I've spend way too much time troubleshooting issues and have to reboot the bar far too often.
BUILD QUALITY:
I'd also caution about the rotating speakers, the quick start instructions tell you to never to touch the rotating part when handling the bar, and while I thought I was doing a good job at that, after changing an HDMI input on the back I noticed that it started making a creaking noise during rotation and a grinding noise for a second or two after rotation was done. After examining the rotating piece closely, I noticed that I must have bumped into the moving part which pushed it slightly out of alignment. The rotating piece sits near flush with non-rotating parts (like less than a mm away), and the slightest bit of force will skew it to rub either the table its on or its own non-moving parts. I had to gently manipulate the rotating shell so it was no longer in contact with anything and the noises stopped, it honestly doesn't take much to any force to slightly move it. So if you're going to be careful and just mount thing thing and never touch it again, you should be good, but if you have small kids or have to move the bar from time to time this should be a concern for the longevity.
CONCLUSION:
This is a really great sounding system but I cannot give it 5 stars nor recommend it to a friend in its current state, the bugs are really annoying and its taken a lot of time to troubleshoot issues. The rotating speaker issue isn't a dealbreaker for me (might be for you), but the current stability issues/bugs are. Luckily Best Buy's holiday return period gives me peace of mind and gives Vizio a few months to squash these bugs, if they do this will be one of the top bars there is, but if they don't its going back and I'll probably hold off until a 2021 bar with HDMI 2.1 passthrough.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Brand response from VIZIOEntertainmentExpert
Posted .
Hello Nick,
Thank you for your detailed review! So glad to hear you are loving the bar, and regarding the firmware issues you brought up there has been a recent firmware release that should resolve this. For information on the update visit https://support.vizio.com/s/article/Firmware-Information-3119?language=en_US . If you have any further questions or would like any assistance always feel free to reach out to our award-winning technical support team by going to support.vizio.com and clicking 'contact us'.
Pros mentioned:
Rotating speakers, Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Pretty solid all around experience
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
High end sound bar for budget price. Definitely can compete with the heavy hitters. This system sounds phenomenal in medium sized rooms. The rotating speakers are are a nice innovation and give the bar a futuristic feel. The fact that the soundbar latches on to the tv stand if you own any vizio oled is a major W impressive. Hdmi support on this SB is a Win. The sub sounds great but can be a little too loud if not adjusted. App works good with soundbar when it wants too. It’s not all cheers and hoorays though here are my gripes... the WiFi set up is absolutely awful and takes entirely too long. If your not tech savvy you will find yourself on the phone with contact support forsure. The smart cast app can be a real pain as well. When adjusting the eq settings my preferred settings would slide frequently from the actual numbers I had set them at Not a mohair problem but it still was a little irritating having to adjust the setting while already having it set. Now for my biggest gripe the crackles in the rear speakers. Now I’m not going to say it happens often.. but when it does it is very noticeable. Very irritating when watching a show or movie and the rears just pop. Overall for the price your not going to get a better soundbar home theater system at this price. I also have a Sonos system don’t get me wrong it’s not a better system by any means, but it definitely gives it a nice run for its money. If you want a solid home theatre experience and not burn your pockets this is the best you can get
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from VIZIOEntertainmentExpert
Posted .
Hi AliiKirk! Thank you so much for the thorough review. So glad to hear you're having an overall positive experience! With regards to some of the issues/areas for improvement, we really appreciate the specifics so we can pass onto our product team. For the app, obviously make sure it's the most up to date version, but you can also use the supplied remote for set-up adjustments for Center-channel, Surround and Subwoofer levels along with the full suite of adjustment options.
Specifically to your big gripe with the crackles. We're aware of the issue and working on it. Sound bars using eARC, ARC and/or CEC rely on communication between the TV and the Sound bar. While VIZIO tests across a broad array of TVs and manufacturers, signal detection timing can vary between TV models. Some of these timing differences may cause pops or clicks between content changes. VIZIO actively tracks these differences and rolls updates into Firmware updates. We encourage you to connect your VIZIO Elevate to your wireless network to take advantage of these Firmware updates as soon as they are available.
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Very good Dolby Atmos sound bar
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Great sound and tons of bass. The sound bar fills the room with sound, bass literally vibrates my floors. Setup process is a little clunky. But I like how the bar can be attached to the base of my Vizio 65OLED TV. I had Vizio’s previous model Atmos SB and I believe the Atmos sound from this model is even better. I also like that it has 2 HDMI inputs. If you want quality Dolby Atmos sound from a SB this is the one to get.