When Vizio released the M-Series, the specs of the All-in-One soundbar seemed too good for the price. It has all the basics plus a few bells and whistles, and that’s quite hard to find at this price point.
So, our experts got their hands on this rig for this Vizio M21d-HD review. Is the All-in-One soundbar worth the hype? Or is it just a rip-off?
What We Like
- Clean angular design
- Six speakers for a clear and resonant sound
- Soundbar has built-in subwoofers for bass
- HDMI ARC capable
- USB input for playback
- Virtual 3D sound
- Supports 4K pass-through
What We Don't Like
- Bass isn’t powerful enough to be truly immersive
- No built-in voice assistant
Vizio M21d-H8 Soundbar Design
Soundbars typically have a rectangular block design, but the Vizio M21d-H8 deviates from that with its angular shape. This is fresh to the consumers’ eye, making it great if you think the old rectangular look is boring.
However, this isn’t the first time Vizio has changed the shape of its soundbars. The M21d-H8 is actually an upgrade to the Vizio S362An-F6, which also has an angled design.
The Vizio M21d-H8 is also pretty compact at 36 inches. It weighs just 6 pounds, so it’s lightweight as well. On the side, there are tactile buttons for power, input, Bluetooth, and volume up/down.
One of its good design points is the fingerprint-resistant charcoal finish. Some soundbars like the Bose Soundbar 700 have a glass top that’s prone to fingerprints, but the M21d-H8 doesn’t have that. Plus, the cloth that covers the front and sides provide additional protection compared to the plastic grilles that other soundbars have.
Overall, this soundbar combines innovation with minimalism and convenience in terms of design.
Features of Vizio M21d-H8
Vizio M-Series M21d-H8 Sound Quality
The Vizio M21d-H8 has 6 speakers in total, keeping everything balanced with 2 speakers, 2 tweeters, and 2 built-in subwoofers. With this configuration in place, it’s easy for this soundbar to fill our listening room with rich, resonant sound quality.
Our audio tests reflect accuracy as well, and that’s not surprising due to the 50Hz – 20kHz frequency range. This soundbar also reaches a sound pressure level of 98dB, meaning it can get really loud (like these loudest soundbars). Still, we don’t recommend turning the volume all the way up to avoid distortion.
In terms of sound technology, this soundbar is equipped with DTS Virtual:X. When connected through HDMI, you’ll also be able to experience immersive 4K HDR content.
The M21d-H8 provides a great sound quality that’s on par with more expensive soundbars. It’s clear, precise, and immersive for basic home theater systems. The bass doesn’t hit as deep, though, but more on that later in this Vizio M21d-H8 review.
Connections
Vizio has equipped the M21d-H8 with all the basic connections — an optical audio input, 3.5mm stereo, USB input for .wav playback, and 2 HDMI ports.
We prefer HDMI for convenience and the ability to handle advanced audio formats. HDMI ARC allows 4K HDR passthrough and relay of Dolby DTS Virtual X, Dolby Audio, DTS digital surround, and DTS TrueVolume.
Bluetooth is also a present feature for streaming music. You won’t have direct access to Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant, but you can connect voice-assistant ready devices to this soundbar.
Bass
The M21d-H8 has dual 3” subwoofers built into the unit itself. It doesn’t have a wireless external subwoofer, which takes a damper on the depth of the low frequencies.
Still, it provides enough oomph when watching movies or listening to music. This is also ideal if you don’t have space for an external subwoofer since the subs are already integrated.
M21d-H8 Setup
Like in Sony HT-CT790, setup was fairly easy and it took us only a few minutes to get this soundbar up and running. Plus, all the cables that you need come in the box, so you don’t have to buy any separate cable.
You have the HDMI cable, aux cable, optical audio cable, and RCA to AUX cable in the package. You also get a remote, batteries, and wall mounting slide-on holders if you prefer to mount the soundbar on the wall. [1]
Price
The Vizio M21d-H8 All-in-One Soundbar comes at just under $200, which is a very good price for the features it has.
Vizio is a known brand when it comes to value-for-money products, and this soundbar might be their best one yet. As you can see in our Vizio M21d-H8 review, this rig provides great sound, impressive connectivity options, Bluetooth streaming, and dual built-in subwoofers for bass.
Vizio M21d-H8 Review Conclusion
The M21d-H8 lives up to its name of being an All-in-One soundbar. It provides separate tweeters and woofers for clear and dynamic sound, dual built-in subwoofers for bass, DTS Virtual:X, HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, and compatibility with voice assistant devices.
With all the features it brings to the table, it’s a great upgrade for our experts at a low price.
Go and start building your own system! Check our top home theater systems under 500 for reference.
