Whether you are watching a movie, playing on a game console, or watching TV, it’s our audio setup that immerses us into the world we see on our TV. This could be anything from finishing a game campaign and hearing the fight all around you, or believing you are a part of one of your favorite movies.
With hundreds of different audio setup systems available on the market, the challenge is finding something that offers a true premium audio experience. Something that has a sound quality that is superior to any other system. Something that is affordable and gives you the best bang for your buck.
Having an enhanced Dolby and DTS audio solutions, 5.1 full surround sound experience, wireless capabilities, and premium design, the Vizio S3851W-D4 may just be that “something” system.
Today, I will be reviewing the Vizio S3851W-D4 audio system and throughout my review I will be covering the following topics: the design, audio performance, features, and my final thoughts. I would like to thank Vizio for providing me with this admirable sound system.
The Design
Shipped in a unique box design, the S3851W-D4 is nice to look at. With the sound bar being the center focus of the sound system, the placement possibilities are endless.
Whether you place the sound bar on a TV table, such as I did, or wall mount the unit by using the included metal mounts, I can assure you that the S3851W-D4 will provide you with a premium look wherever you may choose to use it.
With its all black finish, silver trim, and white LED notifications, the 38” sound bar provides a great new look to your living room. Something I enjoyed about the design of the sound bar was the notification status. By using a set of ten white LEDs, users can raise volume, change sound settings, change sound modes, or even connect to a different audio source. This is all represented by the LEDs. After a few seconds of inactivity the LEDs vanish to allow for a comfortable view without having bright white LEDs shining into your face.
Moving deeper into the unboxing, users will find two rear speakers (one left and one right). Users will also find the subwoofer and accessories. With the two rear speakers connecting to the subwoofer by cables, they too offer an exceptional design.
While you do need to connect the rear speakers to the subwoofer via wires, I found that hiding them underneath the couch offered a very clean look. The speakers themselves follow the design of the sound bar in that they provide an all-black finish.
Next, there is the subwoofer. The subwoofer is constructed using a strong plastic body, and has a side mounted speaker that is covered by a mesh shield. Here users can connect the sound bar to the system through a wireless signal and connect those two rear speakers. As the subwoofer is designed to be placed behind the couch towards a corner, Vizio still made sure it still offered a great design.
When looking at the accessories box, Vizio is kind enough to offer a large array of audio cables. The speaker cables for the rear speakers have a great length to allow connectivity in a large living room. Without the lengthy cables, I would have had a difficult setup.
Finally, we have what I could call the best remote for a home audio system. Having a metal top and plastic bottom, the S3851W-D4 remote is a joy to use. Users will find that the remote has an e-ink display towards the top, volume up/down inputs, a four way button pad with a center play/pause button, as well as mode change buttons. My reason for liking this remote so much is due to the simplicity. The top display shows the current option you have selected. If you were to change the bass of the subwoofer, then the remote would display the menu whilst the sound bar LEDs would display the power of the subwoofer.
Audio Performance
Right out of the box, the audio performance can feel like it is muffled or may sound poor. This is due to the unit being shipped with all settings set to zero. Every room is different, some rooms may have hardwood floors while others may have a lot of objects. Therefore, Vizio recommends you take time going through the helpful manual and setting up the sound settings.
After about ten to fifteen minutes of changing and testing new sound settings, the audio performance drastically improved. The rear speakers offered an excellent background noise, the subwoofer produced loud bass, and the main sound bar provided a loud and clear sound. I also did my best to create settings that worked both for movies and gaming, and in the end I believe I accomplished that goal.
Always ensure that you allow light subtle music to be played on your sound system before using it at loud volumes. After “breaking in” the sound system, I played some of my music (Classic Rock and Roll) on the system to listen to the audio quality. Since I had setup the system in the living room, I attempted to leave the room and enter the kitchen. Even when in the next room, the sound system offered a loud and clear sound that was enjoyable in either the living room or kitchen.
Next, I began watching movies and TV series with the sound bar. The movies were outstanding as compared to the small internal TV speakers, I could easily and clearly understand the voice of the actors and hear the surrounding noise. As this is a surround sound system, you can hear things behind you without even seeing them.
The surround sound really becomes prevalent when playing Xbox games. In the popular online shooter game, Battlefield or Call of Duty, the surround sound allows you to hear foot steps behind your character or a helicopter that is flying overhead. Not only does this give you an advantage, but I felt like I was more a part of the game itself.
At the end of my testing, I found that the surround system is something I could not imagine removing from my living room. The provided sound from the system is excellent, after the settings are changed that is. Vizio hit the nail on the head with this one by giving users that premium sound you would find on an expensive system at half the cost.
Features
It all begins with the S3851W-D4’s “audio built to boom” and its enhanced Dolby Digital and DTS sound. The sound bar offers a wide listening angle by providing a 100dB of clear audio. Known for the standard for all audio content, the Dolby Digital surround system on the S3851W-D4 provides an engaging experience that I very much enjoyed.
Subsequently, we have the DTS functions of the S3851W-D4. Built into the system are digital surround, circle surround, studio sound, and TruVolume. As the DTS digital surround assists the 5.1 setup, the TruVolume is what users will most enjoy. The feature provides a one volume set and the sound is consistent even when changing to a different movie or to a video game. Studio surround provides clear dialog and makes sure the audio is not clipping or distorted.
Another favorite of mine, is the built in Bluetooth capability for connecting smartphones and tablets. With an easy setup, the system can connect to your device and playback music, games, or movies all from your smartphone or tablet. What’s great is you can setup a movie playback on your phone to your TV, then stream the audio to the sound system.
Next, we have the amount of different audio connections. On the rear of the sound bar, you find the audio connectors for stereo RCA, 3.5mm audio jack, optical, RCA, and a USB input for .wav playback. With so many different inputs, you shouldn’t have an issue connecting your device.
Finally, we have the specifications of the system:
Specifications
Sound Bar Size: 38″
Sound Bar Speakers: Left, Right, Center Channels (each) – 3.0” full-range drivers
Subwoofer Speakers: 6.0” Subwoofer
Sound Pressure Level: 100dB
Sound Bar Frequency: 50Hz – 20kHz
Subwoofer Frequency: 50Hz – 90Hz
Audio Decoding Technology: Dolby Digital®, DTS Digital Surround™
Sound Enhancement Technology: DTS TruSurround™, DTS TruVolume™, DTS Studio Sound™
Wireless Range: (Subwoofer) 60′ Line of sight
Bluetooth: Yes
Sound Bar Buttons: Power, Input, Bluetooth, Volume Up, Volume Down
Remote: Yes
Power Input: 120V 60Hz
Installation Table: top and wall-mountable
Package Contents: Sound Bar, Wireless Subwoofer, Remote, RCA to 3.5mm Audio Cable, Digital Coaxial Cable, Optical Digital Cable, Wall mounts, Quick Start Guide, Sound Bar Power Cable, Wireless Subwoofer Power Cable
Connections: (Rear)
Analog Audio Input: 1x Stereo RCA
Analog Audio Input: 1x 3.5mm stereo mini jack
Digital Audio Input: 1x RCA (Coaxial)
Digital Audio Input: 1x Optical (Toslink)
USB Input: 1x USB (for .WAV audio Playback)
Dimensions
Sound Bar w/ Feet (rubber pads): 38″ W x 3.62″ H x 2.75″ D
Subwoofer: 5.98″ W x 10.92″ H x 13.53″ D
Packaging Dimensions: 44.88″ W x 19.76″ H x 8.66″ D
Weight
Sound Bar w/ Feet (rubber pads): 6.4 lbs.
Subwoofer: 11.2 lbs.
My Final Thoughts
In the end, I believe Vizio created an excellent sound system at an affordable price of $250. The sound it provides is clear and the design is stylish. This is a product that I would always use in my living room, and it is something that I would recommend to anybody looking for a nice premium surround sound system.
Buy it Now:
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4 Comments
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I can’t get mine hooked up to the tv.
It only works with music on Bluetooth
Which type of connection did you decide to use? Have you pressed the input button enough times so it matches the type of connection you chose to your TV?
Should I be able to hear sound from all 5 speakers no matter what I am watching? I’m not here regular (2-channel) TV or music thru the satellite speakers.