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Vizio M-Series M512a-H6 vs Yamaha YAS-209

Vizio M-Series M512a-H6

Vizio M-Series M512a-H6

87 reviews

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Yamaha YAS-209

81 reviews

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#40 most mentioned

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Best Lower Mid-Range Soundbar

RTINGS · The 7 Best Soundbars

Wirecutter · The 4 Best Soundbars 2021

#14 most mentioned

Reddit · r/soundbars

Great value for the price

Versatile performance with support for Dolby Atmos content

Discrete surround speakers for a solid movie-watching experience

Granular audio controls for adjusting bass and subwoofer levels

Deep, thumpy low-bass suitable for action movies and bass-heavy music

Great sound quality for its price point

Well-balanced sound profile

Delivers big when listening to movie soundtracks with expertly placed surround sound effects

Amazon Alexa integration is a great extra feature

Easy to set up and use

Not all users have reported a 3D sound environment from the upfiring speakers as advertised

Some users have reported connectivity issues

Not as high quality as more premium soundbars on the market

Not as detailed as more expensive soundbars

Subwoofer is only a 6.25 inch driver

No HDMI ports

Verdict

Overall, the Vizio M-Series M512a-H6 is a great soundbar for those on a budget, offering a versatile performance with support for Dolby Atmos content and discrete surround speakers. The subwoofer delivers a deep, thumpy low-bass suitable for action movies and bass-heavy music, and there are granular audio controls for adjusting the bass and subwoofer levels. However, some users have reported issues with connectivity and the upfiring speakers not creating a 3D sound environment as advertised. Despite these drawbacks, the Vizio M-Series M512a-H6 remains a solid choice for those looking for a quality soundbar under $500.

Verdict

The Yamaha YAS-209 is an entry-level soundbar with a 2.1 setup that offers great sound quality for its price point. It has a well-balanced sound profile and delivers big when listening to movie soundtracks with expertly placed surround sound effects. Additionally, the Amazon Alexa integration is a great extra feature that makes it stand out from other similar products.

Reviews by Topic

Our analysis shows how reviewers feel about different topics. Please note these are not full reviews.

Speaker System

The 6 Best Soundbars With Subwoofer - Spring 2022

This 5.1.2 setup isn't as impressive as more premium 5.1 models like the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module, but it still offers pretty versatile performance for those on a tighter budget

Positive

Yamaha YAS-209 review: Great sound for TVs and music meets the convenience of Alexa

If you want to save a little money on an Alexa-powered speaker, though, it's worth considering the Polk Command Bar, especially if you can find it at $250. If there's only the usual $50 between them, I'd pick the Yamaha. It sounds better, it looks better and the microphones work more reliably when things get loud.

Positive

Speakers

youtube

Best Budget Soundbar For 2021? | Vizio M-Series, Powered by MediaTek

This vizio m series system pumps out great sound and audio, not too surprising as mediatek chipsets power. A hugely diverse range of speakers soundbar...

Positive

youtube

Yamaha YAS-209 Soundbar Review | Wireless Sub and Clear Voice

Erc is the preferred connection. It allows for the best sound, and it also allows you to control basic functions like power and volume from your TV re...

Positive

Sound Quality

youtube

Vizio M-Series 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos Sound Bar Review (M512a-H6) | Best Atmos under $500?

I think it is a tremendous value. Thanks as always for watching everyone.. Now that we’ve got this sound bar reviewed, which one should I do next Leav...

Positive

$400 range soundbar.

* Polk Audio Command Bar ← after tests, supposedly has high-end sound quality equal to the Sonos Beam and other expensive gear, could be interesting

Positive

reddit.com/r/Soundbars

Features

The 7 Best Soundbars - Spring 2022

The bar doesn't offer as many features as the more premium models on the market. You won't find a room correction feature, meaning it can sound a bit different depending on the space you're in. There's no graphic EQ, either, so audiophiles are a bit limited when it comes to tweaking the bar's sound. Its bass and treble adjustments still give you some control, though, which is handy

Positive

Harsh at high volumes

It is significantly better than the tv speakers though, and the Bluetooth is really well done, I can connect very easily and consistently from my phone. I haven't used the Alexa much but it does turn the volume up and down by voice command even at higher volumes, I'm impressed by that. Buying audio stuff without trying it first is always kind of a gamble, for the most part I'm happy with this but mostly the lack of being able to roll off the high pitches kind of kills this one. Otherwise I'm happy with it

Connectivity

youtube

Vizio M-Series 5.1 Sound Bar Review (M51a-H6) | How is it this good?

At this price point on the back of the surround speakers, you'll find an rca port. That's how it connects to the subwoofer, which gets the surround si...

Positive

Very poor customer su[port from Yamaha

Also the you have to know how to reconnect the Alexa using mobile app if the network gets disconnected. All these, once you learn how, are manageable but require some technical expertise. Here is the frustration part. Yamaha tech support is very poor, a 1 star at best

Remote Control

Very pleased so far

However I do find the remote a bit complicated with all the options and wish there were a phone app with few options. But overall I'm very pleased with the SB

Waste of time and money

Yamaha used to be a decent company, but they should be ashamed of this product and their customer service. Updated review: managed to get Alexa and wifi to work after some back and forth with Yamaha via email. It seems to be functioning just fine now, and the Alexa system works okay. Still, I'm not convinced this was a good buy

Design

Does not play MP3 files on USB drive

Also, there is no SHUFFLE function with the player and if you turn the sound bar off and then back on, it starts at the beginning of the playlist. It's like the player for the USB drive was an afterthought. And very little thought, at that.

Terrible for wall mounting, no equalizer

They don't give you a channel on the back to give space between the wall and soundbar to run wires. And the power cord has to be bent at a harsh angle so it doesn't hit the wall. There are no brackets you just hang it on two screws in the wall, so it's not very secure. And good luck getting it level because of the cheap way they designed the mounts

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