Recently, I’ve taken to watching a German-language thriller on Netflix that emphatically uses music and sound effects to manipulate my emotions—and I love it. And given that Vizio recently sent me its new 36-inch 3.1.2-Channel Soundbar System to try out, I’m experiencing the show as its audio producers might have hoped I would. Before using Vizio’s soundbar—which sports Dolby Atmos technology—I’d been relying on my old TV’s built-in speakers and not getting the same (sound) effect. There are many soundbars out there, of course. But this one falls in line with Vizio’s broader mission as of late. And that is to transform from a budget tech company to one that covers both the lower-price-point market and one that finds ways to compete with high-end audio options, giving legacy tech companies a run for their money. As for setting up, this thing is a breeze. The main speaker of the soundbar attaches into your TV’s HDMI port and wirelessly connects to the subwoofer, which you can place anywhere you please (we put ours to the left of our couch). And then you can just let Vizio’s dedicated app personalize and perfect your listening experience. You’ll find volume can be much, much lower than usual because the depth of the sound envelopes the room. From hearing more detail and feeling more immersed with the subwoofer’s bass output, it’s a really nifty upgrade to anyone who wants to experience their movies and shows as intended. And this investment will give you that higher-end quality and features without costing you the higher-end price. If you’re looking for a solid home entertainment upgrade, get your sound in order. | Get it on Amazon >
Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Don’t forget to check out our coupon site to find more tech deals from Best Buy and Newegg. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.