The Vizio M-Series M21d-H8R is a 2.1 soundbar with two subwoofers integrated into the bar. Its neutral, though slightly boomy sound profile makes it suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content, and it even has a few EQ presets to help you customize its sound. Unfortunately, it can't really reproduce low-bass, so you don't feel the deep thumps and rumbles in action-packed movies or bass-heavy music. Also, while it gets loud, there's a lot of compression when you play it at max volume, which is disappointing if you like to crank up the volume at parties.
Our Verdict
The Vizio M Series 2.1 Soundbar is alright for mixed usage. It has a pretty neutral, though slightly boomy sound profile that makes it suitable for listening to a wide range of audio content. Unfortunately, it lacks low-bass, so you don't really feel the deep rumbles in action-packed movie scenes. It also has to downmix surround content into stereo, and it doesn't support Dolby Atmos content. However, there are a few sound enhancement features available, which is nice.
- EQ presets.
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
- Downmixes surround content into stereo.
- Lacks low-bass.
The Vizio M Series 2.1 Soundbar is good for dialogue and TV shows. Even though it lacks a dedicated center channel, its balanced mid-range can still reproduce vocals clearly and accurately. It even has a dialogue enhancement feature that can make dialogue sound more clear and crisp. Since it's Bluetooth-compatible, you can also wirelessly stream podcasts and audiobooks from your phone to the bar. While it gets pretty loud, unfortunately, there's a lot of compression when you play it at max volume.
- Gets loud.
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
- Bluetooth-compatible.
- A lot of compression at max volume.
The Vizio Vizio M Series 2.1 Soundbar is decent for music. It has a pretty neutral, though slightly boomy sound profile suitable for most music genres. However, it struggles to reproduce thumpy low-bass, which can be disappointing if you like to feel the deep rumble in bass-heavy music like EDM. There are a few EQ presets as well as bass and treble adjustment features to help you customize its sound, but it lacks a full graphic EQ. Also, while it gets loud, there's a lot of compression at max volume.
- Gets loud.
- EQ presets.
- A lot of compression at max volume.
- Lacks low-bass.
The Vizio M Series 2.1 Soundbar is mediocre for movies. Its balanced mid-range can reproduce clear and accurate dialogue, but it struggles to reproduce a thumpy low-bass for action-packed scenes. It gets loud, but there's a lot of compression when you play it at max volume. Also, it can play surround content, but it has to downmix it into stereo to play it. It also doesn't support Dolby Atmos content.
- Gets loud.
- EQ presets.
- A lot of compression at max volume.
- Downmixes surround content into stereo.
- Lacks low-bass.
Changelog
- Updated Sep 27, 2022: Added market comparison for the Vizio M Series M213ad-K8 to the 'Height (Atmos)' box.
- Updated Sep 19, 2022: Identified an error in our original compression testing and updated the 'Stereo Dynamics' and 'Stereo THD' tests respectively. Updated the bar's wall-mount holes to 'Proprietary'. Added additional information to 'Voice Assistant' and 'Other Input Specifications' boxes.
- Updated Feb 23, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Feb 18, 2021: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Vizio M21d-H8R comes in Black, and you can see the label for the model we tested here. You can also purchase another variant called the Vizio M21d-H8, which comes with a remote control but it lacks backlighting and a display screen.
If you come across another version of this soundbar, let us know in the discussions so we can update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Vizio M Series 2.1 soundbar comes with two subwoofers integrated into the bar. It's an upgrade over the Vizio SB362An-F6, and it comes with a Full HDMI In port that supports 4k passthrough. It has a pretty neutral, though slightly boomy sound profile out-of-the-box, but it struggles to reproduce a thumpy low-bass. While it gets loud, there's a lot of compression present at max volume, so it may not be ideal to use at a crowded party.
See also our recommendations for the best soundbars under $200, the best Vizio soundbars, and the best soundbars for dialogue.
The Vizio V Series V21x-J8 is better than the Vizio M-Series M21d-H8R. The V Series comes with a dedicated sub that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also has a better soundstage performance, and far less compression when you play it at max volume. That said, the standalone M-Series is better suited if you don't have a lot of space in your room.
The Vizio V Series V21-H8 is a better soundbar than the Vizio M-Series M21d-H8R. The V Series has a more neutral sound profile and a better soundstage performance. Also, it gets louder with much less compression at max volume. However, the M-Series is better-built, and it has a Full HDMI In port that supports 4k passthrough.
The Vizio M Series M51a-H6 is better than the Vizio M-Series M21d-H8R. The M51a-H6 is a 5.1 setup with a dedicated sub and two satellite speakers. It has better soundstage, center, and surround performances and supports Atmos content. It also gets louder with much less compression at max volume. However, the 2.1 M21d-H8R is better built.
The Vizio M Series M512a-H6 is better than the Vizio M-Series M21d-H8R. The M512a-H6 is a 5.1.2 setup with a dedicated sub and satellites. It can reproduce a more extended low-bass and has better surround and soundstage performances. It even has Dolby Atmos support, unlike the standalone M21d-H8R.
Test Results
