The Vizio M Series M512a-H6 is a 5.1.2 setup released in 2021. It's a mid-range offering from the manufacturer that's one of the few bars in its price range to include rear satellites for a more immersive surround sound. As with many Vizio bars, you have to wire the satellites to the sub, which isn't ideal for every living room setup. Without up-firing drivers on its satellites, it doesn't sound quite as immersive as the more premium Vizio Elevate.
Note: We bought and tested another unit in compliance with our out-of-spec policy. We've tested the new unit and have updated the review accordingly.
Our Verdict
The Vizio M512a-H6 is very good for mixed usage. It's a versatile 5.1.2 bar that stands out from other bars at its wallet-friendly price point. Plug it into your TV, and voices and lead instruments are clear right out of the box, thanks to its balanced sound. The sub brings rumble in the bass to bring bass-heavy genres and action-packed scenes to life, and its satellites can add to the immersive feeling of movies, although they produce a lot of distortion at high volumes. Compared to more premium offerings, it doesn't bring the same cinematic feeling, especially with Atmos content, but if you're on a tighter budget, it's a solid pick.
- Bass and treble adjustments.
- Gets loud.
- Clear vocal reproduction.
- No graphic EQ.
The Vizio M512a-H6 is great for vocal-centric TV shows and podcasts. It's a 5.1.2 setup, so there's a discrete center channel to improve vocal reproduction. With its balanced mids, dialogue is clear and detailed, and you don't have trouble following the action on screen. If you want voices to sound even more clear and crisp, there's a dialogue enhancement feature on hand. You can easily stream podcasts from your mobile devices over Bluetooth, though unfortunately, you can't do so over Wi-Fi, AirPlay, or Chromecast.
- Clear vocal reproduction.
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
- Bluetooth-enabled.
- No graphic EQ.
The Vizio M512a-H6 is very good for music. Its sound profile is fairly balanced out of the box, especially in the mids, where most voices and lead instruments reproduce. Thanks to its dedicated subwoofer, you get plenty of rumble in the bass. As a result, it's suitable for most music genres. A few customization tools are on hand to switch up its sound, including bass and treble adjustments. Unfortunately, you don't get a full graphic EQ to customize across the range.
- Bass and treble adjustments.
- Gets loud.
- No graphic EQ.
The Vizio M512a-H6 is good for movies. Especially compared to other bars at its price point, it performs well. You can watch common surround sound formats like Dolby Digital as well as object-based formats like Dolby Atmos, which are found on most streaming services. Its satellites offer a fairly immersive listening experience, too, so sound effects seem to come from all around you as if you're right in the middle of your favorite movie. However, it doesn't reproduce the same feeling of height as more premium setups, and the surround performance is uneven, resulting in a bit less of a dimensional sound.
- Gets loud.
- Supports Dolby Atmos.
- No graphic EQ.
Changelog
-
Updated Oct 24, 2024:
We've added a comparison between this soundbar and the Vizio SV510X-0806 in Dimensions - Bar.
- Updated Jul 24, 2024: We've updated our Surrounds 5.1 text to reflect this bar's performance after changing the position of the subwoofer, as recommended by Vizio.
- Updated Jan 29, 2024: Per TBU 1.3 methodology, we updated the text in the Stereo Sound boxes after retesting with the manufacturer's recommended settings. Also added text to Audio Latency: ARC, Audio Latency: HDMI In, and Audio Latency: Optical boxes. Some updates to the usages to be in line with these changes.
- Updated Jan 29, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench Update 1.3. If applicable, we've retested stereo sound based on the manufacturer's recommendations. Additionally, we've expanded our audio latency tests to the following boxes: Audio Latency: ARC, Audio Latency: HDMI In, and Audio Latency: Optical. You can see the full changelog here.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Vizio M512a-H6 comes in Black, and you can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across another version of this soundbar, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Vizio M512a-H6 is a mid-range 5.1.2 soundbar with satellites and a subwoofer included. It's pretty versatile, especially compared to other bars at its price point, like the LG SP8YA. You won't find as many customization tools as with more premium bars, and there's not as much of a cinematic feel with Atmos content. Still, if you don't want to spend a lot on a bar, it's a solid value pick.
See our recommendations for the best 5.1 soundbars, the best Vizio soundbars, and the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.
The Vizio M Series M51ax-J6 is slightly better than the Vizio M Series M512a-H6 if you watch a lot of 5.1 surround sound content or play audio loudly. However, the M512a-H6 is better for music, has a better soundstage, and is better built, with slightly greater passthrough capabilities. It even comes with two up-firing speakers.
The Vizio M Series M51a-H6 is better than the Vizio M Series M512a-H6, though it depends on the kinds of audio you listen to. The M51a-H6 has a better surround sound and lower latency. However, the M512a-H6 is better built and has a better soundstage performance with slightly better passthrough capabilities. It also comes with two up-firing speakers.
The Hisense AX5125H and the Vizio M Series M512a-H6 are similarly priced 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos soundbars. The Vizio is the better option, largely thanks to its improved stereo soundstage performance. It also has a few more sound enhancement features and better latency performance.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Vizio Elevate or the Vizio M Series M512a-H6. The Elevate is better built and has a better Atmos performance. It supports more wireless playback options. The M Series has less compression at max volume, so your audio sounds cleaner during louder listening sessions.
Test Results
