Vizio SB36512-F6 Soundbar Review & Comments

The only thing that concerns me is a lacking centre channel. A bug bear of mine is deafening explosions and utterly inaudible dialogue. But another review said that dialogue came through crisp and strong, despite the inability to manually boost it. The other negatives on that review don’t worry me. I’ll be playing everything through the ATV so one HDMI input is fine.
 
The only thing that concerns me is a lacking centre channel. A bug bear of mine is deafening explosions and utterly inaudible dialogue. But another review said that dialogue came through crisp and strong, despite the inability to manually boost it. The other negatives on that review don’t worry me. I’ll be playing everything through the ATV so one HDMI input is fine.

There is a center channel. Personally, I have no issue with dialogue. Steve said as much as well.
 
There is a center channel. Personally, I have no issue with dialogue. Steve said as much as well.
Sorry, I didn‘t write that very well. I meant a centre channel that is lacking rather than the lack of a centre channel :). There‘s three reviews out there and only one has mentioned it. Another mentioned a ‘narrow’ front soundstage?
 
Sorry, I didn‘t write that very well. I meant a centre channel that is lacking rather than the lack of a centre channel :). There‘s three reviews out there and only one has mentioned it. Another mentioned a ‘narrow’ front soundstage?

I suppose it depends on the size of your room. My living room is about 13 feet across and I get sounds across the width of it. Although, more on the right but that is due to furniture and not being quite central.
 
Will do. I haven’t had atmos before so I don’t really have anything to compare it against. Steve has me second gueasing the decision now though. That JBL does look good. Amazon don’t stock it though, and I would like easy returns should I need it.
:thumbsup:
I wote a reply before seeing the rest of the thread, so haxe you got an order in for the JBL or are you waiting for Steve W's review?
 
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I suppose it depends on the size of your room. My living room is about 13 feet across and I get sounds across the width of it. Although, more on the right but that is due to furniture and not being quite central.
Similar configuration to mine, including the biased sound to one side, that my ysp2500 has.
:thumbsup:
I wote a reply before seeing the rest of the thread, so haxe you got an order in for the JBL or are you waiting for Steve W's review?
It’s been a rollercoaster! I cancelled the Vizio and try to go through Curry’s. They’ve got a good deal with 30% off with any TV, but the soundbar is collect only, no delivery, and I can’t find a single store that it will let me collect from. But it doesn’t say it‘s out of stock. Quite frustrating. I’m going to hang on and hope it becomes available through Currys as it‘s a really good deal.
 
Similar configuration to mine, including the biased sound to one side, that my ysp2500 has.

It’s been a rollercoaster! I cancelled the Vizio and try to go through Curry’s. They’ve got a good deal with 30% off with any TV, but the soundbar is collect only, no delivery, and I can’t find a single store that it will let me collect from. But it doesn’t say it‘s out of stock. Quite frustrating. I’m going to hang on and hope it becomes available through Currys as it‘s a really good deal.
Fair enough, assuming you get the JBL i will hop over to that thread to see your comments.
I am little on the fence, I am happy to hang on and save the pennies to get the LG SN11, but again I might become swayed by forum feedback on JBL. Will be fun reading through the forums though.
 
Will see you all over in the JBL 9.1 forum:)
 
Is there one yet?

 
Bloody hell. This site is great, but the duplicate threads really gets my goat!

The thread you shared is more the owners thread, whereas the one I shared was the original news article.

The opening post in the owners thread has some useful tips in regards to button combinations and settings on the remote.
 
I’ll read through it all and try to resist the urge to pay the inflated price on the JBL site. Really annoyed at the Curry’s availability situation now!
 
Hi all...thinking of buying this Vizio soundbar, as my daughter works for one of the distributors in the UK, so can get it for me at cost +VAT!!
My only concern is the one HDMI in...how would I connect my TV, bluray player and Sky Q box?

Thanks,
Clive
 
Hi all...thinking of buying this Vizio soundbar, as my daughter works for one of the distributors in the UK, so can get it for me at cost +VAT!!
My only concern is the one HDMI in...how would I connect my TV, bluray player and Sky Q box?

Thanks,
Clive
Would a hdmi splitter work?
 
Hi all...thinking of buying this Vizio soundbar, as my daughter works for one of the distributors in the UK, so can get it for me at cost +VAT!!
My only concern is the one HDMI in...how would I connect my TV, bluray player and Sky Q box?

Thanks,
Clive

You can just use ARC. Plug the Sky Q box into the TV and the Blu-ray player into the bar to get full fat audio. You then connect the bar to the HDMI port in your TV that supports ARC.
 
There were some Unidays 20% kicking about for the JBL site. @Talkshowchris was offering a code as well but that might be gone now?
Good news. Sons fiance has access to Unidays so can get a 20% off code by that route. Potentially not as cheap as Curry's but a bit less hassle as would need to sell the tv.
 
Just ordered mine.

This Vizio is just the right size to sit in front of my tv too.

My first taste of Atmos.

Had Dolby Pro-Logic years ago. Speed lift scene was epic, even in Pro-Logic! Had Dolby 5.1 just before my current Yamaha E800 decoder came out.
And a Denon Dolby decoder only before that.

Thanks for the review Steve.
 
The whole market is a massive self contradiction.

It appears to be based on the idea of WAF being all-important, but then being determined not to meet that challenge in so many areas.
Wired rears? Yeah, that's what the missus has been demanding. :facepalm:

What do we want? What do we really, really want?

Hidden away amp. Wireless 5.1 (or 7.1) speakers. Possibly with the front L&R having upward firing.

What's that? They don't like wires? Is it like someone's not actually mentioned this? How about the rears also being chargeable units, so you never have to see any wires?

I'm sorry, does anyone in the "let's please the other half" club really not think that's what's wanted

And yet, despite numerous models, from numerous manufacturers (and the technology being here for some time) no one is offering it.

Our American cousins have a saying "Sh*t or get off the pot!"

Soundbar manufacturers - give us the very thing you know everyone desires, or stop wasting our time.

Rant over.
 

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