The Vizio Soundbar (VSB210WS) is finally available!
Go get it now! See Walmart and Sears. Or check out more info at Vizio’s homepage.
Warning. What you are about to read is a biased, but pretty informed review. I encourage you to check out reviews from other parts of the internet, and I will also link as many as I find here at wirelessaudioblog… so over the coming months, check out the rest of this site for more recent infos…
OK…
Pros: Wireless subwoofer, Avnera wireless, Avnera class-D, support for (forthcoming) wireless headphones
Cons: At $349, be ready to spend over a $1000 because you’re gonna want a few for your house. You will wake your neighbors.
The VSB210WS uses two of Avnera‘s core technologies.
The first technology is the wireless system that is employed in devices like the Logitech Clearchat PC Wireless, the Rocketfish RF-WS01 and RF-WS02, the Rocketfish RF-WHTIB, and countless others. The Vizio Soundbar uses Avnera’s wireless system for a high-performance, wireless subwoofer. There is also future-ready support for wireless headphones (with SRS action as well). This is a killer feature that you won’t see on any other soundbar on the market…the wireless system will drive up to three wireless headphones simultaneously, and when activating the headphones, automatically mutes the speakers.
The second of Avnera’s technology put to work is their Class-D amplifier solution. Avnera’s Class-D is finally ready for showtime and it’s gaining traction in the industry due to its affordability, high power-efficiency, and extremely low distortion performance. In fact, Avnera’s Class-D is patented and pretty much bad-ass. The fundamental advantage is the patented PWM driver stage that delivers very high PSRR (power supply rejection ratio) performance.. thus allowing Avnera-based powered speakers to run on lower-grade, switching power supplies, without encountering increases in distortion or noise at the audio output due to power supply noise. It also has a scalable power output stage that enables it to serve low power, low-cost device as well as higher-power premium offerings… all the while maintaining hi-fi quality and affordability. As a result, Avnera’s amp is finding duty in a broad range of affordable consumer devices, like the Rocketfish RF-WS02 and entry-level products like the iHome iP27, and premium products like Vizio’s offering and iHome’s iP1 which is due to hit later this season. In the Vizio Soundbar, the amplifier drives both the bar AND the subwoofer. You really just gotta hook this bad boy up and hear the difference.
Also enjoy the implementations of SRS TruSurround HD and SRS TruVolume running on a dedicated Cirrus DSP (I think… need to dig back thru FCC teardowns to verify).
Check out the full specs below (source: www.vizio.com):
SOUND BAR
- Four 3″ High-Efficiency hand built mid/bass transducers
- Two 3/4″ High Performance aluminum dome neodymium tweeters
- Speaker bar frequency response: 80Hz to 20kHz
- S/PDIF receiver for digital audio delivery
- SNR 105db
- High Power Efficiency with Low Power Consumption
- Environmentally conscious
WIRELESS SUBWOOFER
- Subwoofer Frequency Response: 35Hz up to 80Hz
- 6.5″ long throw (high excursion) driver
- Subwoofer placement anywhere within 60 ft of sound bar – clear line of sight
HIGH DEFINITION AUDIO PERFORMANCE
- High-Performance 32-Bit 150MHz DSP Audio Engine
- Impressive Sound Pressure Level measuring 90dB SPL (1W @ 1M)
- Advanced 24-Bit Linear PCM to PWM Engine with integrated thermal, over-current, over voltage, over current protection
- Latest Virtualization & Volume Leveling Technology from SRS Labs
- SRS TruSurround HD virtual surround
- SRS TruVolume eliminates undesirable loud commercials and channel to channel variances
SYSTEM INSTALLATION
- Two analog and 1 S/PDIF connection from HDTV output
- Flexible stand supporting both desktop and wall mount configurations
- AC (110V, 60Hz) Power Supply Connection to both Speaker Bar and Wireless Subwoofer
REMOTE CONTROL
- Master Volume Control
- SRS TruSurround HD signal processing on/off
- SRS TruVolume On/Off
- Subwoofer trim control
WIRELESS PERFORMANCE (SUBWOOFER OR HEADPHONES)
- Range Up to 20 meters (60ft) – Clear line of site
- Support for up to 3 headphones SRS Headphone (Speakers are muted)
- Patented field-proven wireless technology 2.4Ghz
- True CD-Quality uncompressed audio transmission
- Sync response within 3 seconds
- Latency equal to the speed of sound (1 ms/ft.)
- Guaranteed equal and consistent latency
- High-efficiency Class D amplifier
AUDIO INPUTS
- 2 Stereo RCA Input
- Input Sensitivity: 2Vrms (max)
- 1 S/PDIF Fiber Optic TOSLINK Input
- Supported Sampling Frequencies: 32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz
- Support Linear PCM Bit Depths: 16-bit, 20-bit
AUDIO PROCESSING FEATURES
- SRS TruSurround HD enables compelling Virtual Surround experience from mono, stereo or 2 channel matrix surround encoded content
- SRS TruBass psychoacoustic bass enhancements enables amazing bass
- SRS FOCUS sound height alignment for precise sonic stage placement under panel
- SRS Dialog Clarity delivers enhanced vocal intelligibility
- SRS Definition delivers sparkling detail while bringing lost background information to life
- SRS TruVolume eliminates undesirable loud commercials and channel to channel variances
SPEAKER BAR DIMENSIONS
- 39.95″ (W) X 4.82″ (H) X 4.33″ (D)
SUBWOOFER DIMENSIONS
- 11.18″ (W) X 12.77″ (H) X 11.84″ (D)
11 Comments
2 questions.
1. Does this Vizio mimic 5.1 audio? Or is it just a better left front, right front soundbar?
2. If it is 5.1, how does it do it when it seems to me you connect it with regular L,R banana plugs?
2 questions.
1. Does this Vizio mimic 5.1 audio? Or is it just a better left front, right front soundbar?
2. If it is 5.1, how does it do it when it seems to me you connect it with regular L,R banana plugs?
Sorry, forgot have added good post! Waiting for your next post!
Bruce,
SRS TruSurround HD enables compelling Virtual Surround experience from mono, stereo or 2 channel matrix surround encoded content.
Read more about this feature at the SRS website. http://www.srslabs.com/content.aspx?id=416
It doesn’t get discrete Dolby Digital content, but rather gets Dolby Surround (matrixed, like old Pro Logic) and converts that virtually. As far as surround virtualizers, implementation is everything, as the virtualizer on my Sharp Aquos was crap, but on my Panasonic Plasma its quite good. On soundbars, particularly this one, it’s fairly incredible.
I hope the pro reviews talk more about the quality you get from v surround, cause it is quite impressive experience for the price.
Cheers.
> There is also future-ready support for wireless headphones
> (with SRS action as well). This is a killer feature that you won’t see
> on any other soundbar on the market…the wireless system will
> drive up to three wireless headphones simultaneously, and when
> activating the headphones, automatically mutes the speakers.
I am not sure what you mean here by “future-ready support” – do this mean that wireless headphones don’t yet work with it? If they don’t, what needs to happen before they will?
Kevin, The headphones need to be available on the market. They are not available yet, as much as I am aware.
I’ve been loving my Vizio soundbar. I recently had some friends over to hang out and thought it would be a good idea to play music. Went out and found a RCA Stereo Audio cable which connects from my ipod to the soundbar. It sounded awesome and got a couple of compliments as well
Just bought a Samsung LCD and Blue ray—Comcast has a digital receiver hooked up to this.
What are the adantages/disadvantages of the Vizio vs the Sony?
I ‘m looking for a simple wireless setup, but don’t want to fool with having to remember to switch to tv which seems to be a problem with the Vizio.
are there tech differences?
What about HDMI?
The audio for the soundbar can be fed directly from your television’s audio output. Whatever you are watching on your TV, be it Bluray or Cable, the audio will just come out as if it replaced your tv’s own speakers. No mode switching necessary if you hook it up this way.
Do you know if the headphones are on the market yet? I haven’t been able to find the info on the web. Thanks.
According to a Vizio rep, their web page was incorrect in stating that this soundbar supports wireless headphones and that statement has now been removed from the page. I’m returning it, and buying something that does support headphones even if it’s not a soundbar.
Thanks Christopher for sharing… Good info. It’s too bad Vizio never finished their product intentions on this one… oh well. Accessories-of-accessories are hard plays though if we’re being completely honest. A bundle at Costo could have made good sense… but maybe next generation???