I’ve had an Elevate for a year now. Some issues at first, but the improved app makes it WAY more user friendly. The bass punches hard, had to turn it down even. Disney Plus content sounds amazing with the Atmos effects. Most bang for your buck with this one.
My man if you're only watching through streaming, you ain't hearing the full potential of your elevate system...not even close. You can get a used 4k player for like 80 bucks. PS5 and Xbox series can also play them. 4k uhd discs will blow you away. The sound is like 5x better than streaming.
I bought the Vizio Elevate a week ago and I love it. The setup was a little buggy at first for like 10 minutes but after that it works great and the app seems to be doing everything on demand. I wish I would have known about the price drop months ago, I'll suggest anyone looking for this soundbar or anyone in general to wait until Amazon day, Black Friday or Cyber Monday to get one. Overall it's a good soundbar and I'll recommend it to anyone.
I just bought the elevate. It was having the same app/ software issues he mentions here. After I finally got the bar connected to wifi and updated. Now it works flawlessly. App still needs work, but nothing that's a deal breaker.
For me, ignorance is bliss. I spent $699 on the Vizio and can't fathom spending 1800. It's fantastic in terms of Atmos for movies and games, so that keeps me more than entertained (are you not entertained?!?!). Also having all 13 speakers in the soundbar firing at you during non-Atmos/ DTS X content sounds great, but unlike most other soundbars, which are usually only 3 to 7 speakers. Suffice to say, 13 is abnormal, and a lot.
@@Jonathan-bv7qs no lasting issues yet. Sometimes the volume has issues or it won’t shut off. I just unplug it and plug it back in, problem solved. No crackles, no issues withe the rotating speakers. Daily uses for hours on end. I’d buy it again.
@@JayJay-jx3zg So the bugs he mentioned with the Vizio have not been an issue for you after their firmware updates other than it not turning off occasionally? Thanks for taking the time to update us years later!
I like the Elevates added touch of revealing the extra logo when the speakers rotate. Now, if it could only perform the same trick by revealing a couple of middle fingers when it refuses to behave itself, it would be perfect.
I purchased the elevate a few weeks ago and it has exceeded expectations! I could not justify paying 2.5x more for the Arc setup. The only user experience I had was 25 minutes setup to connect to wi-fi and update after powering it on the first time. I also turned down the bass, and it has been flawless. I’m surprised you experienced a few user issues, especially with your soundbar knowledge! Nice review!
@@garretts431 Atmos is great! I have average height ceilings and it is convincing when a plane or helicopter is flying over your head. Sometimes the sound coming from just the rear speakers is kind of weak, but overall it’s awesome!
Totally agree with you I have the whole system in the living room and it sounds phenomenal and whoever comes here to watch a movie is amazed they think they were in a movie theater.
I am a Sonos arc owner and I think you nailed your review. Well done. Love my Sonos but the price tag hurt, no doubt. I have had some limited interaction with their online support and Sonos is responsive there so that's a plus as well. Turned out my issue was with the Bravia TV.
I got my sub 100 off and each Sonos one for 120, had a song HTNT5 and just wasn’t getting the bass and sound i needed. I got the polk magnifi max then after reading a bunch of bad reviews i said go big or go home
I purchased Sonos Arc, sub, and Amp (for outdoor zone). It is definitely expensive but I wanted it to just work with no fuss. It needed to be wife proof. I also wanted the second zone.
I bought the Elevate in October for 699, this video really nails it. It sounds incredible but its causes near daily frustrations, have spent literally hours troubleshooting it and i need to hard reboot it multiple times a week. I have until January to be able to return it to best buy, if they dont push some firmware fixes before then its going back.
Curious if you’ve made a decision yet about your Elevate! I am in the exact same boat. I really love the sound of it, but I get so annoyed with it every day because I always have to mess with something. I’m really considering the Sonos setup now, but at almost double the price of the Elevate system I’m really not sure it’s worth it either...
@@iebuchanan I sent it back last week. Really a shame, but it was such a pain on a regular basis. I ended up getting an AV receiver and 5.1.2 wired speakers for more than the cost of the elevate but less than the cost of the sonos arc. its a much better experience both sound and software wise.
Sonos is expensive, but the sound and build quality is amazing . The quality for playing music "lossless" from my NAS sounds great. Movies in Dolby Digital Plus and lossless dolby truehd sounds amazing. One of the major downside owning a Sonos ARC is that absents of DTS-X support. But I love my complete set Sonos ARC + 2x One SL + sub. Works without any problems so fare.
For me, sound is incredibly important along with flexibility (eg, inputs) and also the user experience and set up. I have spent too many hours in my life setting up great equipment that are a nightmare to maintain and set up. There is much to be said about a well polished and integrated system with competent technical support. We use a mixture of Sonus one speakers with AirPlay mixed with an AppleTV/receiver setup and it works perfectly. Reasonable sound in three rooms simultaneously! In summary, sound is critical but even more so is one’s quality of life and holding onto my serenity!
Excellent video. Enjoyed every minute of it. I was debating between these 2 sound bars for a while and decided to get the vizio because of price. I am very pleased with the product overall. I ran into those UX issues you stated in the beginning, but as the days went on, it sort of got better. Maybe it updated itself in the background 🤷🏽♂️. Happy to hear that the sonos is better suited for music and elevate for movies and video games because those 2 are what i use the sound bar for 99% of the time.
Im simple, but BB convinced me to get the Arc & two $249 each speaker. He lied telling me I didn't need the sub. Movie had NOOO boom. Of course next day I ordered the sub. I now spent over $2,100. Not comfortable spending that much, didnt like it didn't have a remote..I returned it before 14day. I saw your video & got a Vizio, it will arrive Tues. Fyi BB sells Vizio but do not have it in store or display because they dont sell many Vizio tvs. Thats what i was told. Thank you for the video
If the Vizio is not your speed, I really liked the Polk Magnifi Max AX SR - near unrivaled value (features/dollar) and really impressive sound My video: Polk MagniFi Max AX SR vs. Vizio Elevate M-Series ua-cam.com/video/KWshg34UwdE/v-deo.html
Thanks for the breakdown, I feel better about my purchase of the Vizio, but that damn setup with the app is always a "soul crusher" for all the vizio sound bars I have, so hard to connect, but once I got set up it works fine for me and my vizio sound bars, but the sound pushes the vizios over the top for me.
I have to say I have the Sonos system in my living room and although it is pseudo-surround sound it sounds amazing now I’ve had other systems and the surround does not sound as good as the Sonos including a Bose system with rear channel speakers. As far Dolby Atmos there was such little content I don’t get what the hype is. All I know is that when watching an action movie on my Sonos system it envelops the whole room and sounds phenomenal.
@@hoodaguy Not everyone has a TV with eARC so they wouldn’t be able to get uncompressed audio. Without eARC, you would need to connect your devices to the soundbar, but the Arc has no HDMI inputs so they’re stuck with Dolby Digital Plus/DTS-HD at best
@@jollama I didn't have eArc either. I added a HDFury Arcana device and it enables passthrough for that connection only. Chose the Apple TV 4k and it's passing Dolby Atmos through it. Another $200, but worth it for the Atmos and reclaiming the input. (4 devices, versus 3)
Great review as always. Funny that the two sound bars I am looking at are the ones that give you the most problems, the Elevate and the Q950T. Which one did you like better?
I have an older 5.1 Vizio system. Vizio and UX are like magnets that repel each other. When upgrading my TV, I didn’t care about the good reviews for the Vizio oled- I refused to put myself through that kind of torture again. That being said, I’ve learned to live with the sound at I have. For instance, I can take it off of “eco mode” and the sound bar stays on all the time (like you indicated with the Sonos Arc). Also, I never control the Vizio sound bar through the app- cuz it doesn’t work. I always use the remote. Also, if the bar is in eco mode and I have a vid paused for an extended period, then it just powers off automatically. I have to turn it back on. It’s annoying. But I don’t have that issue when eco mode is off. Definitely trying to steer clear of Vizio pretty much forever now. I’m hoping we’ll get some decent quality atmos/DTS-x systems for under 1k in the next year or so (non-Vizio). I guess we’ll see!
Great review. I got the Vizio SB36512-F6 5.1.2 for $299 just before Black Friday as even the Elevate is out of my price range, much less the Arc. I had a few setup frustrations with the SmartCast app, but not many; I guess the older SB36512-F6 has more refined firmware than the just-released Elevate. The major differences (other than non-rotating front & no rear upfiring speakers) are (a) no eARC (but my TV is also ARC-only), (b) only one HDMI in (but with EcoPower turned off & CEC disabled on the Blu-ray players behind my Koopman 4K HDMI switch that's OK -- they're controlled by a Harmony Hub), (c) no DTS:X (but it does support DTS-HD MA unlike the Sonos & DTS Virtual:X may make up for it somewhat), and (d) fewer drivers in the soundbar itself (not a huge deal for me). One positive: My rear speaker plugs (single RCA, only one right-angle) are small enough to thread the straight end thru my Perlesmith rear stands (recommended for Vizio rears on Amazon) to conceal the wires; the Elevate's (dual RCA, both right-angle) are not. The Elevate has all the makings of a great soundbar, but it seems Vizio needs a year or two to refine its firmware like it did with the SB36512-F6.
This is my first video where it seems commenters seem somewhat sympathetic about my conclusions. Yes the Elevate has some potential but did seem perhaps undercooked. Sonos is not perfect but you never get anywhere near the level of frustration ... maybe built into the price
@Tony Rodz it’s gotten a lot better now. I haven’t seen any lately. I don’t use the app. It’s not very good. Event setting you need is on the remote tho. I love mine it’s a great system !
Let us know if and when it irks consistently and how many hours it took. Based on some of the comments here and the review I suspect this sound bar is high maintenance! The value, cost and sound, should be more than associated risks; That is, set up time, continuing maintenance, minimal or no firmware updates and input inflexibility.
@@neverenoughtech the $599 deal was a flash sale the night before cyber Monday. I was shocked and tried to get the price match through best buy but they wouldn't do it because it is noted in their policy price matching will not be included for flash sales from the day of black friday to cyber Monday unfortunately. So whoever got those deals are VERY lucky.
Yes the elevate app has some issues setting up. Just don't screw up the instructions or enter your WiFi password incorrectly otherwise you have to do a factory reset. Upon the second try, it worked perfectly when I followed the setup correctly. Changing eq settings is slightly annoying. Just change one setting at a time and it works. Remote has always worked flawlessly for me. Rotating speakers have worked 100% of the time. Sound has always been consistent and works with eco mode on. Turn off Eco mode like the Sono's if you have issues. Had the sound bar since it came out. I use ARC from the tv. I keep it on Movie mode typically. If you have issues with the remote, don't use it. Set it and forget it like the Sono's. If you have issues the the rotating speakers, keep them in upwards firing mode the whole time me like the Sono's. Check for firmware updates in the app to fix the issues some people have. It is a new soundbar. It will have firmware issues. The Sono's arc is not new. It has had firmware updates. :)
You are SO funny. Like the driest sense of humor with the perfect lack of facial expression had me dying the whole time. This was also a really thorough and well done review
This Vizio Elevate setup keeps getting great reviews and I’d be very interested in getting one! Especially as I was about to drop £2,500 approx on a Sonos full setup! But for some reason I can’t find any availability for this Vizio sound bar in the UK!?! It’s like Vizio just don’t offer it in this country or something! 🤔🤷♂️ Great review!!
I have the ARC+Sub+LS+RS, and I've not really noticed any atmos effects to be honest. Now I've noticed great surround coming from the front stage ARC. Before I got the Sonos One SL for the surround back effect, the ARC would do pretty good as I could hear noises behind/beside me...I was kind of impressed. My room configuration is odd, but the ceiling is 8ft high and flat, yet I haven't really noticed height effects. I do enjoy it, as it is perfect for a room setup, and I like the night mode and voice enhancement in the app. It blends the audio really good, and plays music very well. I would say though that, and I understand not everyone can do both...trust me I worked overtime to get both the Sonos speakers and some separates, but separate speakers (I have a pair of SVS Ultra bookshelves) and a SVS PB1000, and I gotta say that the audio quality is noticeably better than the Sonos setup for around the same price. Those two speakers fill up my room like crazy! I don't know how to explain it, but movies and music just impressed me so much that I really thought about returning the Sonos equipment to get another pair of SVS Ultras, but my wife likes the simplicity of the ARC and not having to mess with the A/V receiver...just turn the TV on and go. Just my two cents for what it's worth, and I just upgraded my sub to a PB3000 and OMG the bass coming out of that thing is too much for my room, so I'm moving it to the living room and eventually getting a second sub to pair with it later on. I love the ARC though don't get me wrong.
@Jaun Doe convenience is a big part of soundbars - definitely not the best sound for the money. I don’t hear 3D effect reliably except in some instances with Dolby TrueHD or DTSX. Streaming compressed Atmos is really watered down
In the diagram you show the arc bar having left, center left, center, center right and right channels, that's incorrect. On its own, the bar is rear left, front left, center, front right, rear right. With the side firing bouncing off the walls to emulate the rears. Also, regarding the Sonos rear speaker channel stuff you touch on a few times.. My understanding (and I have looked into this quite a bit) is that the bar itself is a 5.0.2 system, and when you add the rears it stays a 5.0.2 by using the rears as the actual rears and remapping the side firing channels on the bar to support the midbass of the left and right front channels. So when you add the rears, the soundbar 'itself' goes from a 5.0.2 to a 3.0.2.This helps the midbass response of the soundbar and also helps increase the front channel soundstage. It eliminates the inferior wall bouncing for the rears because now you actually have rear speakers behind you. This remapping also helps bring the bass response of the bar in line with the bass response that the rear speakers are capable of. The same remapping happens to the Atmos upfiring speakers when listening to non Atmos content. You could easily verify this yourself by downloading an Atmos test video and putting your ear to the side firing channels when the sound is being output to the rear, you should hear nothing. Another thing, not sure if it just wasn't clear In the video, but the arc does also support Dolby truehd lossless. Love your channel btw! Keep it up
I finally understood this myself after watching this great review. I just wonder if the Sonos speaker positioning, by still being a lateral surround in a 5.1.2, would be better if directed to your ears in a sitting position rather than behind you on a "fake" 7.1.2 configuration. If this is true, I can see why the 3D effect wouldn't be as good as 7.1.2 soundbars.
@@Scalptrash gadgetguy review: "When it does not get Dolby content, it reverts to PCM 2.0, and the two up-firing speakers reinforce low-end frequencies." I've also read it sometimes by people on the Sonos forums and on Reddit I believe.
Both soundbars support TrueHD lossless (including the TrueHD flavor of Atmos from Blu-rays). The difference is the Arc's only HDMI connection is eARC out, so you need an eARC TV (or the HDFury Arcana switch between TV & soundbar, another significant expense) to connect Blu-ray players & gaming consoles with TrueHD to the Arc; the Vizio's two HDMI inputs will handle TrueHD directly, as well as DTS:X & DTS-HD MA (the Arc doesn't support even classic DTS).
Your statement is correct, he was wrong in his video that the rears generate ambient sound from the sound bar. The sound bar remaps the speakers itself when the rears are added and is a true 5 speaker surround system (as true as you can get from a sound bar, lol). Another test is watch something that is non-dolby encoded... the rear speakers themselves are then silent as the night... no ambient sound at all.
Those of you that are Costco members and really don't care about the voice assistance in the Arc. Costco has the Sonos Arc SL for $50 cheaper. So far it is not online but they do have them in store. It's the same Arc as the original Arc just without voice assistance. I have Alexa and Google Home throughout my home so having the voice assistant inside the Arc is not a deal breaker for me.
I have one of Vizio's 5.1 soundbars from a few years ago. The user experience was really bad in the beginning. Constant issues, failing to power on, etc. It still is sometimes unreliable and requires me to unmount it from the wall and take the power cord out to get it to reset. Firmware updates haven't helped. I was really excited about the Elevate but it's really disappointing to hear they still have so many issues with their user interface.
Is there any difference between buying the Sonos Arc System (all together) versus individual parts (bar, sub, 2x One SLs)? I can't find the system in stock anywhere, but I can find the individual pieces. Also I am strongly considering Vizio Elevate as it is significantly cheaper, but I worry about user headaches of not being able to get it to work properly.
@@neverenoughtech ha ha ha ha ha. No worries, was just curious. We are looking at sound bars now. General preference is for full systems but these are easier. Sonos seems a bit pricey for what you get. I am not trying to blow the roof off, so Vizio seems good enough. Just wondering if M series is a more reasonable purchase.
Should I buy the elevate system in 2023 and I've been looking at it I have a traditional system which is decent but definitely outdated I've never had a sound bar but I want to start out with a decent one My budget is $1,000
Very good content. I was really skeptic about the video and the length of it but really helpful and well put together. Thank you for helping with my choice. New to Sonos. Was hoping to save some $ and was hoping Vizio had fixed their issues but apparently not. Thank you again for the comparison between the two
With Chromecast, I believe you should be able to multi-room with any Smart Google Assistance speakers. I have group with Google Hub Max, Vizio 2.1 Soundbar, JBL and Sony. Multi-room works fine. I use UA-cam Music.
I got the elevate about 3 weeks ago. It has some issues but other than that I'm super impressed with it. I'm sure in due time vizio will fix some of the bugs
Great review, well I guess I'll wait a couple more years until I buy a new sound bar. I'll just keep my old Sonos bar until my mind is blown. Thanks for your time.
I got a Beam for my living room TV, a FIVE for my dinner room, a One for my Kitchen, One for my Bathroom and a One for the bedroom. I'm so into the whole ecosystem I might as well go Arc and Sub for my basement home cinema.
This is a few years old.. if you have the elevate still it would be Very interesting to see if the firmware updates fixed the issues.. it would seem that they are potentially fixable.
It’s gotten a little better. Early on I had HUGE eARC problems with this and my CX. As in it would only play Atmos but the audio would go in and out on every other format. I eventually had to get a SHARC to make the audio work. After a shelving and a firmware upgrade that bug seems to get solved. However the inconsistencies in the app persist. In a nutshell when you run into issues with connectivity from the app, you may as well delete the device and re-install it again, which could be process. Note: this happens when not logging into the app after a week or so. I keep coming back to this video because I’m strongly considering getting a Sonos system. I’m looking for improved audio quality mostly…
Bought this when it came out. Always has dialogue fluctuations with eARC no matter what I did. Got tired of it that I switched to optical. No problems there. Maybe I'll try to update the firmware since I have not done it in a long time. Hope it helps... then I can try eArc again. Also, hoping they have a new smartcast software 'cuz it sucked balls the last time I used it.@@504cool
I have had the elevate for 4 months. Was a real pain for about two. Constantly had to reboot or restore to factory specs. It would just stop recognizing my Roku. Fixed the Roku recognition by turning off eco mode. Also would not recognize Dolby or Atmos. Vizio did a firmware push on my Vizio TV and that helped. Still happens occasionally. Solution is to plug source directly into soundbar or if source is connected to TV toggle between digital audio out and auto out and back. If I could go back in time I would not purchase the Vizio. On another note the rotating speakers are cool but when they rotate up your sound stage gets narrower. Would be better if Vizio had just included some fixed up firing speakers. Thinking of trying to sell the Vizio
I bought a Vizio 5.1 surround sound and the bass for current movies made the bass sound distorted, I bought a Sony 5.1 surround sound and it performed greatly. So idk if I'll ever buy a Vizio sound system again
Fights and make up relations…. I’ve been literally revisiting my elevate for the third time. I bought it with day one bugs and eventually shelved it for an older vizio sound bar. After 3 days the previous issues haven’t resurfaced yet, however I don’t know if I’d recommend it either. It’s too expensive for the headache.
I just bought the new 2022 elevate but I’m considering returning and getting the 2020 elevate due to the fact that the 2020 version has a 8’ subwoofer and the 2022 one only has a 6’ Also the 2020 version has has up firing speakers in the 2 rear surround speakers where as the 2022 version only has forward firing in the 2 rears. I like the look of the new version better but I may return cause it seems the 2020 version is still a better pick
I'm a little confused with the Sonos surround comment saying the rear speakers just play "ambient sound" from the sound bar. Not sure that comment is true, I think when you hook up rear speakers, they are truly a rear left and rear right for surround purposes, not just ambient sound. What would have been the "rear" speakers on the sound bar then adjust to help the sound bar produce its left/center/right sounds and the rears are a true rear left speaker and rear right speaker, just like any other "surround system".
Typically with these systems the rears add to the channel number. So they are serving a discrete channel. Not the case with Sonos. The rears are not adding to the number ... they are surrounds but not true 6/7 channels. www.crutchfield.com/S-86LTLjfWb11/p_700ARC51M/Sonos-Arc-Sub-One-SL-Home-Theater-Bundle-Black-Arc-Sub-White-Surrounds.html
@@neverenoughtech I see what you are saying... but I think the numbers are getting you confused. A dolby surround system is 5.0.0 Add a sub its 5.1.0. Add height speakers and its 5.1.2/4 etc. The sound bar itself says its 5.0.2 - meaning it has right/left/center. 2 up firing speakers for heigth and then 2 "surround speakers" that simulate as best as you can from a sound bar having rear speakers by bouncing sound signatures around the room. When you add the actual rear speakers, it doesn't change the number of speaker locations, but it does technically change the sound signature of the bar. The 2 speakers that were simulating the rears, then adjust to supplement the right/center/left with deeper bass, etc.. and no longer act as the rear speakers in the surround sound setup. And the added rear speakers are actual rear right and rear left speakers, actual surround speakers playing sounds from right rear and left rear when called upon. the rear speakers are not there to play ambient sound from the sound bar.
@@neverenoughtech As well, you can truly tell this when you are watching something that is non-dolby coded - ie regular stereo sound... there is zero sound from the rear speakers in that scenario, yet the sound bar is firing all its speakers for sound. As soon as you flip into dolby encoded track (non-atmos type stuff), the rear speakers start picking up the specific coded rear right and rear left sounds, those sounds are not created from the sound bar itself and they are not ambient sound bar sounds.
I bought the Elevate at an awesome Prime day deal for $290 after applying some Amazon gift cards for applying for some credit cards they offer I'll never use. Anyway its an incredible bar, but yes every other day or so I have to unplug the power and put it back in, which is annoying but for that price I can live with it. Have a feeling thought that its just an HDMI ARC issue in TV's as a refurb Bose 900 i scored for an amazing price as well, does the EXACT same thing. Using both bars on LG OLED's
I have vizio soundbars and just purchased the elevate and never and I mean never use the app to control the soundbar. Only reason you want the app is for updates. That's it. Use the remote and you're good to go.
Great video! I watchet the whole video without skipping or anything, thats how intrested you got me, so good job! Im just wondering what i should do. Currently I have LG SL10Yg and to me, it actually sounds really good but i do have some complaints that it sounds pretty muddy sometimes and that the Subwoofer isnt that puncy or clean, and i want something with eArc since i have a LG CX. I am wondering though how anything could sound any better cause it sounds good, but im really tempted in getting the Sonos soundsystem with the Sub, maybe Surrounds down the line if they get upwardfiring speakers as well. But in your video you said the sound maybe doesnt "impress your friend" or like "Wow" you, which is definetly something i want. So is the Arc maybe not the best to get? Should i maybe wait if Sonos release a version with more inputs and like DTS support etc? Thanks in advance!
Impress your friend bar are the Samsung bars. I think Sonos is the quality of life bar (especially with Apple products) that will be much more satisfying than impressing a friend
@@neverenoughtech Okay I understand! I tend to be more at the quality of life type of person, where everything works perfectly all the time whenever you need it to. But is the sound difference that big? Like is the sound that much better? Would the gap be smaller if perhaps Sonos made the surround speakers availble with upward firing speakers? Thanks!
Mine is on the way (renewed from Amazon) and now I'm a LIL concerned. I've set up 2 Vizio systems before, and they were a breeze. After watching your video, I feel nervous. I THINK there have been some firmware updates to the system--since 2020? Gimme some good news:) Thanks!
and I still buy the sonos 🙌🏽... ps. Trueplay for Android is not possible because the phones have built-in different microphones, this is easier to handle with iphones
It’s not so much what the TV has but what it can pass. If the tv is eARC enabled, it can send dolby TrueHD to the Arc. If not, DD+ is the highest you get. Sonos does not support DTS natively. It will need to recoded for to be played. Unless you have digital files you only get DOlby TrueHD via blue rays
Great review I have the elevate and the Vizio oled and I haven't noticed any issues with connection streaming or changing modes ! Maybe it was updated? Idk but I will say the elevate requires alot of tweaking to get the correct sound! Every movie sounds different and I find myself having to go into the settings to adjust surround channels and center channels alot! But I like messing with settings so I don't mind It!
What you just described about tweaking is what's killing me with this soundbar. Just when I think I have the perfect setting, I watch some other content that sounds totally different and I have to tweak again. That's some BS I don't really want to be dealing with. I'd rather have everything sound good and somewhat consistent than to be amazing but require tweaking. I'm going to get an Arc to test before my best buy return window has closed on the Elevate. It's the only way to take be sure.
Vizio always try to cater to the customer by giving them the most that matters. For instance their tv's support all the HDR codecs unlike samung which doesnt support DolbyVision and Lg which doesnt support HLG I think or HDR10+. Same with Vizio soundbar it seems to try to support as much as possible with all the ports and sound file codecs and lets not forget that they usually undercut the competition in price. Vizio products have the potential too be the very best not just for the price but best period. The problem is Vizio products consistently has these nagging issues that frustrates the heck out of the user experience and frankly makes you want to return their products. Like software not working, handshake issues or just reliability issues. If Vizio could ever clean this up they would dominate this industry and I wouldn't even think to look at the competition.
The Apple TV should always be connected directly to the TV, because it always sends an active signal even when its asleep. So the soundbar might think its on and auto switch you to a black screen
@Jonathan T I had to temp move across country for various reasons. Not in the cards this year. A goal for next year ... gonna get a much bigger basement and test space. Should help a lot. Appreciate the interest
helpful review, very helpful. One bit of detail for the Sonos takes it out of th erunning for me and it's something I had yet to encounter to the point I have it in my cart. That is the always on nature of the bar. My install is in my RV home theater setup and while I have a lot, I mean a lot, of power on tap at 24kWh, the parasitic drain of the the Sonos Arc is a deal breaker. So that was really helpful to discover, thank you. I actually found this video when comparing the Arc to the Elevate system. Your experience with the Elevate make me question it as well since 99% of my goal is to NOT need to have some fiddly set of crap...too old and worn out to need to buy more frustrations, ya know? So thanks again for that as well... So pretty much you destroyed two of my contenders...oh gee thanks, now another 256789hrs research in front of my before Friday. ;)
My channel is dedicated to exasperating first world problems. Hope you find your bar. You might consider a simpler bar like Klipsch cinema 600. The bar doesn’t try to do so much and sounds great. Option to expand with surrounds. Big sub so maybe that is a problem. Anyway good luck
Daniel thanks for the review. I have the Vizio Oled and really like the stand for a the sound bar Mount. But my Problem with the Vizio is The rear speakers because I have a open floor plain and the Positioning for the Sub and rear speakers will take some work to figure it out. So trying to Decide between the Vizio and the JBL 9.1, which has the wireless Rear speakers. I’ve watch your JBL and Vizio reviews. I was hoping for you to help me with my Decision and what ever thoughts you have on the two systems. I’m leaning towards a JBL but love your Opinion. Thanks
Hmmm. I think the trade off really depends on what you want to do. If you are really interested in a 3D effect via blueray I’d go JBL. If you are more interested in streaming, where 3D is pretty lame, the Vizio. I think the Vizio has fuller sound than JBL. I am going to need you to weigh these relative strengths with the wire issue.
@@neverenoughtech Thanks. The wires would be a problem. Plus place a sub near where I seat doesn’t set with me very well. I let my Sub near the tv just like a normal Receiver set up. Features I’m looking for are the Derby and DTS Atmos features, close as I could get a movie Theater experience. If you Compare to JBL or Vizio in the Future that’s would be sweet. I’m Leaning towards a JBL unless you have any other I should take a look at. That’s for Replying back to me. 👍
The biggest issue I've heard of with JBL's true wireless surrounds is they must be periodically returned to the soundbar itself for charging, though you MIGHT be able to power them with USB cables & chargers. I'd rather have surrounds wired to the subwoofer (like Vizio & Nakamichi, even though that limits sub placement) or a separate powered wireless receiver (like LG, Samsung & Sony).
@@richellebrittain2127 Thank you! I saw that the Rear speakers can be Powered where they are by USB. That wouldn’t be a problem for me, because where I’ll place them. I wouldn’t have wires running a cross the floor I would only power them over night. Thanks
@@dennis1908cubs wonder if they support higher power chargers for a faster charge? Or even how powerful a charger is to keep speakers from running out of power while in use and plugged in? Or if they charge even when being used? hehehe, sorry, it's late and now that the Sonos and Elevate are pretty much off my list, I have returned to OCD midnight shopping mode.
so how does the sonos arc work without the app? they dropped all ready the last gen speakers out of the app so you cant use them with new ones so wondering how long untill this sonos is going to be going to garbage can. Does it really need the app to get them working or are they useless after few years?
This is not true... The S2 app was released when the Arc was announced and is needed to support the Arc. Most of the old speakers are also supported (in fact the only speaker that may not be is the Play 5:Gen 1), including the playbase and playbar (the playbar was released in 2013). Sonos has a good track record of supporting speakers 7-10 years on a platform. I would anticipate the arc being around at least 6-7 years before any material changes are made. You can still use the S1 app to run and operate the Play 5:Gen 1 speaker today
Bought the Elevate and returned it the next day. As you stated I had audio but no video with an apple tv. Only got it to work once for a short period of time. Bought the Arc instead. Feel like it's a much better product.
@brad miller for those that have not had a Sonos product it’s difficult to express how much reliability matters. If you already have Sonos I think going Sonos makes a lot more sense than if you are starting from scratch and may be on a budget. As I mentioned I have 30 Sonos products so that was meant to be kind of telling
@@neverenoughtech the ARC brings me to 10 Sonos speakers. Reliability is a definite plus with Sonos. Also being able to integrate brand new speakers with 4 year old speakers is great. Every other audio company is very closed off when it comes to thiers speaker systems.
I went to sonos after having a Sony HTNT5 for 3 years. Needed more bass and sound, bought a Polk magnifi max and had it for about a month. More and more reviews i read the worse i felt about my decision i decided to go big or go home and bought the sonos arc with a pair of surround speakers. I love it
I like the app, i enjoy the aiplay and how easy it is for others to connect. I thought i was going to dislike not having a Bluetooth option but nope. And only 2 wires, power and eArc
Mine comes tomorrow and I’m hoping it sets up nice. Could be compatibility with tv’s though as I had a Samsung tv that would always randomly have connection issues. The same soundbar is connected to LG CX with no issues. However, we will see how it goes with earc. Basically chose this @$699 over the SB36512-F6 @$299 to take advantage of tv having earc. Informative review though, thanks.
Just got Vizio elevate set up today. Would not recommend. Horrible connection issues as I anticipated. Crackling/popping noises when switching input or source. This is all through earc so maybe earc just sucks but I’m returning this.
@@Vigo1936 I really wouldn't give up on it just yet. I have the exact same setup as you and none of the issues. LGCX 65" with my elevate connected through earc. So far, not one problem 👍
@@ishinish Oh really? That's interesting I've been talking with people on reddit having same issues as I so that's encouraging to hear. They're sending replacement so I will try that before giving up lol. Also, many issues seem to be with gaming consoles as well but that's a whole different ball park. Which is the point of earc though so not sure how many devices you have connected but def an earc issue in general.
@@Vigo1936 I've been on Reddit too! And I have heard of the odd audio popping issue but I have honestly not had any of the issues. See if the replacement helps. I also have my ps4 pro connected to the soundbar and the soundbar to the LG CX through eARC. Also, be sure to check the correct settings through the TV. Obviously select HDMI eARC (or ARC) on the audio output. I can't remember if it's eARC as the option or ARC but you won't see both listed as the option so just choose whatever has letters ARC in the output setting. As far as my gaming console, I have linear PCM as the selected audio output because this will be uncompressed audio. But I will probably change it to Bitstream DTS or Dolby depending on what game I play or movie I watch. I haven't tested this part out yet unfortunately. However, if you have any streaming services like Netflix or Disney+, DEFINITELY use the apps on the tv because the LG CX will display these in Dolby vision as that video format is supported and Dolby atmos should work totally fine as well because that is also supported and this is how you'll know that the passthrough is working from the TV to the elevate. Make sure to also select passthrough in the settings of the tv as well (I believe it's under additional settings but can't recall). You'll know this works if you have the Vizio app and have atmos on the auto function. Once you play something on netflix of Disney+ that's atmos and vision supported, the tv will automatically switch to vision mode (indicated at the top right corner) and the elevate will automatically rotate it's speakers upwards because the tv will detect the atmos content, send the signal to the elevate, and wallah! Let me know how it goes 👍
@@ishinish Thanks for the thorough response. So I have all the settings correct which took forever! The problem is that it will continue to crackle or pop anytime an input is changed OR even changing a game on Ps4 pro. It did take me forever to realize that on the ps4, even though hdmi is selected, you must click it AGAIN with erac ON for the option to output 5.1 in linear PCM or else it just resorts to stereo. Which is nice cause i had delay with bitstream so all settings are correct. And when it works, it sounds great. But the other option which makes no sense to me is the sound delay. And when I say that, it's across all platforms and tv. It's almost as if there's any form of load screen, it takes about 2-3 for sound to start playing. And oddly, I noticed scrolling through the menu of ps4 and switch, sound cuts out intermittently. but this doesn't happen when the game/movie is playing. SO that's makes no sense to me. Not sure if I should try more expensive ethernet HDMI or not to all ports. I will wait for new sound bar but not expecting it to be defected unit as others have said they have same exact problem. Hoping it works though because between loud pop everytime you switch input and sound delay I can't keep it in current state. Oh, and the popping in ONLY earc...works ok with it off. But still sound delay/cut out on menus. Glad everything is working on your end though consider yourself lucky!
@srp srp I think I said the 3D effect on JBL was more convincing - maybe better bass. I don’t think I said overall JBL was better - though not an unreasonable opinion
Thanks for this video - probably a stupid question, but what if I don't use the Vizio surround speakers, since I don't want to run the wire due to difficulty hiding it. Will I miss out a lot other than the obvious not having surround speakers behind me??
@@neverenoughtech Thanks for the swift reply! I was really into this Vizio as a decent-price/availability option, but the user experience doesn't seem worth it to me. Uggh. This has been quite journey for me to find a good price, good sound, just works sound bar!
So I returned my f-46 Vizio sound bar and got the Elevate. So far, I'm really enjoying all the popping noises when we pause a program or advance the program. I will probably end up returning it and we'll just go soundbarless. I'm done with Vizio
I’ll be investing in the Sonos ecosystem due to your excellent reviews. When you pair your older sub to the Arc , could you add play 1’s as well (play 1’s) was my first purchase. Also I heard Sonos did a LPCM firmware update for the Arc and would like your input on that as well. Thank you.
For my normal setup I have the arc, sub Gen 1 and play 1s. The play 1s are mounted to my wall and I didn’t feel like changing out mounts for the sonos ones. So yes they are all compatible. The Arc supports LPCM
I’ve had an Elevate for a year now. Some issues at first, but the improved app makes it WAY more user friendly. The bass punches hard, had to turn it down even. Disney Plus content sounds amazing with the Atmos effects. Most bang for your buck with this one.
My man if you're only watching through streaming, you ain't hearing the full potential of your elevate system...not even close. You can get a used 4k player for like 80 bucks. PS5 and Xbox series can also play them. 4k uhd discs will blow you away. The sound is like 5x better than streaming.
I bought the Vizio Elevate a week ago and I love it. The setup was a little buggy at first for like 10 minutes but after that it works great and the app seems to be doing everything on demand. I wish I would have known about the price drop months ago, I'll suggest anyone looking for this soundbar or anyone in general to wait until Amazon day, Black Friday or Cyber Monday to get one. Overall it's a good soundbar and I'll recommend it to anyone.
I just bought the elevate. It was having the same app/ software issues he mentions here. After I finally got the bar connected to wifi and updated. Now it works flawlessly. App still needs work, but nothing that's a deal breaker.
For me, ignorance is bliss. I spent $699 on the Vizio and can't fathom spending 1800. It's fantastic in terms of Atmos for movies and games, so that keeps me more than entertained (are you not entertained?!?!). Also having all 13 speakers in the soundbar firing at you during non-Atmos/ DTS X content sounds great, but unlike most other soundbars, which are usually only 3 to 7 speakers. Suffice to say, 13 is abnormal, and a lot.
Hi, how was your vizio now? I heard vizio sub have cracking noise after months or years of use.
@@Jonathan-bv7qs no lasting issues yet. Sometimes the volume has issues or it won’t shut off. I just unplug it and plug it back in, problem solved. No crackles, no issues withe the rotating speakers. Daily uses for hours on end. I’d buy it again.
@@JayJay-jx3zg So the bugs he mentioned with the Vizio have not been an issue for you after their firmware updates other than it not turning off occasionally? Thanks for taking the time to update us years later!
@themustang181 still going strong. There are no issues other than the occasional volume issue, correct.
I like the Elevates added touch of revealing the extra logo when the speakers rotate. Now, if it could only perform the same trick by revealing a couple of middle fingers when it refuses to behave itself, it would be perfect.
I purchased the elevate a few weeks ago and it has exceeded expectations! I could not justify paying 2.5x more for the Arc setup. The only user experience I had was 25 minutes setup to connect to wi-fi and update after powering it on the first time. I also turned down the bass, and it has been flawless. I’m surprised you experienced a few user issues, especially with your soundbar knowledge! Nice review!
How is your atmos?
@@garretts431 Atmos is great! I have average height ceilings and it is convincing when a plane or helicopter is flying over your head. Sometimes the sound coming from just the rear speakers is kind of weak, but overall it’s awesome!
Did you run with hdmi or with fiber optic?
HDMI 2.1
I have the Sonos Arc system and love it...not one issue or complaint...nice sound and great bass...cheers all
@myspankster No DTS?
@David Mander So many unhappy people. Toxic.
Totally agree with you I have the whole system in the living room and it sounds phenomenal and whoever comes here to watch a movie is amazed they think they were in a movie theater.
I am a Sonos arc owner and I think you nailed your review. Well done. Love my Sonos but the price tag hurt, no doubt. I have had some limited interaction with their online support and Sonos is responsive there so that's a plus as well. Turned out my issue was with the Bravia TV.
I got my sub 100 off and each Sonos one for 120, had a song HTNT5 and just wasn’t getting the bass and sound i needed. I got the polk magnifi max then after reading a bunch of bad reviews i said go big or go home
@@danieltorres6648 so what did you end up with?
I purchased Sonos Arc, sub, and Amp (for outdoor zone). It is definitely expensive but I wanted it to just work with no fuss. It needed to be wife proof. I also wanted the second zone.
As another commenter mentioned ... don’t under value quality of life
Plus one for the "wife proof", we all need this feature
I bought the Elevate in October for 699, this video really nails it. It sounds incredible but its causes near daily frustrations, have spent literally hours troubleshooting it and i need to hard reboot it multiple times a week. I have until January to be able to return it to best buy, if they dont push some firmware fixes before then its going back.
Curious if you’ve made a decision yet about your Elevate! I am in the exact same boat. I really love the sound of it, but I get so annoyed with it every day because I always have to mess with something. I’m really considering the Sonos setup now, but at almost double the price of the Elevate system I’m really not sure it’s worth it either...
@@iebuchanan I sent it back last week. Really a shame, but it was such a pain on a regular basis. I ended up getting an AV receiver and 5.1.2 wired speakers for more than the cost of the elevate but less than the cost of the sonos arc. its a much better experience both sound and software wise.
Sonos is expensive, but the sound and build quality is amazing .
The quality for playing music "lossless" from my NAS sounds great.
Movies in Dolby Digital Plus and lossless dolby truehd sounds amazing.
One of the major downside owning a Sonos ARC is that absents of DTS-X support.
But I love my complete set Sonos ARC + 2x One SL + sub. Works without any problems so fare.
It would be nice to have DTS-X support, but not that many films are encoded in DTS-X. Dolby Atmos is pretty much the norm now.
You can just set your Blu-ray player to output multichannel LPCM.
@@alexs3187 Yes, the Sonos ARC just updated to except multichannel LPCM
Im a fan of the air play feature
I agree Sonos needs a upward firing SL-1 with software to set up as 6,7. Always the best reviews.
Really hope they do this
For me, sound is incredibly important along with flexibility (eg, inputs) and also the user experience and set up. I have spent too many hours in my life setting up great equipment that are a nightmare to maintain and set up. There is much to be said about a well polished and integrated system with competent technical support. We use a mixture of Sonus one speakers with AirPlay mixed with an AppleTV/receiver setup and it works perfectly. Reasonable sound in three rooms simultaneously! In summary, sound is critical but even more so is one’s quality of life and holding onto my serenity!
Gonna steal some of your lines
U mean sanity*
Hands down best review video ever. There's no need for me to look any further. I'll be following. Great job💪🏾
I still think that the Sonos ARC is amazing !
Excellent video. Enjoyed every minute of it. I was debating between these 2 sound bars for a while and decided to get the vizio because of price. I am very pleased with the product overall. I ran into those UX issues you stated in the beginning, but as the days went on, it sort of got better. Maybe it updated itself in the background 🤷🏽♂️. Happy to hear that the sonos is better suited for music and elevate for movies and video games because those 2 are what i use the sound bar for 99% of the time.
I might be tempted to go SONOS when they put out up-firing rears for Atmos.
Agree. They (and other manufacturers) need to fix all the eARC handshake issues. When the Sonos “just works” I’ll be ready to pull the trigger...
Im simple, but BB convinced me to get the Arc & two $249 each speaker. He lied telling me I didn't need the sub. Movie had NOOO boom. Of course next day I ordered the sub. I now spent over $2,100. Not comfortable spending that much, didnt like it didn't have a remote..I returned it before 14day. I saw your video & got a Vizio, it will arrive Tues.
Fyi BB sells Vizio but do not have it in store or display because they dont sell many Vizio tvs. Thats what i was told.
Thank you for the video
If the Vizio is not your speed, I really liked the Polk Magnifi Max AX SR - near unrivaled value (features/dollar) and really impressive sound
My video: Polk MagniFi Max AX SR vs. Vizio Elevate M-Series
ua-cam.com/video/KWshg34UwdE/v-deo.html
Thanks for the breakdown, I feel better about my purchase of the Vizio, but that damn setup with the app is always a "soul crusher" for all the vizio sound bars I have, so hard to connect, but once I got set up it works fine for me and my vizio sound bars, but the sound pushes the vizios over the top for me.
Wu-Tang forever!
Glitches bugs ect need to be taken into consideration more by all reviewers. If there buggy it's absolutely off my list to purchase.
I have to say I have the Sonos system in my living room and although it is pseudo-surround sound it sounds amazing now I’ve had other systems and the surround does not sound as good as the Sonos including a Bose system with rear channel speakers. As far Dolby Atmos there was such little content I don’t get what the hype is. All I know is that when watching an action movie on my Sonos system it envelops the whole room and sounds phenomenal.
The Sonos not having any HDMI passthru is a deal breaker.
Why?
@@hoodaguy Not everyone has a TV with eARC so they wouldn’t be able to get uncompressed audio. Without eARC, you would need to connect your devices to the soundbar, but the Arc has no HDMI inputs so they’re stuck with Dolby Digital Plus/DTS-HD at best
@@jollama I didn't have eArc either. I added a HDFury Arcana device and it enables passthrough for that connection only. Chose the Apple TV 4k and it's passing Dolby Atmos through it. Another $200, but worth it for the Atmos and reclaiming the input. (4 devices, versus 3)
Great review as always. Funny that the two sound bars I am looking at are the ones that give you the most problems, the Elevate and the Q950T. Which one did you like better?
Bose 700 LMAO
I have an older 5.1 Vizio system. Vizio and UX are like magnets that repel each other. When upgrading my TV, I didn’t care about the good reviews for the Vizio oled- I refused to put myself through that kind of torture again.
That being said, I’ve learned to live with the sound at I have. For instance, I can take it off of “eco mode” and the sound bar stays on all the time (like you indicated with the Sonos Arc). Also, I never control the Vizio sound bar through the app- cuz it doesn’t work. I always use the remote. Also, if the bar is in eco mode and I have a vid paused for an extended period, then it just powers off automatically. I have to turn it back on. It’s annoying. But I don’t have that issue when eco mode is off.
Definitely trying to steer clear of Vizio pretty much forever now.
I’m hoping we’ll get some decent quality atmos/DTS-x systems for under 1k in the next year or so (non-Vizio). I guess we’ll see!
Great review. I got the Vizio SB36512-F6 5.1.2 for $299 just before Black Friday as even the Elevate is out of my price range, much less the Arc. I had a few setup frustrations with the SmartCast app, but not many; I guess the older SB36512-F6 has more refined firmware than the just-released Elevate. The major differences (other than non-rotating front & no rear upfiring speakers) are (a) no eARC (but my TV is also ARC-only), (b) only one HDMI in (but with EcoPower turned off & CEC disabled on the Blu-ray players behind my Koopman 4K HDMI switch that's OK -- they're controlled by a Harmony Hub), (c) no DTS:X (but it does support DTS-HD MA unlike the Sonos & DTS Virtual:X may make up for it somewhat), and (d) fewer drivers in the soundbar itself (not a huge deal for me). One positive: My rear speaker plugs (single RCA, only one right-angle) are small enough to thread the straight end thru my Perlesmith rear stands (recommended for Vizio rears on Amazon) to conceal the wires; the Elevate's (dual RCA, both right-angle) are not. The Elevate has all the makings of a great soundbar, but it seems Vizio needs a year or two to refine its firmware like it did with the SB36512-F6.
This is my first video where it seems commenters seem somewhat sympathetic about my conclusions. Yes the Elevate has some potential but did seem perhaps undercooked. Sonos is not perfect but you never get anywhere near the level of frustration ... maybe built into the price
I love my elevate. Def has some bugs but amazing sound for $600!! I have the vizio oled also and they work great together!
Where did you get it for $600?? I only see it available for $999
@@TheErickM Best Buy Black Friday
@Tony Rodz it’s gotten a lot better now. I haven’t seen any lately. I don’t use the app. It’s not very good. Event setting you need is on the remote tho. I love mine it’s a great system !
@@mckaylundtuttle7962 oomph oof oof of l of
@@TheErickM you can be be here for for dinner at the night or
I purchased the elevate at best buy for 599.99 this weekend!!!
I have heard people say 600 I only saw as low as 700. I stink at shopping.
You caught a steal!
Let us know if and when it irks consistently and how many hours it took. Based on some of the comments here and the review I suspect this sound bar is high maintenance! The value, cost and sound, should be more than associated risks; That is, set up time, continuing maintenance, minimal or no firmware updates and input inflexibility.
@@neverenoughtech the $599 deal was a flash sale the night before cyber Monday. I was shocked and tried to get the price match through best buy but they wouldn't do it because it is noted in their policy price matching will not be included for flash sales from the day of black friday to cyber Monday unfortunately. So whoever got those deals are VERY lucky.
Yes the elevate app has some issues setting up. Just don't screw up the instructions or enter your WiFi password incorrectly otherwise you have to do a factory reset. Upon the second try, it worked perfectly when I followed the setup correctly. Changing eq settings is slightly annoying. Just change one setting at a time and it works. Remote has always worked flawlessly for me. Rotating speakers have worked 100% of the time. Sound has always been consistent and works with eco mode on. Turn off Eco mode like the Sono's if you have issues. Had the sound bar since it came out. I use ARC from the tv. I keep it on Movie mode typically. If you have issues with the remote, don't use it. Set it and forget it like the Sono's. If you have issues the the rotating speakers, keep them in upwards firing mode the whole time me like the Sono's. Check for firmware updates in the app to fix the issues some people have. It is a new soundbar. It will have firmware issues. The Sono's arc is not new. It has had firmware updates. :)
What an amazing comparison, thank you 🙏 Subscribed
You are SO funny. Like the driest sense of humor with the perfect lack of facial expression had me dying the whole time. This was also a really thorough and well done review
Great review. User friendliness is an absolute must with the family. Vizio out!
This Vizio Elevate setup keeps getting great reviews and I’d be very interested in getting one!
Especially as I was about to drop £2,500 approx on a Sonos full setup! But for some reason I can’t find any availability for this Vizio sound bar in the UK!?!
It’s like Vizio just don’t offer it in this country or something! 🤔🤷♂️ Great review!!
This guy needs more subscribers, that’s all I got to say. Well done video! Subscribing.
I have the ARC+Sub+LS+RS, and I've not really noticed any atmos effects to be honest. Now I've noticed great surround coming from the front stage ARC. Before I got the Sonos One SL for the surround back effect, the ARC would do pretty good as I could hear noises behind/beside me...I was kind of impressed. My room configuration is odd, but the ceiling is 8ft high and flat, yet I haven't really noticed height effects. I do enjoy it, as it is perfect for a room setup, and I like the night mode and voice enhancement in the app. It blends the audio really good, and plays music very well. I would say though that, and I understand not everyone can do both...trust me I worked overtime to get both the Sonos speakers and some separates, but separate speakers (I have a pair of SVS Ultra bookshelves) and a SVS PB1000, and I gotta say that the audio quality is noticeably better than the Sonos setup for around the same price. Those two speakers fill up my room like crazy! I don't know how to explain it, but movies and music just impressed me so much that I really thought about returning the Sonos equipment to get another pair of SVS Ultras, but my wife likes the simplicity of the ARC and not having to mess with the A/V receiver...just turn the TV on and go. Just my two cents for what it's worth, and I just upgraded my sub to a PB3000 and OMG the bass coming out of that thing is too much for my room, so I'm moving it to the living room and eventually getting a second sub to pair with it later on. I love the ARC though don't get me wrong.
@Jaun Doe convenience is a big part of soundbars - definitely not the best sound for the money. I don’t hear 3D effect reliably except in some instances with Dolby TrueHD or DTSX. Streaming compressed Atmos is really watered down
In the diagram you show the arc bar having left, center left, center, center right and right channels, that's incorrect. On its own, the bar is rear left, front left, center, front right, rear right. With the side firing bouncing off the walls to emulate the rears.
Also, regarding the Sonos rear speaker channel stuff you touch on a few times..
My understanding (and I have looked into this quite a bit) is that the bar itself is a 5.0.2 system, and when you add the rears it stays a 5.0.2 by using the rears as the actual rears and remapping the side firing channels on the bar to support the midbass of the left and right front channels. So when you add the rears, the soundbar 'itself' goes from a 5.0.2 to a 3.0.2.This helps the midbass response of the soundbar and also helps increase the front channel soundstage. It eliminates the inferior wall bouncing for the rears because now you actually have rear speakers behind you. This remapping also helps bring the bass response of the bar in line with the bass response that the rear speakers are capable of.
The same remapping happens to the Atmos upfiring speakers when listening to non Atmos content.
You could easily verify this yourself by downloading an Atmos test video and putting your ear to the side firing channels when the sound is being output to the rear, you should hear nothing.
Another thing, not sure if it just wasn't clear In the video, but the arc does also support Dolby truehd lossless.
Love your channel btw! Keep it up
I finally understood this myself after watching this great review. I just wonder if the Sonos speaker positioning, by still being a lateral surround in a 5.1.2, would be better if directed to your ears in a sitting position rather than behind you on a "fake" 7.1.2 configuration. If this is true, I can see why the 3D effect wouldn't be as good as 7.1.2 soundbars.
You are correct about the remapping when rear surrounds are added. I have never seen anything about the Atmos speakers being remapped, however.
@@Scalptrash gadgetguy review: "When it does not get Dolby content, it reverts to PCM 2.0, and the two up-firing speakers reinforce low-end frequencies."
I've also read it sometimes by people on the Sonos forums and on Reddit I believe.
Both soundbars support TrueHD lossless (including the TrueHD flavor of Atmos from Blu-rays). The difference is the Arc's only HDMI connection is eARC out, so you need an eARC TV (or the HDFury Arcana switch between TV & soundbar, another significant expense) to connect Blu-ray players & gaming consoles with TrueHD to the Arc; the Vizio's two HDMI inputs will handle TrueHD directly, as well as DTS:X & DTS-HD MA (the Arc doesn't support even classic DTS).
Your statement is correct, he was wrong in his video that the rears generate ambient sound from the sound bar. The sound bar remaps the speakers itself when the rears are added and is a true 5 speaker surround system (as true as you can get from a sound bar, lol). Another test is watch something that is non-dolby encoded... the rear speakers themselves are then silent as the night... no ambient sound at all.
Those of you that are Costco members and really don't care about the voice assistance in the Arc. Costco has the Sonos Arc SL for $50 cheaper. So far it is not online but they do have them in store. It's the same Arc as the original Arc just without voice assistance. I have Alexa and Google Home throughout my home so having the voice assistant inside the Arc is not a deal breaker for me.
I have one of Vizio's 5.1 soundbars from a few years ago. The user experience was really bad in the beginning. Constant issues, failing to power on, etc. It still is sometimes unreliable and requires me to unmount it from the wall and take the power cord out to get it to reset. Firmware updates haven't helped. I was really excited about the Elevate but it's really disappointing to hear they still have so many issues with their user interface.
Is there any difference between buying the Sonos Arc System (all
together) versus individual parts (bar, sub, 2x One SLs)? I can't find
the system in stock anywhere, but I can find the individual pieces.
Also I am strongly considering Vizio Elevate as it is significantly
cheaper, but I worry about user headaches of not being able to get it to
work properly.
No difference - it’s possible buying together might be marginally cheaper. I suggest Sonos if you are allergic to headaches. It’s what I roll with.
Have the Arc and Sub3.... Totally excellent... trouble free.... I JUST WORKS... all smiles.... that is work a LOT of points. A LOT,
I know ... people would call me biased if I awarded 12 points or something like that 😃. Glad the Arc is working out for you
@artinctg but not with DTS..
@@neverenoughtech Yep bias for sure... like comparing a BMW to Genisis and praising the Genisis cause it has more feature LMFAO!!
Have you reviewed the Vizio M Series Elevate It retails at around 499-599. Curious to hear your thoughts on it.
No but I probably should … I think I am doing a good job of ignoring more reasonably priced items that lots of potential customers are interested in
@@neverenoughtech ha ha ha ha ha. No worries, was just curious. We are looking at sound bars now. General preference is for full systems but these are easier. Sonos seems a bit pricey for what you get. I am not trying to blow the roof off, so Vizio seems good enough. Just wondering if M series is a more reasonable purchase.
Should I buy the elevate system in 2023 and I've been looking at it I have a traditional system which is decent but definitely outdated I've never had a sound bar but I want to start out with a decent one My budget is $1,000
HINT, The Vizio Elevate 5.1.4 is in the smartcast eco-system.
Very good content. I was really skeptic about the video and the length of it but really helpful and well put together. Thank you for helping with my choice. New to Sonos. Was hoping to save some $ and was hoping Vizio had fixed their issues but apparently not. Thank you again for the comparison between the two
With Chromecast, I believe you should be able to multi-room with any Smart Google Assistance speakers. I have group with Google Hub Max, Vizio 2.1 Soundbar, JBL and Sony. Multi-room works fine. I use UA-cam Music.
Yup, i never meant to imply there was not a way to get there ... just that its not built in
1:27 ngl I subbed right after this line
Costco sells their exclusive klipsch atmos system for 900 then add their discounted sub for 150 and get a decent receiver, all for under 1800.
I got the elevate about 3 weeks ago. It has some issues but other than that I'm super impressed with it. I'm sure in due time vizio will fix some of the bugs
Glad to hear. Plenty of stuff I liked too
@@neverenoughtech I got it about a month ago a and haven't had issues yet except for the app which I never use anyways I just use the remote
Famous last words of a Vizio buyer
@@sovo94 hmmm, I have a 12 year old Vizio TV that's been perfect as well well as a 3 year old P65-F1 that's been the same way.
Super helpful and charming. Watch your focus, but overall appreciated.
Great review, well I guess I'll wait a couple more years until I buy a new sound bar. I'll just keep my old Sonos bar until my mind is blown. Thanks for your time.
I got a Beam for my living room TV, a FIVE for my dinner room, a One for my Kitchen, One for my Bathroom and a One for the bedroom. I'm so into the whole ecosystem I might as well go Arc and Sub for my basement home cinema.
This is a few years old.. if you have the elevate still it would be Very interesting to see if the firmware updates fixed the issues.. it would seem that they are potentially fixable.
It’s gotten a little better.
Early on I had HUGE eARC problems with this and my CX. As in it would only play Atmos but the audio would go in and out on every other format. I eventually had to get a SHARC to make the audio work. After a shelving and a firmware upgrade that bug seems to get solved.
However the inconsistencies in the app persist. In a nutshell when you run into issues with connectivity from the app, you may as well delete the device and re-install it again, which could be process. Note: this happens when not logging into the app after a week or so.
I keep coming back to this video because I’m strongly considering getting a Sonos system.
I’m looking for improved audio quality mostly…
Bought this when it came out. Always has dialogue fluctuations with eARC no matter what I did. Got tired of it that I switched to optical. No problems there. Maybe I'll try to update the firmware since I have not done it in a long time. Hope it helps... then I can try eArc again. Also, hoping they have a new smartcast software 'cuz it sucked balls the last time I used it.@@504cool
Maybe one day Sonos will support DTS. Until then...
I found a mount for my arc on Amazon for 20 bucks and it work great
Does the elevate work better without wifi and the app? Since you can do everything with the remote.
Don’t need wifi for normal tv operation. For the app and streaming content
Has the elevate gotten any updates to make those bugs be gone ?
Don’t have it on hand anymore so can’t say ...
It has gotten a lot better, including the stability of the app.
I have had the elevate for 4 months. Was a real pain for about two. Constantly had to reboot or restore to factory specs. It would just stop recognizing my Roku. Fixed the Roku recognition by turning off eco mode. Also would not recognize Dolby or Atmos. Vizio did a firmware push on my Vizio TV and that helped. Still happens occasionally. Solution is to plug source directly into soundbar or if source is connected to TV toggle between digital audio out and auto out and back. If I could go back in time I would not purchase the Vizio. On another note the rotating speakers are cool but when they rotate up your sound stage gets narrower. Would be better if Vizio had just included some fixed up firing speakers. Thinking of trying to sell the Vizio
I bought a Vizio 5.1 surround sound and the bass for current movies made the bass sound distorted, I bought a Sony 5.1 surround sound and it performed greatly. So idk if I'll ever buy a Vizio sound system again
Fights and make up relations…. I’ve been literally revisiting my elevate for the third time. I bought it with day one bugs and eventually shelved it for an older vizio sound bar. After 3 days the previous issues haven’t resurfaced yet, however I don’t know if I’d recommend it either. It’s too expensive for the headache.
Has the Elevate been cancelled? I can’t find it in BestBuy anymore?
I was always skeptical of the longevity of moving parts.
www.bestbuy.com/site/sku/6511277.p?skuId=6511277
Updated Elevate
I just bought the new 2022 elevate but I’m considering returning and getting the 2020 elevate due to the fact that the 2020 version has a 8’ subwoofer and the 2022 one only has a 6’
Also the 2020 version has has up firing speakers in the 2 rear surround speakers where as the 2022 version only has forward firing in the 2 rears. I like the look of the new version better but I may return cause it seems the 2020 version is still a better pick
Are you getting the Klipsche Cinema 1200 to review?
You can be honest with me if you hate Klipsche!
Your reviews are always helpful. Def thinking of going Sonos over the comp for its multiroom use.
I'm a little confused with the Sonos surround comment saying the rear speakers just play "ambient sound" from the sound bar. Not sure that comment is true, I think when you hook up rear speakers, they are truly a rear left and rear right for surround purposes, not just ambient sound. What would have been the "rear" speakers on the sound bar then adjust to help the sound bar produce its left/center/right sounds and the rears are a true rear left speaker and rear right speaker, just like any other "surround system".
Typically with these systems the rears add to the channel number. So they are serving a discrete channel. Not the case with Sonos. The rears are not adding to the number ... they are surrounds but not true 6/7 channels. www.crutchfield.com/S-86LTLjfWb11/p_700ARC51M/Sonos-Arc-Sub-One-SL-Home-Theater-Bundle-Black-Arc-Sub-White-Surrounds.html
@@neverenoughtech I see what you are saying... but I think the numbers are getting you confused. A dolby surround system is 5.0.0 Add a sub its 5.1.0. Add height speakers and its 5.1.2/4 etc. The sound bar itself says its 5.0.2 - meaning it has right/left/center. 2 up firing speakers for heigth and then 2 "surround speakers" that simulate as best as you can from a sound bar having rear speakers by bouncing sound signatures around the room. When you add the actual rear speakers, it doesn't change the number of speaker locations, but it does technically change the sound signature of the bar. The 2 speakers that were simulating the rears, then adjust to supplement the right/center/left with deeper bass, etc.. and no longer act as the rear speakers in the surround sound setup. And the added rear speakers are actual rear right and rear left speakers, actual surround speakers playing sounds from right rear and left rear when called upon. the rear speakers are not there to play ambient sound from the sound bar.
@@neverenoughtech As well, you can truly tell this when you are watching something that is non-dolby coded - ie regular stereo sound... there is zero sound from the rear speakers in that scenario, yet the sound bar is firing all its speakers for sound. As soon as you flip into dolby encoded track (non-atmos type stuff), the rear speakers start picking up the specific coded rear right and rear left sounds, those sounds are not created from the sound bar itself and they are not ambient sound bar sounds.
I bought the Elevate at an awesome Prime day deal for $290 after applying some Amazon gift cards for applying for some credit cards they offer I'll never use. Anyway its an incredible bar, but yes every other day or so I have to unplug the power and put it back in, which is annoying but for that price I can live with it. Have a feeling thought that its just an HDMI ARC issue in TV's as a refurb Bose 900 i scored for an amazing price as well, does the EXACT same thing. Using both bars on LG OLED's
I have vizio soundbars and just purchased the elevate and never and I mean never use the app to control the soundbar. Only reason you want the app is for updates. That's it. Use the remote and you're good to go.
Great video! I watchet the whole video without skipping or anything, thats how intrested you got me, so good job! Im just wondering what i should do. Currently I have LG SL10Yg and to me, it actually sounds really good but i do have some complaints that it sounds pretty muddy sometimes and that the Subwoofer isnt that puncy or clean, and i want something with eArc since i have a LG CX. I am wondering though how anything could sound any better cause it sounds good, but im really tempted in getting the Sonos soundsystem with the Sub, maybe Surrounds down the line if they get upwardfiring speakers as well. But in your video you said the sound maybe doesnt "impress your friend" or like "Wow" you, which is definetly something i want. So is the Arc maybe not the best to get? Should i maybe wait if Sonos release a version with more inputs and like DTS support etc? Thanks in advance!
Impress your friend bar are the Samsung bars. I think Sonos is the quality of life bar (especially with Apple products) that will be much more satisfying than impressing a friend
@@neverenoughtech Okay I understand! I tend to be more at the quality of life type of person, where everything works perfectly all the time whenever you need it to. But is the sound difference that big? Like is the sound that much better? Would the gap be smaller if perhaps Sonos made the surround speakers availble with upward firing speakers? Thanks!
Mine is on the way (renewed from Amazon) and now I'm a LIL concerned. I've set up 2 Vizio systems before, and they were a breeze. After watching your video, I feel nervous. I THINK there have been some firmware updates to the system--since 2020? Gimme some good news:) Thanks!
I suspect they’ve made improvements
and I still buy the sonos 🙌🏽... ps. Trueplay for Android is not possible because the phones have built-in different microphones, this is easier to handle with iphones
About time a review... Thank you
Thank you, your indepth review is very helpful
So if my tv only has Dolby digital plus,dts or Dolby digital,dts I can't get the best sound from the sonos arc?
It’s not so much what the TV has but what it can pass. If the tv is eARC enabled, it can send dolby TrueHD to the Arc. If not, DD+ is the highest you get. Sonos does not support DTS natively. It will need to recoded for to be played. Unless you have digital files you only get DOlby TrueHD via blue rays
Great review I have the elevate and the Vizio oled and I haven't noticed any issues with connection streaming or changing modes ! Maybe it was updated? Idk but I will say the elevate requires alot of tweaking to get the correct sound! Every movie sounds different and I find myself having to go into the settings to adjust surround channels and center channels alot! But I like messing with settings so I don't mind It!
That tweaking would be an absolute deal killer. Thanks for the heads up.
What you just described about tweaking is what's killing me with this soundbar. Just when I think I have the perfect setting, I watch some other content that sounds totally different and I have to tweak again. That's some BS I don't really want to be dealing with. I'd rather have everything sound good and somewhat consistent than to be amazing but require tweaking. I'm going to get an Arc to test before my best buy return window has closed on the Elevate. It's the only way to take be sure.
Hi,please tell me, wich subwoofer goes lower/deeper between this sonos and jbl 3.1 / 9.1 ?
Sonos bit the 9.1 is very satisfying for a lot sub
@@neverenoughtech jbl is better than vizio ? It can go deeper in base freq?
Got a visual Soundbar about 5 years ago with my TV which is Vizio and ever since getting Comcast the damn thing doesn't want to work
Vizio always try to cater to the customer by giving them the most that matters. For instance their tv's support all the HDR codecs unlike samung which doesnt support DolbyVision and Lg which doesnt support HLG I think or HDR10+. Same with Vizio soundbar it seems to try to support as much as possible with all the ports and sound file codecs and lets not forget that they usually undercut the competition in price. Vizio products have the potential too be the very best not just for the price but best period. The problem is Vizio products consistently has these nagging issues that frustrates the heck out of the user experience and frankly makes you want to return their products. Like software not working, handshake issues or just reliability issues. If Vizio could ever clean this up they would dominate this industry and
I wouldn't even think to look at the competition.
@Tonemack well put
The Apple TV should always be connected directly to the TV, because it always sends an active signal even when its asleep. So the soundbar might think its on and auto switch you to a black screen
Vizio has better value for money. Supports both dolby atmos and dts-x. 2 additional hdmi inputs, 4 upfiring speakers and nerdy rotating speaker.
What happened to you large comparison video of the top 5 soundbar for 2020?
@Jonathan T I had to temp move across country for various reasons. Not in the cards this year. A goal for next year ... gonna get a much bigger basement and test space. Should help a lot. Appreciate the interest
helpful review, very helpful. One bit of detail for the Sonos takes it out of th erunning for me and it's something I had yet to encounter to the point I have it in my cart. That is the always on nature of the bar. My install is in my RV home theater setup and while I have a lot, I mean a lot, of power on tap at 24kWh, the parasitic drain of the the Sonos Arc is a deal breaker. So that was really helpful to discover, thank you.
I actually found this video when comparing the Arc to the Elevate system. Your experience with the Elevate make me question it as well since 99% of my goal is to NOT need to have some fiddly set of crap...too old and worn out to need to buy more frustrations, ya know? So thanks again for that as well...
So pretty much you destroyed two of my contenders...oh gee thanks, now another 256789hrs research in front of my before Friday. ;)
My channel is dedicated to exasperating first world problems. Hope you find your bar. You might consider a simpler bar like Klipsch cinema 600. The bar doesn’t try to do so much and sounds great. Option to expand with surrounds. Big sub so maybe that is a problem. Anyway good luck
Daniel thanks for the review. I have the Vizio Oled and really like the stand for a the sound bar Mount. But my Problem with the Vizio is The rear speakers because I have a open floor plain and the Positioning for the Sub and rear speakers will take some work to figure it out. So trying to Decide between the Vizio and the JBL 9.1, which has the wireless Rear speakers. I’ve watch your JBL and Vizio reviews. I was hoping for you to help me with my Decision and what ever thoughts you have on the two systems. I’m leaning towards a JBL but love your Opinion.
Thanks
Hmmm. I think the trade off really depends on what you want to do. If you are really interested in a 3D effect via blueray I’d go JBL. If you are more interested in streaming, where 3D is pretty lame, the Vizio. I think the Vizio has fuller sound than JBL. I am going to need you to weigh these relative strengths with the wire issue.
@@neverenoughtech
Thanks. The wires would be a problem. Plus place a sub near where I seat doesn’t set with me very well. I let my Sub near the tv just like a normal Receiver set up. Features I’m looking for are the Derby and DTS Atmos features, close as I could get a movie Theater experience. If you Compare to JBL or Vizio in the Future that’s would be sweet. I’m Leaning towards a JBL unless you have any other I should take a look at. That’s for Replying back to me. 👍
The biggest issue I've heard of with JBL's true wireless surrounds is they must be periodically returned to the soundbar itself for charging, though you MIGHT be able to power them with USB cables & chargers. I'd rather have surrounds wired to the subwoofer (like Vizio & Nakamichi, even though that limits sub placement) or a separate powered wireless receiver (like LG, Samsung & Sony).
@@richellebrittain2127
Thank you! I saw that the Rear speakers can be Powered where they are by USB. That wouldn’t be a problem for me, because where I’ll place them. I wouldn’t have wires running a cross the floor I would only power them over night. Thanks
@@dennis1908cubs wonder if they support higher power chargers for a faster charge? Or even how powerful a charger is to keep speakers from running out of power while in use and plugged in? Or if they charge even when being used? hehehe, sorry, it's late and now that the Sonos and Elevate are pretty much off my list, I have returned to OCD midnight shopping mode.
so how does the sonos arc work without the app? they dropped all ready the last gen speakers out of the app so you cant use them with new ones so wondering how long untill this sonos is going to be going to garbage can. Does it really need the app to get them working or are they useless after few years?
This is not true... The S2 app was released when the Arc was announced and is needed to support the Arc. Most of the old speakers are also supported (in fact the only speaker that may not be is the Play 5:Gen 1), including the playbase and playbar (the playbar was released in 2013). Sonos has a good track record of supporting speakers 7-10 years on a platform. I would anticipate the arc being around at least 6-7 years before any material changes are made. You can still use the S1 app to run and operate the Play 5:Gen 1 speaker today
Sonos arc vs LG sn11 please!!!
Bought the Elevate and returned it the next day. As you stated I had audio but no video with an apple tv. Only got it to work once for a short period of time. Bought the Arc instead. Feel like it's a much better product.
@brad miller for those that have not had a Sonos product it’s difficult to express how much reliability matters. If you already have Sonos I think going Sonos makes a lot more sense than if you are starting from scratch and may be on a budget. As I mentioned I have 30 Sonos products so that was meant to be kind of telling
@@neverenoughtech the ARC brings me to 10 Sonos speakers. Reliability is a definite plus with Sonos. Also being able to integrate brand new speakers with 4 year old speakers is great. Every other audio company is very closed off when it comes to thiers speaker systems.
I went to sonos after having a Sony HTNT5 for 3 years. Needed more bass and sound, bought a Polk magnifi max and had it for about a month. More and more reviews i read the worse i felt about my decision i decided to go big or go home and bought the sonos arc with a pair of surround speakers. I love it
I like the app, i enjoy the aiplay and how easy it is for others to connect. I thought i was going to dislike not having a Bluetooth option but nope. And only 2 wires, power and eArc
Mine comes tomorrow and I’m hoping it sets up nice. Could be compatibility with tv’s though as I had a Samsung tv that would always randomly have connection issues. The same soundbar is connected to LG CX with no issues. However, we will see how it goes with earc. Basically chose this @$699 over the SB36512-F6 @$299 to take advantage of tv having earc. Informative review though, thanks.
Just got Vizio elevate set up today. Would not recommend. Horrible connection issues as I anticipated. Crackling/popping noises when switching input or source. This is all through earc so maybe earc just sucks but I’m returning this.
@@Vigo1936 I really wouldn't give up on it just yet. I have the exact same setup as you and none of the issues. LGCX 65" with my elevate connected through earc. So far, not one problem 👍
@@ishinish Oh really? That's interesting I've been talking with people on reddit having same issues as I so that's encouraging to hear. They're sending replacement so I will try that before giving up lol. Also, many issues seem to be with gaming consoles as well but that's a whole different ball park. Which is the point of earc though so not sure how many devices you have connected but def an earc issue in general.
@@Vigo1936 I've been on Reddit too! And I have heard of the odd audio popping issue but I have honestly not had any of the issues. See if the replacement helps. I also have my ps4 pro connected to the soundbar and the soundbar to the LG CX through eARC. Also, be sure to check the correct settings through the TV. Obviously select HDMI eARC (or ARC) on the audio output. I can't remember if it's eARC as the option or ARC but you won't see both listed as the option so just choose whatever has letters ARC in the output setting. As far as my gaming console, I have linear PCM as the selected audio output because this will be uncompressed audio. But I will probably change it to Bitstream DTS or Dolby depending on what game I play or movie I watch. I haven't tested this part out yet unfortunately. However, if you have any streaming services like Netflix or Disney+, DEFINITELY use the apps on the tv because the LG CX will display these in Dolby vision as that video format is supported and Dolby atmos should work totally fine as well because that is also supported and this is how you'll know that the passthrough is working from the TV to the elevate. Make sure to also select passthrough in the settings of the tv as well (I believe it's under additional settings but can't recall). You'll know this works if you have the Vizio app and have atmos on the auto function. Once you play something on netflix of Disney+ that's atmos and vision supported, the tv will automatically switch to vision mode (indicated at the top right corner) and the elevate will automatically rotate it's speakers upwards because the tv will detect the atmos content, send the signal to the elevate, and wallah! Let me know how it goes 👍
@@ishinish Thanks for the thorough response. So I have all the settings correct which took forever! The problem is that it will continue to crackle or pop anytime an input is changed OR even changing a game on Ps4 pro. It did take me forever to realize that on the ps4, even though hdmi is selected, you must click it AGAIN with erac ON for the option to output 5.1 in linear PCM or else it just resorts to stereo. Which is nice cause i had delay with bitstream so all settings are correct. And when it works, it sounds great. But the other option which makes no sense to me is the sound delay. And when I say that, it's across all platforms and tv. It's almost as if there's any form of load screen, it takes about 2-3 for sound to start playing. And oddly, I noticed scrolling through the menu of ps4 and switch, sound cuts out intermittently. but this doesn't happen when the game/movie is playing. SO that's makes no sense to me. Not sure if I should try more expensive ethernet HDMI or not to all ports. I will wait for new sound bar but not expecting it to be defected unit as others have said they have same exact problem. Hoping it works though because between loud pop everytime you switch input and sound delay I can't keep it in current state. Oh, and the popping in ONLY earc...works ok with it off. But still sound delay/cut out on menus. Glad everything is working on your end though consider yourself lucky!
So you like the JBL 9.1 over this one. I have had both ,with the vizio now. The jbl's dialogue and lack of control of it was a downer for me.
@srp srp I think I said the 3D effect on JBL was more convincing - maybe better bass. I don’t think I said overall JBL was better - though not an unreasonable opinion
@@neverenoughtech so the jbl 9.1 sound better,hits lower/deeper on base frequency than sonos sub and vizio sub?
What can you say about the jbl 9.1 subwoofer? It can go lower/deeper than sonos/vizio subwoofers?
Thanks for this video - probably a stupid question, but what if I don't use the Vizio surround speakers, since I don't want to run the wire due to difficulty hiding it. Will I miss out a lot other than the obvious not having surround speakers behind me??
It will be a degradation in surround effect but not overall sound quality
@@neverenoughtech Thanks for the swift reply! I was really into this Vizio as a decent-price/availability option, but the user experience doesn't seem worth it to me. Uggh. This has been quite journey for me to find a good price, good sound, just works sound bar!
How the heck can you get full blast atmos via a strickly arc/earc connect on the Sonos arc?
@Phil Houston Go through an eARC enabled TV like LG CX
On their older soundbars you can tell the sound bar to detect sound
I love this review. I would like to see how the Sonos ARC complete surround system stand against Sony HT-A9.
So I returned my f-46 Vizio sound bar and got the Elevate.
So far, I'm really enjoying all the popping noises when we pause a program or advance the program.
I will probably end up returning it and we'll just go soundbarless.
I'm done with Vizio
Can you do a vs for q950t vs HW q90r
Nice review I’ll get the elevate
I’ll be investing in the Sonos ecosystem due to your excellent reviews. When you pair your older sub to the Arc , could you add play 1’s as well (play 1’s) was my first purchase. Also I heard Sonos did a LPCM firmware update for the Arc and would like your input on that as well.
Thank you.
For my normal setup I have the arc, sub Gen 1 and play 1s. The play 1s are mounted to my wall and I didn’t feel like changing out mounts for the sonos ones. So yes they are all compatible. The Arc supports LPCM
@@neverenoughtech I would like to hear your thoughts on the Klipsch Cinema 1200
@@neverenoughtech You mentioned that the Sonos ones provide ambient noise and not true surround correct? I never knew this...that kind of bums me out.
You can connect Vizio sound bars to Google Home and have a multi-room system.
It’s true; you can
@@neverenoughtech Keep up the great work!
Tremendos video My friend I saw ir allá and niw I understand more about soundbars. I got the LG SP11RA, not perfect but amazing one.
What is the length of the rear speaker wire?
~25’
@@neverenoughtech wow 25ft? Nice thanks
Gotta get your hands on the ambeo to review
Sonos needs to get an update to support DTS!!
suggest reviewing Klipsch 1200
Feeling like it’s vapor ware. When released?
@@neverenoughtech March 2021
what app do I install? thanks!
Sonos App / Vizio Mobile
Funny the one with the higher score is the one you recommend less.
Anyone else have lip sync issues with the Arc? The Playbar doesn’t have this issue.
But for the price the Elevate rear speakers should be wireless