The Vizio SV510X-0806 is a 5.1 soundbar that incorporates premium features like Dolby Atmos support and a wireless subwoofer at an accessible price point. The relatively compact size of all of its elements also makes it an appealing prospect for those who don't have a lot of space for their home theater setup, and the bar itself can even be attached to certain Vizio TVs. While it lacks a dedicated remote (relying instead on using the Vizio app with your smartphone) and doesn't support passthrough via its single HDMI eARC port, it provides a broad feature set without breaking the bank.
Our Verdict
The Vizio 5.1 Soundbar SE is decent for mixed usage. Its dedicated subwoofer lends it some heft in the bass-range, though its compact size limits it from producing the booming lows you might expect from 808s in hip-hop, or high-speed car chases in movies. The boosted mid- and high-bass can sometimes carry over into the otherwise balanced mid-range, bloating the mix. That said, the dedicated center channel helps ensure dialogue and voices are clear and focused. The satellite speakers work well in tandem with the stereo field created by the bar to ensure that surround sound content is immersive and effects pan mostly accurately. All usages benefit from the bar's great dynamics performance, which allows it to get quite loud with much in the way of compression.
Compatible with all popular audio formats, including Atmos.
Compact design with wireless sub.
Balanced sound, with plenty of bass.
No HDMI In or Optical ports.
Not the sturdiest build quality.
The Vizio 5.1 Soundbar SE is good for dialogue and TV shows. Bolstered by its discrete center channel and balanced mid-range reproduction, speech, and dialogue come through with clarity and detail. Voices are well-localized and easy to follow within the stereo field. There's even a 'Clear Dialogue' control that can help further separate dialogue in the mix. This bar can also reach a decently loud max volume without much compression, so the purity of audio remains unaffected even when you crank the volume up.
Compatible with all popular audio formats, including Atmos.
Discrete satellites and center channel.
Balanced sound, with plenty of bass.
Minimal compression, even at max volume.
No HDMI In or Optical ports.
No remote.
The Vizio 5.1 Soundbar SE is decent for music. There's a solid amount of thump and punch in the bass-range, thanks to the dedicated subwoofer, but it doesn't extend low enough to feel the sub-bass in boomy 808s and kicks. The bloated high-bass also seeps into the mid-range reproduction a little, muddying some lower mid-range frequencies. The bar's soundstage gives a good impression of stereo width, though, and it can get quite loud without any compression affecting the sound. While there's no graphic EQ available for in-depth sound tweaking, you can use the presets and dedicated bass and treble controls to customize the sound a little to your liking.
Discrete satellites and center channel.
Balanced sound, with plenty of bass.
Minimal compression, even at max volume.
No remote.
Not the sturdiest build quality.
The Vizio 5.1 Soundbar SE is decent for movies. It supports all popular audio formats, including Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and DTS. While it lacks the discrete upfiring speakers necessary for an immersive height experience, it's still able to produce a wide, immersive stereo soundstage with good tracking, courtesy of its satellite speakers and discrete center channel. The wireless sub provides plenty of punch in the mid and high-bass, though the bass doesn't extend low enough for atmospheric thuds to shake the floor. This boomy bass can sometimes extend into the otherwise balanced mid-range, muddying the mix. The bar does get quite loud and doesn't compress much, even when it hits max volume. Plus, there are a few different sound enhancement features you can edit to coax out the best sound for you.
Compatible with all popular audio formats, including Atmos.
Discrete satellites and center channel.
Minimal compression, even at max volume.
No HDMI In or Optical ports.
No remote.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 28, 2025:
A retest was performed to confirm that the soundbar only processes PCM audio in 2.1, and this was clarified in the Audio Format Support: ARC/eARC and Audio Latency: ARC sections.
- Updated Apr 04, 2025:
We updated the introduction to clarify that this soundbar doesn't support passthrough via its HDMI eARC port.
- Updated Oct 24, 2024: Review published.
- Updated Oct 15, 2024: Early access published.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Vizio 5.1 Soundbar SE comes in one color variant: 'Black' (and here's its label). If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Vizio 5.1 Soundbar SE is a budget-priced 2024 5.1 soundbar with Dolby Atmos compatibility. You'll be hard-pressed to find another bar with its feature set and Atmos compatibility at such a competitive price point. Users who are willing to spend a bit more can opt for the Vizio M Series M512a-H6: a less compact 5.1.2 setup that offers small improvements in frequency response, dynamics, and soundstage, with 5.1 PCM playback. Unlike the Vizio 5.1 Soundbar SE, it also supports HDMI In and optical connections, though its surround speakers are more uneven in their response. If you feel you can live without surround speakers, the TCL Alto 8i is a good Atmos-compatible 2.1 option, though it suffers from poor surround sound performance and a lack of sound enhancement features.
See our recommendations for the best 5.1 soundbars, the best Vizio soundbars, and the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.
The Vizio M Series M512a-H6 features an expanded feature set and two upfiring drivers, compared to the more budget-minded Vizio SV510X-0806. Both bars are compatible with popular audio formats, like Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and DTS. However, the M Series offers improved performance when it comes to frequency response, soundstage, and dynamics, which is somewhat due to its larger sub and wider bar. It also features HDMI In and optical support, as well as 5.1 PCM playback, expanding its connectivity options. That said, the SV510X-0806's more compact size and superior surrounds performance make it a compelling option at a lower price point.
The Vizio SV510X-0806 and Hisense HS5100 are both budget-friendly 5.1 soundbars that come with subs and satellites. Depending on your preferences and devices, either one could suit your home theater better. For much more extensive format support, the Vizio wins out, though it still doesn't have up-firing drivers to properly immerse you in 3D audio, it still can handle Atmos and DTS:X. Its stereo sound is also much bassier and a bit brighter out of the box, unlike the slightly more accurate (but not as boomy or sparkly) Hisense. 5.1 surround sound is more accurate on the Vizio, though, making it a good choice for movies. That said, while the Hisense's ARC port limits its audio format support considerably, it's the only one that includes an Optical port for use with other devices. While the Hisense only uses a remote, the Vizio only uses an app for control. Arguably, the Hisense has greater immunity to app obsolescence with the remote.
The Vizio V Series V51-H6 is an older soundbar compared to the 2024 Vizio SV510X-0806. While there's not much to split the two when it comes to performance, the newer model has some bells and whistles that edge it ahead. A major difference is the inclusion of Atmos support in the 2024 model, which is a welcome addition at a low price point. The older model also lacks DTS:X support and has a slightly worse surrounds performance. That said, the V Series has a more balanced frequency response out-of-the-box and a better dynamics performance, as well as optical support.
The Vizio V Series V51x-J6 and the Vizio SV510X-0806 are both compact 5.1 soundbar setups. Overall, the 2024 Vizio SV510X-0806 offers a bit more bang for your buck due to its Atmos compatibility, improved surrounds performance, and ability to integrate with Vizio TVs. The older Vizio V Series V51x-J6 model features optical support, though, which is a bonus for older TV owners. Beyond this, there's not much to split the two when it comes to performance, so both are viable choices.
Test Results
The Vizio SV510X-0806 has an oblong shape, with rounded edges. The bar itself is made of black plastic, with mesh encasing the drivers at the front. There's a small orange tag to the right of the bar with the Vizio logo on it.
The subwoofer is oval in shape, with a solid plastic construction. It's held up on four rubber feet that suspend it a few centimeters above the ground to prevent it from moving around too much.
The satellite speakers are small and similarly oval in shape. They're constructed from a similar sturdy plastic, with their drivers covered by a tight mesh fabric.
This bar is relatively compact and should roughly fit between the legs of a 65-inch TV, though this will depend on your particular TV. Its low profile means it won't affect your view of the TV at all.
As far as subs go, this one is definitely on the smaller side: a little smaller than the average mini PC tower. It's quite a bit narrower and shorter than other subs from this manufacturer.
The satellites are also quite small and squat. While they can easily be tucked away on shelves or alcoves, they need a wired connection to function, so you'll need to accommodate some extra cables into your setup.
This soundbar features a nifty design that integrates a mounting plaque into the back of the bar. As a result, you don't need to attach any additional hardware beyond the mounting screws provided. This system also lets you seamlessly attach the bar to select Vizio TVs.
This soundbar has a decent build quality. The bar, sub, and satellites are all constructed from a lightweight plastic. It doesn't exude quality but doesn't feel especially flimsy, either. The bar features a mesh covering the drivers. While the fabric isn't loosely fitted, it isn't completely taut either, so there's some give to the material. The sub is slightly elevated from the ground, courtesy of four rubber feet. It features ports on the back to connect the power cable and surround speakers. The satellite speakers are among the smallest we've tested, and they're extremely lightweight. They're connected to the sub with long, thin cables that look like they're susceptible to breakage if handled incorrectly.
- Quick start guide & warranty
- Wall mounting guide
- Power cable x2 (8.5 ft / 2.6m and 4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- Surround speaker cable x2 (RCA) (26 ft / 8.0m)
- HDMI cable (6.2 ft / 1.9m)
- Satellite mounting bracket x2
- Satellite mounting screw x2
- Bar mounting screw x2
The Vizio SV510X-0806 has a decent stereo frequency response. Its default sound features an exaggerated mid- and high-bass response, thanks to the dedicated subwoofer. However, considering the smaller size of the sub, the bass doesn't extend as low as other Vizio soundbars, so the low-end is characterized by more punch than rumble. It's worth noting that the manufacturer recommends placing the subwoofer next to your couch, which results in a much more prominent bass response than if it's positioned by your TV. However, the strong high-bass can also lead to some muddiness that carries over into the otherwise well-balanced mid-range. So, blaring horns of atmospheric sub-bass can sometimes detract from instruments and voices in the mid-range. The treble range is slightly over-emphasized, lending some brilliance to sibilant sounds and higher-pitched vocals.
If you prefer a more balanced sound, you can use the onboard bass and treble adjustments to tweak the frequency response to counteract the often overpowering mid and high-bass. We recommend setting the bass to '-4' to help tame these boomier frequency bands and setting the treble to '+1' to bring out more harmonic content in the treble range. That said, there's still a lack of rumble in the low-bass that's a result of design limitations.
The stereo soundstage performance is decent. The stereo field extends just a bit further than the length of the bar. There's satisfactory focus, with no significant gaps that can make it challenging to locate voices within the soundstage.
The Vizio SV510X-0806 has a great stereo dynamics performance. It can get quite loud, considering it's a smaller setup, and there's hardly any compression as you turn up the volume, resulting in clean and pure audio reproduction, even if the volume is cranked.
This bar has a great center performance. It features a discrete center channel that helps improve the clarity of vocals, dialogue, and speech. This dedicated center channel can really ensure voices are well anchored within the soundstage, and the balanced frequency response means they sound clear and natural within the mix, too.
The surround performance is good, courtesy of the two discrete satellite speakers. Despite their diminutive size, they help bring width and an immersive quality to the sound that can create an accurate representation of sound effects in the mix. While the frequency response skews towards being slightly bass-heavy, the small surrounds aren't capable of outputting much in this range anyway, so their output remains quite balanced.
The Vizio SV510X-0806 supports Atmos playback, though its implementation suffers from a lack of dedicated upfiring speakers. As a result, the drivers contained in the bar and satellite speakers are capable of conveying some sense of height and depth, but the verticality of Atmos audio is inconsistent.
Subjectively, we found that the satellite speakers struggled to create the same impression of height as the bar, so height tracking would suffer when switching to the extremes of the stereo field. Sounds like ascending drones and helicopters do give some impression of verticality within the soundstage but lack presence and can easily be lost amid other sound effects.
The Vizio SV510X-0806 features a solid suite of sound enhancement features that give you a decent amount of control over certain parameters. You can choose between the 'Music,' 'Movie,' and 'Direct' EQ parameters or adjust the independent bass, treble, center, surround, height, and subwoofer levels instead. You can also adjust the 'Clear Dialogue' mode to improve the clarity of voices.
There's also a Virtual:X mode that can function as a virtual surround mode, as well as TruVolume, an auto-volume feature that can help normalize output between different content types. Finally, Night Mode turns down the subs and boosts dialogue volume, so you can enjoy movies late into the night without bothering anyone.
This soundbar connects to your TV via an HDMI ARC connection. Sadly, it lacks connections for older TVs, like an optical port and aux input, so you'll need to buy a separate conversion cable if your TV doesn't support HDMI.
The Vizio SV510X-0806 has amazing audio format support via ARC. It supports major audio formats like Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos, which are commonly utilized by streaming services. There's also support for DTS and DTS:X formats to ensure your Blu-rays sound as intended. Interestingly, despite correctly playing back multi-channel formats like Dolby Digital in 5.1, PCM audio only plays back in 2.1 channels.
Audio latency via ARC is good. It's a bit higher with Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus Atmos formats, but it's still low enough that you shouldn't notice much in the way of lip sync errors. We weren't able to test latency PCM audio in 5.1 due to the bar only processing audio in 2.1 PCM audio. Different TVs and apps compensate for this differently, though, and you can always manually adjust the AV Sync function on your TV.
The Vizio SV510X-0806 has Bluetooth connectivity, so you can wirelessly stream audio from your TV or mobile device. However, it lacks support for Wi-Fi or other wireless streaming methods.
This soundbar has one small dot on the left side of the bar, which acts as the only visual interface. It lights up when the bar is powered on and flashes when you send an input via your smartphone. It will also light up blue if you're using Bluetooth or playing unsupported content. If you find the light bothersome, you can also turn it off via the app.
There are a few basic controls located on the left hand side of the bar. You can power the bar on/off, adjust the input, activate Bluetooth pairing or adjust the volume up and down.
This soundbar doesn't come with a remote control, so you'll need to use the Vizio app on a compatible mobile device to control the soundbar, as you can see in our video walkthrough. If you have a compatible Vizio TV, you can also use its remote to adjust the soundbar's settings.
