True Score Methodology v1.0

Hisense HS218 Review

Name: Hisense HS218
Brand: Hisense

August 21, 2023

True Score

72

Mixed Reviews

67

2

Experts

86

3.73k

Consumers

Expert Rankings

(

2

)

Thanks to an exceptionally neutral sound profile, the Hisense HS218 produces satisfying audio that reaches the depths of the heart. It is a loud and versatile 2.0 soundbar for music, TV shows, and movies.

Hisense HS218 2.1 Channel Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer, 200W, Dolby Audio, Roku TV Ready, Bluetooth, HDMI ARC/Optical/AUX/USB (Model HS218) Black

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Table of Contents

The Snapshot
What Is Not On the Box
Product Comparison
All Stores
Score Card
Expert Score Breakdown
Learn More About Soundbar

The Snapshot

our Verdict

Experts marvel at the rich array of balanced soundscape and loud output of the Hisense HS218, recommending for music playback and TV dialogue. Experts at 9to5Toys love its loud audio volume, which is great for families. Testers from RTINGS hailed its neutral sound profile, delivering well-balanced, gratifying music regardless of genre. And if you don’t like the out-of-the-box settings, there are equalizer presets and bass/treble sliders for fiddling with settings. The device boasts numerous ports and Bluetooth technology, providing hassle-free connectivity. Because of its low latency, this system is great for dialogue-heavy TV shows. Unfortunately, being a 2.1-channel system, it downmixes 5.1 surround…

Experts marvel at the rich array of balanced soundscape and loud output of the Hisense HS218, recommending for music playback and TV dialogue.

Experts at 9to5Toys love its loud audio volume, which is great for families. Testers from RTINGS hailed its neutral sound profile, delivering well-balanced, gratifying music regardless of genre.

And if you don’t like the out-of-the-box settings, there are equalizer presets and bass/treble sliders for fiddling with settings. The device boasts numerous ports and Bluetooth technology, providing hassle-free connectivity.

Because of its low latency, this system is great for dialogue-heavy TV shows. Unfortunately, being a 2.1-channel system, it downmixes 5.1 surround sound to stereo and doesn’t have voice assistants.

Although it has a dedicated subwoofer, it doens’t reproduce deep bass.

Check out our Klipsch Bar 48 review if you prefer a 3.1 system and consider our Bang & Olufsen Beosound Stage review if you require a Wi-Fi soundbar. Users who want a portable speaker should see our Altec Lansing InAir 5000 speaker review today.

True Score

72

Reasons to Buy

Speaker gets remarkably loud, making it a good choice for big living rooms
Graphic equalizer and presets for changing sound settings
Incredible selection of HDMI, USB, and other ports
Fairly balanced sound out of the box doesn’t require calibration
Dialog enhancement feature optimizes sound for TV shows

Reasons to Avoid

Doesn't support voice assistants
Poor low-bass will displease music enthusiasts
Doesn't support 5.1 surround channels sound

Specifications

Bluetooth Enabled
–
Depth
–
Dialogue Enhancement Feature
–
HDMI ARC
–
Height
–
Subwoofer
–
Surround Sound Supported
–
Wall Mountable
–
Weight
–
Width
–
Wireless Connectivity
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Wireless Subwoofer Connectivity
–
Works With
–

What Is Not On the Box

What the brand doesn’t always tell you…

The Hisense HS218 is a mid-range 2.1 channel soundbar that was first released in 2020, delivering boomy bass and wireless performance for home theaters.

Like many of the best soundbars on the market today, this Hisense speaker boasts equalizer presets, bass, and treble sliders for customizing the sound profile as needed.

It comes with a dedicated wireless subwoofer to deliver boomy sounds, This system achieves a top SPL of 95.7 dB, producing adequately loud sound for larger living rooms.

Ports such as full HDMI In, Optical, Aux, and USB simplify connecting this soundbar to TVs. It has a decent stereo soundstage, but doesn’t support Dolby Atmos and downmixes surround sound.

Continue reading our Hisense HS218 Review below, and also discover the best subwoofer box for deep bass today.

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Product Comparison

	Hisense HS218 Review	Harman/Kardon Enchant 1300 Review	JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam Review
True Score	72	76	80
Market Context	–	Featuring a 5.0 channel configuration, the Harman Kardon Enchant 1300 provides a more engaging three-dimensional experience than the Hisense HS218 with its two-channel setup. It also has built-in Chromecast, unlike the HS218, which doesn’t support Wi-Fi. However, the HS218 has a 95.7 dB maximum SPL, getting louder than the 93.6 dB maximum SPL of the Enchant. Our Harman Kardon Enchant 1300 review provides details. Read more ↓	Regarding surround sound, the 5-channel JBL bar 5.0 MultiBeam is superior to the Hisense HS218, which has a 2.0 channel system. On the other hand, the Hisense speaker gets louder, featuring a 95.7 dB peak SPL that dwarfs the 91.9 dB maximum SPL of the JBL speaker. See our JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam review to learn more. Read more ↓	Featuring a 5.1.2 system, the Hisense U5120G is better for surround sound playback than the two-channel HS218, which downmixes surround sound to stereo. This Hisense system also supports Dolby Atmos, unlike the HS218. However, both these soundbars have a selection of ports, including HDMI ports and USB, and both feature equalizer presets. Read more ↓
Voice Assistant
Surround Sound Supported
Wireless Connectivity
Bluetooth Enabled
Wireless Subwoofer Connectivity
Dig Deeper	–	Read Review →	Read Review →

All Stores

Save $50
$199.99
$149.99
Availability
Not available
Free Shipping
Yes
See Deal
$259.49
Availability
Usually ships within 2 to 3 weeks
Free Shipping
No
See Deal

Score Card

E

Expert Score

67

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

86

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

72

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Score Breakdown

Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight

A
Trust Score
67
The Hisense HS218 is adequate for mixed usage. Out-of-the-box, this soundbar has a pretty neutral,… read more
D
Trust Score
NR
The Hisense HS 128 soundbar is a budget model with only basic features, but it… read more