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Vizio V Series V51-H6 Review

Nikshep Myle Avatar
Updated Dec 20, 2023 11:32 AM

True Score

81
81
2

Experts

90
12.9k

Consumers

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Expert Rankings

The Vizio V Series V51-H6’s low latency, wide and natural soundstage with precise surround sound, and EQ with frequency adjustment make it an immersive audio system. While a great value for the money, the occasional technical issues can hamper the experience, and it lacks Atmos.

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Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

The Vizio V Series V51-H6 is a high-end 2020-model 5.1 soundbar that touts an immersive surround soundstage for home theaters.

The soundbar has a pretty neutral sound profile out of the box and boasts four equalizer presets and a dialogue enhancement feature for tweaking the sound settings.

Although it’s equipped with two discrete satellite speakers, the surround soundstage is a bit narrow and it, unfortunately, doesn’t support Dolby Atmos, so it’s not the best choice for 3D movie content. Check out our top-rated speakers for a better surround system.

This soundbar has a huge collection of ports that include optical, HDMI ARC, 3.5 mm, and USB. It streams via Bluetooth, but doesn’t support Wi-Fi or Apple AirPlay.

You won’t get a mobile app or built-in voice assistants with this model two. It achieves a top SPL of 96.4 dB, so it gets really loud. This soundbar has a dedicated subwoofer, producing deep bass that is great for movies and music of all genres.

Continue reading our Vizio V Series V51-H6 review, and be sure to check out our list of best-rated soundbars on the market today.

Consensus

our Verdict

The Vizio V Series V51-H6 connects reliably, but the subwoofer sometimes produces a phantom rumbling sound. The low latency, tested at 41ms through ARC and 37ms through Optical, delivers well-synchronized audio.

Its soundstage is wide, the surround sound feels natural and precise, and although there’s no Atmos and the bass-heavy sound profile makes the sounds too muddy out of the box, it’s adjustable.

The remote has a convenient LCD and includes volume, EQ, and frequency adjustment controls.

With a primarily plastic body, the build quality is durable, but the fabric coverings on the soundbar and satellite speakers feel flimsy. Although the system is responsive to commands, the OS sometimes glitches, causing the volume to change by itself.

There are four EQ presets and dialogue enhancement; however, there’s no smartphone app.

ReasonS to Buy

  • Neutral sound quality
    • You can listen to various audio content, especially dialogue-oriented films and shows, on the Vizio V Series V51-H6 because of its largely neutral sound profile. The soundstage is as wide as the bar, there is precise audio localization, and the surround sound feels natural.

  • Various connectivity ports and low latency
    • It connects reliably and boasts a low latency, delivering well-synchronized audio that’s tested at 41ms through eARC and 37ms through Optical, which is better than 67% of the products we tested.

  • Average build design
    • With a rugged plastic body, its build is durable, but the fabric coverings on the soundbar and satellite speakers may feel flimsy. At 2.2” tall, the bar  doesn’t block the IR sensor as long as the TV is mounted.

  • Intuitive user interface
    • The remote has a convenient LCD and includes volume, EQ, and frequency adjustment controls. However, you can press the physical buttons on the top of the bar to adjust basic functions. There are four EQ presets for customizing sounds, and the dialogue enhancement adds clarity to speech.

Reason to Avoid

  • Muddy sound quality and no Atmos
    • The bass-heavy frequency response makes the sounds overwhelmingly muddy out of the box, but you can customize the audio with bass and treble adjustments. Also, movie buffs seeking immersion during action scenes won’t appreciate the absence of Atmos support.

  • No Full HDMI in
    • Without a Full HDMI In port, the soundbar isn’t capable of serving as a hub for multiple device connections.

  • No smart features or display
    • It lacks a smartphone app and a built-in voice assistant for convenient control, with no alternative for controlling the soundbar if you misplace the remote. And instead of a proper display, it includes minuscule illuminated dots on its left side.

Vizio V Series V51-H6 Specs

Bluetooth EnabledBluetooth EnabledYes
DepthDepth3.18"
Dialogue Enhancement FeatureDialogue Enhancement FeatureYes
Energy Star CertifiedEnergy Star CertifiedNo
HDMI ARCHDMI ARCYes
HeightHeight2.24"
Number of Audio ChannelsNumber of Audio Channels5.1
SubwooferSubwooferIncluded
Surround Sound SupportedSurround Sound SupportedDolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, DTS TruVolume, DTS Virtual:X, Surround Sound
Voice AssistantVoice AssistantAmazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri
Wall MountableWall MountableYes
WeightWeight2.11 lbs
WidthWidth36"
Wireless ConnectivityWireless ConnectivityBluetooth
Wireless Subwoofer ConnectivityWireless Subwoofer ConnectivityYes
Works WithWorks WithAmazon Alexa, Bluetooth, Google Assistant, Remote Control, Siri

All Specs

Test Results

Low End Roll Off (Hz)57.391
High End Roll Off (Hz)
Max Volume Test (db)96.4
Latency (ms)41
THD @ 80dB0.52

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Product Comparison

Vizio V Series V51-H6 Review

True Score

81
80
79

Ranking

#

28

/

151

#

41

/

151

#

57

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151

Market Context

The Vizio V Series V51-H6 is a high-end 2020-model 5.1 soundbar that touts an immersive surround soundstage for home theaters. The soundbar has a pretty neutral…

The Vizio V Series V51-H6 is a high-end 2020-model 5.1 soundbar that touts an immersive surround soundstage for home theaters.

The soundbar has a pretty neutral sound profile out of the box and boasts four equalizer presets and a dialogue enhancement feature for tweaking the sound settings.

Although it’s equipped with two discrete satellite speakers, the surround soundstage is a bit narrow and it, unfortunately, doesn’t support Dolby Atmos, so it’s not the best choice for 3D movie content. Check out our top-rated speakers for a better surround system.

This soundbar has a huge collection of ports that include optical, HDMI ARC, 3.5 mm, and USB. It streams via Bluetooth, but doesn’t support Wi-Fi or Apple AirPlay.

You won’t get a mobile app or built-in voice assistants with this model two. It achieves a top SPL of 96.4 dB, so it gets really loud. This soundbar has a dedicated subwoofer, producing deep bass that is great for movies and music of all genres.

Continue reading our Vizio V Series V51-H6 review, and be sure to check out our list of best-rated soundbars on the market today.

Although the Vizio V Series v51x-J6 is the newer model, the Vizio V Series V51-H6 is slightly better in that it produces deeper extended low…

Although the Vizio V Series v51x-J6 is the newer model, the Vizio V Series V51-H6 is slightly better in that it produces deeper extended low bass and has a higher top SPL of 96.4 dB, getting louder than the 94.7 dB maximum SPL of the newer Vizio V Series v51x-J6. You can learn more about the newer model in our Vizio v51x-J6 review today.

Equipped with the two dedicated satellite speakers, the Vizio V Series V51-H6 produces a more immersive surround soundstage than the Samsung HW-Q60T, which doesn’t have…

Equipped with the two dedicated satellite speakers, the Vizio V Series V51-H6 produces a more immersive surround soundstage than the Samsung HW-Q60T, which doesn’t have surround speakers. That said, the Samsung HW-Q60T has full HDMI input and a graphic equalizer, unlike the V51-H6.

Bluetooth Enabled

Yes

Yes

Yes

Depth

3.18"

3.2"

4.1"

Dialogue Enhancement Feature

Yes

Yes

Yes

Energy Star Certified

No

No

Yes

HDMI ARC

Yes

Yes

Yes

Height

2.24"

2.2"

2.3"

Number of Audio Channels

5.1

5.1

5.1

Subwoofer

Included

Included

Included

Dig Deeper

Vizio V51X J6 Review →

Samsung HW Q60T Review →

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

81

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

90

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

81

Expert Scores

  • Rtings
    101.4

    Category Trust Rating

    76
    The Vizio V51-H6 is good for mixed usage. This soundbar has a pretty neutral sound… Read More

    By:

    John Panoryios
  • Digital Trends
    48.7

    Category Trust Rating

    70
    “No bottom line found for this product” Read More

    By:

    Nick Woodard