VIZIO SB3821-C6 Soundbar Home Speaker Review – 2021 Deep Dive
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Are you looking for a soundbar that is budget-friendly while also being efficient in its performance? If yes, then VIZIO SB3821-C6 is the one crafted for you. Here is the VIZIO SB3821-C6 review for you.
A Deep Dive Into The VIZIO SB3821-C6
VIZIO stayed with the good old cuboid. The boxy shape may not be the most outlandish style out there, but it’s clean and practical. It’s incredibly simple to install this soundbar on the wall or a piece of furniture. Since the woofer is wireless, you don’t have to worry about cables that interrupt your setup.
In a simple setup of the main soundbar and a powerful wireless subwoofer, you’ll be transforming your TV audio quality delivery to a whole new system. The 5 wireless subwoofers can fill your home with your quality audio from your TV set and you can also play music from other devices such as a smartphone or any other wireless audio source using its robust Bluetooth connectivity.
Apart from the room-filling sound from the wireless subwoofer, this excellent soundbar also features new high-tech aesthetics designed to match perfectly with your VIZIO TV set built right into the speaker system; Dolby Digital Sound, DTS TruVolume and DTS TruSurround. All of these are designed to raise your TV audio experience to the next level.
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Who’s It For?
You hardly hear the dialogues or the sound coming from your flat-screen TVs, especially when it’s in a large room and sitting at a good distance! The company’s manufacturers listen and understand the need for a budget-friendly sound system that is affordable and does the job. This company has managed to provide affordable soundbars that offer a crisp and powerful sound that is far more reserved for more expensive speakers.
So if you’re someone who’s looking for a cost-effective, high-quality sound system, then SB3821-C6 is for you.
What We Like About VIZIO SB3821-C6
Simple, sleek, and convenient design that is more compact than traditional speakers, yet attractive plus multiple positioning angles. It comes with a 5-inch wireless subwoofer with a good wireless range that mostly comes with high-end systems. The availability of Bluetooth connectivity allows you to connect to other smart devices for wireless streaming. Excellent sound quality with the Dolby and DTS technology included, which is much better than your current flat-screen TV speakers.
The dialogues, when watching TV, are clear and the bass unit rumbles. The synchronization with the direct TV remote is also another plus, and when you turn on your TV, the optical cable sends a signal to the soundbar and automatically switches on the unit. Setup is simple and easy; it’s as simple as running the optical cable and power, and that’s it.
The packaging is also wonderful, and you get all the instructions you need and enough cables to connect and mount. (There is no need to purchase a separate cable because the optical cable is included). What the soundbar offers, and its low price point, is an incredibly solid performance that’s worth your money.
What We Don’t Like About VIZIO SB3821-C6
One downside is that the bass is good, but it’s not what you’d expect; it doesn’t sound like the 5.1 and 7.1 systems. The wireless subwoofer range is low, and the lighting on the side of the soundbar to detect feedback is a pain to use. The soundbar still seems to crack from other frequencies occasionally, so it’s not the best option to listen to music, but the crackling stops when you turn it off and then on.
The purpose of the subwoofer is to provide deep bass, particularly for movies. Due to its relatively small size, it is not really capable of performing this function with great success. The cabinet is nicely designed with a port, but the speaker is not up to the mark. It’s just a little better for music, but not what you would hope for. That’s why it’s fair to say that the sound is a little low quality.
PROS
- More compactness than former speakers
- Durable and sturdy subwoofer construction
- Simplistic design that is attractive too
- Multiple options for fitting/placement
- The Dolby and DTS options are impressive
- Highs and mids are crisp
CONS
- Low subwoofer range
- Bass is not satisfactory
What’s Included?
In addition to the Bluetooth connection, the VIZIO soundbar comes with a USB port, a set of digital and analog inputs; stereo RCA, 3.5 mm stereo as well as coax RCA and Toslink optical input. There’s also a 3.55 socket and an HDMI connection. It also comes with a composite cable, a battery cable, a fast start guide, and two alkaline remote batteries.
In the box, you will also get a lightweight, portable remote control that allows you to regulate important functions; EQ, Bluetooth, volume, and battery. These controls also appear on the top of the soundbar, which comes in handy if you lose the remote. There are also manual controls located at the back of the soundbar.
All you need to do is connect the soundbar to power and use the coaxial cable or optical cable to connect to the audio source, set the EQ and input source, and you’re ready to go. You also have multiple mounting options, if you choose to mount it on the wall, place it on the countertop, or just position it on the floor.
Overview Of Features
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- Build
The SB3821 is one of those in the category of simple design along with being a smart piece of audio equipment. This VIZIO model has a plastic shell, with a black grid, and black doors. The end sections are made of a brushed aluminum texture. The soundbar measures 38 x 3 x 3 inches and weighs just under 6 pounds. Controls are mounted on the recessed portion of the back which is a bit uncomfortable to use.
The subwoofer cabinet is mounted, has a five-inch well-built woofer, and 15 inches tall. The port gives the bass sound a roundness. The sleek yet simple design works because it makes it easy for the soundbar to blend into any kind of environment. It looks good no matter where it is mounted.
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- Sound Quality
The 100dB expansive sound output is loud and can fill the average room with a crisp, clean, and clear sound. What is even more impressive is that the sound has less than 1% harmonic distortion even at its loudest volume. The soundbar comes with two 2.75 inch drivers for high-range frequencies and a 5-inch wireless subwoofer for lower ranges.
Besides, the quality of the audio is unbelievable, and projects quite well. The subwoofer offers the deep bass you need while watching movies, and because of the Dolby systems, the surround sound makes them sound loud and wet with a frequency of 50Hz
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- Controls
The positioning of the controls will always be tricky, as space is at a premium. The controls are recessed in the back and it is awkward to operate if the soundbar is on the floor. It’s even clumsier if you choose to mount it on the wall. The unit comes with remote control, so maybe that’s why the style is as it is. It’s not easy to use manually, though.
Controls themselves are very easy to use. There are optical and coaxial inputs that connect the speaker to the source of the speaker. There’s also a 3.5 socket and a USB socket.
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- Connectivity
There is a good connection between the soundbar and the wireless woofer. There is no problem with proximity as long as they are not too far away from each other. Distances up to around 30 feet are perfect, but a line of sight to the soundbar will be needed.
This unit has Bluetooth built-in, which lets you stream files to and from your devices. This includes Bluetooth compatible laptops, phones and tablets, and some external connection options. These include USB, 3.55 sockets, and optical and coaxial inputs. There is no HDMI connection at all.
Review Summary
Overall, VIZIO SB3821-C6 is a fantastic soundbar for the price and offers you an outstanding sound quality. You can now enjoy your favorite movies with clear audio and carry out music streaming from your smart devices.
It comes in a sleek and simple design that can blend anywhere, is easy to set up, and is flexible in placement options; you can place it on a floor, tabletop, or wall mount.
Besides, the cabinet is made of solid wood and you do have wireless connections. Dolby and DT also support the overall improvement of surround sound experience. If you’re looking to fill your house with the best immersive, high-quality sound experience, the VIZIO SB3821-C6 soundbar speaker system is the best you can get.
You can enjoy the ultimate listening experience on your 38″ TV set, whether it’s music or a movie. The crystal clear sound created by this speaker system will make you love the film all the way to the end.
At its size, the overall quality can never get any better than that.
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FAQs
1. Why is my VIZIO subwoofer not working?
Unplug the soundbar and the subwoofer. Then reconnect the power cord to both devices, and then try again. Also, try a speaker check. If the subwoofer plays audio during the speaker check, we know that the relationship is all right, and the problem could be content-related.
2. How do I connect my VIZIO soundbar to my Bluetooth device?
- Open the application drawer. Newer versions of the Android operating system may not have the drawer button in the app.
- Go to the Settings section.
- Tap on Bluetooth.
- Set the Bluetooth accessory in pairing / discover mode.
- Ensure that Bluetooth is on and then pick your gadget from the list below.
3. What would cause a subwoofer to stop working?
Short-circuiting is the most common cause of speaker failure. A short circuit in the wires prevents the signal from entering the subwoofer. The short circuit at the subwoofer terminals often prevents electrical current and signal from entering the subwoofer.
4. Do I connect my soundbar to the TV or cable box?
If you look at the back of your TV, you’re likely to see either a digital or an analog audio output, although some TVs have both. (If you don’t have an audio output on your TV, this method won’t work for you.) You’ll want to connect the audio output of your TV to one of the inputs on your soundbar.
Digital audio output is better if it’s enabled by both your TV and soundbar, but the analog audio output will work just as well. Once you’ve made this connection, the TV will output audio from whatever input you’ve selected. And if you have connected your cable box to HDMI 1 and selected that connection, the TV will display the audio of the cable box from the audio output.
5. Are soundbars better than speakers?
Deciding whether a soundbar is better than a surround system or vice versa will depend on your individual circumstances and the layout of your living room.
If you’re an apartment dweller, you’ll be reluctant to get a surround system that may not work well in a future apartment, or may break in a year’s time during a move. Also, the soundbar makes it easier to manage and results in less clutter.
6. Can you hook up extra speakers to a soundbar?
The only way you can attach any extra speakers to a soundbar is by “redesigning” your soundbar or making the outputs yourself. To do this correctly, you should get the schematics of the soundbar circuit and find a point between its pre-amp stage and the stage that you could use as a line-level output.
You could try connecting a two-way speaker on either side by connecting the wires that lead to the tweeter in parallel or in series to the new tweeter and doing the same with the woofer, trying to make sure you keep that in place.
Or, if the woofer is working in full range, you could try using a High to Low converter connected to the wires leading to the soundbar woofers.
We hope this article helped you in gaining an insight into the VIZIO SB3821-C6. If this is the ideal soundbar for you, then shop for it today!
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