Vizio's unique rotating soundbar delivers unbeatable Dolby Atmos performance for the money

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Putting together a proper Dolby Atmos audio setup can be complicated and expensive. Traditional home theater systems require multiple speakers and a separate AV receiver to power and process everything. Though this type of configuration offers the best performance, many buyers simply don't have the space and budget for that kind of investment. And that's where a Dolby Atmos soundbar system like the Vizio Elevate comes in.

The Elevate is designed to offer a full 5.1.4 surround sound solution in a convenient package, complete with a soundbar, satellite speakers, and a subwoofer. The system comes with everything you need, and it even features built-in amplification, so you don't have to buy a receiver.

With its up-firing speakers, the Elevate can make it seem like sound effects are coming from above your head. The front speakers also feature a clever rotating design, which allows them to automatically switch from an up-firing to a front-firing position, depending on what you're watching. 

I've been reviewing home theater products for nearly a decade, and after spending a month with the Elevate, I'm impressed by the soundbar's performance and value. The system's software is a little glitchy, but this is easily one of the best soundbars you can buy to experience true Dolby Atmos surround sound.

A sleek design with cool rotating speakers

The Elevate features a stylish look, with an all-black finish and aluminum build. Though compact compared to a traditional home theater setup, the Elevate and its subwoofer are still larger than most soundbar packages. 

The system offers support for a total of 5.1.4 channels. This means there are five ear-level channels, one subwoofer, and four up-firing channels for height effects. The soundbar itself has a left, center, right, left height, and right height channel. The satellites then serve as your left surround and right surround speakers, and each has its own height channel.

The height channels work by angling sound up to bounce effects off your ceiling, making it sound as if the audio is coming from above your head. Vizio takes the Elevate further by incorporating unique rotating drivers. 

The front-height speakers can automatically rotate up or forward depending on what you're listening to. When they're up, you can hear overhead effects. When they're down, they help create a wider front soundstage. 

The back of the bar includes various inputs, including one HDMI eARC to receive audio from your TV and two HDMI 2.0 passthrough ports to connect additional sources, like a game console or Blu-ray player, with 4K HDR support (but not 120Hz). The Elevate supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding. DTS:X is a rival format to Atmos and was incompatible with older Vizio soundbars, so it's nice to have on this model. 

Vizio also includes a handy remote with a small text display to scroll through settings and modes. Unlike previous models, this remote is even backlit.

Getting the soundbar set up is simple with the SmartCast app

To get the system set up, you simply need to plug the power cables in, connect the soundbar to your TV, and run the satellite speaker cables to the subwoofer. The subwoofer wirelessly connects to the soundbar. Though having to use cables for the satellites is less convenient than a fully wireless design, the included speaker wires are long enough to suit small and medium rooms. 

You can download the Vizio SmartCast mobile app to update the firmware and enable Chromecast music streaming. During my initial setup, I had some issues getting the app to find the soundbar, but after restarting, it was able to connect.

You can adjust settings using the remote or the SmartCast app. This includes setting your preference for the rotating speakers. For the most accurate audio experience with movies, I recommend using the "Elevate Auto" setting and the "Direct EQ" mode. 

This will automatically angle the Elevate speakers up when you listen to Dolby Atmos or DTS:X audio. The height speakers will then automatically angle forward when you listen to music, movies, or shows that don't support overhead audio. 

The Elevate creates a dome of 3D sound when playing Dolby Atmos content

For a 5.1.4 soundbar in this price range, the Vizio Elevate delivers fantastic sound quality. To be clear, this isn't an audiophile system that can equal the performance you'd get from a dedicated home theater rig with floor-standing and bookshelf speakers, but as a space-saving and cost-saving alternative, it's a winner.   

The bar itself has good separation and imaging, while the inclusion of separate satellite speakers provides genuine surround sound immersion. The up-firing channels also do a solid job simulating overhead sound, but the effect can be hit-and-miss depending on where you sit. 

To test the system's performance, I watched several Dolby Atmos and DTS:X titles on Blu-ray discs and streaming services, including "Jumanji: The Next Level," "Vertigo," "The Mandalorian," and various clips from demo discs designed to showcase systems like this. 

Throughout all my testing, the Elevate engaged with an enveloping dome of sound, fully engulfing the room with audio from all directions. Having the heights in the front and back helps to avoid any gaps, creating a complete Atmos experience. 

When switching to regular surround sound, the system performs equally well, rotating the heights down to create a wider front soundstage. Music also sounds good, though tracks can sound a little bright and small when using the Direct EQ mode. Switching to the Music preset opens things up nicely, creating a bit more depth. 

The wireless subwoofer offers ample kick for medium-sized rooms. That said, I find the sub to be a little too aggressive. Room-shaking bass makes sense during explosions, but when low frequencies become overpowering during a Netflix rom-com like "Holidate," you know something is a little off. 

Some key bass cues I use as test material in "Inception" and "The Tree of Life" also sound a little too harsh, leading to unwanted vibrations that make the subwoofer stick out in my room. I ultimately preferred to adjust the Elevate's sub five levels below the default setting. This helps dial it in but can rob the system of some punch. In other words, finding just the right balance is trickier than I'd like. 

Still, the Elevate's Atmos performance is genuinely impressive and unrivaled in this price range. Beefier systems like the Samsung Q990C can deliver an even more enveloping and balanced experience, but you'll need to pay nearly double the price.  

Software issues and odd glitches can pop up

As impressed as I am with the Elevate's audio performance, the system isn't perfect. I've encountered some odd glitches here and there, as well as some issues with the soundbar's software.

After getting the Elevate set up, the first thing I did was boot up an episode of "The Mandalorian." Despite everything being connected properly, there was no audio, and the Elevate's remote stopped working. Suddenly, the subwoofer kicked in at full blast, forcing me to quickly turn the system off for fear of angering my neighbors. 

This strange glitch only happened once, so I consider it more of an anomaly than a major issue. However, the remote did become unresponsive a couple of other times, and the SmartCast app occasionally lost connection with the soundbar. 

The rotating drivers worked just fine during my testing, but I'm a little concerned there could be some issues with their longevity after lots of use. Finally, a faint high-pitched noise is audible if you put your ears close to the satellite speakers. This isn't noticeable during regular playback. 

While not ideal, I don't think any of these hiccups outweigh the Elevate's many strengths.

Should you buy it?

The Vizio Elevate is a good buy for anyone who wants a genuine 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos home theater system for under $1,000. Piecing together an equivalent package with separate speakers and an AV receiver is basically impossible in this price range. In fact, most 9.2 channel receivers — which is what you'd need to power 5.1.4 speakers — cost more on their own than the Elevate. 

If you have deep pockets, you can configure a larger speaker setup that sounds better than the Elevate. But, that kind of investment simply isn't realistic for everyone. Conversely, you can find plenty of smaller and cheaper soundbars, but they just don't offer the level of immersion you get with the Elevate. 

If you don't have the space or money to invest in a traditional home theater setup, then the Vizio Elevate 5.1.4 soundbar is the next best thing. It's easily one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars and best soundbars with a subwoofer that you can get.