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If Dad's ready to upgrade from his TV's built-in speakers, the Vizio S4251 is the way to go. Not only is it one of the best sound bars we've listened to, it also support true surround sound with included rear speakers. Even better, the rear speakers connect to the wireless subwoofer which can be placed behind your couch, so there's no need to run wires from the front to the back of your home theater.
The good: The Vizio S4251w-B4 sound bar includes two rear speakers, allowing it to deliver a real surround-sound experience from a sound bar system. Its smart design lets you to connect the rear speakers to the wireless subwoofer in the back of the room, which minimizes the wire clutter that often accompanies surround sound. The sound bar itself has a stylish look, with a great remote that includes a built-in display. Features are well-covered, too, with built-in Bluetooth and Dolby/DTS decoding. And it's a good value, considering it includes two additional speakers.
The bad: The sound bar may block your TV's remote sensor when used in tabletop position. Also, if you use your TV to switch inputs, you likely won't get the best possible surround experience, although most listeners won't notice. And there's no guided speaker calibration, so you'll need to rely on your own ears for setup.
The bottom line: Vizio's S4251w-B4 sports rear speakers for unparalleled home theater sonics from a sound bar, although it has some quirks.
May 5, 2013 10:10 PM PDT
Photo by: Sarah Tew/CNET
