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"When the rain is realistic enough to grab an umbrella, the Elevate delivers immersive audio at its best."

• Easy setup, clear diagram with connections

• Wonderfully unique design

• Deep control over audio output levels

• Exceptionally clear dialogue

• Space-dependent effects

• Expensive

If you want to tune the audio in your home to match the high quality picture you've invested in – and I think you should, it's one of the best ways to upgrade your movie night – there isn't one more convenient way than a Dolby Atmos soundbar system. The picture quality of your set is amazing, isn't it? Why isn't the sound impressive right away?

Vizio believes that a soundbar can also be a statement. The new 48-inch Elevate soundbar features speaker housings that rotate to shoot at the ceiling or directly at you. Sounds great right? The problem with these systems is that they tend to compromise or make sacrifices. According to Vizio, the Elevate soundbar doesn't compromise – and the $ 1,000 price tag would suggest it does. But does it live up to the hype? We'll find out in a moment.

What's in the box: Unpack the Vizio Elevate

Along with the speakers themselves – carefully packed in a rather elaborate chair-shaped box – comes an accessory box, and I love what Vizio did here: not only does this box contain everything you need to set it up, it's also very clear labeled and partially color-coded. The scope of delivery includes two different power cables, one for the sub and one for the soundbar. However, you can use the longer cable depending on what you want.

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The scope of delivery also includes the remote control (batteries included), a digital optical cable, an HDMI cable, brackets and hardware, as well as two analog audio cables. One audio cable can be used for a smart speaker and the other for pretty much any other device you might want to connect to the soundbar.

The rod itself is slim and cylindrical, with a satin silver finish and clean lines. What is really interesting is the cutout at the bottom that was specially designed for this soundbar to sit right on top of the Vizio H1 OLED TV. Remove it and the pair gently nestle against each other. If you don't have a Vizio TV, leave the cutout attached.

The surround speakers are nice and compact so they don't take up too much space in your room. The Atmos driver is triggered on the top of each surround speaker, while a neat little non-slip silicone pad is attached to the bottom. On the back of the speaker there is a screw hole for wall mounting and color-coded RCA speaker connections.

The subwoofer is slightly larger than most soundbars, and deliberately: The volume of the case is supposed to support a huge 8-inch driver that looks very robust. The back of the sub has a nicely flared exit port at the top that helps prevent airborne noise if the Elevate is really throbbing. Below are a few places where you can connect your surround speakers.

Between the soundbar, the surrounds and the subwoofer, the Elevate system includes 18 drivers that are operated with enough watts of power so that the system can reach 107 decibels. The subwoofer hits a frequency of 30Hz, which is deep enough in the bass range to rattle pictures off the wall, but just before the deepest bass you would get from a high-end subwoofer – in other words, you will feel the bass.

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Under the soundbar itself you will find your optical digital connection on the left and two aux connections on the right – interestingly one of them is marked for an intelligent loudspeaker. There are two HDMI inputs that allow you to connect two devices directly to the soundbar, and a third HDMI port for an e-ARC connection. The first two send a signal to your TV, while the e-ARC connection accepts downstream audio from the TV.

Set up

Setting up the system is really a breeze. Take your subwoofer and place it in the back of the room near an electrical outlet so you can plug it in. It is important where you place your subwoofer in your room as your surround speakers need to be connected directly to the subwoofer. That's right, the surround signal goes first to the subwoofer, where an amplifier controls these surround speakers. Sure, they have really long wires so you have some flexibility in placement for all of these components, but by and large the front and back of the room is determined by this connection.

The soundbar itself can be placed in front of the television, on the bracket of your Vizio OLED television or on the wall bracket with the brackets provided. When it comes to connections, you can simply run an HDMI cable from your TV to the Vizio Elevate through the ARC or eARC port on each device – and that's really all you have to do to get sound.

Synchronization is practically automatic: turn it on and you're good to go. Unfortunately, while setting up the soundbar system itself is a breeze, making sure you're getting Dolby Atmos is a little more complicated.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

If you have a really new TV – 2018 or newer – you will likely be fine. Most new TVs support Atmos passthrough. This means you can connect devices to the TV (or use the built-in streaming apps) and stream Dolby Atmos to the soundbar. If your TV is a little older, it probably doesn't support Atmos passthrough. You would therefore like to connect devices directly to one of the two HDMI ports in the soundbar.

Then it gets a little more complicated.

First, make sure the game console, disc player, or streaming device you own supports Atmos. A quick look through the manual or the product website should confirm this. Additionally, you need to make sure that the streaming app you are using – Netflix or Disney + or whatever – is actually streaming Dolby Atmos on that particular device as this is inconsistent: Netflix may be able to stream Atmos on Xbox One X to the Example, but not on a specific streaming stick. So check the chain – all of the different components you use must support Atmos.

The same applies to DTS: X, every source and every device in the chain must be checked twice.

versatility

One of the things that annoys me the most about soundbars in general, but Dolby Atmos soundbars in particular, is that I don't get control of the individual layers I need. That changes with the Vizio Elevate soundbar, which gives you control over everything: left, right, center, surround level, surround balance, Atmos height channel effects, subwoofer level, bass, treble – whatever you call it. Why is that important? For example, let's say I can't put the surround speakers exactly where they should be (which, by the way, is right in the left and right corners of your seating area). With individual level adjustments, you can optimize your setup to achieve really good Atmos height and surround effects, regardless of where these speakers are located.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

One of the other things that bother me about soundbars is that they usually rely on color-coded LED systems to let you know important things, such as: B. which input you have set or which EQ mode you have selected. Vizios Elevate does that too, of course, but at least they've made it easy to understand: a table on the back of the remote shows you which color means what.

There's also an indicator just above the remote that tells you pretty much everything you need to know and which is activated when you manage all of your various settings in the soundbar. In other words, this bar doesn't give you any onscreen interface – but between the diagram on the remote and that little screen, you really have all the information you need. In addition, there is a voice that tells you which input you are set to when switching.

performance

The Dolby Atmos version of the Elevate soundbar is unique. Sure, the surround speakers are traditional, with some drivers pointing into the room and others pointing towards the ceiling. The soundbar itself is different: the speakers at either end of the front tube rotate between Atmos mode and standard audio. When the sound picks up a Dolby Atmos signal, these speakers roll up and emit sound from the ceiling – this is how you get a 5.1.4 Atmos experience. (Why four? Two speakers in the front and two in the surround speakers, all facing the ceiling.)

If you don't hear Atmos content, the speakers will shut down. When this happens, the Elevate changes the mapping of the various woofers and tweeters in the sound system, giving you better fidelity and a wider soundstage, at least that's the promise. That also means this soundbar could sound great for music.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

But let's face it, the Elevate is here to produce amazing movie soundtracks and mind-blowing Atmos effects, and my word, does it ever do that? This soundbar just sounds very, very good. The Atmos effects vary depending on the type of ceiling, but the range is clearly sufficient. You can goose them to get more out of them, resulting in a truly amazing experience: helicopters that really fly over your head, or rain that is realistic enough to make you reach for an umbrella.

With the Elevate you have the feeling that action is taking place above you, but beyond that the transition from the soundbar to the surround speakers to the Atmos effects is extremely smooth – I don't hear any holes in the sphere of sound, it's all very cohesive . What does that mean? It's very simple: when you're enjoying a movie, don't think about the soundbar, just get lost in the movie. The fidelity of this soundbar comes into its own here too, with very clear dialogue that isn't overly accentuated, which was previously an issue.

There is nothing boxy about this system. It has a very open sound that is also extremely dynamic. So when things get explosive they are really explosive, and when things are more sensitive and quieter, you hear the whole nuance. The tweeters Vizio recorded here are really cute: they don't yell at you, they don't get overly hissing – it's just a really fun sound signature down the line.

Our opinion

Has Vizio kept its promise of an uncompromising soundbar? I say this: I think it has done better than anyone so far. I am very impressed with the musicality of this soundbar and that is usually one of the biggest problems. The control is immense, which means audiophiles can tune it to sound exactly how they want. It's also a very smooth, cohesive sound with great fidelity – another hallmark of a great soundbar.

Is there a better alternative?

When you consider the Elevate, you're probably not looking for something as simple as the Bose Solo 5 TV sound system. They hope for the best, the crème de la crème, and there are certainly competitors out there. The Sonos Arc, for example, is another Swiss Army Knife that also brings Dolby Atmos and A.I. Controls – as well as a brand name that will impress your friends. However, connectivity is limited with just a single HDMI port. Further up the thinned line of high-end speaker systems is the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Stage, which has a beautiful design and deep and resonant bass. It's also twice as expensive.

How long it will take?

The specification wars are ending, Dolby Atmos and DTS: X have won, and you are unlikely to see any new unsupported formats. Vizio is known for its high quality products, and this soundbar is likely to last you for the next decade.

warranty

Vizio offers a standard 1 year warranty on the Elevate soundbar. Please refer to the Vizio warranty page for more information.

Should you buy it?

Yes absolutely. The Vizio combines a new design with audiophile controls and simply outstanding sound and is the ultimate compliment for your high-end television.

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