Ty Pendlebury/CNET

A true step up from the preceding soundbars, the Vizio M512a-H6 is the most cost-effective way to get true Dolby Atmos playback. This surround system includes the main soundbar with up-firing height speakers built in, a 6-inch subwoofer and two wired rear speakers. That’s a lot of parts, but they were easy to set up and we were impressed with the overall build quality. Most importantly, it offers excellent performance with movies, including real Atmos effects we could hear, as well as music. The M512a-H6s lacks Chromecast and AirPlay streaming, but still earns our hearty recommendation both for home cinema fans and for people looking to listen to their favorite album (whether in Atmos or not).

Key features

• Number of channels: 5.1.2
• Wireless subwoofer: Yes
• Connections: Bluetooth, 2 x 3.5mm, optical, HDMI in/out, USB
• Dolby Atmos: Yes