We are always on the lookout for what we believe are terrific home electronic products which we feel strong about reviewing; we believe the Vizio S4251  is just such a product. Stick with us and see if you don’t agree.

Vizio S4251 Review:

Cha-Ching

Ok so maybe price isn’t necessarily the best place to begin a review but often times when we are looking for products we really like to take pricing into account, in this case its a significant factor in relation to why we are so excited about this particular product.  Now Vizio has the S4251 listed for $329 but some quick searches on Google and we found it for under $300. We know a good price is relative to the consumer’s budget however at just under $300 for what essentially amounts to a complete 5.1 surround sound system we felt we finally found something that can pull multiple duties at a price too good to not at least consider. The VIZIO S4251 makes a great enhancement to the Living Room TV or a simple Home Theater system and it can be a gamers dream come true as well as a gift for the TV techy in your life.

Great Design and no Surround Sound simulation here.

Many of the sound bar systems on the market, just like newer flat panel TVs, all try to simulate the effect of a true surround sound system. The Vizio S4251 doesn’t have to simulate anything, it delivers the real thing. One of the keys to making this a great system is the wireless powered subwoofer combined with the rear channel pair of speakers. Now mind you, all speakers need a source of power, with the Vizio S4251 the rear speakers take their power from the wireless subwoofer. Simply place the wireless subwoofer near a rear of the room electrical outlet, connect the two rear channel satellite speakers and waa laa, you’ve got a full 5.1 surround sound system.

The Subwoofer, things that go boom

Often time’s competitive systems to the Vizio S4251 may appear to the untrained eye to come in at a lower price point but as is with anything else, you get what you pay for. The subwoofer in the S4251 is powered which is unlike other inferior, in our opinion of course, passive subwoofers. The Vizio S4251 subwoofer has its own internal amplifier to drive the thumping boom and rich bass needed to fully enjoy the full effects of a 5.1 surround system. Many times, with passive subwoofers, they are mere speakers incapable of reproducing comparable thumps and booms; this becomes truly evident in side by side system comparisons.

Bluetooth, listening to your favorite music won’t be like pulling teeth

If you are already familiar with Bluetooth you know how great it can be to hear the music from your mobile device over a higher quality speaker system. And if you’re familiar with the catchy name Bluetooth you’ll grow to enjoy the wireless connection and control you’ll have between your Bluetooth enable smart phone and the Vizio S4251 from as far away as 35 +/- feet.

Available Audio Connections and the wires Vizio furnishes with the S4251 package

There are different ways to connect the Vizio S4251. You can either connect your sound bar directly to a TV or you can connect your sound bar to a TV Set-top box and it can even be connected to both; it all depends on your preference, equipment and end goal for your home theater. The VIZIO S4251 comes complete with 3 separate audio connection wires so no matter what type or available connection you have on your other equipment you don’t have to scramble to buy yet another wire because you were unfamiliar with how to hook all this stuff up. With the Vizio S4251 you get an: analog audio, toslink digital and a digital coaxial connection wire.

The Summary.

With luck you might be able to find this for under $300 and when you get yours setup, hand over the cool, user-friendly remote so we can enjoy a good movie, in real 5.1 surround sound and discover why it won best of CES 2013.