Vizio Sound Bar Adds Wireless Surround Speakers

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 6/23/2010

New York - Two new sound bars planned for third-quarter shipment by Vizio include the company's first with separate wireless surround speakers.

The other features virtual surround technology to deliver surround-sound effects from the sound bar's embedded speakers.

Vizio's $399-suggested VHT510 is the company's first sound bar with included wireless surround speakers.

The new $399-suggested VHT510, like the new $299-suggested VHT210 and a previous sound bar, uses Avnera-developed Wireless HD Audio technology to transmit low bass to a wireless subwoofer up to 60 feet away, but the VHT510 adds two wireless surround speakers to deliver full 5.1 surround.

The 40-inch-wide VHT510 contains three two-way driver complements, one each for left, center and right channels. The compact wireless surrounds feature two-way driver complements with swiveling tweeter.

The VHT510 incorporates Dolby Digital 5.1 decoder, DTS 2.0 decoding, and SRS TruVolume to level out abrupt volume-level changes that occur when a TV channel is changed or a TV program is interrupted by a high-decibel commercial. The sound bar also features SRS TruSurround HD, which delivers virtual surround and is apparently intended for use when the wireless surround speakers aren't set up.

The VHT510 connects to a TV via digital optical S/P DIF and a pair of analog RCAs.

The second new sound bar due in the third quarter is the 32-inch-wide $299-suggested VHT210, which lacks wireless surround speakers but features wireless subwoofer. It incorporates left-right drivers, Dolby Digital decoder, SRS TruVolume, and SRS TruSurround HD to deliver virtual surround through the embedded left-right speakers.

The virtual-surround technology is also available in the current VSB210 sound bar at a suggested $249, a spokesman said.

The sound bar features an optical S/P DIF input as well as an analog RCA pair.

The VHT210 features 5.25-inch wireless subwoofer, and the sound bar's left-right speaker complement consists of two 2.75-inch woofers flanking a 0.75-inch tweeter for each channel.

 The VHT510 features 6.5-inch wireless subwoofer and wireless surrounds that incorporate two 2.75-inch woofers and a 0.75-inch swiveling tweeter. The bar itself features left and right driver complements that each consist of two 3-inch woofers and a 0.75-inch tweeter. The center-channel drivers consist of two 2-inch woofers and a 0.75-inch tweeter.