VIZIO

SL512X-0806 (Elevate SE)

VIZIO SL512X-0806 (Elevate SE)

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Overall

#153 in

Soundbars

according to Reddit Icon Reddit

Sentiment score75% positive
3
1
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Last updated: May 28, 2026

Reddit Reviews

Reddit IconPrimaryBlacksmith916
4 months ago

I have an ultimea x70 which sounds great and for the price i think it's a steal. And otw is the new x100 dual by ultimea and im expecting that 1 to be soo much more than the x70 I am already happy with. I've had the vizio elevate se which was decent and even tried walmarts onn 5.1.2 which for 200 bucks isn't that bad tbh.

Reddit IconQuadroon81
10 months ago

Check eBay for some food soundbars. I just purchased an open boxed Vizio elevate se for 299, I believe

Reddit IconWannabeIntelectual
7 months ago

Did you end up making a decision? Personally, I would choose Vizio over all Tim because of their reputation for making great sound bars for an affordable price, but up firing speaker speakers do make a difference. Did you look at the new Vizio Elevate 5.1.2? I actually have the SV510M up in my office (and it’s excellent), but I also have the Vizio M-series Elevate (5.1.2) downstairs in the living room and I can tell you the up firing speakers are definitely worth the improved overhead effects.

6 months ago

Ahh ok, well I hope you’re happy with whatever your choice is! Just to clarify, I’m referring to the new Elevate SE 5.1.2, not the original 5.1.4, which was much larger and heavier. The Elevate SE is only 7–12 lb more than the SV510. Not sure how much of a difference that makes for shipping.

8 months ago

I own a 5.1.2 Vizio sound bar (M512E-K6), and I had a 5.1 Polk prior to that. Personally, I think the .2 is worth it. Is it going to sound as good as discrete down-firing ceiling mounted Atmos speakers? Of course not. But, the .2 does add a sense of verticality, especially if you choose the right system. As a Vizio owner, I’m biased, but there are a plethora of reputable reviews out there praising Vizio sound bars for their Atmos performance, especially for the price. If you’re going to pick between the two you have in the screenshots, I would definitely go with the Vizio Elevate. It’s reviewed well, and discreet height speakers are always going to be an improvement over none at all, even if they’re up-firing.

8 months ago

Yeah, like I said, it’s nothing like down firing ceiling mounted but for certain models, you can definitely hear overhead effects, with mine you can especially if LFE. I think it also depends on room, size ceiling, height, and all that. Even if they don’t produce overhead effects, they do improve the sound stage vertically, at least a little bit, and in OP’s case, that Elevate is the better system, especially for $100 less. Like I said if he had to pick between those two, I would definitely get the extra drivers, especially for less, why not?

Reddit Iconbronco1015
3 months ago

I wonder if that system is manufactured by Vizio? maybe they haven't been part of Walmart long enough for that to be the case but awesome it works well for you. I have helped 2 family members get soundbars recently and each got the Vizio Elevate 5.1.2 which surprised me at how well it does with content generally. I love recommending this one for not to much money.

Reddit IconOconRecon1
5 months ago

I’ll second this, as same, I love mine. The auto-rotate feature when Atmos kicks on is soooooo satisfying

Reddit IconWonderTaken
5 months ago

I got a Vizio Elevate 5.1.2 on sale for $250. I love it.

Reddit Iconadmiralspy69
6 months ago

We bought the Samsung b650F and we were not impressed at all. It was way too crisp with too much treble and not enough low/bass. It actually hurt our ears to listen to. We tried all the settings and couldn’t get it to balance out. The Polk audio signa s4 was on sell for $359 and still might be. That is a very good sound bar/sub for the money. Even the Vizio 5.1 SE we have has better sound than the b650f and that was $120.

Reddit IconAeacus-
4 months ago

It depends budget and if you want just a front soundbar or a full system with rear speakers and subwoofer. My default recommendation (because I think rear speakers add a lot with all the 5.1 mixes in media) is the $200 VIZIO 5.1 Soundbar SE. it’s a decent budget setup with small surround speakers and a small subwoofer. Much better than TV speakers and the rear speakers help have directional sound that works in most rooms. The upgrade jump is to $700-$800 for the Samsung Q990D via their edu/employee store. [Deal link](https://slickdeals.net/sh/thread-19073338/e/28/c/deal-details/u/556173/) This is what I have (Q990C but minor differences) and is the best bang for the buck full system imo. Dolby Atmos, wireless sub and rear speakers. Has enough power to fill larger rooms than the budget systems. You will want a 55” or bigger tv as the front bar is just over 48” wide, it’s a big one. Sounds great for movies and I love having music on now. Goes on sale for around this price pretty constantly through the employee store every couple of weeks for the last 2-3 years. You can qualify with other memberships, I used AAA when I got mine 2 years ago. The version will increment soon so the Q990F will be on sale as the Q990H has replaced it as the 2026 model. For just a stand alone bar, I’m sure others will chime in but Samsung, Sonos, Bose, and others have a couple of good options at various price points.

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