Review on 🔊 Enhance Your Home Theater Experience with 120W 2.1 Sound Bar + Subwoofer: 34 Inch Wall Mountable Speaker, HDMI/Optical/Aux/USB Connectivity, Adjustable Bass, Bluetooth 5.0 - Perfect for TV by Matt Bell

(NOTE: new comments at the end of the December 2020 review regarding random noise) This VMAI was for a friend's old HDTV that doesn't support the ARC feature , and therefore cannot use the volume control of the TV. Just as importantly, my friend wasn't a techie, so choosing a soundbar had to be easy to use. We first tried the Polk Signa S2, which is somewhat comparable, but it had the worst remote lag I've seen and no display, just LEDs, which are difficult to interpret from across the room. Therefore, VMAI was chosen for its comparable price and availability of a two-digit display. The Polk sounded better in some ways, but it lacked the tone shaping modes that the VMAI has. This has become critical when listening to news and talk shows that require more than just bass and treble tuning. Also, the Polk didn't seem to hit the sound as hard as the VMAI on certain settings. We tested Bluetooth with a Mac laptop, but it seemed unreliable and would sometimes lose connection when the laptop was woken up or turned on, which required fiddling to get it. reconnected. The optical connection works well, but then a VMAI remote has to be used for volume, adding another device to fiddle with, lose or break. Volume for a large room. The TV remote could then control the output volume. The TV's sound settings must be changed so that the internal speakers are not used. The main disadvantage of this method is that the audio cable will sometimes pick up EMI from nearby devices (or possibly the VMAI itself), causing noticeable electrical hum/noise. This may be due to the location of the AUX cable that acts as an antenna. Also, using this method requires the VMAI volume setting to be higher than normal, which can result in some noise and line hiss independent of EMI. (December 2020 note: This can usually be compensated for by moving the AUX or power wire until the noise is reduced. The wires could have been somehow better isolated from EMI and interference.) We also found that VMAI must remain on otherwise it can switch inputs when powered back on, which requires extra steps. It seemed to want to switch to Bluetooth every time it was turned on. This may be because a paired Bluetooth device is stored in memory. The VMAI remote is required to turn the power on and off unless you walk over and press the button on the VMAI itself. About a week after ordering, VMAI sent an email asking for the Apologies for the lack of an AAA battery in the box and provided technical information that many users might find helpful. They also included remote control codes for use with custom/learnable remote controls. Overall, the sound is decent, but sensitive ears will find the audio quality to be "compressed" and lacking in detail. Certainly NOT for audiophiles, but look at the price range. The sound modes (see buttons on the remote control) really helped adapt the sound to the environment/room and the listener's hearing. If you have a custom/learnable remote, you can add VMAI remote capabilities.[Dec. 2020 EDIT:] Still happy with VMAI's performance. The main issue is random noise when the AUX or power cord is moved to certain positions (relative to other cords or devices nearby). Perhaps using some form of insulation could eliminate this. I've heard of people using aluminum foil or something to better shield thinner wires. My friend wasn't interested. From time to time, in the event of a power failure, you have to manually switch back to the AUX input, then everything is fine. So overall a decent product for the price, with minor adjustments.)