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I review soundbars, and my new favorite just hit an all-time low for Black Friday
The feature-packed Hisense AX5125H has Dolby Atmos, wireless rear speakers and more, and it's $100 off.
Your TV is only half the home-theater battle. For the best possible experience, you need a soundbar in the mix — something to surpass the small, weak speakers built into that flat-panel screen. Recently I rounded up the best soundbars, and imagine my surprise when my top pick — the Hisense AX5125H — got a hefty Black Friday discount. I considered it a superb deal at the $350 regular price, but if you act fast, you can scoop it up for just $250.
Indeed, deals like this tend to expire (or sell out) quickly, so if you've been looking for a TV audio upgrade, don't wait. It might be a while before it comes around again.
Hisense
The soundbar setup I consider best for most people, the Hisense AX5125H brings Dolby Atmos-enhanced audio to your living room.
Why is this a good deal? ??
A 5.1.2-channel soundbar for $350 is already a solid buy, but lop $100 off that (nearly 30%) and it's approaching "steal" territory. Plus this is the lowest price on record for Hisense's system. Just take note that Amazon is currently showing at least two weeks for delivery — plenty of time to get it under the tree if that's your goal, but no good if you're in a hurry.
Read more:
Why do I need this? ??
Let me be blunt: Most TV speakers suck. But it's easy to understand why: There's just not a lot of room in those flat-panel cabinets for anything but small, underpowered cones. A soundbar — basically an array of speakers designed to sit below the screen — not only adds a lot more juice to the audio, but also points it in your direction instead of down or at the wall.
A system like this takes things a step further, with a wireless subwoofer to really amp up the bass and wireless rear speakers for a true surround-sound experience. This also supports Dolby Atmos content, which gets you even closer to movie-theater audio.
A quick summary of my Hisense AX5125H review ??
Feel free to read the whole thing if you like, but here's the upshot: The AX5125H isn't a "smart" soundbar, meaning there's no app for tweaking settings and no Wi-Fi for connecting to voice assistants, but some users might actually prefer that. Indeed, this system is very easy to set up and use (just plug in all the speakers and they automatically pair), with a detailed print guide to help you along the way. If your TV has an HDMI ARC port (most modern ones do), you'll be able to control everything using a single remote.
The AX5125H sounds terrific, with plenty of bass thump and truly wonderful surround sound. (If you've never experienced movies and TV shows this way, get ready for some fun.) Surprisingly, there's an HDMI pass-through port for connecting an audio receiver or game console, something that's missing even on much pricier systems.
Hisense
If you don't like overcomplicated electronics, you'll like the Hisense AX5125H. It doesn't force you to create an account or deal with apps, and it comes with a superb printed instruction manual.
If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
