Verdict
An cheap way to get immersive home cinema into your front room , but this Hisense does n’t quite drive home the immersive execution we ’re wait for .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
When it comes to improving TV sound , you ’ve receive a few options : soundbars , wireless Speaker , and sound systems . The Hisense AX5125H is a sound system that ’s less expensive than a leverage of theSonos Beam Gen 2 .
For less than the price of one speaker , you get a soundbar , a subwoofer , and two satellite speakers to create a surround sound experience in the home .
It does n’t have the feature of the Sonos , but if your bearing is to upgrade your sound organisation for a relatively inexpensive pith , the Hisense AX5125H would , at least in term of toll , make for an sympathetic candidate .
Design
The Hisense AX5125H only comes in black and is arguably a little bland in footing of looks , but unlike an unruly school educatee , a soundbar is stand for to be listen , not seen .
And from that perspective – and at this price – the AX5125H looks smart enough . The grille is a coarse design radical across the principal Browning automatic rifle , subwoofer , and speakers but the fabric on top of the speaker gives the AX5125H a colour of style . There ’s also a display that ’s well seeable from a few measure aside .
connector are hidden aside in a recessed area underneath the verbalizer , and the satellite loudspeaker system run on main power – something you ’ll need to study when position them . The subwoofer is a small matter but in good order built – in fact build quality is acceptable across all the speaker . There ’s no flimsy impression about these speakers .
The sizing of the subwoofer – a 6.5 - in effort – along with the compact size of it of the planet speakers implies diminished to average - sized room for this surround system . The sub is also a rear - port effort , so ideally you ’ll want it placed back against a wall to reenforce the bass frequencies . I tend to keep the subwoofer close to the chief unit rather than further out .
There ’s a remote that cover everything you ’d require from the soundbar and offers solid feedback with press .
Features
There is Dolby Atmos support , the speaker unit supports a 5.1.2 shape , of which the .2 part refer to the two upfiring speakers in the independent whole . They ’re support by 500W of power , which would indicate this system has a good amount of power behind it .
It can also decode various other Dolby soundtracks ( Dolby TrueHD , Dolby Digital , Dolby Digital+ ) , as well asDTS :X , DTS - HD Master , DTS , PCM , and Multi - groove PCM . A word of warning with DTS as most tv will egest - through a Dolby signaling , it ’s not as unwashed with DTS . If your goggle box does n’t back up DTS exceed - through , you ’ll get it pops up as PCM and multi - channel PCM .
Connectivity is handled mainly via aHDMI eARCoutput to the TV , and refreshingly for a soundbar organization of this cost , a HDMI input , so you could plug away in another twist straight into the soundbar ( which would get past the DTS number note above ) . A USB 2.0 , opthalmic digital turnout and 3.5 mm input make up the rest of the physical connections .
There isBluetooth 5.3but there ’s no Wi - Fi and no app support . No app stand for no firmware update over Wi - Fi , and no Wi - Fi mean no wireless pelt support for the the likes of ofSpotify ConnectandAirPlay 2 .
There are seven modality to select from : Movie , Music , Sport , News , Game , Night , and an AI style . you’re able to also align the twofold and basso setting through the remote ascendancy for more EQ alternative .
Sound Quality
Things get off to a adequate scratch line with the chess opening of Blade Runner 2049 ( in Atmos ) . The grinder gives the depleted frequency decent massiveness and depth , and while it sounds powerful , the Hisense AX5125H does n’t dig as deep into those low as more expensive sound systems do . The highs are treat with clarity with no distortion or real uncomfortable moments that I can take heed with treble and bass part .
Given the sizing of the exam room is bigger than what suits the AX5125H , it does n’t sense particularly room - filling , but there ’s breadth and the planet speaker unit do aptly fill in the information behind the look at position , make a solid sense of ambience in film such as Civil War or trailing sound that go behind in Heat or Top Gun : Maverick .
What ’s a small unsatisfying is that there ’s no obvious signified of height to immersive soundtrack . As the spinster drift down in Blade Runner 2049 , I ca n’t feel it descending from on high to the ground . As Maverick takes off in the data-based jet in Top Gun , the plane never make beyond the top half of the tv set physique . The overhead Speaker lack definition .
But in term of creating a surround sound with the front and rears , the levelheaded organization offer a decent level of point – the tyre squeal , railway locomotive roar and paraphernalia shifts are all hands down reproduce in Ford vs Ferrari – and it fathom natural enough in terms of its smell . Though for all the power at its disposal , the system lacks brute strength and attack . There ’s point in John Wick : Chapter 4 but I ’d like more punch and snap to the military action scenes . Too often the Hisense sounds gentle .
The Hisense system of rules is careful enough not to overplay its handwriting with talks , which for the most part sound dependable and precise .
There were instant where it sounded fricative with a current of the Veronica Mars TV series onPrime Video , and some noticeable moment in other films , but dialog is reproduce well enough . My issue is that I ’d favor if the dialogue was higher up and pushed away from the soundbar itself – at times it feels as if it ’s too small and far away in the racing scene that fill up Ford vs Ferrari . It ’s still audible but it could have more presence .
It ’s not the most dynamic sounding effort and levy the volume seems to have little effect . What ’s eldritch about the AX5125H is that it does n’t get very loud – jumping up from level 30 to 50 and the boost in volume is incremental .
What confused me even more is that the intensity seems inconsistent from scene to fit . When shell out with multiple loud moments in a tantrum , I ’m almost sealed the soundbar system gets quieter rather than louder as the scene cash in one’s chips on .
And it ’s not keen with films that need rich sea bass . The explosions in Dunkirk are a handful , and the AX5125H ’s subwoofer regularly cut out as the bombs hit the ocean next to the soldiers . It really breaks the sentience of any submersion .
With regard to the EQ modes , the AI auditory sensation fashion vocalize louder than Movie but also sound harder and lean . I find the AI modal value sound too agonistic with some films , and that the Movie mode offers smooth , more raw reproduction of dialogue
medicine over Bluetooth is really rather serious . The bass is unassailable , clarity is good and item is decent . It can sound a little sharp at high volume but there ’s energy and power supply to music . I do n’t love the fact that it send out the same speech sound to all the verbaliser – after a while that becomes pall – but you may ferment the surrounds off and have it fare from the speakers , which presents more of a focal point .
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Should you buy it?
An Atmos surround organization for £ 300 ? It ’s the cheap one we ’ve reviewed , and less expensive than theSonos BeamandSony HT - A3000compact soundbars .
The AX5125H struggles with basso in some films , the volume sounds inconsistent , and there ’s not much height – which is the whole point of Atmos and DTS :X rails .
Final Thoughts
The Hisense AX5125H is a decent sound system considering that , on the grimace of it , offers impressive time value . But there are a few too many instances where it underdelivers .
There ’s not much height to immersive soundtracks ( which is surely the point of buying an immersive sound organization ) , and the intensity effect are strange . When it should be loud , the AX5125H rather retreats into itself , and the sea bass cutting out with demand 4 K Blu - ray films such as Dunkirk is another problem .
There are a few too many inconsistencies to give this strait arrangement a recommendation to home cinema fans , but if you ’re a more everyday lover , this is a enticing system for the damage .
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every soundbar we brush up good over an extended full point of time . We employ diligence - stock tests to equate features properly . We ’ll always tell you what we find . We never , ever , live with money to review a product .
Find out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
The AX5125H does hold up DTS :X , though to get the full benefits of DTS support , you ’re better off plug directly into the soundbar itself , especially if your video does not support DTS passthrough .
