l would like to share my experience after comparing and testing two soundbars – Yamaha YAS-109 vs Vizio M21d-H8. The Yamaha YAS-109 was rated 6.8, while the Vizio M21d-H8 has a rating 5. The soundbars are equipped with a different number of buttons, power, volume down, volume up, input, microphone for the YAS-109 and power, volume down, volume up, source, Bluetooth for the M21d-H8.
Each of the models under consideration has active amplification type. A noticeable difference is the number of channels that YAS-109 has 2.0 and M21d-H8 has 2.1. Competitors have a built-in subwoofer. Rate 6 out of 10 received the Yamaha YAS-109 for audio features and specs, but the Vizio M21d-H8 received 5 out of 10.
Soundbars do not have AirPlay support. The YAS-109 can play audio from Spotify.
Wireless Internet connection is realized only in the YAS-109. Soundbars from this comparison have Bluetooth support. 1/1 HDMI inputs/outputs are in each of soundbars. As in the YAS-109, so in the M21d-H8 there is the HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC). Connecting devices via USB is possible in both models. We rated the connectivity of the YAS-109 at 8 out of 10, while the M21d-H8 was rated 6/10.
The manufacturer of the YAS-109 provides a device control application. The soundbars in this review are equipped with a microphone. The models under consideration cannot become part of a multiroom system.
Dolby Atmos audio decoder support is not implemented in either the YAS-109 or M21d-H8. Devices from this comparison cannot process surround sound due to lack of DTS:X. The YAS-109 was rated 6/10, while the M21d-H8 received a mark of 5/10 for multichannel surround.