I replaced my expensive Klipsch audio device with a $300 Hisense, and it surprised me in the best way – Narender Ghoghar

I’ll preface this by saying that for nearly a decade, my wife and I have been spoiled by wonderful Klipsch speakers that set the bar very high. Although our Klipsch is fairly basic (just a tape and subwoofer with no EQ or any other frills), the sound it produces is amazing.

For this reason, the review level of similar devices is high enough that only a few can reach it. This means I have to temper my opinions on other speakers… especially regarding midrange, which many speakers don’t seem to handle well (more on that in a bit).

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Suffice it to say that it’s a rare occasion that I review speakers that go beyond what I’m used to in a Klipsch speaker system (which is no longer in production). So, when I received Hisense AX5125H 5.1.2Ch SpeakersI knew I wasn’t expecting the same quality that had been filling our TV room for years.

Even assuming that expectations would not be met, I was pleasantly surprised by the sound produced by the Hisense speaker. Before I get into my experience, let’s talk about the specifications.

Specifications

The Hisense speakers’ specifications are fairly standard.

• 5.1.2 Surround with a maximum sound power of 500 watts.
• Nine speakers inside the tweeters: front left and right channel, center channel, and rear left and right channel.
• 6.5-inch wireless subwoofer with 180W max audio power.
• Wireless surround speakers.
• Seven preset EQ modes (to create specific sounds for things like movies, music, audio, and more).
• Dolby Atmos.
• Roku TV is ready with an HDMI (eARC) connection.
• Stream music wirelessly via Bluetooth.
• Connect via HDMI, Bluetooth or Optical.
• One HDMI input and one HDMI output.
• Price: Currently $320 on Amazon

My experience

Firstly, setting up the speaker is very simple. Place your speakers where you want them, connect everything, and wireless takes care of the rest. Within minutes, you’ll have your soundbar up and running and ready to fill your TV room with great sound.

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But there’s a problem, and it’s a problem that haunts a lot of speakers. However, this problem can also be a blessing. Let me explain.

The first thing I noticed with the Hisense speakers was that the midrange seemed very small. For many, this is not a problem. For me it is. I like the midrange to be less subtle and warmer. Anytime I hear a midrange that’s too harsh (or small), I immediately assume that the device producing the sound is cheap. And no matter what EQ setting I tried with the Hisense, the midrange never improved.

However (and this is a big thing), have you noticed that more often than not, voices have become more difficult to hear (especially in movies)? The good thing about the midrange front and center is that those sounds suddenly become prominent. Thanks to this, you will not miss any dialogue due to a too loud score or sound effects.

And with Hisense, the surround speakers enhance those sounds even more, even though that’s not how surround speakers are supposed to work (they’re supposed to add surround sound to whatever you’re watching to give you an immersive feeling). The road is surrounding He should The work is that the voices are supposed to be centered in front of you in the middle (unless the character is speaking from off-screen). But since the Hisense tends to send sounds to surrounding speakers, it enhances dialogue in such a way that you’ll never miss a word.

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This, my friends, is a happy accident that many users will greatly appreciate.

As far as the bass is concerned, it is strong but not overly so. The subwoofer adds to the overall effect of the sound, but it would have been nice if the low-pass filter could have been changed to add a bit of high bass (to compensate for the small midrange and give the sounds a bit more resonance). Even with this limitation, the bass is acceptable for both movies and TV. Remember, though, that the bass adjustments are very limited, so don’t expect to add a thunderous boom. The good news is that the limited audio adjustments make it very easy to use. You won’t find anything too complicated with this speaker.

Another plus is that when movie or TV audio is playing, the Hisense AX5125H 5.1.2Ch speakers really shine. On the other hand, if you’re watching old movies or TV series, the sound will suffer under the weight of the extreme midrange, making those laugh tracks difficult to bear.

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Finally, the included remote is very easy to use and allows you to increase the bass and treble (although not by much), volume, change EQ, enable surround sound, connect via Bluetooth, and mute the sound.

ZDNET Buying Advice

This is simple: if you’re not a music fan and have trouble hearing dialogue in TV and movies, this… Hisense AX5125H 5.1.2Ch Speakers It will be a great addition to your experience. At its current price of $320, this is a worthwhile investment… as long as you don’t expect high-quality sound.

For anyone with budget constraints who still wants to upgrade the sound of their TV viewing experience, the Hisense AX5125H 5.1.2Ch Soundbar is a solid option that will serve you well (especially when dialogue is buried under the decibels of music and sound effects).