Powerful Vista 200 soundbar keeps low profile
Wharfedale’s Bluetooth-equipped TV soundbar is sleek and slender yet packs a terrific sonic punch
It is well known that as TVs have grown ever thinner, sound quality from their built-in speakers has suffered as a result. The simplest and least costly remedy to the thin, harsh sound that commits such injustice to the stunning picture quality of contemporary tellies is to add a soundbar; choose a good one and you will enjoy richer, clearer, more powerful sound, greatly enhancing the viewing experience.
Wharfedaleȇs new Vista 200 stereo soundbar is an ideal affordable solution, delivering a major sonic upgrade despite its low-profile design and thoroughly modest £150 price tag. 90cm in length and just 6.2cm high, its long and slender form sits unobtrusively beneath the screen without spoiling even the most stylish TV aesthetic. Whether placed on a TV stand or mounted on a wall using the supplied bracket, its smart, gloss-black finish always looks the part.
Nestling behind the metal speaker grille is a pair of high-quality dynamic driver assemblies, positioned at either end of the soundbarȇs length to ensure spacious stereo sound and augmented by two reflex ports to aid bass response. These drivers are powered by 2x30W stereo amplification, producing a sound that is crisply detailed yet tonally rich –a powerful, highly intelligible delivery that ensures voices are clear, sound effects are impactful and music is full-bodied and engaging. In addition, three 2 equaliser settings labelled ȆMovieȇ, ȆMusicȇ and ȆNewsȇ provide a degree of sonic tailoring to suit whatever the user is watching or listening to.
Connecting the Vista 200 to a TV is simple. There are three digital inputs: HDMI (ARC), optical and coaxial. There is also a 3.5mm analogue input, which means you can connect a TV (or an audio device) via an RCA or headphone output.
The Vista 200 also has Bluetooth built in, enabling users to pair devices like smartphones, tablets and laptops and benefit from the soundbarȇs rich, room-filling sound when streaming music or watching video content. In addition, if your TV supports Bluetooth you can connect it to the soundbar wirelessly rather than using a cable, if you so desire.
The Vista 200 comes supplied with its own remote control, which covers all functions. For added convenience, those connecting the TV via HDMI (ARC) can use their TVȇs remote control to adjust volume (assuming the TV is HMDI-CEC compliant). When connected in this way, the soundbar also powers up or down automatically when the TV is switched on or off.
But wait, thereȇs more! While the Vista 200 soundbar is available from mid-August, a second option –the Vista 200S – will join it this autumn. The Vista 200S bundles the same Vista 200 soundbar with a compact, slimline active subwoofer. Measuring 90x7x9.5cm (WxHxD), it packs in a 165mm driver and 60W amplification, delivering deep, punchy bass to augment the soundbar and ensure an even more powerful, room-filling performance. The subwoofer connects to the soundbar wirelessly, so no trailing cables to worry about, and bass levels can be adjusted via the supplied remote control.
• Bluetooth
• HDMI (ARC)
• 1 x Optical digital input
• 1 x Coaxial digital input
• 3 EQ settings
• Remote control
• 60 Watt amplification
• 900mm x 70mm x 95mm (WxHxD)