As good as sound virtualization technologies are, it is difficult to replace real Atmos speakers or rear speakers. Hisense therefore went as efficiently as possible with the AX5125H, integrating as many modules as possible, like the Samsung HW-Q935D or LG S95TR. This product thus brings together a soundbar made up of vertical speakers, a subwoofer and two surround rear speakers (no Atmos here).
The rest is quite classic, because this reference emphasizes ease of use. We are therefore not entitled to a connected dimension (excluding Bluetooth) nor to a dedicated app nor to technological frills other than EzPlay compatibility, a sort of exchange between the bar and the Hisense screens.
Price and availability
The Hisense AX5125H has been available since the third quarter of 2024 at a price of €400.
Test conditions
If the AX5125H is not compatible with a dedicated application, it is technically possible to carry out updates via a relatively complex procedure. Here we tested the bar under firmware version TA017. This version, implemented after an update, corrects a background noise bug which affected the rear speakers.
Construction
Simple, discreet and pragmatic, the Hisense AX5125H is a soundbar that is not luxurious, but does not present any major faults. This measures 920mm in length, making it suitable for most screens between 42 inches and 65 inches. In terms of size, Hisense has done things well since the 60 mm in height and 90 mm in depth make this device one of the smallest in its category.
Completely black, the bar manages to be sober without being too sad. This combines grooved sides, a metal front grille and a fabric upper surface. Sufficiently dense (2.9 kg), the Hisense benefits from a very correct assembly, with no visible screws.
More classic, the subwoofer opts for a versatile parallelepiped design. This element is imposing enough to hope for a good experience at the low end of the spectrum, all without any unpleasant surprises in terms of manufacturing. Unlike the bar itself, its 214 x 294 x 304 mm are not negligible, therefore incompatible with all interiors.
Finally, it is difficult to ask for more miniaturization from Surround satellites. These two objects inherit some details present on the bar, such as the discreet grooves, while knowing how to be forgotten. Here, only the configuration of the room (possibility of placement at the rear, presence of sockets) may pose problems, not their size as such. This is all the more true since, despite what their grilles extending onto the upper side may suggest, no Atmos speaker is integrated. They can therefore be placed in a library without risk of ruining the sound effects.
Accessories
The Hisense AX5125H comes with a remote control (batteries included), optical cable, HDMI cable and brackets for wall mounting. The latter is valid for the soundbar and surround speakers.
Wireless connectivity & broadcasting
Rather simple in appearance, the AX5125H offers more than we could hope for. Its connectivity consists of an HDMI 2.1 input (4K/120 Hz, VRR and ALLM), an HDMI eARC port, a Toslink optical port, and even a USB-A port dedicated to charging and playing audio content. In addition, it is through this same USB-A port (as well as via Bluetooth) that any updates are carried out. Thus, this product only lacks an analog input, 3.5 mm jack type.
Conversely, things are spartan regarding connectivity. The observation is very eloquent: no wifi/Ethernet compatibility, no connection to streaming services or other connected protocols. Likewise, the Bluetooth 5.3 chip only offers the minimum service. This Hisense is not compatible with quick pairing, nor is it multipoint or supports advanced codecs. Finally, and this is a little more surprising, no dedicated app has been developed by the manufacturer for the occasion.
User experience
Without a dedicated application, the AX5125H only relies on its integrated interface and the dedicated remote control. As surprising as it may seem, this limitation is not dramatic, since the model accommodates a real display and not diodes. More imposing than the average, this only suffers from a readability that is quite dependent on the position of the user. Indeed, the front grid tends to hide certain lines, which can hinder the reading of certain characters. For the rest, this display is well enough designed to clearly reveal the current modes and inputs, as well as the volume intensity, without having to wait for endless scrolling.
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More than basic, the tactile buttons placed on the soundbar at least provide access to basic functions: on/off, input selection and volume adjustments. The remote control is more convincing, because it allows itself to be very intuitive while covering all the functions, including activation/deactivation and adjustment of the rear channels.
Small bonus for users of a Hisense screen, the EzPlay principle allows you to control the functions of the bar from the TV remote control, while directly displaying the settings in the interface. An advantage which is not immense, but notable.
Audio
Set 5.1.2, which corresponds to the minimum configuration in Dolby Atmos, the Hisense AX5125H consists of nine speakers in total. The only oddity here is the soundbar, whose six transducers are distributed as follows: a full-range speaker on each side, two speakers for the central channel and two Atmos speakers. The device therefore does not include transducers on the sides, transducers usually intended to optimize surround effects. These effects are therefore mainly entrusted to satellites.
In addition to rear channel and bass and treble level adjustment, seven dedicated equalizers/sound modes are accessible via the remote control. These are, however, quite basic, especially since Cinema mode is almost always the most relevant.
Not of immense audio richness, the whole nevertheless manages not to fall into the trap of an overly spectacular signature, while maintaining a correct technical base. The sound is therefore quite balanced from an overall point of view, all without being very linear. We still note an emphasis on bass and low-mids, resulting in a slightly warmer sound than average.
First frequency range, the bass is provided with a certain efficiency by the subwoofer, since the latter clearly does not lack breadth and even less depth. If it does not go down to 20 Hz, its power is sufficient for a classic-sized living room. As is often the case with subwoofers in this price range, its technical performance stops at the nuances. The spectacular side is certainly assured, but at the cost of a sound that is more rounded than punchy. This characteristic is quite notable when measuring the distortion, which highlights a poorly controlled resonance of the vent.
The rest of the spectrum is more classic. If a slight emphasis on the low-mids is audible, the mid-highs are coherent, without disaster. The sound is neither veiled nor artificial, no aggressiveness disrupts the message. Ideal sound? Not yet, because the AX5125H has not gotten rid of avoidable defects, such as very average precision in the high spectrum. This frequency range lacks precision, its dynamic management being entirely relative. We thus note, especially at high volume, audible distortion peaks. Nothing is dramatic when listening, but it proves that this Hisense is not cut out to spit out decibels.
If they primarily help reproduce sound effects, the rear speakers make their simplicity a certain strength. Largely limited in the low end of the spectrum, they never go beyond their possibilities, while matching the frequency response of the bar quite well. So the rendering is perfectible, but generally homogeneous.
Sound spatialization
Quite ambitious regarding sound immersion, the Hisense AX5125H benefits from integrated Atmos speakers, as well as satellites. Far from the rendering of a Samsung HW-Q995D, this soundbar nonetheless offers a truly effective experience.
First surprise, the Atmos effects are present, although the 3D bubble concept is largely favored by the rear speakers. The sensation of sound height, whether for ambient effects or the appearance of sound objects, is far from ridiculous, or even generally convincing. No miracle however, the precision of the monitoring of the various details is imperfect and the AX5125H is not yet able to swirl the sound around the user like the Sony Bravia Theater Quad.
This notion of magnitude is, however, very convincing for the horizontal dimension alone, with a surprising effectiveness of the rear satellites. Very well calibrated, these compensate surprisingly well for the absence of real surround speakers on the bar. The rear effects are ample and the sound manages to exist almost everywhere. We can only really criticize a slight lack of fullness in the simple stereo reproduction, a phenomenon probably linked to the standard size of the bar and the absence of transducers on the sides.
Although not perfect, the representation of voices follows the performance of the Surround and Atmos effects quite well. The manufacturer did not forget to place a real central channel, resulting in good projection and great precision in the vocals which float easily through the vast majority of mixes, despite a slight lack of clarity.
