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If the brand is still not competing in the market for high-end soundbars like the HW-Q995D, Hisense is clearly gaining momentum, and is developing increasingly advanced solutions. The most ambitious reference to date, the AX5125H clearly emphasizes immersion. A sort of competitor to sets from LG or Samsung.
Unconnected but truly turnkey, the AX5125H puts all the chances on its side through the multiplication of elements. In addition to the presence of a subwoofer, there are two small rear satellites capable of developing the famous surround effects. This trio supports the soundbar, which for its part integrates Atmos (vertical) speakers, for a so-called 5.1.2 experience. To accompany this home cinema, do not hesitate to consult our guide to the best TVs.
Manufacturing quality and accessories: sobriety at its peak (3.5/5)
Rather pragmatic, Hisense does not deliver a premium demonstration with the AX5125H set, because it does not use noble materials or stylistic flights of fancy, but provides the essentials.
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The soundbar, the central element of the product, is quite symptomatic of this choice. Its dimensions of 92 x 9 x 6 cm (LxDxH) make it a compact and sober product, which in appearance resembles a simple block of not very dense plastic. But in this totally raw appearance, the device still leaves room for metal (grid) and fabric (upper surface), which tempers our first impression.
A little more impressive because it is denser, the subwoofer also follows this trend of compactness and sobriety. Unlike many competitors, its fairly thin parallelepiped shape allows it to find a place in most interiors.
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As for the rear satellites, not much to say. These are not Atmos compatible and therefore make do with a simple speaker, resulting in extremely small dimensions. Taking stock, it is clear that Hisense does not put stars in our eyes, but skillfully meets its first challenge: finding its way into small living rooms. Of course, the need to connect the rear speakers to the mains does not allow the whole thing to be universal either.
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The Chinese brand does not let us down on accessories, nothing has to be purchased separately: power cables for all devices, remote control (batteries included), optical cable, HDMI cable, wall mounts.
Connectivity: almost flawless (4.5/5)
Although the fashion is, among some manufacturers, to go back in time regarding connectors, the AX5125H does not fall into this Spartan trap. Although not a sound hub, it contains an HDMI 2.1 input (4K/120Hz and CEC compatible), an HDMI eARC port, a Toslink optical input, a 3.5 mm analog jack input, and a USB-A port for recharging.
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In fact, this soundbar has almost nothing to envy of more high-end models, except for the number of HDMI inputs. Above all, the manufacturer does not ignore either Dolby or DTS formats, both supported up to their 3D version (Dolby Atmos and DTS:X). Multi-channel PCM (format offering the highest sound quality via dematerialized files) is obviously present. If we omit more exotic genres like MPEG-H (audio format offering increased quality for the distribution of content such as 4K video streaming), everything is ideal.
Getting started and features: no dedicated application (3.5/5)
By not offering a dedicated smartphone application, Hisense inevitably limits the possibilities for adjusting and updating everything. In return, the user benefits from an intuitive experience, since handling the product comes down to a remote control, buttons (on the soundbar) and a small alphanumeric screen on the front. Note, however, that this model integrates the EZPlay function, which offers a sort of synergy with Hisense screens (via HDMI ARC). For example, EZPlay allows you to directly view the sound settings from the screen. Not revolutionary but practical.
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On paper, it's hard to be lost, especially since said remote control shines with its simplicity. The most basic controls sit alongside some slightly more advanced functions, such as adjusting the bass level or surround effects, as well as the few predefined sound equalizers: Cinema, music, AI (Auto mode), game, sport, night.
Everything would be better if the display, a little awkwardly placed behind the front grille, was more readable. As it stands, if the characters can be guessed most of the time, some masking effects appear.
Wireless connectivity and connected features: Bluetooth, and that's it (2/5)
As we pointed out above, Hisense has unfortunately not come to rub shoulders with more high-end creations, so that it does not include almost any so-called “connected” functions. The observation is simple, the AX5125H only has a simple Bluetooth chip allowing it to relay the audio signal from a telephone or other type of transmitter. This function, although reduced to the essentials (no quick pairing or multipoint), benefits from a stable connection and good range.
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For the rest, no Airplay or Chromecast, no dedicated application, and no functionality such as control via a voice assistant. You should know, the AX5125H is not a connected soundbar.
Sound performance: all-purpose sound (4/5)
Type 5.1.2 (left, right, center, two side channels, as well as a subwoofer and two other ascending channels), the Hisense AX5125H has nine speakers in total, including six in the soundbar. This has four front transducers, including two for the central channel, and two Atmos speakers (vertical).
Frequency response, precision and dynamics
Without being a sound specialist, Hisense understands quite well that users are more demanding than a few years ago in terms of sound settings. So the brand does not fall into a fairly common pitfall, that of overdoing it in the bass and treble. If we cannot speak of balanced sound, the AX5125H develops a sound signature without any noticeable accident, that is to say without disturbing dips and without too strong peaks.
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With the basic settings, the Hisense AX5125H displays a personality slightly focused on the bass, and slightly attenuated in the high frequencies, which gives an all-purpose character, never aggressive. So, whether in video, gaming, or music, we did not encounter any problems or hearing fatigue.
However, everything is not perfect, at least technically. You should not expect to achieve the dynamics or the level of detail of bars such as the Samsung HW-Q995D and Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus, nor their power level. Certainly the Hisense can sing loudly, but its operating range remains limited. It is better not to push it to its limits, otherwise you will see a real increase in distortion. Another limitation, the subwoofer does its job quite well, with good extension in the bass, but it does not provide great control. In this respect, it manages to be very ample and powerful, but not very impactful (a little purring).
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A little more disturbing: the rear speakers are marked by almost constant background noise, at least on stereo or simply multichannel tracks (non-Atmos), as if the sound processing generated small artifacts. This phenomenon is more or less present, but almost always audible.
Spatialization
A strong argument for small home cinema sets, Hisense succeeds very well in terms of immersion. Aided by the rear satellites and the Up-firing type speakers, the AX5125H produces a most astonishing spatialization, because it is very spectacular. More than the precision of the effects, which is quite average, it is the scale of them that allows the manufacturer to stand out.
The sound is surprisingly extended to the sides despite the absence of side speakers, very present at the rear, and quite effectively projected upwards. The Atmos dimension is not spectacular, but present, sufficient to reproduce through effects and ambient sounds (rain type). As we specified above, the counterpart requires fairly relative precision. Perceiving a sound object moving in space is simple, locating it precisely is much less so. Hisense made this choice which, in our opinion, is the most reasonable for a mid-range product. The sound bubble promise is respected, which is already miraculous for a set costing less than 400 euros.
Repairability and Durability
Although theoretically possible, the repairability of home cinema systems is often reduced to nothing. In any case, this is what happens to the Hisense AX5125H model. For example, it is not possible to order each element individually. We will not give this product a repairability rating.
The best alternatives to the Hisense AX5125H
Quite unique in this price range, the Hisense AX5125H must above all be compared to other sets with subwoofer and satellites. But, taking into account its Atmos compatibility and compactness, all-in-one products stand out.
Sony HT-S40R
Sonos Beam Gen 2
Conclusion
If the Hisense AX5125H does not shake up the big world of home cinema sets, it is easily placed among the essentials in its price range. Its very measured price, which goes hand in hand with all-purpose sound quality and spatialization surprising in its quality, makes it a highly recommendable product for small interiors and tight budgets.
Although there are a few limitations to note, starting with a simplistic user experience and some technical limitations, this new model totally ticks the box of good performance/price ratio.
- Build quality and accessories: 3.5/5
- Connection: 4.5/5
- Handling and features: 3.5/5
- Wireless connectivity and connected features: 2/5
- Sound performance: 4/5
- Repairability and durability: 2/5
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