Hisense HS2100 Soundbar 2.1 CH 240W with Wireless Subwoofer - DTS Virtual X, HDMI ARC, Bluetooth w.code at Hughes

@kharma45 posted some reviews, generally happy with those reviews when they talk about it on a quality / value perspective. I'll go over my bug bears as an onwer I bought this about 7 weeks ago.

1) Whenever it starts it loudly announces itself. "POWER ON!" "HDMI ARC!" "SUBWOOFER PAIRED" in that order, it isn't subtle and it does it every time (also touched in #2). I looked through the manual and to date have found no way to disable this. It also volume matches the sound level, so if during your last session you had some quiet content and you turned up your volume, when you come back to use it again it will blast you with these. During startup - there is often delay in reaction of the remote / arc remote so you cannot turn the volume down in time.

2) It goes to sleep after a relatively short period of "inactivity". For example, we also have a PC plugged into our TV - for which sound comes through the sound bar. If we use headphones through and attached devices such as the PC, then come out of headphones, the soundbar is off, you need to manually turn it on with the power button on the unit - or keep the sound bar remote around - defeating some of the point of having ARC functionality instead of just using your TV remote. The TV is still on, there just hasn't been any sound for a while. Another solution would be turning the TV off and on again, not really a solution. Refer to number one - even though you are still just in a session of using the TV, the soundbar feels it neccessary to announce itself as it powers on.. again, again..

3) I think this may be our TV model, but I haven't had the opportunity to test it with another, it is worth bearing in mind, as I feel someone buying a value focussed soundbar likely made a similar value based desicion on their TV. When we have the unit plugged in over HDMI Arc, whether the wireless subwoofer is turn on or not, there is a noticeable and considerable display to the PICTURE on the TV. This is especially noticeable when playing games, we tried with mouse / keyboard and FPS on the TV were noticeably behind. With rhythm games it is unplayable due to massive delay, these were with wired official controllers. When I unplug the soundbar and return the TV to TV sound - the delay is minimal and imperceptable. We have Hisense ROKU 4K (50") TV which is generally fine at its price range for the sort of tasks we use it for. Another thing - that may just be our TV, we haven't been able to isolate it. But when connected via ARC, sometimes the soundbar just straight up stops responding to remote control commands such as volume / mute, this is the TV remote AND the included remote for the sound bar. It needs to be manually powered off on the unit for the volume control on remotes to work again. This has happened 3 times in the last 7 weeks since purchase.

Just to return on some positives - the sound is great for the money. It is more about filling and empowering the sound rather than any specific space in the soundstage, but you cannot expect more when it is doing what it is designed for as a 2.1 unit. The subwoofer being wireless at this price point - we put it behind our sofa (against an external wall), which massively increases the perceived bass when you are sat on the sofa and is less likely to bother our neighbours as it is not on a wall that borders them. It can however feel to be an overpowering bass in some scenes in this configuration even on the lowest bass setting, the kids love it and I can barely hear the bass a room or two over. (edited)

Hughes also pops up on a few card reward programmes. And I think, airtime rewards

Pish