Zvox AccuVoice AV855 Feature Scores
Explore all 41 feature scores for Zvox AccuVoice AV855, organized into pros and cons.
Scores by Feature
Summary
41 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.013 (32%)
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Positive 3.5-4.49 (22%)
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Neutral 2.5-3.48 (20%)
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Negative 1.5-2.45 (12%)
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Very negative below 1.56 (15%)
Pros
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Dialogue clarity is the AV855’s defining strength, often reducing or eliminating the need for captions. Most owners hear speech far more easily, though a few report only modest gains, dropouts, or louder voices without added clarity.
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Voices are consistently pulled forward and made more distinct, with many hearing-impaired owners reporting a major improvement. A small minority found voice enhancement ineffective or still struggled with certain speakers.
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The soundbar excels at separating voices from music, effects, and other background clutter, helping speech stay intelligible without overpowering volume.
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Low-volume speech is excellent: many owners lowered their usual TV volume substantially while understanding more dialogue.
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Most owners consider it worth the price when clearer speech is the priority. Buyers focused on general sound quality may find cheaper or better-rounded alternatives more appealing.
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Most buyers found setup quick and straightforward, often with a single cable. A smaller group encountered missing instructions, ambiguous guidance, error codes, or lengthy TV and streaming troubleshooting.
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Most buyers are highly satisfied because the product solves a specific, frustrating problem: understanding TV dialogue. Negative experiences cluster around compatibility failures, dropouts, and buyers who expected broader cinematic sound.
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The included remote is generally praised for its readable layout, solid feel, and centralized controls. TV-remote pairing is usually easy, but a few owners needed help or could only make it work through HDMI.
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Overall sound is often described as clear, strong, and much better than TV speakers, especially for speech. The main tradeoff is a boxy or tinny character and limited fullness for music and movies.
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Its many AccuVoice, surround, bass, and treble adjustments let listeners tailor speech to their hearing needs. Finding the ideal combination can take experimentation, and one critic found the many boost levels ineffective.
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Output leveling is highly effective at controlling loud commercials, music bursts, explosions, and large volume swings.
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Build quality is a standout, with a durable metal enclosure and a premium, solid feel.
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Its low height and compact footprint make it easy to place under a TV or use where space is limited.
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The hidden front display is a welcome touch because it clearly shows volume and setting changes.
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The built-in subwoofers impressed two owners with how much sound they produce from a small enclosure.
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The design is clean, streamlined, and low-profile, though the expert assessment calls it more utilitarian than stylish.
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HDMI ARC usually makes power and volume control simple through the TV remote. Compatibility is inconsistent, however, with some owners reporting failed control, port requirements, or needing HDMI instead of optical.
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The bar offers a useful assortment of wired connections, including HDMI, optical, analog, and USB options.
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Bass feedback is mixed: some owners are amazed by the built-in low end, while one expert hears useful rumble and another finds it thin and lacking impact.
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One Samsung owner found the optical connection unexpectedly useful because it still allowed TV-remote control after HDMI control failed.
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One experienced owner described the presentation as surprisingly big, wide, and deep for such a compact bar.
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It can play loudly enough for across-room listening, but its biggest strength is making voices clear without pushing the volume. One dissatisfied owner found that extra loudness did not translate into better clarity.
Cons
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Reliability is the most serious recurring concern. Several owners report intermittent connections, sound cutouts, streaming failures, unexpected power behavior, or a defective first unit.
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Support for immersive formats is limited because the bar lacks Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
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Bluetooth is not available, which limits wireless playback from phones and other devices.
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It does not support Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, so height effects are much less convincing than on a true Atmos soundbar.
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The AV855 cannot pair with additional speakers, limiting expansion into a larger multi-speaker system.
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One owner could not keep the soundbar shut off when switching to other audio outputs, indicating unreliable power behavior with that TV.
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One owner reported severe dropouts across streaming platforms and said the system could not maintain a stable streaming-audio connection.
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It works for everyday TV viewing, but its limited bass, music performance, and spatial impact keep it from delivering a true home-theater experience.
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Tonal balance is the clearest sound-quality weakness: several listeners call it boxy or tinny, especially at stronger voice-enhancement settings. A few owners found the midrange clear and adjustable enough to tame harsh voices.
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One owner says the included HDMI cable is below the recommended standard for maximum performance and should be replaced.
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The upward-firing drivers add only a modest sense of height, falling short of the reviewer’s expectations.
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The soundbar lacks a dedicated way to hang it from a wall-mounted television, forcing one owner to improvise.
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TV connection experiences vary widely: many owners report seamless power, remote, and ARC behavior, while others encountered error codes, app dropouts, sound cutting out, or incompatibility with specific TVs and services.
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Support experiences are inconsistent, ranging from fast, helpful replies to slow email-only service and curt or unhelpful assistance.
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Music performance divides opinion. One longtime ZVOX user praises it, another calls it adequate, while an expert found songs thin, hollow, and lacking weight.
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The controls are easy to learn through the remote, but there are no physical controls on the soundbar itself.
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Packaging reports are split: one unit arrived very well packed, while another costly unit arrived in a mostly open, gaping outer box.
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The upward-firing speakers are a welcome addition, but the resulting elevation effect remains limited without full immersive-format support.
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The surround modes add some width and fullness, but they are not a substitute for a true theater system. Higher surround settings can also reduce the voice clarity that makes this soundbar special.