Dell SB521A Ultra Thin Soundbar

Product Information

Estimated valueis Dell’s estimate of product value based on industry data, including the prices at which third-party retailers have offered or valued the same or comparable products, in its most recent survey of major online and/or off-line retailers. Third-party retailer data may not be based on actual sales. Sitting at about arm’s length from the soundbar itself, things are usually ok in terms of it feeling like stereo sound, thanks to each driver being at the far end length of the speaker itself. However, it starts to break down if one were to move towards the speaker a little, as the soundstage is not as wide as two separate satellite speakers would be, causing it to narrow it to something more mono-sounding; a heads up for interested parties to sit further away to get the best experience.

USB3 has been utilized for the soundbar’s only connectivity option and Dell didn’t see a need to implement any kind of Bluetooth connectivity that might increase the cost of the product – A move I agree with though as always, wouldn’t hurt to include a separate SKU for those that might want it. Soundstage & Volume Clean or reconnect all cables again. Test the soundbar with a different audio source, such as from another computer.The Dell AX510 and AX510PA are soundbars that attach to the bottom of certain Dell monitors. The following Dell knowledge base article has more information (including compatibility) about these soundbars: General Information About the Dell AX510 and AX510PA Soundbars on Dell internal analysis using publicly available specs in August 2023 comparing maximum effective capacity for PowerStore 1200 and FlashArray //X20. Assumes average 4:1 data reduction for PowerStore, 5:1 for Pure Storage. Actual results vary. The display quality, as you would expect, is top notch with 100% sRGB and 95% DCI-P3 coverage; any higher and you’re creeping into pro-grade territory that can have monitors easily costing more than 1.5x the price in comparison. The colors and contrast are great out of the box and don’t look too saturated or vibrant. Being pre-calibrated with a DeltaE of <2 from the factory, there is no need for calibration tools; perfect for content creators that may not want to invest in one.

Final thoughts The AC511 is a decent soundbar attached to my Dell P2715Q, first released in 2014. So when I decided to upgrade to the U2723QE, I was happy to see that despite the annoyance that the soundbar I already own won't fit, I may be able to acquire a similar sound experience with the new screen and an SB522A soundbar. Unfortunately, the speaker is not worth using as a general purpose computer speaker even for conference calls, as it is marketed, and the microphone is redundant. While I'll miss the convenience of a speaker that stays off of my desk, listening to the tiny tinny dell slim conferencing soundbar would surely hurt my ears over time. Your work office or home office deserve better.The Microphone A unique feature of this soundbar versus the Dell Slim Soundbar SB521A is that this model has a built in microphone. So, even though most of the supported monitors do not come with a camera, you can at least take audio conferencing calls with this soundbar, the monitor, and nothing else. My first audio test of the microphone led me to believe that it was complete trash. My voice sound like it was coming from a roadside payphone - tinny, raspy, without any depth. But that was when I was using the slim soundbar as my main speaker. I changed the audio output to the AC511, and... well, it wasn't amazing, but it wasn't that bad either. I would say it's equivalent to the speaker that is built into my Logitech C922 webcam. But since it's about as good of a mic as the webcam that I'll have plugged in anyway, I don't know if there's any point for me to use the soundbars microphone.

For a person that is pretty much used to stereo speakers and the way they sound, the soundstage of the soundbar definitely takes some time getting used to. Dell has even included a god damn Ethernet port on this thing, just in case there is a conceivable reason that a configuration like this would be better for cable management. IDC Whitepaper: “Optimizing Performance with Frequent Server Replacements for Enterprises” commissioned by Dell Technologies and Intel, March 2021. Results are based on interviews with 18 IT practitioners and decision makers at midsize and large enterprises and a web survey of 707 IT practitioners and decision makers at midsize and larger enterprises using Dell Technologies server solutions across 7 industries. See full whitepaper: https://www.delltechnologies.com/resources/en-us/asset/white-papers/products/servers/server-infrastructure-resiliency-enterprise-whitepaper.pdfHard drive retention: Hard drive retention is not available on models with a soldered hard drive, including XPS 9315 2in1, Chromebooks or Venue tablets, except the Venue 11 Pro. Accidental Damage-Additional Information: Accidental Damage Service excludes theft, loss, and damage due to fire, flood or other acts of nature, or intentional damage. Customer may be required to return damaged unit to Dell. Limit of 1 qualified incident per contract year. For more information, consumers visit Accidental Damage Service Contract (Consumer) or commercial customers visit Accidental Damage Service Contract (Commercial). On more challenging songs such as the extremely bass-heavy intro of Metallica’s Enter Sandman, the bass simply sounds muted from what you’d expect and isn’t a good experience, the same can be said with George Michael’s Careless Whisper where the Saxophone solo just isn’t as nuanced when from note to note. Dell monitors with integrated speakers do not have the required slots or connections available to connect a soundbar. Terms Apply. Promotion ends 3 December 2023. Items are subject to availability. Max 5 units per customer.