Okay, so I snagged this Hiwill A21 soundbar for under $90 expecting magic. Spoiler: it's 70% magic, 30% 'meh'. The unboxing felt premium – solid packaging, sleek metal finish that doesn't scream 'cheap'. Fits perfectly under my 55" TV without looking like an afterthought.

Setup? Stupid easy. Plugged into HDMI eARC and BAM – working in 5 minutes flat. Dialogue clarity? Chef's kiss. Watching The Crown felt like Claire Foy was whispering directly into my soul. But here's the tea: bass at low volumes is weaker than my morning coffee. At 30% volume, explosions in John Wick sounded like someone dropping a textbook.

The weirdest part? It kept forgetting my volume settings like a goldfish. Turns out there's a firmware update (which they don't tell you upfront). Had to DM their support for files – upgrade needs a USB stick (who even owns those in 2023?). Post-update? Bass got punchier at low volumes and FINALLY remembers my settings. Still not earth-shaking though.

Verdict: For $90, it's a steal if you're cool with minor tinkering. Just know you're getting 'Dolby Atmos Lite' – great for voices, decent for music, bass needs volume to shine. 4/5 stars with firmware update, 3/5 without.