Polk Audio Soundbars
compared

Polk Audio - Sound systems for a small price

In North America, Polk Audio has become the market leader for all kinds of audio solutions over the last fifty years. Accordingly, the product range of the US company is quite large, including entire home theater sets as well as some soundbars.

Particularly striking are the low prices the brand offers, which give the impression that good sound doesn’t necessarily have to cost a lot. In the following, we introduce you to some soundbars from Polk Audio and take a look at what they can do (and what they can’t).

Signa Soundbars compared

Polk Audio’s Signa series includes soundbars that all come with a wireless external subwoofer. However, due to their somewhat weaker performance, the models in this series are more suitable for small to medium-sized rooms.

Polk Audio Signa S4
Signa S4
Polk Audio Signa S3
Signa S3
Polk Signa S2
Signa S2
Model year 2021 2020 2019
Channels 3.1.2 2.1 (5.1 virtual) 2.1
Dolby Atmos
DTS
HDMI 2.1
eARC
WLAN
Room size up to 25 m2 up to 25 m2 up to 15 m2
Subwoofer External External External
Satellites
Dimensions Height x Width x Depth 60 x 1046 x 95 mm 56 x 898 x 83 mm 50 x 899 x 79 mm

Polk Audio Signa S4 2021
3.1.2-Setup with Dolby Atmos

Room size
up to 25 m2
Channels
3.1.2

Polk Audio Signa S4 Connections

HDMI OutHDMI eARCDigital optical3.5mm Jack
Dolby Atmos
Set
Soundbar + Subwoofer
  • 3.1.2-channel-system
  • External subwoofer
  • Sound modes
  • Dolby Atmos
  • Dialog Enhancement Feature
  • HDMI eARC
  • Bluetooth
  • No DTS
  • No network connection

The Polk Audio Signa S4 is a 3.1.2 channel system with a wireless external subwoofer. With the help of its height channels, the soundbar can reproduce three-dimensional sound and supports the innovative sound format Dolby Atmos. This can be transmitted uncompressed via HDMI eARC. The soundbar also has an optical interface and an AUX connection. Thanks to an upmixing function, the system can even create virtual Dolby Atmos sound from standard audio content.

To ensure that voices and dialogs are reproduced clearly, the soundbar has a dedicated center speaker. It is also equipped with Polk’s VoiceAdjust technology. This is linked to the center channel and ensures that you can adjust the volume of the voices separately and thus never miss a word.

The Signa S4 has a Bluetooth connection for wireless content transfer. Unfortunately, there are no other smart features. In addition, the soundbar has relatively few options for sound customization. There is only a movie, music and night mode.

Polk Audio Signa S3 2020
2.1-channel-system with integrated Chromecast

Room size
up to 25 m2
Channels
2.1
(5.1 virtual)

Polk Audio Signa S3 Connections

HDMI OutHDMI ARCDigital optical3.5mm Jack
Set
Soundbar + Subwoofer
  • 160W total power
  • External Subwoofer
  • Virtual Surround Sound
  • Dialog Enhancement Feature
  • Integrated Chromecast
  • Works with Google Assistant
  • Bluetooth
  • No DTS
  • No 3D Sound

The Polk Audio Signa S3 also comes with an external subwoofer, which is connected wirelessly and can thus be placed anywhere. Unlike the Signa S4, however, it is not Dolby Atmos certified. Likewise, DTS content is not supported, so only Dolby Digital sound can be played over it. The system has a total power of 160 watts.

Although the Signa S3 does not have a dedicated center channel, it still features Polk’s VoiceAdjust technology. This allows the voice volume to be adjusted by three levels. The soundbar also has a night mode and movie, music and sports modes for adjusting the sound.

Besides a classic Bluetooth interface, the soundbar also has Chromecast integrated, which makes it quite smart. Thus, you can easily stream content wirelessly and the soundbar is compatible with the Google Assistant.

Polk Audio Signa S3 Review

Polk Signa S2 2019
Cheap 2.1 Soundbar with subwoofer

Room size
up to 15 m2
Channels
2.1

Polk Signa S2 Connections

HDMI OutHDMI ARCDigital optical3.5mm Jack
Set
Soundbar + Subwoofer
  • 100W total power
  • 5.1 virtual channels
  • Wireless Subwoofer
  • Can become quite loud
  • HDMI ARC/CEC
  • Bluetooth
  • Flat design
  • No Dolby Atmos and DTS
  • Surround Sound
  • No internet connection

The Polk Audio Signa S2 is a classic 2.1-channel system. The soundbar and subwoofer are connected wirelessly here as well, which saves annoying cable mess. The total power is about 100 watts, which makes the setup more suitable for smaller rooms. However, the system should be loud enough for most people.

Since the soundbar’s mid-range is well-balanced, voices are reproduced clearly. Furthermore, the soundbar has a dialogue enhancement feature. Besides stereo sound, it can generate virtual surround sound, but this does not sound very immersive. Unfortunately, DTS content is not supported. Apart from a handful of EQ presets, there are hardly any options to adjust the sound.

For wireless connection, the Polk Audio Signa S2 features a classic Bluetooth interface. For wired connection, it can be plugged in either via its AUX port, the optical port or the HDMI ARC interface.

MagniFi Soundbars compared

Polk Audio’s MagniFi series soundbars are predestined for your home theater: They come with a slightly stronger overall performance and can produce room-filling sound.

Polk Audio MagniFi Max SR
MagniFi Max SR
Polk Audio MagniFi 2
MagniFi 2
Model year 2018 2020
Channels 5.1 2.1 (5.1.2 virtual)
Dolby Atmos
DTS
HDMI 2.1
eARC
WLAN
Room size up to 40 m2 up to 25 m2
Subwoofer External External
Satellites
Dimensions Height x Width x Depth 53 x 1092 x 96 mm 53 x 1092 x 96 mm

Polk Audio MagniFi Max SR 2018
5.1 Surround system with smart features

Room size
up to 40 m2
Channels
5.1

Polk Audio MagniFi Max SR Connections

HDMI 2.0 InHDMI OutHDMI ARCDigital optical3.5mm JackLAN-Ethernet
Set
Soundbar + Subwoofer + Satellites
  • 400W total power
  • External Subwoofer
  • Satellite speakers
  • Three HDMI inputs
  • 4K-pass-through & Dolby Vision
  • Dolby Digital & DTS
  • Bluetooth, Wi-Fi & Chromecast
  • No 3D Sound

The MagniFi Max SR is basically the flagship of the American manufacturer. With it, Polk Audio has launched a proper 5.1 system consisting of a soundbar, subwoofer and satellite speakers. The maximum power of the setup is 400 watts and it supports both Dolby Digital and DTS content, creating a room-filling, powerful home theater sound. The soundbar’s sound profile is suitable for many different types of content, which is why it is multifunctional. Voices and dialogs are also reproduced clearly and can be improved even more with the dialogue enhancement feature.

Unfortunately, there are audible compressions and distortions during the playback of the MagniFi Max SR in some cases, especially with bass-heavy content. These are particularly noticeable at a very high volume. Since there is no graphic equalizer and only a bass adjustment feature, you hardly have any options to fix this problem.

Polk Audio has not skimped on smart features with this soundbar: It has integrated Chromecast as well as Bluetooth and a Wi-Fi interface. Only Apple Airplay is not supported by the soundbar. The analog interfaces are just as extensive, as the soundbar has three HDMI inputs, an HDMI ARC output, an optical port, an AUX port and an Ethernet interface.

Polk Audio MagniFi 2 2020
Soundbar with external sub and virtual surround sound

Room size
up to 25 m2
Channels
2.1
(5.1.2 virtual)

Polk Audio MagniFi 2 Connections

HDMI 2.0 InHDMI OutDigital optical
Set
Soundbar + Subwoofer
  • 200W total power
  • External Subwoofer
  • Virtual Surround Sound
  • Three HDMI Inputs
  • Dolby Digital & DTS
  • Bluetooth & Chromecast
  • Works with Google Assistant
  • No 3D Sound

The Polk Audio MagniFi 2 is supposed to provide a cinema feeling in your own four walls. The soundbar comes with a wireless subwoofer and together they have a total output of 200 watts. For a wide sound image, the soundbar is equipped with the patented Polk SDA surround technology and a 3D audio mode. This expands the sound image with virtual height channels, which is to create a more immersive sound. Apart from that, the system supports both Dolby Digital and DTS content.

The MagniFi 2 has an HDMI ARC output and three HDMI 2.0 inputs to which you can connect players or consoles. The soundbar is also 4K compatible and supports Dolby Vision. In addition to another optical port, the soundbar’s wireless connectivity options are also impressive. Since it has Google Chromecast integrated, music and podcasts from various streaming services can be played via Wi-Fi.

React Soundbars

The React series is the smartest soundbar from Polk Audio. Thereby, the US company relies on the integration of Amazon’s Alexa, which makes the use of various smart features possible.

Polk Audio React 2021
Simple 2.0-soundbar with Amazon Alexa

Room size
up to 15 m2
Channels
2

Polk Audio React Connections

HDMI OutHDMI ARCDigital optical
Set
Soundbar
  • 100W total power
  • Dolby Digital & DTS
  • Virtual Surround Sound
  • Built-in Amazon Alexa
  • Dialog Enhancement Feature
  • Bluetooth
  • Multiroom Option
  • No 3D Sound
  • Without Subwoofer
  • Few ports

The Polk Audio React is a slim soundbar that comes without an additional subwoofer. The 2.0-channel system supports Dolby Digital and DTS content and can create virtual surround sound. If you want true surround sound, you can expand the soundbar with an additionally available subwoofer and wireless satellite speakers.

What is particularly noteworthy about this soundbar are its smart features. It has an integrated Amazon Alexa and can thus be easily controlled via voice command. It can also be paired with other Alexa devices, making it a multi-room system. Even phone calls are possible via the soundbar thanks to the built-in Alexa.

Furthermore, the Polk Audio React has a classic Bluetooth interface to receive content wirelessly. Otherwise, an optical port and an HDMI ARC output can be found on its back.