The Polk MagniFi MAX maximum-performance home theater sound bar and wireless subwoofer system provides bigger, more dynamic sound than traditional sound bars - and is optimized to make movies, TV, sports and music come alive. It features patented SDA surround technology for a wider, more immersive listening experience and Voice Adjust technology for crystal clear dialog - and with Polk Smart Remote technology it works with your Samsung, Sony, Vizio and LG TV remote right out of the box. Includes HDMI and optical cables for quick and easy setup. And built-in Bluetooth and Google Chromecast Built-in technologies let you stream all of your favorite music.
The Polk MagniFi MAX maximum-performance home theater sound bar and wireless subwoofer system provides bigger, more dynamic sound than traditional sound bars - and is optimized to make movies, TV, sports and music come alive. It features patented SDA surround technology for a wider, more immersive listening experience and Voice Adjust technology for crystal clear dialog - and with Polk Smart Remote technology it works with your Samsung, Sony, Vizio and LG TV remote right out of the box. Includes HDMI and optical cables for quick and easy setup. And built-in Bluetooth and Google Chromecast Built-in technologies let you stream all of your favorite music.
The Polk MagniFi MAX maximum-performance home theater sound bar and wireless subwoofer system provides bigger, more dynamic sound than traditional sound bars - and is optimized to make movies, TV, sports and music come alive. It features patented SDA surround technology for a wider, more immersive listening experience and Voice Adjust technology for crystal clear dialog - and with Polk Smart Remote technology it works with your Samsung, Sony, Vizio and LG TV remote right out of the box. Includes HDMI and optical cables for quick and easy setup. And built-in Bluetooth and Google Chromecast Built-in technologies let you stream all of your favorite music.
The Polk MagniFi MAX maximum-performance home theater sound bar and wireless subwoofer system provides bigger, more dynamic sound than traditional sound bars - and is optimized to make movies, TV, sports and music come alive. It features patented SDA surround technology for a wider, more immersive listening experience and Voice Adjust technology for crystal clear dialog - and with Polk Smart Remote technology it works with your Samsung, Sony, Vizio and LG TV remote right out of the box. Includes HDMI and optical cables for quick and easy setup. And built-in Bluetooth and Google Chromecast Built-in technologies let you stream all of your favorite music.
Last updated at 07/24/2026 16:48:29
Polk Magnifi Max Soundbar Home Theatre Unit Only Sound Bar Bluetooth
Delivery $66.90
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Polk Audio Magnifi Max Sr Wireless Soundbar System 400w Hdmi
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Polk MagniFi Max Home Theatre Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer
Free delivery
originally posted on bestbuy.com
I have been very impressed with the sound quality of the product so far. I prefer a distinct surround sound setup, but that was not an option for my living room due to space limitations. I have always enjoyed the sound of Polk products, so I decided to try this one. My wife who doesn't usually commend on audio systems even said it was significantly better than the Samsung sound bar we had previously. The subwoofer has a great bass response and can really be loud if you want it to. I also really enjoy the soundbar's ability to increase the volume of dialogue in movies and shows.The only reason I am not giving this 5 stars is because we did encounter interference with the wireless subwoofer when we put it in our preferred locations. Whenever it needed strong bass, ... MoreI have been very impressed with the sound quality of the product so far. I prefer a distinct surround sound setup, but that was not an option for my living room due to space limitations. I have always enjoyed the sound of Polk products, so I decided to try this one. My wife who doesn't usually commend on audio systems even said it was significantly better than the Samsung sound bar we had previously. The subwoofer has a great bass response and can really be loud if you want it to. I also really enjoy the soundbar's ability to increase the volume of dialogue in movies and shows.The only reason I am not giving this 5 stars is because we did encounter interference with the wireless subwoofer when we put it in our preferred locations. Whenever it needed strong bass, there was an audible crackling from the speaker. We moved the subwoofer closer to the soundbar and the problem was eliminated. The original location was about 13 feet away (the manual states the distance is good to about 20 feet) while the new location is less than 4 feet away.I would highly recommend this soundbar with the caveat that you may need to have the subwoofer relatively close to the soundbar to avoid interference.
originally posted on polkaudio.com
After first buying the MagniFi Max we were very happy with the sound quality so we bought another one for our other tv. Soon after buying them we started having issues with both of them. It wasn't as bad at first but now several times a week they need to be unplugged and plugged back in to get them to work. Not only will they not come on when the TV is turned on but they won't even respond to the remote controls that came with them or by pressing the buttons on the actual sound bars. Usually the only way to get them working again is to unplug and plug back in. Occasionally if we wait long enough (a few minutes) the first one will eventually start working but most of the time it won't. There are also other issues with both of them; crackling in the rear speakers. I ... MoreAfter first buying the MagniFi Max we were very happy with the sound quality so we bought another one for our other tv. Soon after buying them we started having issues with both of them. It wasn't as bad at first but now several times a week they need to be unplugged and plugged back in to get them to work. Not only will they not come on when the TV is turned on but they won't even respond to the remote controls that came with them or by pressing the buttons on the actual sound bars. Usually the only way to get them working again is to unplug and plug back in. Occasionally if we wait long enough (a few minutes) the first one will eventually start working but most of the time it won't. There are also other issues with both of them; crackling in the rear speakers. I have seen a lot of other reviews with the same complaints. I've been trying to figure out if it's with certain apps or shows because sometimes they work fine while other times they don't. Sometimes the sound will stop on the second unit until you hit the volume up or down buttons. This will continue every few minutes until it is unplugged and plugged back in. These issues happen often enough that we completely regret the money we spent on them. It is unfortunate that the technology is so flawed because we really loved the sound quality but now we are just angry that we wasted so much money on them. We are considering putting a remote control switch for the outlets they are plugged into to more easily reset them when they are "stuck". If I would have realized what a headache these things would be I would have returned them right away. This experience has me completely opposed to ever buying another Polk product.
originally posted on bestbuy.com
I’m going to start off by saying that any issues I experienced with the Polk MagniFi Max sound bar were for the most part self induced. Our newest television, a 4K UHD with rear-firing built-in speakers, is a prime candidate for an audio upgrade with a sound bar/subwoofer combo like this Polk. This is especially true since I struggle quite a bit with dialog in a lot of programming and the MagniFi Max features “VoiceAdjust” technology to enhance vocal content. This TV’s primary source material is from a DirecTV Genie Mini.This TV was previously hooked up to a competitor’s voice-enhancing sound bar (without a subwoofer) via an optical audio cable and the source devices were all hooked into HDMI ports on the TV (this sound bar did not HDMI pass-through as the Polk ... MoreI’m going to start off by saying that any issues I experienced with the Polk MagniFi Max sound bar were for the most part self induced. Our newest television, a 4K UHD with rear-firing built-in speakers, is a prime candidate for an audio upgrade with a sound bar/subwoofer combo like this Polk. This is especially true since I struggle quite a bit with dialog in a lot of programming and the MagniFi Max features “VoiceAdjust” technology to enhance vocal content. This TV’s primary source material is from a DirecTV Genie Mini.This TV was previously hooked up to a competitor’s voice-enhancing sound bar (without a subwoofer) via an optical audio cable and the source devices were all hooked into HDMI ports on the TV (this sound bar did not HDMI pass-through as the Polk does). The TV has one HDMI jack with ARC (audio return channel) and three other HDMI inputs through which other components were hooked up. We also have a television with a sound bar/wireless subwoofer, and another TV utilizing an audio-video receiver, so in my defense, I am not a complete buffoon when it comes to audio and video equipment. However, I am not in the nerdy-hobbyist camp either.When I first connected the Polk, I connected an HDMI cable between the ARC labeled jacks on the TV and the sound bar per the directions in the accompanying Quick Start Guide, but left the DirecTV input directly to the television. I got no audio from the Polk…until I plugged in the digital optical audio cable. Things then worked as I expected them to, but I would get an annoying high-pitched screech for a fraction of a second when I changed channels using the DirecTV remote or when dropping out of rewind or fast-forward into play on DVR recordings. I then moved the HDMI connection from the Genie Mini from the TV to one of the HDMI jacks on the back of the Polk and no more screech. I now decided to remove the digital optical connection, and I still got output from the Polk. Great! Obviously there is more to getting all of these computers (they are no longer simple TVs, speakers, and antennas) to communicate properly with each other. Next I tried to use one of the streaming apps on the TV and…no audio from the Polk. Hook up the optical cable again, and I now get sound, so I guess that needs to stay connected. I tried various other combinations of HDMI/optical hookups in my quest to find audio/video nirvana, but won’t detail them here. I did finally get rid of the screech after calling Polk’s support line and they told me I should have the TV’s digital output set to “PCM” rather than “DD”…see, self-induced issue. This is kind of like the Cliff Notes version, and I struggled with the set-up longer than I care to admit.The manual that comes with the MagniFi Max is labeled “Quick Start Guide”, but is about a quarter of an inch thick booklet. It turns out only 20 pages of 95 are in English. Off to Polk’s website in search of a full User Guide, but the only support that currently appears for this product is a downloadable “info sheet” which is just an electronic advertising brochure. To be fair, Polk does offer email and phone support which I eventually used, but I am still a little disappointed with the lack of a more thorough manual for a device that has as many connections, features, and potential pitfalls for novices - and I like to think I am a little ahead of the average consumer when it comes to this kind of stuff.This sound bar system has a feature that I was not aware of existing in this kind of equipment in that it has Google Chromecast built into it. I downloaded the Google Home app onto my iPhone so that the sound bar could check for a firmware update, and for the fun of it I set up a Spotify account and streamed music through the MagniFi and I must say this part of my experience worked much smoother than setting up the TV connections. Did the sound quality match my dedicated 2-channel stereo system, no it didn’t, but the Polk is a big improvement over any portable Bluetooth speaker I have ever used with my phone and it should be a great feature for anyone looking to integrate their entertainment systems as much as possible.The wireless connection that automatically happens between the sound bar and the subwoofer has worked flawlessly, no matter how many times I interrupted the power supply to make changes in the sound bar to TV connections. Build quality of both components is top notch, with fit and finish befitting this price point. My old eyes would have preferred a little more contrast with the button markings on the remote and on the sound bar - the gold on black background, tiny print could easily be improved upon. The sound bar communicates visually to you through a series of colored LEDs on the front of it (it does not offer any on-screen graphics). They are kind of cryptic at first but eventually you find yourself referring less and less to the manual. Polk describes the sound bar as “low profile” so it doesn’t block the TV’s remote sensor, but by the same token this keeps the mid-range drivers to a relatively small size. The sound bar is 43 inches wide and this will make it hard to fit between the feet of smaller televisions that don’t use a central pedestal base. It would have been nice if Polk would have included some optional feet for the sound bar to raise it 1 to 1.5 inches so that television stands/feet could pass under it, especially since the bottom of it is not completely flat which makes it a little difficult to improvise elevating it slightly.The sound quality of the MagniFi Max is vastly superior to the built-in speakers of most any current-era flat screen television. Anyone considering a sound bar purchase really should consider a system with a subwoofer to get maximum enjoyment from their television and this Polk will not disappoint on overall sound enhancement and performance. People with issues of hearing dialog on the television will find this sound bar especially beneficial as I did. To cut down on remote control clutter, the sound bar is able to learn commands of your other remotes such as volume up/down and mute so that you can hide away the Polk remote. This programming worked flawlessly by following the instructions in the manual. Besides the remote, the MagniFi Max comes with wall mount brackets, and all of the cabling you may need to integrate it into your current system without having to buy any additional parts or accessories.The only reason I am not giving this product a full five stars is because the User Guide could have been more thorough regarding features and connectivity thus making set-up a little less painful.
| Warranty | 2 Years |
| Total System Frequency | 35Hz - 20kHz |
| Qty Included | 1 |
| Orientation | Horizontal |
| Mounting Type | Flush-Mount Wall Bracket |
Polk Magnifi Max Soundbar Home Theatre Unit Only Sound Bar Bluetooth
Delivery $66.90
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Polk Audio Magnifi Max Sr Wireless Soundbar System 400w Hdmi
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Polk MagniFi Max Home Theatre Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer
Free delivery
I have been very impressed with the sound quality of the product so far. I prefer a distinct surround sound setup, but that was not an option for my living room due to space limitations. I have always enjoyed the sound of Polk products, so I decided to try this one. My wife who doesn't usually commend on audio systems even said it was significantly better than the Samsung sound bar we had previously. The subwoofer has a great bass response and can really be loud if you want it to. I also really enjoy the soundbar's ability to increase the volume of dialogue in movies and shows.The only reason I am not giving this 5 stars is because we did encounter interference with the wireless subwoofer when we put it in our preferred locations. Whenever it needed strong bass, ... MoreI have been very impressed with the sound quality of the product so far. I prefer a distinct surround sound setup, but that was not an option for my living room due to space limitations. I have always enjoyed the sound of Polk products, so I decided to try this one. My wife who doesn't usually commend on audio systems even said it was significantly better than the Samsung sound bar we had previously. The subwoofer has a great bass response and can really be loud if you want it to. I also really enjoy the soundbar's ability to increase the volume of dialogue in movies and shows.The only reason I am not giving this 5 stars is because we did encounter interference with the wireless subwoofer when we put it in our preferred locations. Whenever it needed strong bass, there was an audible crackling from the speaker. We moved the subwoofer closer to the soundbar and the problem was eliminated. The original location was about 13 feet away (the manual states the distance is good to about 20 feet) while the new location is less than 4 feet away.I would highly recommend this soundbar with the caveat that you may need to have the subwoofer relatively close to the soundbar to avoid interference.
After first buying the MagniFi Max we were very happy with the sound quality so we bought another one for our other tv. Soon after buying them we started having issues with both of them. It wasn't as bad at first but now several times a week they need to be unplugged and plugged back in to get them to work. Not only will they not come on when the TV is turned on but they won't even respond to the remote controls that came with them or by pressing the buttons on the actual sound bars. Usually the only way to get them working again is to unplug and plug back in. Occasionally if we wait long enough (a few minutes) the first one will eventually start working but most of the time it won't. There are also other issues with both of them; crackling in the rear speakers. I ... MoreAfter first buying the MagniFi Max we were very happy with the sound quality so we bought another one for our other tv. Soon after buying them we started having issues with both of them. It wasn't as bad at first but now several times a week they need to be unplugged and plugged back in to get them to work. Not only will they not come on when the TV is turned on but they won't even respond to the remote controls that came with them or by pressing the buttons on the actual sound bars. Usually the only way to get them working again is to unplug and plug back in. Occasionally if we wait long enough (a few minutes) the first one will eventually start working but most of the time it won't. There are also other issues with both of them; crackling in the rear speakers. I have seen a lot of other reviews with the same complaints. I've been trying to figure out if it's with certain apps or shows because sometimes they work fine while other times they don't. Sometimes the sound will stop on the second unit until you hit the volume up or down buttons. This will continue every few minutes until it is unplugged and plugged back in. These issues happen often enough that we completely regret the money we spent on them. It is unfortunate that the technology is so flawed because we really loved the sound quality but now we are just angry that we wasted so much money on them. We are considering putting a remote control switch for the outlets they are plugged into to more easily reset them when they are "stuck". If I would have realized what a headache these things would be I would have returned them right away. This experience has me completely opposed to ever buying another Polk product.
I’m going to start off by saying that any issues I experienced with the Polk MagniFi Max sound bar were for the most part self induced. Our newest television, a 4K UHD with rear-firing built-in speakers, is a prime candidate for an audio upgrade with a sound bar/subwoofer combo like this Polk. This is especially true since I struggle quite a bit with dialog in a lot of programming and the MagniFi Max features “VoiceAdjust” technology to enhance vocal content. This TV’s primary source material is from a DirecTV Genie Mini.This TV was previously hooked up to a competitor’s voice-enhancing sound bar (without a subwoofer) via an optical audio cable and the source devices were all hooked into HDMI ports on the TV (this sound bar did not HDMI pass-through as the Polk ... MoreI’m going to start off by saying that any issues I experienced with the Polk MagniFi Max sound bar were for the most part self induced. Our newest television, a 4K UHD with rear-firing built-in speakers, is a prime candidate for an audio upgrade with a sound bar/subwoofer combo like this Polk. This is especially true since I struggle quite a bit with dialog in a lot of programming and the MagniFi Max features “VoiceAdjust” technology to enhance vocal content. This TV’s primary source material is from a DirecTV Genie Mini.This TV was previously hooked up to a competitor’s voice-enhancing sound bar (without a subwoofer) via an optical audio cable and the source devices were all hooked into HDMI ports on the TV (this sound bar did not HDMI pass-through as the Polk does). The TV has one HDMI jack with ARC (audio return channel) and three other HDMI inputs through which other components were hooked up. We also have a television with a sound bar/wireless subwoofer, and another TV utilizing an audio-video receiver, so in my defense, I am not a complete buffoon when it comes to audio and video equipment. However, I am not in the nerdy-hobbyist camp either.When I first connected the Polk, I connected an HDMI cable between the ARC labeled jacks on the TV and the sound bar per the directions in the accompanying Quick Start Guide, but left the DirecTV input directly to the television. I got no audio from the Polk…until I plugged in the digital optical audio cable. Things then worked as I expected them to, but I would get an annoying high-pitched screech for a fraction of a second when I changed channels using the DirecTV remote or when dropping out of rewind or fast-forward into play on DVR recordings. I then moved the HDMI connection from the Genie Mini from the TV to one of the HDMI jacks on the back of the Polk and no more screech. I now decided to remove the digital optical connection, and I still got output from the Polk. Great! Obviously there is more to getting all of these computers (they are no longer simple TVs, speakers, and antennas) to communicate properly with each other. Next I tried to use one of the streaming apps on the TV and…no audio from the Polk. Hook up the optical cable again, and I now get sound, so I guess that needs to stay connected. I tried various other combinations of HDMI/optical hookups in my quest to find audio/video nirvana, but won’t detail them here. I did finally get rid of the screech after calling Polk’s support line and they told me I should have the TV’s digital output set to “PCM” rather than “DD”…see, self-induced issue. This is kind of like the Cliff Notes version, and I struggled with the set-up longer than I care to admit.The manual that comes with the MagniFi Max is labeled “Quick Start Guide”, but is about a quarter of an inch thick booklet. It turns out only 20 pages of 95 are in English. Off to Polk’s website in search of a full User Guide, but the only support that currently appears for this product is a downloadable “info sheet” which is just an electronic advertising brochure. To be fair, Polk does offer email and phone support which I eventually used, but I am still a little disappointed with the lack of a more thorough manual for a device that has as many connections, features, and potential pitfalls for novices - and I like to think I am a little ahead of the average consumer when it comes to this kind of stuff.This sound bar system has a feature that I was not aware of existing in this kind of equipment in that it has Google Chromecast built into it. I downloaded the Google Home app onto my iPhone so that the sound bar could check for a firmware update, and for the fun of it I set up a Spotify account and streamed music through the MagniFi and I must say this part of my experience worked much smoother than setting up the TV connections. Did the sound quality match my dedicated 2-channel stereo system, no it didn’t, but the Polk is a big improvement over any portable Bluetooth speaker I have ever used with my phone and it should be a great feature for anyone looking to integrate their entertainment systems as much as possible.The wireless connection that automatically happens between the sound bar and the subwoofer has worked flawlessly, no matter how many times I interrupted the power supply to make changes in the sound bar to TV connections. Build quality of both components is top notch, with fit and finish befitting this price point. My old eyes would have preferred a little more contrast with the button markings on the remote and on the sound bar - the gold on black background, tiny print could easily be improved upon. The sound bar communicates visually to you through a series of colored LEDs on the front of it (it does not offer any on-screen graphics). They are kind of cryptic at first but eventually you find yourself referring less and less to the manual. Polk describes the sound bar as “low profile” so it doesn’t block the TV’s remote sensor, but by the same token this keeps the mid-range drivers to a relatively small size. The sound bar is 43 inches wide and this will make it hard to fit between the feet of smaller televisions that don’t use a central pedestal base. It would have been nice if Polk would have included some optional feet for the sound bar to raise it 1 to 1.5 inches so that television stands/feet could pass under it, especially since the bottom of it is not completely flat which makes it a little difficult to improvise elevating it slightly.The sound quality of the MagniFi Max is vastly superior to the built-in speakers of most any current-era flat screen television. Anyone considering a sound bar purchase really should consider a system with a subwoofer to get maximum enjoyment from their television and this Polk will not disappoint on overall sound enhancement and performance. People with issues of hearing dialog on the television will find this sound bar especially beneficial as I did. To cut down on remote control clutter, the sound bar is able to learn commands of your other remotes such as volume up/down and mute so that you can hide away the Polk remote. This programming worked flawlessly by following the instructions in the manual. Besides the remote, the MagniFi Max comes with wall mount brackets, and all of the cabling you may need to integrate it into your current system without having to buy any additional parts or accessories.The only reason I am not giving this product a full five stars is because the User Guide could have been more thorough regarding features and connectivity thus making set-up a little less painful.
If I had a small apartment the mini would work fine but, I have an open floor plan room where we watch TV. The max comes out of a LOT of packaging but, it is packed well. Installation and set up could not be easier. It basically tells you which cables and inputs to pick and covers you with all of the hook ups. It worked with my cable box remote without having to do a thing. The unit itself sounds great and fills the room with great Polk audio sound, especially music, voice and bass. I am pairing this with a 65" Sony A8 and a Sony 4K player and it works like a champ. Good mid-range and highs in it, I like that the bass unit (which is a bit huge so, you'll need to think about where to put it) gives those low frequencies without straining like the Samsung I replaced ... MoreIf I had a small apartment the mini would work fine but, I have an open floor plan room where we watch TV. The max comes out of a LOT of packaging but, it is packed well. Installation and set up could not be easier. It basically tells you which cables and inputs to pick and covers you with all of the hook ups. It worked with my cable box remote without having to do a thing. The unit itself sounds great and fills the room with great Polk audio sound, especially music, voice and bass. I am pairing this with a 65" Sony A8 and a Sony 4K player and it works like a champ. Good mid-range and highs in it, I like that the bass unit (which is a bit huge so, you'll need to think about where to put it) gives those low frequencies without straining like the Samsung I replaced that went bad. I am still trying to figure out how to get the blu ray player as loud as the Cable box. For cable the audio is perfect but, for blu ray I'm pushing into the 90s on the TV out volume which doesn't seem right. Possibly running coax straight to the Max from the Blu Ray will do it but, it's so easy with the HDMI to the TV and because I haven't needed that last bit of volume without blowing myself out of the room, I just haven't experimented. Otherwise if you are just going Cable and/or TV Apps like Netflix, this unit will blow your mind. I may eventually pair with the wireless surrounds at some point which is a nice option but, honestly if you are looking for realistic theatre sound out of a simple bar + sub setup and to chill with subscriptions, look no further. But, don't pay list.
I am being generous on the 3 star rating honestly. The sound is fantastic because Polk. Setup is easy as is pairing bluetooth. But here is the deal, the sub clicks even when not being used. I've researched and its rather common. It doesn't do it all the time, but its super annoying when it does. For $600-ish dollars, no, not worth it.I also bought the satellite speakers to make it surround and again the pairing was easy and they work well. But the subwoofer clicking and making the noise makes this thing not close to worth the money.
This is a long term review as I purchased this in August of 2020. Overall sound quality is great. I have had good performance up until recently out of this unit when it suddenly stopped producing sound other than the volume up and down noise it makes when adjusting volume. This was a few weeks after connecting it to a new 4k TV...suddenly when watching something on a Firestick and adjusting the volume down audio from what we were watching just stopped. You could adjust volume up and down and hear the feedback from that but that is the only sound it would produce. Tried unplugging it, different hdmi cords, even connected it to a different TV. Ultimately the fix was to factory reset it and go through the setup process again. This has been the only major hiccup I've ... MoreThis is a long term review as I purchased this in August of 2020. Overall sound quality is great. I have had good performance up until recently out of this unit when it suddenly stopped producing sound other than the volume up and down noise it makes when adjusting volume. This was a few weeks after connecting it to a new 4k TV...suddenly when watching something on a Firestick and adjusting the volume down audio from what we were watching just stopped. You could adjust volume up and down and hear the feedback from that but that is the only sound it would produce. Tried unplugging it, different hdmi cords, even connected it to a different TV. Ultimately the fix was to factory reset it and go through the setup process again. This has been the only major hiccup I've had with it and I've been please with it aside from that. Posting here in the event someone else has an issue and this might help them resolve it.
I really wanted to love this Polk soundbar, and came close, but ended up returning it. The bass is big, raw, growly and gives a chest thumping, wall shaking, almost in-theater experience when watching action movies like Marvel's Avengers and Star Wars, etc. If you're looking for mega-bass, this might be the soundbar for you. There's so much bass that I often used the night mode feature during late evenings to avoid disturbing neighbors in my condo. The voice enhancement feature helps somewhat - good but not great. I'm in my sixties and hearing dialog clearly has become a challenge, and a voice enhancement feature is the primary reason why I was in the market for a new soundbar (dialog with my old Denon tends to get buried even with a voice setting on that model). ... MoreI really wanted to love this Polk soundbar, and came close, but ended up returning it. The bass is big, raw, growly and gives a chest thumping, wall shaking, almost in-theater experience when watching action movies like Marvel's Avengers and Star Wars, etc. If you're looking for mega-bass, this might be the soundbar for you. There's so much bass that I often used the night mode feature during late evenings to avoid disturbing neighbors in my condo. The voice enhancement feature helps somewhat - good but not great. I'm in my sixties and hearing dialog clearly has become a challenge, and a voice enhancement feature is the primary reason why I was in the market for a new soundbar (dialog with my old Denon tends to get buried even with a voice setting on that model). Music playback also sounds pretty good with the Polk. It periodically goes on sale for $299, which makes it a good value, so if you really want it just wait for a sale and don't pay full price.However, the reason why I returned it is I had an issue with movies played back from both my disc player and AppleTV intermittently skipping back several or more seconds. This was completely random and could not be intentionally duplicated. Perhaps a defect or compatibility issue only occurring when using the hdmi connection through the soundbar, maybe with my particular brand/model of TV (LG), but no issue when connected through the optical port. Tried different hdmi cables and even different electrical circuits just in case. Tried the software upgrade and no difference. For reference, my old soundbar has no issues with the same devices connected via hdmi. Maybe it was just a bad unit, but since I was taking it back anyway, I decided to purchase a different soundbar with even more emphasis on voice enhancement.
I got the Magnifi to avoid using the lackluster speakers in my 32" LED tv in my small bedroom, so I'm using it for general movie watching and 2.1 channel/stereo music playing (screen also doubles as my PC/office screen). Overall this unit is perfect in this space and for these applications. It's a relatively simple piece of equipment and, hence (as it should be), the setup and operation are also simple. The value then comes down to overall performance of the drivers and the sound field features, with which I am very pleased. I had already read that some people are turned off by the relatively unattractive design, but I care much more about value, usability, and sound richness, clarity, and reproducibility--I agree the bar design is underwhelming, but the subwoofer ... MoreI got the Magnifi to avoid using the lackluster speakers in my 32" LED tv in my small bedroom, so I'm using it for general movie watching and 2.1 channel/stereo music playing (screen also doubles as my PC/office screen). Overall this unit is perfect in this space and for these applications. It's a relatively simple piece of equipment and, hence (as it should be), the setup and operation are also simple. The value then comes down to overall performance of the drivers and the sound field features, with which I am very pleased. I had already read that some people are turned off by the relatively unattractive design, but I care much more about value, usability, and sound richness, clarity, and reproducibility--I agree the bar design is underwhelming, but the subwoofer looks pretty decent.Anyway, back to what's important: there are basically two field options on the Magnifi: "movie" and "music". I like that it only has those two because it seems when field features are simpler and fewer, they tend to sound better than when there are myriad options, especially in the class of non-home theater sound bar applications. Unsurprinigly the two field options are well calibrated in this unit, however the stand-out feature is the independent volume control for voice/speech/solo music. This kind of hardware DSP is how modern electronics really shine and how this bar competes with the others in its class. The voice DSP gives Polk a reason to charge a little higher price, recognizing that many "features" in modern electronics are really just marketing ploys that take advantage of non-tech savvy consumers, but the Magnifi is not one of those. Bottom line is the Magnifi has moving, quality audio output in rich mid-tones, and clears up solo and speech pretty well with the independent voice leveling. Improvements to the unit could be Wi-Fi for extended range/fidelity over the included Bluetooth, and it unfortunately doesn't have HDMI, only optical.I do highly recommend it for small-to-med rooms given that you get a great movie or music listening experience with easy setup and simple use, and so coupled with ~$275 price tag it's an overall great value that I would go out of my way to say is something rarely seen in plug-and-play electronics. Sidenote--this is also my first piece of equipment from Polk, and I have a smattering of brands in my other equipment (Yamaha, Bose, Energy), mainly because I like to instill different rooms with different sound characters.I give this a solid rating of 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.0.
I've had this product for just over 2 years and it has been nothing but problems. First, I had it hooked up so that everything would run through the sound bar. That was a mistake. If you hook it up to Google Chromecast, it downloads firmware updates. That is a bad idea as it has gradually slowed down the boot time of the sound bar over the ensuing two years. As a result, it would take forever to boot up and you couldn't watch anything on TV until it finished booting up. Or you would have to reset it or unplug it and then plug it back in. Second, the voice audio is ok, but it's not a great feature. It sounds fine, but even with the Voice Audio bumped all the way up, you still don't have fine voice recognition (could be a problem with my room acoustics). Third, I ... MoreI've had this product for just over 2 years and it has been nothing but problems. First, I had it hooked up so that everything would run through the sound bar. That was a mistake. If you hook it up to Google Chromecast, it downloads firmware updates. That is a bad idea as it has gradually slowed down the boot time of the sound bar over the ensuing two years. As a result, it would take forever to boot up and you couldn't watch anything on TV until it finished booting up. Or you would have to reset it or unplug it and then plug it back in. Second, the voice audio is ok, but it's not a great feature. It sounds fine, but even with the Voice Audio bumped all the way up, you still don't have fine voice recognition (could be a problem with my room acoustics). Third, I eventually wised up and hooked it up to my tv's Audio Return Channel (ARC). It worked so that you could watch TV while waiting a few minutes for the sound bar to boot up. But, inevitably you would have to switch to sound through the TV and then when it would finally boot up, the TV would automatically switch back. That was better, but it was still the most annoying sound bar I've ever used.I would not recommend this product to anyone. It is nothing but problems. Now, about 2 years later, it had three blinking lights on the front all day. I called Polk customer service, which had me do various things including unplugging it. Eventually, it had one blinking light, which is protection mode. I sent them information to see if it was still under warranty. I'm thankful for Best Buy's rewards program to see my purchase history. We'll see if it is covered under warranty.Customer service was nice, but ultimately, I would never recommend this product. It has some serious flaws in its software. It sounds fine when it works, but the mediocre Voice Adjust feature was insufficient to overcome the many flaws.
First and foremost, I recommend also getting the Polk SR1 wireless surround speakers to take full advantage of this soundbar system.Link: (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/polk-audio-powered-wireless-surround-channel-speakers-pair-black/6191421.p?skuId=6191421&ref=212&loc=1&ksid=338b42c9-5e84-42b6-bc61-9b0e449293bc&ksprof_id=11&ksaffcode=pg269039&ksdevice=m&lsft=ref:212,loc:2)*This review is based on this soundbar being paired with the wireless SR1 speakers mounted at manufacturer recommendations*Starting off, the packaging is very premium and welcoming. The boxes are well built and each speaker is wrapped in a nice pouch with the company's "heart" logo sealing the speaker pouch.Coming from a 2.1 analog system with a 6.5" subwoofer, all I can say is I'm ... MoreFirst and foremost, I recommend also getting the Polk SR1 wireless surround speakers to take full advantage of this soundbar system.Link: (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/polk-audio-powered-wireless-surround-channel-speakers-pair-black/6191421.p?skuId=6191421&ref=212&loc=1&ksid=338b42c9-5e84-42b6-bc61-9b0e449293bc&ksprof_id=11&ksaffcode=pg269039&ksdevice=m&lsft=ref:212,loc:2)*This review is based on this soundbar being paired with the wireless SR1 speakers mounted at manufacturer recommendations*Starting off, the packaging is very premium and welcoming. The boxes are well built and each speaker is wrapped in a nice pouch with the company's "heart" logo sealing the speaker pouch.Coming from a 2.1 analog system with a 6.5" subwoofer, all I can say is I'm absolutely breathtaken on the audio fidelity.I have this system ARC HDMI connected to my 55" Sony x720e television. The software that works with the TV is amazingly intuitive. It recognises the soundbar as soon as it's plugged in and I'm able to control the volume using my Sony TV remote. This was an added beneficial surprise! :)The vocal and dialogue content is crystal clear thanks to Polk's Voice Adjust feature and integrated center channel speaker.Instrumental quality is silky smooth thanks to Polk's bass-reflex enclosed soundbar. I particularly like how the soundbar is ported on the sides, adding to the patented SDA technology to provide a true cinematic experience.Bass response was far exceeded with this system. The amplified wireless enclosure for the subwoofer is amazing, shaking my walls constantly at very low volume (this is a very good thing in my opinion).In conclusion, paired with the SR1 wireless surround speakers, I believe this system puts much pricier systems I've demoed to absolute shame. Crystal clear vocal, dialogue, and instrumental quality paired with a more than sufficient subwoofer make this system a great investment if you cannot afford a higher-end audio solution.Worth every penny.
| Warranty | 2 Years |
| Total System Frequency | 35Hz - 20kHz |
| Qty Included | 1 |
| Orientation | Horizontal |
| Mounting Type | Flush-Mount Wall Bracket |
