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We had expected it to be larger based on the photographs we had seen, and we had been wondering where we could position it so that it wouldn’t cover the bottom of our benched TV screen. However, the lozenge is surprisingly little, measuring just the length of a ruler and measuring 34 centimeters across.
The MagniFi Mini AX has many pleasant and unexpected features. It’s hard to call it a bar, really, since it sits like a little humpy in the center of your TV as Polk’s soundbar subwoofer solution does. Polk has developed a really unique soundbar and subwoofer solution. A lozenge, possibly. Thus, a novel approach to sound lozenges and subwoofers.
But, at only 8 centimeters in height, it was ideal to go beneath the 75-inch Samsung already there. If you compare that 8 cm height to the height of your screen, you will be able to determine whether or not you have enough room to accommodate the first ‘Mini’ piece of Polk’s pairing here. The subwoofer may be the component that is responsible for the MagniFi-ing.
This one is significantly bigger and has a massive oval driver facing downwards. As a result, most of the sound produced by it escapes via openings in the bottom of the raised sides, and it also ports out the back. Because of this, it may be placed in various locations and is resistant to the effects of furniture on each side of it, however it would be difficult to store it in cabinets.
Polk MagniFi Mini AX review: Design
The Polk MagniFi Mini AX is the right size to be called “pint-sized.” The main soundbar is 366mm wide and 79mm tall, which is bigger than the LG Éclair but still small in terms of soundbars as a whole. Due to its size, the MagniFi Mini AX works best with TVs with screens that are 50 inches or less.
But when I tried it with a 65-inch OLED, the Polk still managed to spread its sound to cover the bigger screen. The acoustic mesh fabric that covers the middle gives it a look of modest style, but the grey and black color scheme makes it clear that this isn’t a speaker meant to steal attention from a TV, nor should it.
Hidden in the fabric mesh is an OLED display that can be seen from a seated position. It shows which song is playing, where the sound is coming from, and what audio mode is being used. On the top, there are physical buttons for power, source, Bluetooth, and volume.
Around the back, you’ll find HDMI eARC, digital optical out, auxiliary, and USB connections. There are also status lights that show if the unit is connected to Wi-Fi, the subwoofer, and the surround speakers. You can also connect it to other speakers by pressing the Connect button. You can buy this soundbar deom its official website.
Polk MagniFi Mini AX review: Sound quality
The Polk MagniFi Mini AX has great sound that really brings movies and TV to life and makes music enjoyable to listen to as well. It’s a lot louder than its size would lead you to believe, and it makes a pretty wide soundstage. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’s 4K remaster has a Dolby Atmos track that is full of audio treats, which the Polk MagniFi Mini AX does a good job of bringing out.
Before the fight at Huai An, Jen Yu cuts in half the weapons of two thugs. From left to right, her sword cuts. The scene then cuts to a close-up of her opponents, who are standing back in shock as pieces of wood and metal fall out of the frame and thunk on the ground. The MagniFi Mini AX puts sound in the right place. You could be forgiven for thinking that the pieces had landed underneath your TV.
Polk MagniFi Mini AX review: Connections and controls
On the back of the device are easy-to-use ports for connecting to your TV with an HDMI cable (which supports eARC), an optical digital cable, or a 3.5mm cable. It doesn’t have HDMI passthrough because it only has one HDMI port. There are buttons for connecting to the wireless subwoofer that comes with the soundbar or to surround speakers that you can buy separately.
The subwoofer is already paired with the soundbar, so I didn’t have to do anything. There is also a USB port, which can only be used for service. The Mini AX has both wired and wireless connections, including Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, and Chromecast. You use the Google Home app to connect to your Wi-Fi. The app found the new device and helped me connect it to the network step by step. After it was hooked up, the unit’s firmware was automatically updated.
Polk MagniFi Mini AX review: Features
Polk’s Magnifi Mini is a great soundbar for people on a budget, but what about people who want more for their money? Polk’s new Magnifi Mini AX looks like it will have the same small size, but it will be faster and have smart features like Google Home, AirPlay 2, and Dolby Atmos support. The problem is that it costs much more than its predecessor, which puts it against big names like Sonos and JBL. Is the Magnifi Mini AX good enough to compete?
Polk MagniFi Mini AX review: Price
The Polk Magnifi Mini AX isn’t the cheapest soundbar because it costs $499, £429, or €479. The AX is much more of an investment than its younger sibling, the Magnifi Mini. It costs over $200/£130 more than its predecessor, the Magnifi Mini, and competes with high-end bar-and-sub combos like the $499/£549 JBL Bar 5.1 or Polk’s own $499/£499 Magnifi 2.
Polk MagniFi Mini AX review: Conclusion
If you want a small audio solution for your TV, finding something better than the Polk MagniFi Mini AX will be hard. There are other small options, like the Sonos Beam, but it costs about the same and doesn’t have a subwoofer. We think the Polk could be a better choice if you just want to watch TV and movies.
If you want to listen to a lot of music—we weren’t too impressed with the Polk’s performance in this area—or if you add a Sonos Sub, you’ll be in an entirely different price range. But if you just use the Mini AX to watch TV and movies, it’s great.
It sounds like a much bigger system stuffed into a small, sleek, and attractive case. This small soundbar won’t let you down if AV is important to you.
FAQs
Which is better Polk or Sonos?
In comparison to the Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR, the Sonos Arc is the superior product. The Sonos has a superior construction, and it is compatible with Dolby Atmos audio. In addition to that, its soundstage and surround performances are significantly improved.
It has built-in support for voice assistants in addition to room correction, in contrast to the Polk Audio system. The Polk Audio is the only one of the three that includes a Full HDMI In port and EQ presets in the box.
Is Polk a good brand for soundbar?
The soundbars produced by Polk have always been excellent when it comes to playing music, and the Signa 4 unquestionably continues this tradition of excellence.
And when it comes to movies, it’s just as talented as it is with words. The Polk Theater will not disappoint, regardless of whether you are in the mood for a high-octane action flick with Dolby Atmos or a more subdued drama.
Is Polk a good soundbar?
The Polk Audio Signa S4 performs adequately when watching movies. It is equipped with two drivers that fire upwards and is able to play content encoded in the Dolby Atmos format. The performance is pretty good considering the price point, but the lack of low bass is noticeable when there is a lot of action on the screen.
Polk MagniFi Mini AX Ratings