Customer Ratings & Reviews

We had the complete surround sound package, that failed miserably. We returned it and bought this one. When it works it's good, but after a few months the remote buttons are all failing, and we have to keep pulling power cord to reset it to get it to work.

Excellent sound, very clear and super easy to install

These speakers are not what I want expecting. The right rear speakers were making a sizzling sound so I called and they sent me a hold new system. That is what I would call good service.

This is review for Polk MagniFiMax SR and based using Apple TV, Sony TV LED, Epson Projector and iPhone for Google Home, and attempt to focus on the H/W and Polk to isolate Google Home experience. The set consist of the sound bard, wireless 2 rear speakers and a wireless subwoofer. Its specs can be found from the info sheet but including below for convenience: Drivers: (4) 1 ̋ x 3 ̋ (25 x 75mm) full-range drivers, (2) 0.75” (19mm) tweeters and (1) 1 ̋ (25mm) center channel driver 8 ̋ (200mm) ported, wireless subwoofer (1) 3 ̋ round driver in each SR1 wireless rear speaker Inputs: (3) built-In 4K HDMI inputs (HDCP 2.2 compliant), (1) HDMI (ARC) output, optical input for TV audio, AUX 3.5mm, Bluetooth, Google Home featuring Chromecast for audio, Ethernet (RJ45) for music streaming Frequency Response: 35Hz - 20kHz Included in the box: MagniFi MAX sound bar Wireless Subwoofer; (2) Polk SR1 wireless rear speakers; Deluxe remote control; (2) AAA batteries; Sound bar power adapter with power cord Subwoofer power cord; 6.5’ (2m) high-speed HDMI cable; 6' (1.8m) Optical cable; 6’ (1.8m) 3.5mm AUX cable; (2) wall-mounting brackets (screws and fasteners not included); Sound bar wall-mount template; Literature. First impression from the experience of viewing a movie with 5.1 sound. It was good as could hear voice from center, and the surround sound from the combination of the bar + subwoofer for deep bass sound + rear sound. Watched Jason Bourne and Jason Bourne Ultimatum from Amazon Streaming, and 6 underground from Netflix, both via connection with Apple TV with two settings: Setting 1: Watched 6 Underground from TV for which bar was about at 12ft and rear speakers 6 1/2 ft. Setting 2: Watched Jason Bourne and Jason Bourne Ultimatum via projector for which sound bard was about at 6 feet and rear speaker right behind my head. For both settings the sound experiences did deliver a cinematic feeling, although Setting 2 closer to the surround experience as space was smaller. However, it didn’t feel that wow effect that grab the attention into the movie. This might vary much per person, but it was about good for voice and sound effect as describe the product description. Now, setting up is straight forward and consist of three types. First connecting to TV and Streaming/Game devices, as It come with three HDMI input and an Output for TV or Projector has HDMI connection. It can connect let’s say an Apple TV , Amazon Fire TV and a Third multimedia that can another streaming device or game, or any combination. The end result is alike a receiver using experience or hub that comes in a single sound device to connect with tv without having to control individually per device. Secondly, setting up with the wireless subwoofer and rear speaker are straight forward as well. Rear side of bar has two small buttons to be pushed in the same way from each speaker and subwoofer. Upon connected does make a sound that has been connected and light indicator on the bar. Third, connecting with Wifi and Google Home app. This takes couple of more steps for being first time user of Google Home, but connecting and adding it to the app to be recognized didn’t take much of time, and worked well with wired connection to internet and WiFi. Upon having all the connection in place, the experience of using it while switching from one type of connection to another, ie HDMI connected Apple TV to Listening music playing via Google Home, then switch back to HDMI connection to watch TV for movie or any streaming, the system sort of fail to recognize respective connection type as the volume doesn’t work correctly. This is observed in two use cases: 1. Play music from Google Home then switch to play streaming. The volume of the selected movie or show cannot be heard. As work around have to change to other HDMI Connection then change back to HDMI Connection that has streaming playing. 2. While watching streaming, the volume control from Google Home doesn’t reflect the actual volume. From the short time test, it is observed there is synchronization issue between the hardware and the Google Home volume control at least. In one case, switching from Google Home to streaming connected via HDMI, the volume control from the remote control didn’t work at all. Its workaround was solved via resetting all from the sound bar and start over, and the same situation was not repeated at least by this review. In conclusion Pro: 1. This almost a Sonos/Apple alike experience at much affordable price point but compromised in level of sound and use experience. 2. Limiting to hardware bundle itself is appealing as deliver acceptable sound experience 3. It has three HDMI input that is alike having a swisher or receiver and single control. 4. The package comes with all the needed cables which is quite handy as some other brands doesn’t. In conclusion Con: 1. The experience of switching between Google Home and Sound Bar is not practical. Every time play music from Google Play, then watching streaming take additional workaround to make it work. 2. The volume level is not in sync in real time between H/W and Google Home application and takes additional steps to reflect the change. 3. The main volume control from remote control doesn’t feel as pressing “-/+“ to decrease/Increase. In short: The effect of practicality changing between connection type from Google Home to HDMI and vice versa and need to apply workaround often to overcome those situations diminish the benefit of the H/W options and its intend making non recommendable.

Sound is great and set up was very easy! Dialogue is not as enhanced as other soundbars. Only minor issue is occassional static from the surrounds, which is apparently a known issue for this sttem.

The Polk Audio MagniFi Max SR Home Theater Surround Sound Bar is a complete all-in-one surround sound system that comes with everything you need to greatly improve your TV sound experience - it even comes with HDMI and optical input sound cables. Well packed in a funky looking box. The soundbar is about 43” long, but very slim and sleek looking, and it has all the connectivity inputs in the back and control buttons discreetly on top. The system also includes an 8” powered subwoofer and two satellite/surround speakers. Both the sub and the rear speakers connect wirelessly to the soundbar, all they need is power, so that makes their placement very easy. The initial setup is very easy, just plug-in the soundbar, the subwoofer and the surround speakers and turn the system on, which will automatically pair all components together. If for some reason there is a glitch in your setup process, the sub and satellites have a small button you can press to pair with the soundbar and a green LED light will be lit when connected. There are 3 HDMI inputs, one HDMI ARC input, as well as optical in and headphone jack AUX input, as well as an RJ-45 Ehternet jack, which is a nice to have if you don’t want to rely on a potentially slower/less reliable Wi-Fi connection. The network connection is used for firmware updates and Chrome casting music from your other compatible devices. Since Chromecast is built-in, you can use Google Home for the setup and voice commands. The soundbar has a row of small LEDs that are used as visual indicators for power on, volume level, input type, bluetooth and chromecast connection, etc. I would have loved it if it had an on-screen menu and indicators that you could see on your TV, but may only be available on much more expensive setups. The remote control is pretty sleek looking and has quite a few buttons, you can control the full array of soundbar features, especially volume, bass and voice levels, surround speakers volume and balance, input source, 3-preset sound modes and basic playback controls for Chromecast music. It also works out of the box with most major TV brands and has an Infrared learning option, if it doesn’t automatically recognize your TV. It worked instantly with my 4 year old Samsung TV. It also worked with a Sharp Roku TV that will get this soundbar as a permanent fixture. The default sound levels coming out of such a compact system is quite loud - impressive. I found myself having to turn the volume down quite frequently. The small-ish 8” subwoofer provides plenty of kick to satisfy most movie buffs. I was quite pleased with the surround sound field that was very crisp and more pronounced than my Yamaha receiver with much larger 5.1 discrete speakers. All in all this is a solid mid-range sound system that would make a great addition to any TV, especially in smaller to medium sized rooms. Nice to haves for an upgraded model: Smartphone App that could be used instead of the remote control. On-screen menu that could display a numerical sound level, input selection, etc.

Great product and great price. I enjoy the enhanced voice clarity feature. Nice bass and great surround sound quality

PROS: -Easy set up -True surround sound w/ rear speakers -Independent volume controls for bass, voice, and rear surrounds CONS: -You may want a larger sub-woofer for larger rooms -Need to be creative to hide the power supply for wall mounted installations Current Setup: Replacing a 2.1 Soundbar w/ simulated surround sound. Objective: To have true surround sound w/ rear speakers Room: 11 x 14 Bedroom Limitations: Vaulted cathedral type ceiling ruled out an upward firing Dolby Atmos Systems Viewing: Mainly movies and sports Many soundbars with rear speakers have upward firing speakers for Dolby Atmos. I have cathedral ceilings in my room, so I ruled out a Dolby Atmos soundbar (everything I read indicates vaulted ceilings will not work well with upward firing Dolby Atmos systems). This limited my choices to about three suppliers. I would have loved to have had the luxury of trying out all of them. Listening to them in the store does not always indicate how they will sound at home as there are too many variables. I decided to go with the Polk and am glad that I did. I just love this Polk Audio soundbar. I picked it up during a Black Friday (2020) sale and saved $200. It has plenty of power for my bedroom (family members have more than once asked me to shut the door). For me the real benefit is having rear speakers, really opens up the sound stage and creates an immersive experience. Secondly, Polk allows you to change the volume of the center channel, where most of the dialogue is coming from. The dialogue clarity is superb. I rarely need to use subtitles any more. Set up is a breeze. You can connect to Wi-Fi via Google Home which allows you to easily Chromecast as well as automatically receive firmware updates. You can also connect via Bluetooth making it very convenient to play music / podcasts from your phone or other devices. The rear speakers are wireless but do need to be plugged in for power. This was not an issue for me, I placed them on my side walls (90 degrees to my listing position) about 2 feet above my head (when sitting). I used D-Line Micro cable raceways (painted them to match my wall) to easily hide the wires. Listening Experience. Thin bezel TVs have a very limited space for speakers and speaker placement, so soundbars are a huge improvement. My first soundbar was a 2.1 system and was of course much better than the TV speakers but I felt I wasn’t enjoying movies the way I wanted to. This Polk soundbar really brings movies, TV dramas, and sports to life. I have my rear speakers mounted on the side walls (90 degrees to my listing position) about 8 feet from my listening position. Sound effects really stand out, I feel truly immersed. The action just seems so much more real. Sporting events now make me feel like I am sitting inside the stadium. Because my room is not very large and I sit about 9 feet from the TV power is not an issue. The Polk is much louder than I will ever need in my situation. One thing to point out, the quality of the soundtrack is so important to 5.1 performance. Some movie and TV soundtracks will sound phenomenal, others that were not recorded very well will sound flat (sound mostly coming from the front sound stage). Can’t stress how important the material origin is to good surround sound performance. The subwoofer puts out a lot of bass, I keep the bass volume at +2 (adjustable from -4 to + 4) and it more than fills the room. Music videos also sound great. One slight drawback. Unlike some other soundbars that plug directly into the wall for power, this soundbar has a power brick (similar to a laptop computer). If you plan to wall mount the soundbar you will need to figure out how to “hide” the power supply. In my case my TV is mounted to the wall and protrudes a couple of inches and I was able to easily hide the power supply behind the TV and run the power supply wire behind the wall completely out of sight (thanks to Echogear’s Power Cable Management Kit - EGAV-CMIWSB).

Has great surround sound effects. Was easy to ser up and balance the surround speakers.

So easy to set up and get the great sound that it provides. Sounds great and great price, i recomend you look at this one when looking for a sound bar Sound bar, remote, two rear speakers, wireless, and wireless sub.

I love Polk audio. We have a magnifi mini, and wanted an upgrade. Definitely not disappointed. The audio quality is great, the bass is insane, and the sale price was right in our budget. Now our mini is in our bedroom. This speaker is amazing.

This sound bar works great when it works. It has issues connecting and maintaining its connection. I have to unplug it and reconnect when the speaker will not play sound. Sound quality is great even at higher volumes.

I got this because it has wireless satellite speakers. They need to to be plugged in for power but no speaker wires. Very pleased with the sound and easy set up.

So I brought it home; took my wall unit apart and set up the system. Didn't work. Tried everything and couldn't get it to turn on. Packed it up and took it back to Best Buy. As always, BB stands behind what they sell and exchanged it for another unit. Set it up in minutes and this one worked. Very satisfied. Surround sound is amazing and the fact that the speakers are wireless is a big plus for me. Easy to set up (if it's not broken), and easy to use. A major improvement to my Bose Solo 5 soundbar. Highly recommend

We were looking for a completely wireless sound system to replace an old wired system that we were using. After reading reviews and watching videos we decided to go with the Polk and I'm glad we did. Set up was a breeze. Essentially plug and play. I actually thought something was wrong it was so easy but sound was coming out of the back speakers and sounded great. This has been the perfect system for us and what we need. The occasional movie, sports, video games, and music. This has handled everything with ease. Would highly recommend

My husband loves it. It has good sound. Easy to pair.

Sounds Amazing ! Great For Watching Movies ! Bass Sounds Amazing When Listening To ANYTHING !

Great sounding bar and sub. I wish there was more flexibility in adjusting the sound. I would prefer more bass without having to turn the volume up so loud. I was surprised at how easy it was to set up. It only took about 10 minutes once everything was out of the box. I am not impressed with the additional surround speakers. They are just ok and I could probably do without. Overall it is a great sounding, powerful system, that I plan to use frequently.

Overall good surround system. Pros: Easy set up, connect power & plug hdmi or optical to tv and done. Only have to provide power to speakers, no speaker wire to run. Can adjust sound from remote easily, buttons for each speaker, no menus to dig through. Cons: Terrible shaped power adapters for satellite speakers, covers both outlets Doesn't really turn off, every time you change input it turns back on. Only fix is turning volume all the way down. Wifi only works if you have Google home app on your phone.

We looked at the various price levels for wireless surround systems. At $600, this one seemed to have the performance we wanted at a price we could afford. So far this one is doing great. The subbwoofer came up set up at a good volume right out of the box. It is really nice that both rear speakers are wireless and came up right out of the box as well. The main system paired easily with the DirecTV remote so we only need one remote to do most of the selection of channels and volume. We have a DirecTV Genie II but the system did not find the Polk in its list. Fortunately, just selecting options in order eventually found a Polk system that uses the same codes. We have an LG TV that has optical digital output. The really small diameter cable that came with the system was perfect to hide behind the support for the TV. The only issue we have now is with the TV. It frequently hiccups on HDMI to optical transcoding. If it happens to you, DO NOT blame the sound bar. You can tell which one is having the issue by pulling the optical cable out of the TV. If the weird repeating sound stops, it is the TV. If it were to continue, it would be the sound bar. In our case it is most definitely the TV! We don't use the multiple HDMI inputs, but it would be really handy if we needed it. It is really nice having the surround system do the switching of HDMI inputs to a single HDMI output if needed.