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The Polk Audio MagniFi Max SR is a bargain for its price thanks to the low latency, outstanding surround, clear dialogues, and customizable EQ for enhanced immersion during dialogue-heavy and action-packed movies. But cinephiles may find the subwoofer’s bass overwhelming and no Dolby Atmos disappointing.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
The Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR is a mid-tier sound system that was first made available in 2017. It consists of a soundbar, two wireless satellites, and a subwoofer and is fairly compact in size and design.
Its subwoofer contributes a lot to its boomy sound profile, but movie buffs might be a bit disappointed with its lack of support for Dolby Atmos, a central feature among most highly rated speakers.
Its soundstage doesn’t quite compare to what the best soundbars in the market have to offer, but it can get loud enough for crowded parties. In terms of physical inputs, it has one HDMI ARC port, one HDMI out port, three Full HDMI ports, and an AUX port.
The soundbar also supports Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity and has Chromecast built-in. It is only missing support for Apple AirPlay, which is present in our Samsung HW-Q850A review.
The Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR securely connects via Full HDMI In, Optical, and HDMI ARC, while its subwoofer and satellites connect wirelessly.
Audio streaming is seamless through Bluetooth, WiFi, and Chromecast built-in, and the latency is good (tested at 99ms through ARC and -11ms through Full HDMI In).
The fairly wide soundstage and the surround satellites boost immersion, but the subwoofer’s bass-heavy notes are overpowering, and there’s no Dolby Atmos support.
While accurate mids offer clear dialogue, and the U-shaped sound profile accentuates bass and treble (good for rock music), the audio often sounds unnatural.
You get an EQ-enabled sleek remote, and the all-plastic bar feels sturdy. It has three customizable EQ settings, but connecting to the Google Home app over WiFi is taxing for firmware updates.
ReasonS to Buy
Excellent sound quality
The Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR offers clear dialogue for TV shows with its accurate mids, and rock fans will appreciate the U-shaped sound profile that accentuates bass and treble. It also boasts a fairly wide soundstage and comes with surround satellites for boosting immersion.
Multiple connectivity options and low latency
It has plenty of stable connectivity options, like Full HDMI In, Optical, HDMI eARC, Bluetooth, WiFi, and Chromecast built-in. Compared to all the products tested, its 99 ms latency through eARC is quite high while -11 ms through Full HDMI In ranks among the best we’ve tested.
Good design and durability
Its all-plastic exterior can withstand some rugged handling, and at just 2.0” tall, it won’t obstruct your TV’s IR sensor.
Simple user interface
The bar has three customizable EQ settings, and the top of the bar has physical buttons for controlling basic functions, like power, input adjustment, and volume. For managing more advanced features, simply switch to the user-friendly remote.
Reason to Avoid
No Atmos support
The lack of Dolby Atmos support diminishes the immersive experience, especially during layered action scenes.
No display
Understanding the current settings becomes challenging without a dedicated display, which contributes to a less intuitive user experience.
No smart features
It’s missing a handy companion app and a built-in voice assistant for easily controlling various functions. Plus, if the remote goes missing, there’s no backup option to manage the soundbar.
Polk Audio Magnifi MAX SR Specs
Bluetooth Enabled
Yes
Depth
3.8"
Dialogue Enhancement Feature
Yes
Energy Star Certified
No
HDMI ARC
Yes
Height
2.1"
Subwoofer
Included
Surround Sound Supported
Dolby Digital, DTS
Voice Assistant
Google Assistant
Wall Mountable
Yes
Weight
6 lbs
Width
43"
Wireless Connectivity
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Wireless Subwoofer Connectivity
Yes
Works With
Bluetooth, Google Assistant
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Soundbars based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
Low End Roll Off (Hz)
35.125
High End Roll Off (Hz)
15,565.829
Max Volume Test (db)
97.6
Latency (ms)
99
THD @ 80dB
0.35
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The Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR is a mid-tier sound system that was first made available in 2017. It consists of a soundbar, two wireless…
The Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR is a mid-tier sound system that was first made available in 2017. It consists of a soundbar, two wireless satellites, and a subwoofer and is fairly compact in size and design.
Its subwoofer contributes a lot to its boomy sound profile, but movie buffs might be a bit disappointed with its lack of support for Dolby Atmos, a central feature among most highly rated speakers.
Its soundstage doesn’t quite compare to what the best soundbars in the market have to offer, but it can get loud enough for crowded parties. In terms of physical inputs, it has one HDMI ARC port, one HDMI out port, three Full HDMI ports, and an AUX port.
The soundbar also supports Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity and has Chromecast built-in. It is only missing support for Apple AirPlay, which is present in our Samsung HW-Q850A review.
The Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR has a better surround sound performance than the Samsung HW-Q800A, thanks to the two extra back satellite speakers it…
The Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR has a better surround sound performance than the Samsung HW-Q800A, thanks to the two extra back satellite speakers it ships with. The MAX SR also includes a Digital Optical Cable in its packaging that you won’t find with the HW-Q800A, but the Samsung soundbar supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, while the Polk Audio system does not.
While the Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR features dialogue enhancement technology while the JBL Bar 5.1 Surround soundbar does not, the JBL soundbar supports Apple…
While the Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR features dialogue enhancement technology while the JBL Bar 5.1 Surround soundbar does not, the JBL soundbar supports Apple AirPlay, a feature that the MAX SR does not support. The JBL soundbar also has a digital display, which is lacking on the MAX SR.
The most significant difference between the Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR and the Polk Audio MagniFi MAX is that the SR ships with an additional…
The most significant difference between the Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR and the Polk Audio MagniFi MAX is that the SR ships with an additional set of two surround speakers, making the Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR a 5.1-channel setup and the Polk Audio MagniFi MAX a 3.1-channel setup.
