The Max AX is also a very capable music streamer. That smooth blend between the subwoofer and bar is once again on display when streaming over Wi-Fi as the two combine for warm and full sound for everything from pulse-raising electronic pop to acoustic tunes. Polk Audio advertises a lot their VoiceAdjust technology that was included in all the previous Signa soundbars and we find it here also providing different levels of adjustment. One reason is likely because the Magnifi Max AX doesn’t include side-firing drivers to bounce sound off the walls, relying on its virtual surround engine instead. Another is that Polk's bar seems to add some extra compression in chaotic scenes to keep things from distorting, which can dampen some of the dynamic intensity. As something of a purist, this was one setting I wished could be turned off.

Magnifi Max AX SR | Polk Audio UK

One point to note here: due to the bar’s minimalist interface, there’s apparently no way to stream stereo music without surround sound virtualization. You’ll get sound modes like Movie, Music, and Night mode with different equalization presets, but there’s no Direct mode to deliver the format as intended. That’s normally something that would bother me, but the bar's Auto mode seems to make nearly all the right decisions, providing optimized performance for everything from immersive action scenes to swirling synthesizers. CARLSBAD, Calif.—September 6, 2022— Polk Audio, the leader in high-performance loudspeaker systems for home and mobile applications, today introduced two new flagship sound bar systems, MagniFi Max AX and MagniFi Max AX SR. These compact, high-performance systems bring movies, TV, music and games to life in immersive, multidimensional Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound, thanks to 11-speaker arrays featuring dedicated center channels, up-firing height speakers and Polk’s patented Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA) technology. Both models include wireless subwoofers for extended bass response; MagniFi Max AX SR adds two wireless surround speakers for total sonic immersion. Music streaming, custom sound modes and eARC connectivity round out the features of these all-in-one, accessibly priced systems. From there you have to calibrate the different channels manually and select the appropriate sound mode that you prefer. That’s all there is to it. After everything is said and done we were ready for testing. Movies As for the subwoofer, it comes with a single, down-firing 10″ bass driver which is one of the biggest we have seen in this category of soundbars.Polk’s Magnifi Max AX sets itself apart with a mix of impressive performance and versatile connection that adds up to great value. It offers balanced, clear, and surprisingly immersive audio for whatever you play, and it’s one of the few models in its class to include multiple HDMI inputs and a subwoofer, alongside the ability to add surround sound speakers later. Beneath the grille are four 3×1-inch oval woofers, a 1-inch mid-range driver and two 0.75-inch tweeters, all driven by a 180W amp. There are bass ports at either end, and a useful row of LEDs to display the volume level and device status. For our review we decided to use the pass-through capabilities of the soundbar so we connected our Zidoo Z9X media player and PS5 in two of the HDMI inputs and from there to the TV we had at hand. Obviously we can’t get 4K@120Hz gaming through this connection but for 4K@60Hz it is more than sufficient. Thankfully Polk seems to have taken notice and offered three HDMI inputs which should be enough in most cases. Along with them there is an HDMI output, a digital optical audio input and a USB port.

Magnifi Max AX | Polk Audio UK

As for the rest, the unit is Roku TV ready which means that if you have a Roku equipped TV setting up and controlling the unit can be a lot easier. Lastly you have the ability to expand the system to a 7.1.2 channels setup with the addition of the optional Polk SR2 Wireless Rear Surround Speakers. The MagniFi Max AX and MagniFi Max AX SR leverage 50 years of Polk speaker design expertise to deliver Polk’s best sound bar to date,” said Frank Sterns, Polk Audio President. “And with Polk’s patented Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA) and Voice Adjust technologies, the Magnify Max AX and MagniFi Max AX SR will fill any room with exceptional sound without filling the room with speakers. Add built-in wireless music streaming and you have the ultimate all-in-one entertainment hub.” But I don’t think it achieves the effect it’s going for, nor does it sound immersive in the true sense of the word. However, that doesn’t mean this isn’t a good soundbar experience. It’s the most satisfying I’ve come across from this recent trend of ultra-compact soundbars – better than the LG Éclair and the Creative Stage 360. Earlier this year, Polk Audio pulled off a real tour de force with the Polk MagniFi Mini AX soundbar, an ultra-compact model capable of creating surround sound in Dolby Atmos and DTS:X without obscuring the screen. A compactness made possible by the brand’s exclusive Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA) processing. The Polk MagniFi Mini AX soundbar offers an enveloping soundstage from a compact, discreet device thanks to Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA) spatialization technology.In case you do not want to bother changing sound modes every single time you change content there is an Auto mode that choses which mode to use depending the content at play. In terms of size the main unit measures 4.6 × 45 × 2.8in (118 × 1143 × 72mm) with a weight of 12.85 lb (5.83 kg) making it a relatively big unit, even though we have seen even bigger than this one in the past. When it comes to those audio chops, I was immediately impressed at just how full and immersive this system sounds out of the box. Virtual surround sound engines have become increasingly convincing in the last few years, and Polk’s SDA version blends with its dual upfiring drivers for sound that pulls you into the action. The wireless subwoofer has a downward-firing 8-inch driver and 160W of amplification. It’s fairly small and neat – 37cm high, the same in width, and 31cm deep – so it’s easily hidden behind a sofa. So, rather than going bigger, brands have been getting smaller and more compact. Surround sound setups remain an option for some, but for others, a small soundbar is all that’s required.

Magnifi Max AX SR | Polk Audio

Another option to consider is Vizio’s M-Series Elevate Dolby Atmos soundbar, which includes not only a subwoofer like Polk’s bar, but also surround speakers. To get there, you forego any Wi-Fi streaming options, though, and it only includes one spare HDMI input. But you’re paying a premium for that wireless surround sound – not some faux surround, trying (and failing) to be bounced off walls; but genuine surround with wireless rear speakers. For cinema immersion, the Polk is definitely a better option than any of the one-box solutions around. The surround speakers do a decent job of hurling effects behind you, with suitably similar voicing to the soundbar that they don’t jar. The two rear speakers are almost identical, with the difference being that there’s a specific right and left; you can’t switch the channels, so make sure you place the correct one on each side. They’re compact and discreet, if a little uninspiring in their looks.

The new sound bars support both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X along with Polk's patented Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA) technology for immersive sound, and AirPlay 2 is a welcome inclusion for Apple fans. Google Chromecast, Spotify Connect, and Works with Alexa services are also supported thanks to both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Even without making any changes to the sound bar (adjusting treble, bass, etc) it sounded awesome. We adjusted the settings, and we were blown away at how fantastic this sound bar sounds! I had the bass at the highest level, and you could feel the bass traveling through the floor, it felt like being at the movies. This sub is not a bangy sounding sub like others, this one actually produces bass to not only hear it but to feal the full impact of it. I'm a bass fanatic and this was two thumbs up for me. You can hear each individual sound in a movie and voices are clearly heard. I think if we had the two surround channels it would make it even better, but we are still impressed without them.

Polk MagniFi Max AX: Their Most Advanced Soundbar Yet?

The first thing that immediately becomes obvious is how alive and full of energy the front sound wall was. The soundbar was not only able to render a very expansive stage at the front with satisfactory sideways extension and depth but the sense of elevation due to the inclusion of the up-firing drivers was more than obvious.One-touch modes optimize the systems for movies, TV, or music, while Night Mode turns down the bass to reduce potentially disruptive bass sounds and Polk's VoiceAdjust technology ensures that voices are intelligible above the rest of the audio. Connections include 3-in/1-out 4K HDMI ports with eARC, as well as an optical input. A subtle OLED display on the front panel shows your adjustments but dims when not in use. Inputs: HDMI eARC, optical digital, 3.5mm analogue, USB-A (service only), Wi-Fi, Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Bluetooth (SBC, AAC) The MagniFi Max AX is a system that may not drop your jaw on the floor with its qualities but surely it can create a very satisfying melodic atmosphere. No soundbar should be considered HiFi material and this one does not break this standard. We have tested far more expensive soundbars that offer similar music performance and it is obvious where the limits of soundbars truly are. One area where the soundbar really impressed us was its bass as the 10″ subwoofer really takes no prisoners when it comes to its bass prowess and overall power. If you feed it with some demanding low end performance it will surely punch you in the face with its constant sound waves but not on the expense of clarity or detailed bass. Being a ported sub may show its weakness in some extremely crazy tempos and slightly lose its timing but this was a rare case and most of the time will have no problem with whatever you throw at it.