Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Polk’s latest Dolby Atmos soundbars make for compelling Sonos Arc alternatives

Simon Cohen
By

Polk Audio has two new Dolby Atmos soundbars models that are aimed squarely at folks who might be considering the excellent $899 Sonos Arc. The MagniFi Max AX ($799) and MagniFi Max AX SR ($899) are both equipped with wireless subwoofers and 11-speaker arrays, including dedicated up-firing drivers, but the MagniFi Max AX SR provides an extra level of surround sound immersion by including a set of wireless surround speakers. Both models can also work with DTS:X and will be available in October from polkaudio.com and select retailers.

Polk Audio MagniFi Max AX SR soundbar.
Polk Audio

Polk Audio says that the key to the MagniFi Max AX’s performance, beyond all of those drivers, is the company’s Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA) technology. Now in its fourth generation, Polk claims that SDA delivers an ultra-wide soundstage by eliminating interaural crosstalk. My experience with Polk’s previous SDA-equipped models like the MagniFi Mini AX suggests that’s not just marketing-speak — they do provide a very convincing wide sound field.

MagniFi Max AX

Polk Audio MagniFi Max AX SR soundbar.
The Audio MagniFi Max AX SR adds wireless surround speakers. Polk Audio

We’ll have to wait until we get a unit in for testing to see how well it performs, but in the meantime, the Max AX’s specs look very promising, especially its connections. Most soundbars suffer from a lack of HDMI inputs, but the MagniFi Max AX has three, plus the now-standard HDMI ARC/eARC output. Those inputs can passthrough 4K video and (along with the HDMI inputs on your TV) mean that the Max AX can effectively replace a home theater receiver, making it even more attractive to folks looking for a single speaker system to run all of their A/V needs. It’s worth noting that the Sonos Arc doesn’t have any HDMI inputs.

MagniFi Max AX SR

Polk Audio MagniFi Max AX soundbar.
Polk Audio

Both models come with a 10-inch down-firing wireless subwoofer, another advantage that the Sonos Arc lacks. From a music-streaming point of view, the Max AX comes with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, with support for Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, and is compatible with any Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant device. If you own other MagniFi AX products, they can be combined to form a multi-room sound system. If you have a Roku TV, the system can be controlled via your on-screen menus thanks to the Max AX’s Roku TV-ready certification.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Simon Cohen
Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like spatial…
Samsung’s flagship HW-Q990D Dolby Atmos soundbar gets Roon support
Samsung 2024 HW-Q990D soundbar.

Samsung 2024 HW-Q990D Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Along with its new collection of 4K and 8K TVs, Samsung has debuted a few new soundbars at CES 2024, including an update to its critically acclaimed HW-Q990 Dolby Atmos flagship.

Read more
How to buy a soundbar: from size to subwoofers, which is the best for you?
The Sennheiser Ambeo Max 5.1.4-channel soundbar in the living room.

Let’s face it: TV speakers are never going to be as good as we’d like them to be. Even though TV brands have made some efforts to enhance the overall audio experience, TVs still can’t pack the same amount of punch as a stereo setup, a surround system, or the focus of today’s piece, a soundbar. 

Soundbars have been around for a minute, and we've got a guide to some of the best soundbars you can buy. But like most consumer tech items, buying a soundbar can be a daunting endeavor, mostly because there are so many options.

Read more
Apple’s Dolby Atmos Music bounty could be a disaster for the format
dolby atmos music streaming debut on amazon hd launch

Apple is offering to pay artists more money if they provide Apple Music with versions of their songs recorded in the immersive Dolby Atmos Music format, according to a report from Bloomberg. On the surface, that makes a lot of sense, especially as Apple lays the groundwork for its soon-to-launch Apple Vision Pro headset, a device that will benefit greatly from immersive audio. But the move also could create exactly the wrong set of incentives at a time when the jury is still split over whether spatial audio for music actually is a good thing.

Apple has spent the past several years ramping up its support for spatial audio in general and Dolby Atmos specifically, through its AirPods family of wireless headphones, its Apple TV 4K streaming device, and virtually all of its computing products, too. Apple Music has a growing catalog of tracks in Dolby Atmos Music, and the Apple TV+ video streaming service offers Dolby Atmos soundtracks on nearly all of its movies and shows.

Read more