Polk Audio MagniFi Mini

Polk’s feature-packed mini-soundbar delivers a surprisingly big sound from a compact box – but a few sonic shortcomings let the side down.

Powerful punch in a small package ; Expansive soundstage for the size ; Brilliant blend between bar and sub ; Warm and detailed midrange ; Intuitive and concise design

Treble occasionally sounds strident and distorted ; Only one HDMI input ; 5.1 surround is more like 3.1

Offering massive sound in a tiny package, Polk Audio’s Magnifi Mini is one of the most affordable and intuitive sound solutions in the soundbar genre, and one well worth considering for those looking to improve their TV’s sound without even nudging the...

Powerful sound for the size ; Strong bass from the subwoofer ; Plenty of wireless streaming options

Spatial audio falls flat

The Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX offers powerful home theater audio with just a small soundbar and a subwoofer, though it can't fully produce accurate spatial audio imaging.

Good agility ; Big bass ; Spacious sound

Could be more insightful ; Boxy midrange

A small soundbar that needs a bit of refining before it can be a big fish in this particularly crowded pond

Super Compact size ; Reasonable price ; Extremely easy setup ; Sound clarity at lower volumes

Loss of clarity at higher volumes ; Mid and bass performance could use more punch

Wide soundstage ; Deep bass from a wireless subwoofer ; Google Cast compatibility

High price ; Mids and highs lack warmth

Still, if you absolutely must have a soundbar with a subwoofer, the Polk Magnifi Mini offers a good alternative to all-in-one units such as the Q Acoustics M3 and it offers more flexibility and features and better-sounding bass than the Creative Katana...

The affordable Polk MagniFi Mini is capable of a much bigger sound than its minuscule size suggests. The package is compact and will fit easily into most living room setups. The ability to Cast directly from your phone simplifies music streaming.

The Wi-Fi connection on my test unit was unreliable, and the ARC-only HDMI input limits connectivity somewhat.

The Polk MagniFi Mini's mix of features, performance and compact size makes it one of the best sound bars for the money.