There is an obvious trend towards simplification in the design of popular audio equipment today, although it is becoming more complex inside and offering more and more user options. Like this soundbar, made in a very laconic design - it can reproduce not only the "television" sound.

Polk Audio MagniFi 2 Review

Acoustics in this format has become so popular that it is no longer perceived as a “system” element, but rather as an indispensable attribute of a modern residential interior - it’s hard to believe that just twenty years ago soundbars did not exist at all. When flat-panel TVs began to replace CRTs, so-called sound projectors first appeared. These were expensive and wide "panel" systems, consisting of a lot of speakers and a fancy digital processor for multi-channel playback. And only then did the developers realize that acoustics for installation under a flat screen can be made much simpler and more elegant - in the form of a laconic bar with fewer speakers.

I remembered the backstory for a reason. Polk Audio was among the first companies to boldly take on a new direction that did not seem particularly promising at the time. And quite soon, an unusual passive soundbar appeared in its range of models, which was connected as standard to any multi-channel receiver and produced almost full-fledged effects with the illusion of an environment without any satellites.

The destination of soundbars has not changed since then - they are still used in tandem with TV panels in all cases when there is no space to accommodate a serious audio system or a cinema, but you really want to get a fuller and clearer sound instead of what frail speakers give out embedded in displays. But the functional content of soundbars has become much richer. Again, let's look at modern models from Polk Audio. The company was among the first to catch the trend for "smart" acoustics and implemented support for the Google Assistant voice assistant in three MagniFi series systems at once: in a compact Mini , in a full-fledged MAX soundbar (by the way, an EISA award winner) and in an extended version of MAX SR , supplemented not only subwoofer, but also rear channels.

The MagniFi 2 model we tested, as you might guess, belongs to the second generation of Polk Audio soundbars, endowed with a network connection and smart functions (in particular, voice control, which is implemented here through the connection of a separate Google Home speaker). Moreover, the overall design, shape and dimensions of the new model almost completely coincide with the MAX. Yes, what forms - it is identical in function, although it costs a little cheaper. For what?

It took me some time to find the answer to this question, looking at everything that was taken out of the box with the MagniFi 2 kit. Yes, the finish of the new soundbar is a little more modest - there is no silver decorative insert. At the same time, it looks no less stylish in working condition due to the original LED indication of modes. The new model has eliminated the analog Aux input for a 3.5 mm jack and excluded the corresponding cable from the delivery itself (optics and HDMI are still included). The rest of the components are the same as in MAX: there is also a trained remote control (an extremely solid one, by the way) and an active subwoofer with an 8-inch head and a wireless interface. It immediately comes already tuned to the acoustic parameters of the soundbar, so you don’t have to mess with the installation (just don’t put it right next to the wall or in the very corner - everything will be fine with the bass).

The main unit is endowed with a switch for three HDMIs that meet the 2.0 standard (the digital video path passes 4K HDR / Dolby Vision). The audio section has all the basic Dolby and DTS decoders, a compressor for night viewing and several tonal balance correction presets (movie, music, sports). Wireless connections are made via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. And one of the key features is the built-in Chromecast receiver, to which we will return.

In general, everything is in place - the patented technology for improving the transmission of the dialogue channel Voice Adjust, and the proprietary Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA) speaker placement concept, which forms a semblance of a three-dimensional frontal scene, and the 3D Audio surround sound effect, highlighting and virtual upper channels.

In addition, MagniFi 2 can be upgraded to MAX SR by connecting optional Polk Audio wireless surround channels. So the question is: where are the differences?

They were found only when I went to the Drivers / Amps section. The composition of the speakers in the main "bar" is the same: two 19-mm soft-dome tweeters and four full-range 25 x 76 mm. But the amplifiers here are different. From the passport data, it follows that MagniFi 2 uses 200 W terminals with a total power of 100 in the bar, and another 100 in the subwoofer. MagniFi MAX had a different proportion: 160 + 180 watts.

Therefore, the very first sound-check, I decided to take the soundbar "weakly". I turned on the Marvel blockbuster, where some kind of massacre is constantly going on on the screen, turned the volume almost to the limit and ... Polk would not be Polk if it had not coped with such a task. All hits from the low register turned out to be quite "meaty", all the effects of the shooting - dense and quite "contact". I noticed that in the cinema mode the upper range turns out to be very softened, but turning the balance to the “dark” side did not spoil the soundtrack and even added lively drama to it.

It was not possible to squeeze out absolutely tectonic effects from MagniFi 2. Apparently, it has a soft limiter in its path, which makes sure that a signal with a large swing does not turn into something obscene when amplified, but at normal volume levels there was never a power shortage or weak dynamics.

By the way, small-caliber speakers often sound somehow complex and incomplete, but here this problem is not even in sight - sound images in a compact panorama turn out to be not at all Lilliputian. Personally, I attribute this to the influence of the SDA. The branded "array" gives greater scale to virtual images, and not to the stereo scene itself (if you want to get additional volume and a sense of the third dimension, look for the 3D button on the remote control).

At the same time, I will also note the work of the adjustments. With Voice Adjust, you can really get some voice channel clarity in movies with not-so-well-mixed dialogue or badly overdubbed voice-overs (and this thing works with any sound, not just 5.1). The bass tuning is also well done and will certainly come in handy for watching either old movies with a flat sound, or for more punchy sound from music TV channels.

In conclusion - about musical abilities. Of course, MagniFi 2 is not quite the thing that can satisfy the spoiled audiophile ear. However, in the most neutral Music mode, complex textured shapes in the bass/midrange register are reproduced with surprising clarity, although overall the sound lacks linearity and transparency in the high frequencies. However, here we are not talking about quality at all, but about the possibilities themselves, which are usually not so wide for soundbars. But Polk Audio's MagniFi is a welcome exception. And all thanks to the previously mentioned built-in Chromecast.

 "Google" technology is in general similar to Apple's AirPlay (it allows you to direct the broadcast to acoustics detected on a wireless network). And the key differences are that the choice of tracks in this technology turns on without annoying delay, is almost not limited by formats, meets Hi-Res Audio standards and can generally be carried out directly from the broadcaster to the system, bypassing the mobile gadget (in this case, a smartphone or tablet is used only to control playback).

In addition, Chromecast does not tie your account to any one streaming broadcaster or any particular platform. And this means that if you are already “addicted” to YouTube Music, Apple Music or Amazon Music HD, Spotify or Tidal, then you won’t have to change anything in your habits - just now you can listen to all this not only on your smartphone, but and throughout the house with MagniFi 2.