Danny Phillips auditions Polk's compact soundbar system, and finds it can make a bear stomp through his viewing room and bring clarity to dialogue
SOUNDBARS ARE A superb space-saving solution, but if your living room feels like that office in Being John Malkovich then finding even a metre of space might be a stretch.
Don’t panic. Help is at hand in the form of the MagnifiMini, a compact soundbar that promises big cinema sound from a 340mmwide speaker.
Polk's MagnifiMini’s petite dimensions make it easy to plonk on a TV stand or shelf, but naturally it’s better suited to smaller TVs than 60in behemoths. Bass output is beefed up by a wireless subwoofer that houses a 6.5in woofer.
There’s a pleasing ruggedness about its trapezoid design, with chunky panels, rubber buttons and thick pads on the bottom that absorb vibration. A column of LEDs indicates volume levels and selected inputs. It takes a while to learn what the different combinations mean but it all works fine.
An HDMI ARC port is a surprise (although at £350, I was hoping for some surprises), offering an alternative single-cable connection to the optical output. A 3.5mm analogue input, Ethernet and USB charging complete the wired lineup, while on the wireless side there’s Wi-fiand Bluetooth.
This story is from the July 2017 edition of Home Cinema Choice.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 2017 edition of Home Cinema Choice.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
AV Avenger
You should think twice before accepting an invitation to play Resident Evil 4 with spatial audio in a haunted prison, warns Steve May
Catalogue classic Star Wars: Ep. VI - Return of the Jedi → Ultra HD Blu-ray, Disney
Forty years on from the movie's cinema release, Anton van Beek ponders what might have been if things had gone a little diff erently during the making of Return of the Jedi…
Feedback
Got an axe to grind? Need to comment on current tech? Want to share your knowledge with our readers? Team HCC is here to help
M&K Sound V12
TIME ON TEST: Three years REVIEWER: Steve Withers
Sony 'bar demands to be upgraded
This well-specified Dolby Atmos soundbar may have a mid-range price tag, but you'll soon want to spend more, cautions Steve May
Short and sweet
Marantz's compact AV receiver returns with a new look and boosted features – Jamie Biesemans slips it into his AV rig
Discreet delivery
A slim, stylish Scandinavian on-wall system impresses Mark Craven with its handling of the sweet stuff
One project, two rooms
Dan Sait reports on a custom install where a JVC PJ/ Atmos system is joined by a stylish media den
THE KING OF B RDA HOLLYWOOD
Three of his movies have taken over $2billon at the global box office, he's pioneered SFX and 3D technologies, and he's been to the very bottom of the Pacific Ocean. That's James Cameron by the way, not Anton van Beek
System selector!
Given three similar budgets, Mark Craven, Steve May and John Archer assemble three different AV setups focused on movies, streaming and gaming
