Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX vs Bose Smart Soundbar Soundbar Comparison

Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX vs Bose Smart Soundbar

Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX

3.1-channel | $499

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Bose Smart Soundbar

3.0.2-channel | $549

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Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX vs Bose Smart Soundbar: the short answer

Across 13 features we can compare from the published specs, the Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX comes out ahead on 3 and the Bose Smart Soundbar on 4. The biggest difference for movies is height: the Bose Smart Soundbar has 2 ceiling-firing channels and the Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX has none. Only the Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX comes with a subwoofer, which matters when comparing the prices.

Reasons to choose Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX over Bose Smart Soundbar

DTS:X: Yes vs No
Subwoofer: Included vs Optional
Dialogue enhancement: Yes vs No

Reasons to choose Bose Smart Soundbar over Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX

Channel layout: 3.0.2 vs 3.1
Height channels: 2 vs 0
Voice assistant: Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional vs Google Assistant optional
Height: 2.19 in vs 3.13 in

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX	Bose Smart Soundbar
Channel layout Counts speaker channels the bar actually has. More ear-level and height channels means a wider, taller sound field.	3.1	3.0.2
Height channels Drivers aimed at the ceiling, which is what makes Dolby Atmos sound overhead rather than just wide.	0	2
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes
DTS:X	Yes	No
HDMI to the TV eARC carries lossless Dolby TrueHD and Atmos from the TV; plain ARC compresses them.	eARC	eARC
HDMI inputs A spare HDMI port for a games console or disc player.	0	0
Subwoofer Included beats optional beats none: a separate subwoofer is where deep bass comes from.	Included	Optional
Rear speakers Real rear speakers put effects behind you; without them surround is simulated from the front.	Optional	Optional
Room correction	No	No
Streaming	Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect	Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect
Voice assistant Built in, rather than through a separate smart speaker.	Google Assistant optional	Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional
Dialogue enhancement	Yes	No
Height Lower is less likely to block the bottom of the TV picture.	3.13 in	2.19 in
Width / suits TVs from Neither is better: match the bar to your TV. See the size simulator below.	14.44 in / 32-inch	27.38 in / 32-inch
Drivers in the bar	5	5
Weight	—	6.9 lbs
List price	$499	$549

Green marks the better figure where one is better. Dashes are specs the maker does not publish.

Size: Both Soundbars in Front of a TV

Drawn to scale. The solid bar is the Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX, the dashed outline the Bose Smart Soundbar. Pick your TV size and how it stands to see whether either would cover the picture.

Full Specifications

Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX Specifications

Sound
Channels	3.1
Dolby Atmos	Yes
DTS:X	Yes
Drivers	Tweeters: 0.5" (2); Midrange: 2" (3); Subwoofer: 5x7" Cone; Enclosure: Sealed (bar), Ported (sub
Subwoofer	Included
Rear speakers	Optional
Virtual surround	SDA Surround
Dialogue enhancement	Yes
Night mode	Yes
Room correction	No
Connections
HDMI to TV	eARC
HDMI inputs	0
HDMI version	2.0
Optical inputs	Yes
Analogue input	3.5mm
USB	No
Subwoofer output	Wireless
HDMI CEC	No
Streaming and Control
Wi-Fi	802.11ac
Bluetooth	Yes
Streaming	AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn, YouTube Music
Voice control	Google Assistant optional
App	Apple iOS, Android
Remote included	Yes
Learns TV remote	Yes
Physical
Dimensions (W x H x D)	14.44 x 3.13 x 5.25 in / 367 x 80 x 133 mm
Subwoofer size	7.25 x 14.56 x 15.88 in (W x H x D)
Wall mounting	No
Warranty	3 Years parts, 3 Years labour
List price	$499

Power is the maker's total across all drivers and is not comparable to an amplifier's per-channel rating.

Bose Smart Soundbar Specifications

Sound
Channels	3.0.2
Dolby Atmos	Yes
DTS:X	No
Drivers	Tweeters: Dome (1); Midrange: Cone (4); Enclosure: Ported
Subwoofer	Optional
Rear speakers	Optional
Virtual surround	TrueSpace
Dialogue enhancement	No
Night mode	No
Room correction	No
Connections
HDMI to TV	eARC
HDMI inputs	0
HDMI version	2.0b
Optical inputs	Yes
Analogue input	No
USB	No
Subwoofer output	3.5mm (Proprietary)
HDMI CEC	Yes
Streaming and Control
Wi-Fi	802.11ac
Bluetooth	Yes
Streaming	AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn
Voice control	Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional
App	Apple iOS, Android
Remote included	Yes
Learns TV remote	No
Physical
Dimensions (W x H x D)	27.38 x 2.19 x 4.63 in / 696 x 56 x 118 mm
Weight	6.9 lbs / 3.13 kg
Wall mounting	Yes (bracket sold separately)
Warranty	1 Year parts, 1 Year labour
List price	$549

Power is the maker's total across all drivers and is not comparable to an amplifier's per-channel rating.

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