Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX vs Denon DHT-S517 Soundbar Comparison

Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX vs Denon DHT-S517

Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX

3.1-channel | $499

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Denon DHT-S517

3.1.2-channel | $499

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Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX vs Denon DHT-S517: 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 Denon DHT-S517 on 4. The biggest difference for movies is height: the Denon DHT-S517 has 2 ceiling-firing channels and the Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX has none.

Reasons to choose Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX over Denon DHT-S517

DTS:X: Yes vs No
Rear speakers: Optional vs None
Streaming: Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect vs Bluetooth only

Reasons to choose Denon DHT-S517 over Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX

Channel layout: 3.1.2 vs 3.1
Height channels: 2 vs 0
HDMI inputs: 1 vs 0
Height: 2.31 in vs 3.13 in

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX	Denon DHT-S517
Channel layout Counts speaker channels the bar actually has. More ear-level and height channels means a wider, taller sound field.	3.1	3.1.2
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	1
Video pass-through	—	4K
Subwoofer Included beats optional beats none: a separate subwoofer is where deep bass comes from.	Included	Included
Rear speakers Real rear speakers put effects behind you; without them surround is simulated from the front.	Optional	None
Room correction	No	No
Streaming	Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect	Bluetooth only
Voice assistant Built in, rather than through a separate smart speaker.	Google Assistant optional	No
Dialogue enhancement	Yes	Yes
Height Lower is less likely to block the bottom of the TV picture.	3.13 in	2.31 in
Width / suits TVs from Neither is better: match the bar to your TV. See the size simulator below.	14.44 in / 32-inch	41.31 in / 50-inch
Drivers in the bar	5	7
Power (total, as published) Makers rate soundbar power differently, so the totals are not a like-for-like comparison.	—	50 W
Weight	—	5.5 lbs
List price	$499	$499

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 Denon DHT-S517. 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.

Denon DHT-S517 Specifications

Sound
Channels	3.1.2
Dolby Atmos	Yes
DTS:X	No
Drivers	Tweeters: 1" Dome (3); Midrange: 2.625" Up-Firing (2); Woofers: 4.75"x1.625" Cone (2); Subwoofer: 5.25" Cone; Enclosure: Sealed (bar),Ported (sub)
Power (bar, total)	50 watts
Power (subwoofer)	100 watts
Subwoofer	Included
Rear speakers	None
Virtual surround	Movie Mode
Dialogue enhancement	Yes
Night mode	Yes
Room correction	No
Connections
HDMI to TV	eARC
HDMI inputs	1
Video pass-through	4K
HDMI version	2.0b
Optical inputs	Yes
Analogue input	3.5mm
USB	USB-A
Subwoofer output	Wireless
HDMI CEC	Yes
Streaming and Control
Wi-Fi	No
Bluetooth	Yes
Voice control	No
Remote included	Yes
Learns TV remote	Yes
Physical
Dimensions (W x H x D)	41.31 x 2.31 x 3.81 in / 1049 x 59 x 97 mm
Weight	5.5 lbs / 2.49 kg
Subwoofer size	6.75 x 14.56 x 12.94 in (W x H x D), 9.5 lbs
Wall mounting	Yes (no bracket supplied)
Warranty	2 Years parts, 2 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.

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