Samsung vs Polk Soundbar: Make Your Pick from 2.1,3.1,5.1,7.1 and 9.1 Soundbar

Samsung vs Polk soundbar, which one is the best? Polk Audio mostly focuses on affordable soundbar solutions. So, if you think you are just starting with into music systems with a brand new TV, Polk soundbars is best for you.

Samsung is one of the most reliable and popular brands. You can easily rely on their soundbars. If you think you need several HDMI ports, HDMI eARC or want to use the soundbar for gaming, then Samsung is the best one for you.

Comparing Samsung vs Polk soundbars, Samsung tends to provide for versatile options by increasing the number of channels or the inclusion of surround speakers. Dolby Atmos or Game Pro mode of Samsung soundbar includes the height channel effect or enhances the gaming sound even more.

Polk soundbars has some excellent speakers, center channels or subwoofers which you can add with your basic soundbar setup. They are both well-known in the audio market and always promises quality and performance above all.

Best 2.1 soundbar: Polk Audio Signa S2:

This Polk Audio Signa S2 soundbar is affordable and very easy to use. the front-ported sub can be placed easily in congested places. The Voice Adjustment technology focuses on clearing dialogues. The video and audio quality is decent and just as you would except from a standard 2.1 soundbar. It can also get pretty loud.

Best home theater soundbar under $600: Polk MagniFi Max SR

Although the Polk MaginiFi Max SR doesn’t support Dolby Atmos, it has 5.1-ch configuration. It is quite affordable and you will receive tight bass from the 8” subwoofer. With straightforward setup and remote control, the bar is very user-friendly.

The sound quality is powerful and room-filling. The dedicated wireless surround speakers enhance the overall sound quality.

Best high-end soundbar: Samsung HW-Q900T 7.1.2 Soundbar

This is for you if you want to get the best out of your TV soundbar. With 7.1.2 channel, you get surround channels, dedicated subwoofer, height channels along with Dolby Atmos.

The audio quality for movies, music or games is simply satisfactory. You can use Bluetooth, Alexa or the remote with it. the bar is quite flexible and versatile.

Comparison of Samsung vs Polk  Soundbar:

Among several products, we chose the ones popular in different categories.

	Samsung HW-T450	Polk Audio Signa S2
Channel	2.1	2.1
Frequency response	Stereo: LF extension: 38.3 HF extension:19.1	45Hz-20kHz
Driver	3 drivers	(2) 1.25" h x 4.4"w- Midrange (2) 1" d- Tweeter Subwoofer: 5.25″
Subwoofer	Rear-ported Wireless	Front-ported Wireless
Price	Check price on Amazon	Check price on Amazon

Product uniqueness

The best 2.1 soundbars of each brand is reviewed here. A 2.1 soundbar system is something for you if you want a minimalist setup.

Sturdiness

Polk Audio Signa S2 TV Sound Bar is made of plastic with a mesh cloth wrapping the front side. The subwoofer and the soundbar has good build quality but a metal grille would be much better. It has an average build quality. Samsung HW-T450 is also made of plastic.

The front and the upper side is covered with shiny fabric or cloth. The both have similar sized soundbar and the sturdiness is average as well. The setup of these

Sound production:

Comparing Polk vs Samsung subwoofer, the Audio Signa 2 subwoofer has a front port but the Samsung has a rear port which means it is placement sensitive. The soundbar may sound bright sometimes and the sub has tight bass but it isn’t chest thumping.

Samsung soundbar for smart TV has a broad soundstage and impressive stereo imaging. Polk Signa S2 vs Samsung HW-T450 soundbar comparison shows, that the Polk soundbar can get pretty loud but you may hear the sound to degrade. Samsung is powerful enough to get loud and fill large rooms or crowds.

Polk has Dialog Enhancement feature to focus and ensure dialogue clarity, it also produces deep bass. It also has HDMI ARC and supports Dolby Digital. All these aren’t present in Samsung. Samsung supports DTS and Dolby Digital is found in both.

They both produce virtual surround sound and we all know; it will not be as powerful as dedicated surround sound speakers. Polk Audio Signa S2 is better more movies or music than it is for games. It also has very good center channel and surround sound effects.

If you want all features similar to Polk Signa S2 along with support fort ChromeCast, Google Assistant and Google Home, you can go for the Polk Audio Signa S3 TV Sound Bar and Wireless Subwoofer.

Some users often has the problem of space constraints, they can easily go with Polk Audio MagniFi Mini Home Theater Surround Sound Bar.

Additional features:

You can tweak Samsung sound using available presets: Standard, Surround, Game, and Smart. The SmartSound mode can identify the type of scene you are watching and it optimizes sound accordingly. Samsung soundbar and subwoofer remote is easy to use and control.

You can connect Polk to computer or PC, and stream content from Pandora, Spotify, etc. you can also use this Polk soundbar for Roku TV. Polk Signa 2 remote control is small and compact, but the buttons might be slightly difficult to press.

It has Voice Adjust Technology customization. With Polk, you can choose a sound mode, then one from the three voice adjustment options and finally you can increase/decrease the bass volume.

Things that could be better:

None of these budget-friendly soundbars have any advanced features like Wi-Fi, AirPlay, mobile apps, Chromecast, etc. however they have Bluetooth which is quite important for wireless streaming.

	SAMSUNG HW-Q60T 5.1ch	Polk Audio MagniFi Max SR
Frequency	Unknown	35Hz - 20kHz
Channel	5.1	5.1
Drivers	1.54" tweeter 1.57” mid-range	Soundbar: 4 3"x1" full-range drivers, 2 3/4" tweeters, 1 1" midrange driver SR1: (1) 3" Mid/Woofer, 3" Mid/Woofer. 1 1" mid-range
Woofer driver size	6.5”	8”
Subwoofer type	Wireless Ported	Wireless Ported
Bluetooth	Yes	no
Other features	Dolby 5.1, DTS digital Surround, Dolby Digital 5.1	5.1 Dolby Digital, DTS
Price	Check price on Amazon	Check price on Amazon

Product uniqueness:

Comparing Polk Audio vs Samsung soundbar, Polk Magnifi Max SR delivers extraordinary immersive sound at reasonable price.

Usability

Comparing Samsung vs Polk soundbar, the Polk MagniFi Max SR is slightly larger in width but sleeker with round edges. SAMSUNG HW-Q60T 5.1ch Soundbar with 3D Surround Sound has a solid construction and it gives you a premium feel. It is made of black plastic and metal grille on top and front.

Polk vs Samsung setup comparison shows the Polk MagniFi SR is the ideal option for you if you don’t want messy wires and want a plug-and-play solution. Although both features a wireless subwoofer, Polk has additional two surround speakers that are wireless.

Sound production

Polk vs Samsung, which is better sounding? Samsung HW-Q60T, successor fo Samsung HW-Q60R, delivers decent surround sound with DTS surround sound, 3D surround mode, Dolby 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1. the Adaptive sound technology adjusts audio scene by scene.

With Polk Audio MagniFi Max SR Surround Sound Bar, you can easily connect Blu-ray, gaming console, set-top box. The built-in Chromecast allows streaming audio from Pandora, iHeartRadio, Tidal, etc.

The soundbar contains 9 speakers and the subwoofer has a large 6.5” driver. The Q-Symphony feature syncs the soundbar with Samsung QLED TV. It has top-firing speakers that will make give you height channel effect.

The soundbar has Acoustic Beam technology with which you will feel like the sound is coming from the TV screen.  It has dedicated center channel speaker which produces clear dialogues needed for movies. Polk MagniFi SR supports HDR 10, Dolby Vision DTS: X along with HDMI ARC.

Whereas, the Samsung HW-Q60T supports HDR 10 and HDR 10+ along with 4k video. Overall, Samsung smart TV Soundbar with wireless connection for subwoofer produces tight bass response but doesn’t give you the ‘rumble’ feel. The mids are clear and the dialogues have crisp.

Similar to Samsung, this Polk soundbar with wireless subwoofer has Voice Adjust technology focuses on voice and makes them crystal clear. Polk has dedicated speakers for surround sound along with an 8” subwoofer. Polk home theater soundbar can get very loud without being distorted.

The bass has a noticeable punch and true 5.1 surround sound is powerful and immersive. Polk also uses the SDA technology that creates a broad soundstage. It is one of the best polk soundbar under $200.

While these works best for movies or music, however if you want the soundbar specifically to pair with next-gen gaming consoles, a gaming soundbar will be ideal for you.

Another popular soundbar is the Polk Audio Command Sound Bar. this is another affordable Polk 2.1 soundbar that has space for Fire TV connection. It supports Dolby and DTS surround soundf features.

Additional features

Samsung HW-Q60T supports Bluetooth, HDMI ARC, USB, and options like Adaptive Sound and Game Pro. The Game Pro Mode will optimize the audio of the connected console. With Bluetooth, you can enjoy multi-connection up to two devices at one.

You can also connect to the TV and with a Bluetooth device, then switch between the two. The soundbar will work with the wireless surround kit Samsung SWA-8500S.

The Polk remote is small in size and easy to hold.

You can choose three modes from Polk: night, movie/music and sports. Polk remote control is decent and you can adjust bass and treble with it. It also supports Google Assistant.

Things that could be better:

None of these soundbars support Dolby Atmos nor do they have Apple AirPlay. They also have good bass but it isn’t room shaking. Samsung doesn’t have Ethernet Lan or Wi-Fi.

SAMSUNG HW-Q900T 7.1.2ch Soundbar  vs Polk Audio AM4057-A Suroundbar 

	SAMSUNG HW-Q900T	Polk Audio AM4057-A
Channels	7.1.2	5
Drivers	HF: 2.05" Front-Firing Midrange: 4.33 x 2.05" Front-Firing Subwoofer: 8”	7 3.5” composite cone drivers 3 0.75” silk/polymer composite dome tweeters
Frequency response	unknown	100-20,000 Hz (-3dB)
Subwoofer	Yes Wireless	None
Price	Check price on Amazon	No products found.

Product uniqueness:

If we compare Samsung vs Polk, we see that Polk soundbar design is mostly limited to 2.1, 3.1 to highest 5.1. however, we chose this vintage Polk soundbar to compare with the Samsung 7.1 soundbar.

Sturdiness:

This Polk Surroundbar has a sleek design with anti-diffraction grille. It is made of aluminium and is magnetically shielded so that you can put it beside TVs. The 5-ch (front left, center, front right, rear right, and rear left) Surround soundbar is released years ago but it is quite comparable with Samsung in terms of high number of channels and cost.

The setup is easy with color marked cables. It has the option of wall-mount. Samsung HW-Q900T has an elegant design. It is covered with acoustic fabric. The quality is something which you can rely on.

Sound production:

Being an old version of soundbars, it lacks all major functions. Samsung 2020 soundbar is the opposite and supports DTS:X, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD along with HDR10, HDR10+. Comparing Polk Surroundbar AM4057-A vs Samsung HW-Q900T, the Samsung soundbar works with Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, Wi-Fi.

The Polk surroundbar is also slightly smaller in size than Samsung. It uses powerful SDA Surround technology which is capable of producing surround sound without the need of additional rear speakers. Instead of focusing on the type of room, this soundbar works with hearing mechanism of humans.

This means, it can deliver room filling surround sound in any kind of room and different seating position. It has seven drive units and you can use it with your surround speakers or use an additional Polk Audio subwoofer like the No products found..

It is best for small rooms where you can have multiple speakers for surround sound. Samsung HW-Q900T soundbar has side-firing and up-firing drivers. These altogether can produce powerful enveloping sound.  With 16 speakers, the performance of this Samsung soundbar for TV surround sound is close to perfection.

The dialogues are well-pronounced and have excellent clarity. The Atmos and up-firing drivers gives you the height effect where you can enjoy specific scenes like helicopter arriving just like real life. Comparing Samsung HW-Q900T vs Polk Audio AM4057-A, the Samsung has punchier bass as it has dedicated sub.

Overall, the sound should be better than the Polk Surroundbar because, along with 16 speakers, Samsung uses a bundle of advanced features to make them even better.

Additional features:

Samsung HW-Q900T has HDMI eARC, Q-Symphony feature, adaptive sound and several other features. Bluetooth option makes it easier to stream from any device. The bar also works with Amazon Alexa. The Samsung soundbar will also work with QLEDS but with specific ones: Q80T , Q90T, or other 2020 8k TVs like the Samsung Q900T.

Things that could be better:

The Polk Audio Surroundbar AM4057-A is quite costly and doesn’t support any latest features like Dolby Atmos, Digital, DTS, HDR, Bluetooth, etc. Samsung lacks the rear height channels, otherwise the overall sound would have been much better. Also, it is quite expensive.

Alternatives:

Best for large rooms: SAMSUNG HW-Q950T 9.1.4ch Soundbar

This is a Samsung 2020 soundbar with a 9.1.4-ch configuration. It supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. This Samsung soundbar with subwoofer and wireless speakers has 9 drivers, 1 subwoofer ad 4 up-firing drivers.

The high cost compensates for two wireless rear speakers and a sub. It can easily fill large rooms with immersive sound. Q-symphony makes it easier to use with Samsung QLED TVs. It also supports Amazon Alexa. Other notable features are: HDMI eARC, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The bass is massive and the surround sound is immersive.

• Best affordable soundbar: Sonos Beam:

Sonos Beam is a wireless soundbar that has four full-range drivers. The bass is present along with surround sound, but they show an average performance. It works as a multi-room speaker because it is compatible with other Sonos products like One, Play 5.

It supports olby Digital and Dolby Digital 5.1.  The side-firing speakers create a wide soundstage. You can enjoy this soundbar with almost any content.

• Best mid-range soundbar: Sony Z9F 3.1ch Sound bar

This soundbar has dedicated center channel which makes dialogues crystal clear and crisp. It supports Dolby Atmos, so you will get the height channel effect. It has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and built-in Chromecast. You can include the wireless rear speakers. It focuses on upscaling contents close to 7.1.2-ch.  It is the best soundbar for tight spaces.

How I rated the Samsung vs Polk soundbars:

The primary reason to choose a soundbar is enhance the TV sound. So, I rated the products with the main focus on audio quality.

Channels:

How well the soundbar will sound depends on the type of channel configuration it possesses. The most basic soundbar setup is a 2.0 system without any subwoofer. Then there is 2.1,3.1,5.1, 7.1.2 or higher. It is simply obvious that the more number of channel configuration, the powerful will be the audio.

This means, the left, right, center, surrounding and height channels, these will be more prominent and powerful. Which one should you choose? If you want just a decent upgrade from TV speakers with moderate bass, a 2.1 or 3.1 will be ideal for you.

Seeking for slightly more immersive surround sound will lead you to 5.1 or 7.1 systems, and if you want height channels, then look or up-firing drivers.

One crucial thing to notice is, these aren’t dedicated physical speakers, rather, they are drivers. Still, a 5.1/7.1 soundbar will be much better than 2.1.

Dedicated subwoofer

Comparing Samsung vs Polk soundbars, most of the soundbar models include a separate subwoofer. Since a soundbar itself can’t be as powerful as a 5.1 home theater system, you should always get a soundbar with a subwoofer so that the low-end is taken care of.

Both these brands have wireless sub which minimizes hassle of setup. For subwoofers, a driver size of 6” or 8” should be able to produce deep and tight bass. Also, speaker position of rear-ported subs should be against the wall, rather you should keep at least 6” gap.

Height effect:

Soundbars are a simple solution with a simple upgrade. Not all soundbars can deliver a height channel sound effect. If you really want this feature, you should look for upfiring drivers and the inclusion of Dolby Atmos features.

Setup:

Since you will be adding the soundbar with your TV, you might not want wires running through the room. The ideal solution is to go wireless and most of the soundbars we reviewed here has this feature. Some soundbars like the Samsung HW-Q60T can also be connected to wireless surround kit.

Parting words:

Soundbars are mostly popular due to their simplistic and wire-free setup. These are simply an upgrade to your TV audio. You can easily enjoy movies or music with a 2.0 soundbar setup. However, it is always better to go with a dedicated subwoofer to deal with low-end.

In a 2.1 or 3.1 soundbar, you should also look whether the specific model have dialogue enhancing feature or connectivity like Bluetooth. Upgrading to 5.1 or 7.1 will be much better if you can afford it. Polk often manufactures simple soundbar layout because in most cases, this is just what users want.

Audio enthusiasts go for dedicated speakers if they want to create a 5.1 or 7.1 speaker layout because only this will create a truly immersive sound instead of a soundbar. Movie freaks who have space and budget constraints often choose a soundbar.

We recommend going with Polk soundbar if you want a standard soudnbar in a normal setup given that, you have a low-budget. However, if you can increase your budget, going for a 5.1 or7.1 soundbar is also a good choice.

FAQ:

There are certain basic questions that most users want to know. We tried to answer them accordingly.

How to ensure the soundbar is futureproof?

If you want a futureproof soundbar, it should have sub out to be able to add subwoofers or ports to connect surround speakers. Also, it should have gaming features like Samsung has Game Pro or should be able to customize gaming scenes when connected to a console.

In that way, you can add more devices and use it for gaming along with music and movies.

Which soundbar shall I choose for gaming?

Both Samsung and Polk Audio have gaming soundbar. Polk Audio N1 39-Inch Soundbar  is good for gaming. The Dolby Digital and SDA Surround Sound Technology optimizes gaming sound. It also allows you to choose different Immersion Modes like: Forza Motorsport Racer, Halo FPS, Music and Cinema.

Samsung 2.1 Soundbar HW-R450 is a decent Samsung soundbar for gaming monitor. The subwoofer with 43Hz-20kHz can produce tight bass. It is affordable as well.