Command Bar and MagniFi Mini tested: soundbars with extra bass
One is small and inconspicuous, the other is very long and listens to you thanks to Alexa. The MagniFi Mini and the Command Bar from Polk are both very similar and very different soundbars. Both have a subwoofer as a bassy companion.
In addition to the size and Alexa as voice control, there is already a significant difference in the setup. With the MagniFi Mini, all you need to do is plug in a few cables to connect it to the TV. With the Command Bar, you need to install an app and create a user account to set up Alexa and use the soundbar's full range of functions. You can play music from your smartphone on both via Bluetooth.
Polk MagniFi Mini: small and discreet
The MagniFi Mini is just under 34 centimetres long. This makes it shorter than any TV. With a width of almost 110 centimetres, the Command Bar can keep up with many televisions. Setting up the small soundbar is straightforward. Simply plug the power cable into the socket and the HDMI cable to the TV and the sound comes out of the MagniFi Mini, which supports 5.1 Dolby Digital and is designed to improve the sound quality of conversations with "voice-adjust" technology.
With the MagniFi Mini, you can not only listen to the sound to the TV picture. You can connect your smartphone as a playback device via Bluetooth and then play music on the soundbar via Google Cast and the Google Assistant. However, it does not have a microphone. You still need your smartphone for this. Other audio sources can also be connected via cable: An optical Toslink connection and a 3.5 mm socket are available.
The MagniFi Mini can be operated in two ways: Via buttons on the top or a remote control, whereby you can also use remote controls from many televisions for standards such as volume. You can control the volume, initiate Bluetooth pairing, switch the device on and off and activate night mode directly on the soundbar. This reduces the bass so that your neighbours have peace and quiet.
You can also use the remote control to adjust the strength of the bass and influence the volume level of the voices with "Voice Adjust". You can also choose between three preset equalisers for films, music and sport. The latter mode focusses on the voices and should therefore also be suitable for news and talk shows.
"Bass, bass, we need bass"
In total, Polk has installed six speakers in the MagniFi Mini. Two tweeters with a diameter of 1.27 centimetres and four mid-range speakers, each measuring 5.72 centimetres. Bass is provided by an external subwoofer. This connects wirelessly to the soundbar at the touch of a button and houses a 16.51-centimetre driver.
The six drivers provide clear, room-filling sound that you can turn up loud without compromising on quality. While the soundbar balances the highs and mids well, the subwoofer provides a decent bass and perfectly complements the sound of the MagniFi Mini. You should be considerate with the bass: You can turn it up so much that it penetrates through walls and floors to your neighbours, who won't even hear the rest of the music.
The Bo would be happy:
With the MagniFi Mini, you can spend a cosy evening in front of the TV or provide sound for a small party in your home.
Polk Command Bar: Great listener
The Polk Command Bar is not only bigger than the MagniFi Mini, it can also do more. The large soundbar has a microphone and the corresponding app. This allows you to set up Alexa as a voice assistant. The Command Bar can be integrated into a multi-room setup via Alexa if this is based on Amazon's voice assistant. The Polk app is only used to connect the soundbar to the WLAN, register Alexa and set up a music streaming service.
You have to do without a 3.5 mm connection on the Command Bar. Instead, Polk equips its larger soundbar with a total of three HDMI connections in addition to Toslink. While the ARC version is responsible for the connection to the TV, the other two are HDR-compatible and can transmit video signals to the TV. This makes it possible to connect a TV stick, for example, if there is no more space for it directly on the TV.
You will find fewer buttons directly on the Commad Bar than on the MagniFi Mini. You can switch the microphone for Alexa on and off, change the volume or pause playback when you let the voice assistant play music. You can only activate night mode using the remote control, which also contains the three preset equalisers. Press the Alexa button to start the voice assistant without saying an activation word.
The Command Bar can not only stand in front of your TV, but also hang below it. There are two openings on the back of the soundbar that you can use to hang it on standard screws.
Soundbar with bass
Polk installs a total of four drivers in the Command Bar. Two oval 3.18×8.26 centimetre speakers are responsible for the mid-range. There are also two round 2.54 centimetre tweeters. Polk also advertises Dolby DTS Surround Sound, but the soundbar's sound was not convincing when tested.
It can be very loud, but it sounds tinny and hollow. The internal speakers of many televisions deliver better sound. The Command Bar offers no added value. It does get more bass with the subwoofer, but without it the sound is even worse. After the MagniFi Mini, which sounds much better, I was expecting more and am disappointed. The small soundbar sounds good even without the subwoofer.
Conclusion: Good soundbar, bad soundbar
If you're looking for a small soundbar with decent bass, I can recommend the Polk MagniFi Mini. The Command Bar, on the other hand, is not worth it. In a direct comparison, it sounds much worse than the smaller model and other models in this price range also offer a voice assistant. They may not have a subwoofer, but they still sound better. <p
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When I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de.
