Polk crammed Dolby Atmos and a ton of features into this 15-inch soundbar

Image: Polk

How small can a soundbar be? Polk said the answer is 14 inches. Polk is including a wireless sub for that price, as well as a compact soundbar that supports both Atmos and DTS:X.

I would consider a small-ish soundbar to be the size of the Sonos Beam, which is 25.63 inches wide. The dimensions and top-panel controls of the MagniFi Mini AX make it look more like a speaker than a home theater gear. The front of the ticker has a sound adjustment on it.

Image: Polk

Image: Polk

Polk has included a lot of functions in this tiny thing. Audio streaming is supported by the MagniFi Mini AX, as well as its eARC HDMI and optical inputs. There is an aux input and the system is ready for tv. You can adjust sound settings from the native menu. Polk covered all the bases here.

You might be wondering how powerful a soundbar can be. None of the speaker drivers are up-firing. Polk is virtualizing the height surround sound effects of the second-generation Beam. The company's rear surround speakers can be added for an extra $170.

Image: Polk

Polk claims that the quality of the MagniFi Mini AX can be two or three times better than the average price. There is also a 3D audio mode that transforms stereo audio into a surround sound experience. Polk allows you to dial back the bass or cut down on rumble if you're watching something late at night.

Is the audio to blow me away with an ultra-compact soundbar? Not completely. The whole thing of the Atmos is getting more and more watered down as tech companies throw it on products that often sound fine but don't deliver much in the way of immersion. I am curious about the performance of the Mini AX, and Polk has stuffed it full of features for a reasonable price.