One-minute assessment
The Polk React soundbar hits the bottom operating with a trendy, compact design that manages to look cute, severe and impartial all on the similar time. The rounded corners and huggable felt end give it an virtually mushy look, in actual fact.
All ideas of softness disappear if you fireplace it up, although. Regardless of solely basically being a stereo soundbar, the React can pump out a forceful sound able to filling even giant rooms with no matter movie you’re watching.
It does this with none distortion within the bass or mid-range, too, regardless of having sufficient energy and projection to make sounds seem like coming from the perimeters of the room moderately than solely in entrance of you.
Detailing is great, and whereas bass is barely strong when you purchase the soundbar by itself, low frequency impression turns into actually good when you add the elective React sub to your package deal.
Wider dispersion of vocals, more beneficiant HDMI connectivity and just a little more finesse with the best trebles would have made the Polk React a cut-price basic. Even because it stands, although, it’s an excellent addition to the inexpensive/upgradable soundbar scene; particularly when you’re searching for a soundbar so as to add to an current Amazon Alexa system.
Polk React worth and availability
- Broadly accessible the world over
- Soundbar will be partnered with elective subwoofer and rear audio system
- React soundbar: $249 / £249 / AU$399; React Subwoofer: $179 / £149 / AU$369; Polk SR2 Surrounds: $179 / £159 / AU$219
Polk’s React soundbar, React Sub subwoofer and SR2 wi-fi rear audio system can be found just about globally. What’s more, regardless of the place you purchase them, they’re accessible at critically inexpensive costs contemplating the ability and sound high quality they’re able to delivering.
You’re taking a look at $249 / £249 / AU$399 for the soundbar alone, with the subwoofer costing $179 / £149 / AU$369, and rear audio system setting you again $179 / £159 / AU$219.
Suffice it to say that whether or not you go for the React soundbar alone or a full package deal with elective subwoofer and rears, the React system is critically good worth.
Design and options
- Obtainable as a soundbar alone, or with elective subwoofer and rears
- HDMI eARC connectivity
- Foremost soundbar options two tweeters, two mid-range drivers and two passive bass radiators
The Polk React sells as a one-piece soundbar, however will be partnered with an elective wi-fi React subwoofer and wi-fi SR2 encompass sound audio system if you wish to add (a lot) more bass or create a more immersive soundstage. For the needs of this assessment we tried the React soundbar with the React Sub.
The soundbar appears to be like very cute. Its smallish kind (864(w) x 121(d) x 57(h)mm) ought to slot handily below most of 2021’s TVs, and it’s simply the best dimension, too, to associate a variety of TV display screen sizes with out searching of proportion.
Its rounded ends give it a cushty, homely really feel, as does the darkish fabric masking its entrance, facet and prime edges. The React soundbar ships with a template you need to use to assist wall mount it when you’re searching for a compact soundbar to accompany a wall-mounted TV.
The highest of the soundbar sports activities a stylishly giant round panel containing fundamental button controls ought to the small however thoughtfully designed distant management not fall readily at hand.
The soundbar doesn’t carry a show within the standard sense of the time period. As an alternative a skinny LED strip close to the highest of the entrance edge adjustments color to inform you what Alexa is as much as, whereas a separate small colour-coded Standing LED gentle tells you what the soundbar’s doing. As an illustration, if the Standing LED gentle is purple you’re in Evening Mode; if it’s yellow then the soundbar is receiving DTS Audio; and if it’s inexperienced Dolby audio is being acquired.
A correct readout telling you what’s happening can be simpler, in reality. But when it seems Polk has sacrificed the luxurious of a correct show within the quest for nice sound high quality at an inexpensive worth, so be it.
The subwoofer can be fairly cute in a big, chunky, subwoofery sort of manner. It sports activities an identical all-over felt masking, with a daring Polk emblem on the highest and a hefty driver pointing down from a backside edge that’s raised an inch or so off the ground by stylishly built-in toes.
The soundbar’s connections are just a little disappointing - particularly the supply of only a single HDMI port. This must be hooked up to your TV’s ARC/eARC HDMI port if it has one, in order that audio from no matter’s being watched on the TV will be handed by to the soundbar. In consequence, there aren't any different HDMI inputs accessible on the soundbar for attaching/looping by different exterior HDMI sources.
Solely supporting HDMI-carried sound through ARC additionally means your TV should be capable to move Dolby and DTS audio codecs on to the soundbar when you’re to get one of the best outcomes from all sources, and we’ve seen loads of examples of ARC inflicting audio sync points with some sources (although we should always add immediately that we didn't expertise this difficulty through the time we spent testing the Polk React).
Our guess is that not carrying any HDMI inputs means the React can sidestep the difficult questions confronted by soundbars with HDMI loop-through over whether or not that loop-through helps Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10+ and the newest 4K at 120Hz video feeds now accessible from the newest consoles and PC gaming units.
The one different ports on the Polk React soundbar are a USB enter that’s solely there for service/firmware use, and an optical audio enter. The soundbar does carry each Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wi-fi connectivity, together with Spotify Join streaming, however there’s no assist for Chromecasting or Airplay 2.
The primary React soundbar’s configuration options two 25mm tweeters, two mid-range drivers, and a pair of 110 x 100mm passive radiators for bass. There’s no nice push for big numbers of ‘real’ audio channels here; whereas the soundbar can deal with Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 sound, its output is simply stereo except you add the elective rears and subwoofer. Because the React just isn't designed to deal with Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, simply Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1, there aren't any peak results.
Anybody disillusioned by the shortage of Atmos and DTS:X assist ought to bear in mind the core React soundbar’s very inexpensive worth. For that kind of cash it’s not cheap to anticipate channels galore.
The subwoofer, when you add it to the package deal, sports activities a sizeable seven-inch woofer, and is linked to the soundbar through a fairly simple pairing button positioned subsequent to the HDMI port.
Other than hopefully providing an improve out of your TVs sound, the React’s greatest attraction is its assist for Amazon Alexa voice recognition - full with 4 built-in far-field mics. Alexa is so properly built-in, in actual fact, that the speaker basically works as a (great-sounding) Amazon Echo, and might even change into a part of a totally built-in Alexa Multi-Room system and management your different sensible residence units.
The soundbar speaks to you in these acquainted Alexa tones as quickly as you turn it on, guiding you thru fundamental arrange steps in a pleasant and efficient method.(We had been impressed, too, by how properly the soundbar picked up our plaintive cries of ‘Alexa!’ even within the midst of enjoying raucous motion scenes at foolishly loud volumes.)
The ultimate Polk React options of be aware are its provision of 4 themed sound presets (Evening, Music, Sport and Films), and a Voice Alter choice that provides emphasis to vocals when you’re struggling to choose them out of a dense combine. We wish to name this the ‘Tenet’ mode.
Audio efficiency
- Highly effective and aggressive presentation
- Creates a surprisingly giant and ahead soundstage
- Including the subwoofer is very beneficial
Beginning our assessments with simply the soundbar, the primary issues we observed had been how huge a sound subject it might probably venture, and the way pleasingly aggressive it sounds with movie soundtracks.
The dimensions of its sound comfortably crammed a mid to large-sized room, and whereas we wouldn’t go as far as to say that we heard any sound results coming from behind us, we may clearly hear sound exercise happening to our left and proper sides. This exercise wasn’t simply imprecise ambient results both; the facet sounds contained ranges of element and specificity past something you’d think about attainable from such a small and inexpensive soundbar.
The truth that we had been listening to sounds to our left and proper facet moderately than simply all in entrance of us proves that the React is unusually good for its cash at propelling sound aggressively ahead into your room.
The sound’s projection is backed by loads of energy, too. Polk doesn’t specify energy rankings for the React, however there’s nothing concerning the most volumes it might probably attain or the cohesiveness of its soundstage that means any deficiencies with any of the drivers. Quite the opposite, the React’s presentation appears expressly tuned to ship punchy, dense movie soundtracks, hitting exhausting with impression sounds, and escalating cleanly and powerfully as huge film scenes construct to a crescendo.
Dialogue is stored locked on the heart of the soundstage, too, and at all times stays crystal clear; a lot in order that we infrequently felt the necessity to use the Voice Alter choice.
Bass from the React soundbar is just a little restricted with out including the subwoofer. However what’s there's at the very least delivered with out phutting or different distortions, and with out overwhelming another points of the combo.
There are, although, a few niggles with the React’s sound. The primary is that, whereas dialogue is at all times clear, it might probably sound moderately locked into the soundbar, with the outcome that voices appear to be just a little dislocated from the image. That is alleviated to some extent by a low seating place, so that you're sitting barely under the road of the soundbar and display screen, or by barely angling the soundbar up. It’s definitely not a really perfect state of affairs, although.
The opposite difficulty is that, at excessive volumes, treble results in dense film moments can change into a bit harsh. Not sufficient to make you wince, however sufficient to attract undue consideration to treble results and make you out of the blue conscious that the React has a particular treble ‘ceiling’.
The React isn’t fairly up there with the perfect soundbars in relation to enjoying music. Its tone is only a contact scientific for many genres. Its music efficiency does nonetheless sound clear and detailed, although, in addition to properly balanced in relation to its mix of high and low frequencies. The mid-range is open and compelling, too, and the React’s method to vocals can be higher suited to music than films. In any case, with music it doesn’t matter if vocals sound dislocated out of your TV display screen.
Including the subwoofer to the React soundbar makes an enormous distinction. It massively expands the vary of bass the system can produce, taking the impression and drama of huge motion film moments to a complete new stage.
It might probably get critically deep with out distorting or dropping out, but tonally it feels expertly matched to the principle soundbar, by no means overwhelming it or feeling unnaturally sonically indifferent from it.
It’s maybe not the nimblest bass sound I’ve heard, nevertheless it’s simply achieved sufficient to class as, for me, a kind of important addition to the React Soundbar. Even when you can solely afford the soundbar by itself at first and want to save lots of up longer for the subwoofer.
Ought to I purchase the Polk React?
Purchase it if...
You need a whole lot of sound to your buck
Even with none of its elective extras, the Polk React delivers a loud, aggressive and surprisingly immersive sound.
You need to construct your system up over time
If cash’s tight, one of many good issues concerning the Polk React is that you would be able to begin with the already first rate soundbar and add a subwoofer and rears individually as funds permit.
You’re an Alexa family
The React’s built-in Alexa assist and skill to change into a part of a wider community of Alexa units might be a boon to households already properly populated by Amazon units.
Do not buy it if...
You need to hear correct Dolby Atmos or DTS:X
The React doesn’t carry any up-firing audio system, and solely performs Atmos and DTS:X sources of their Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 ‘cores’.
You've gotten a really huge TV otherwise you sit fairly excessive relative to the soundbar
Vocals can sound moderately dislocated from the onscreen motion if the soundbar sits under your viewing head peak
You need a number of HDMI inputs/loopthrough
The one HDMI port on the React is an output that may additionally take DTS or Dolby Digital audio handed by to it through eARC from a appropriate TV; you may’t loop exterior sources by the soundbar.
- In search of more? Learn our information to the perfect soundbars you should purchase right now
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