Those also typically cost considerably more than $250. This is a fairly barebones arrangement compared to some of the more advanced models out there that have a dozen or more meticulously placed speakers throwing sound in every direction around your room. That understated fabric cover consoles a pair of mid-range speakers, two tweeters, and two passive bass radiators. Digging into this Polk soundbar hardware Here’s the React compared to the Sonos Beam. I had to re-pair the sub once because something got weird, but it was smooth sailing from there. As soon as the rear speakers and sub had power, they started trying to hook up with the soundbar. I can say the same for the other components in the system as well. Our test unit needed an update and Alexa told me about it and then automatically applied it. Once you plug in the power cable and the soundbar turns on, the Alexa app should automatically see the Polk soundbar and guide you through the process. You don’t even get a headphone jack, though, that kind of connectivity has become much less important now that no one has iPods and smartphones stopped offering analog jacks. Polk intends you to connect the soundbar to your TV and let that one connection do all the work. It’s also worth noting that you can’t use both the optical and the HDMI on the Polk soundbar at the same time. If you have a TV built in the last decade, you probably have at least one ARC HDMI port, but it might be just one so check the labels on your set or in your manual to get the right connection. It won’t make a huge difference when it comes to sound quality, but remote control compatibility can get a little wonky over optical. You’ll want to make sure your TV supports HDMI ARC before taking the plunge. Stan HoraczekĪttaching the soundbar to your TV is dead simple. This kind of flexibility scores points in the Polk’s favor.įor this review, I spent some time with just the soundbar and then with the entire system built out. You don’t need to jump in fully if you’d rather add just the speakers or the sub. You can add a $200 wireless subwoofer, and a $200 pair of surround sound speakers to create an entire room full of gear for roughly $650 total. In addition to the React soundbar itself, Polk also offers supporting gear to help build out an entire surround sound system. Polk touts the Alexa connectivity as one of its main features and it’s actually required if you want to get the best performance out of when you’re streaming music (more on that later). The circular button array on top also strikes a resemblance to an Echo Dot.Īt $250 retail, this isn’t a pricy soundbar, though it’s designed to compete with more expensive models including the excellent-but-expensive Sonos Beam. Nearly the whole thing sports a subtle gray fabric wrap, not unlike what you’ll find on Amazon’s first-party Echo speakers. The soundbar itself sits 34 inches wide by just 2.2 inches tall. Right out of the box, the Polk React soundbar looks a bit like an Amazon Echo product.
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