Polk's MagniFi Mini has been a favorite of ours since its release in 2016 This small but mighty soundbar produces big sound in a small footprint, and Polk has released a new version, the MagniFi Mini AX, with a few small design changes and a big addition: support for Dolby Atmos

The price has also increased significantly; Polk's original MagniFi Mini costs $299, while the MagniFi Mini AX is $499 on Amazon

The Polk MagniFi Mini AX will be available in March 2022 and retails for $499 There is only one model and it is black in color

Polk still sells the original MagniFi Mini (excluding Atmos and a few others) for $299

Like the original MagniFi Mini, the AX does not look like a typical soundbar; at 144 x 41 x 31 inches, it is neither long nor slim It is about an inch wider than the original Mini and slightly lower in height By comparison, the Sonos Beam, another small soundbar, measures 256 x 39 x 27 inches

Because of its height, the Mini AX may block the bottom of the TV or the line of sight of the remote control But at least you don't have to worry about finding a long surface to put it on

The black plastic and mesh unit is best paired with a small TV or computer monitor

The Mini AX comes with everything you need, including an HDMI cable, power cable, and batteries for the remote control The biggest challenge may be finding a discreet location for the power brick to connect to the main soundbar

On the back of the unit is an easily accessible port for connecting to a TV via HDMI (eARC compatible), optical digital, or 35mm cable; HDMI pass-through is not available since there is only one HDMI port There is a button to establish a connection to the included wireless subwoofer or optional surround speakers (the subwoofer is paired with the soundbar, so I didn't have to do anything) There is also a USB port, but it is for service only

In addition to wired connections, the Mini AX offers several wireless options, including Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, and Chromecast to connect to a wi-fi network, use the Google Home app The app identified the new device and walked me through the steps to connect to the network Once connected, the firmware was automatically updated

Although similar in appearance to the original Mini, the internals of the AX are different: the AX has two 075-inch tweeters and three 2-inch midrange drivers, while the Mini has two 05-inch tweeters and four 225-inch midrange drivers The Mini has two 05-inch tweeters and four 225-inch midrange drivers The larger tweeters helped the AX reproduce richer high frequencies than the Mini

The soundbar supports Atmos, but does not get the height aspect of the object-based audio experience due to the lack of upward-firing speakers; given the Mini AX's premium price, this should be taken into account

The AX's 156 x 146 x 72-inch subwoofer looks comically large compared to the soundbar itself, but not too large by subwoofer standards The subwoofer contains a 5 x 7-inch woofer that rounds out the sound of the soundbar and provides a low-frequency effect when watching movies or TV

The MagniFi Mini AX comes with a remote control as is common with Polk soundbars In addition to a power selector and input selector, it has several buttons to adjust the sound to your liking You can change the bass level, the audio (center channel) level, and even adjust the sound delay between seen and heard sound

You can also choose from Movie, 3D, Night, and Music modes; 3D mode spreads the sound out wide and makes the most of the speakers; Movie mode has a narrower sound than 3D, but voices were easier to hear

If you just want to adjust the volume, there is no need to use the remote control Mine worked without any settings, but you can teach your TV remote to work with the Mini AX if you want

On the front of the Mini AX is an LED display that only lights up when you do something, such as change volume, input, or sound mode It is easy to see and since it is not always on, it does not get in the way when it is not needed

For a small soundbar, the MagniFi Mini AX impresses with its wide sound in 3D mode and substantial bass from the wireless sub However, the Sonos Beam has better overall sound and is less expensive If that matters most, the Mini AX produces more bass than the Beam And despite its size, its overall performance is hard to beat

Voices sound clear but shallow at times When Oscar Isaac speaks with a British accent in Moon Knight, it was easy to hear, but the subwoofer did not have the same effect of adding depth However, when the "voice" spoke to Stephen, played by Isaac, the subwoofer added impressive gravitas When Electro zapped Peter Parker and his friends in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the subwoofer sounded satisfying along with the bolts of electricity Atmos support made the surround sound engaging when Thor threw his stormbreaker at Outrider in Avengers: Endgame: In the scene where Thor throws his stormbreaker at Outrider in Avengers: Endgame, the Mini AX sounded like it was moving around the room

The Mini AX also lends itself well to music thanks to its wide, bass-heavy sound: on "As It Was," Harry Styles' voice balances well with the bass and synths, and on "Freedom," the horns and bass sound full, but do not overwhelm John Baptiste's vocal is not overpowering On Wet Legg's "Too Late Now," the guitars shimmer amidst a thumping bass drum, and the Mini AX could easily be used as the main speaker for music in a bedroom or small apartment

At its maximum volume, this little soundbar is over 90 decibels, which is plenty loud enough for larger rooms At this level, however, the sound is too rough and too bright Listening is more comfortable in the 75-85 decibel range, but still loud enough

The MagniFi Mini AX packs a lot of functionality into a small unit: the overall sound is good, but the wide, low-end sound shines through Best of all, it takes up very little space, making it suitable for small TVs and large computer monitors

However, it is difficult to justify the price premium The original Magnify Mini is $200 cheaper This model does not support Atmos, but even with the addition of the latest surround sound technology, the impact on the overall experience is minimal for a soundbar without upward-firing speakers $449 will get you more immersive virtual surround sound for a more You can get Sonos Beam, a superior all-around soundbar that delivers more immersive virtual surround sound [But the Beam has no subwoofer; the AX definitely has more bass And Beam is louder If bass and smallness are most important to you, and you crave the widest sound you can get within those constraints, the Mini AX is the way to go