I believe that movie and TV fans have more or less heard of the term "home theater". However, many people may not fully understand this term. Contrary to what manufacturers promote, home theater is actually far from being as simple as a TV and speakers. It is a complete set of facilities consisting of a playback system, acoustic system, video system and even room furniture.

The threshold for setting up a home theater is extremely high. The various audio-visual equipment alone requires a budget of tens of thousands or even millions of yuan, and this does not take into account the most core "hardware" - the house.

Therefore, for most users, home theater is not an urgent and realistic option. So, in order to pursue a better audio-visual experience, they usually have to settle for the second best and invest in a better TV and sound system.

In terms of audio, soundbars are a new category in recent years. The traditional speaker + amplifier system is not only expensive, but also complicated to wire, which does not conform to the simple usage habits of many users. However, soundbars with relatively excellent sound quality and relatively simple installation have become the first choice for many users to improve their audio-visual experience.

Recently I bought a soundbar set Magnifi Max SR 5.1 (hereinafter referred to as "Max SR") produced by Polk. I would like to share my experience of using it with you here, and hope it will be helpful to friends who want to buy a soundbar.

Extremely simplified installation steps

Max SR consists of a soundbar, a subwoofer and a pair of rear speakers. The soundbar and the rear speakers are not large, but the subwoofer takes up a lot of space. If the TV happens to occupy the entire TV cabinet, then you need to find another way.

The soundbar itself is slender in shape, with four 3-inch full-range units, two 0.75-inch tweeters and a 1-inch center channel unit built in. It can be said that although it is small, it has all the necessary facilities.

There are several buttons on the top that can be used to turn the machine on and off, switch signal sources, increase and decrease the volume, etc.

There is a circle of golden decoration on the front of the soundbar, and the words "Voice Adjust" are written on it, which means dialogue correction. This is a unique technology of Pule that can adjust the human voice individually. This function is very helpful when watching movies, allowing the human voice to stand out better in the noisy background sound.

There is an HDMI Arc port on the back of the sound bar. By connecting it directly to a TV that supports HDMI Arc, it can produce sound without connecting other wires.

In addition, the sound bar has three HDMI output ports, an optical fiber interface, an audio interface, an Ethernet cable interface and a USB interface, which is highly expandable.

The Max SR also has a massive subwoofer that’s as big as some speakers.

Lay the subwoofer down, and you can see an 8-inch woofer and a bass reflex port inside. This design can promote the air vibration inside the bass reflex tube to produce sound, broaden the low-frequency range and volume, and increase the overall output efficiency of the speaker.

The rear speakers are relatively small in size. Placing them behind the viewing position can provide a wider sound field and a more immersive surround sound effect.

The most commendable thing about this Max SR is how easy it is to assemble. The soundbar itself needs to be connected to the TV with wires, while the rear speakers and subwoofer are connected wirelessly. This not only makes the desktop look a lot cleaner, but also saves users a lot of trouble, especially not having to worry about the wiring of the rear speakers, which is worthy of recognition.

After powering on the soundbar, speakers and subwoofer, press the pairing buttons on the soundbar, subwoofer and speakers in turn to complete the pairing. The overall operation is relatively simple.

Although the subwoofer and speakers are connected wirelessly, there is no obvious delay or interference when using them, and the overall experience is still very good.

Max SR is also equipped with a remote control, which can adjust the overall volume, bass volume, vocal volume, input mode, sound mode and other contents, which is very convenient. But unfortunately, there is no supporting app, so sometimes it is easy to figure out which mode the speaker is currently in.

Sound quality performance with both surprise and regret

Max SR is a 5.1-channel soundbar system, so it is best suited for watching movies. We first played the 4K version of "Dune" with its own 7.1 channel, and it can be clearly heard that even in ordinary dialogue scenes, the rear speakers can still provide an excellent sense of presence.

If you listen carefully, you can notice that the rear speakers do not produce human voices, but rather ambient sounds and background music. This not only broadens the sound field of the entire movie, but also does not cause confusion in the direction of the sound. The overall viewing experience is significantly improved.

We then played a 4K remastered version of "The Matrix 3", which also has 7.1 channels. This time we tested more intense battle scenes.

When watching the scenes of the protagonists fighting in flying vehicles, the explosions, the cries of the sentinels, the friction sounds, metal collisions, lightning sounds, etc. produced when moving are all mixed but not chaotic. The presence of the rear speakers can even help you distinguish the specific location of certain sounds, bringing a sense of oppression. It can be said that watching such action movies with Max SR is a difference that can be heard with just one ear.

However, it should be noted that the sound performance of Max SR is closely related to the source of the film. The above sound effects were measured when we played ultra-high-definition sources. When playing lower-specification sources (TV series with each episode being 40 minutes long and about 450MB in size), the sound effects will be quite different, and the rear speakers may not even make any sound at all.

In addition, after listening to the soundbar, several colleagues in our company generally came to the conclusion that the bass effect of this soundbar was not outstanding. When playing a movie, we thought that the subwoofer was not connected correctly, but after touching it with our hands and feeling the vibration, we found that it was just the way it was.

Then, we tested the bass effect with songs. We chose the classic "burn-in song" "Crossing the River". When playing this kind of song with a heavy bass rhythm, the bass can still be clearly felt. However, when playing music with a slightly weaker bass effect such as "Running Into the Night", the presence of the subwoofer becomes much lower.

In general, in terms of sound quality, the performance of Max SR is worthy of its price. When playing movies, the whole set of speakers has a good impact and sound density, and the performance in sound effects, details, vocal clarity, grand scene, and overall immersion can be called acceptable. When playing music, the overall tuning style of Max SR is refreshing and natural, but the bass is a little thin.

What should I pay attention to when buying a soundbar?

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to briefly talk about the things you should pay attention to before purchasing a soundbar.

The first thing to consider is whether you really need a soundbar. You should know that there is a lot of room for spending money on audio equipment. The price of this Magnifi Max SR 5.1 speaker is around 4,500 yuan, which is far from the "audiophile" level. If you don't pursue sound that high, then there is really no need to buy too expensive products. Products priced at 1,000 yuan are enough to bring a significant improvement in experience. In addition, if you just use it to listen to music, then buying HiFi is far more suitable for you than buying a soundbar.

Secondly, you need to consider your apartment type before purchasing. For example, this Max SR is more suitable for 20-30 square meters of space with strong enclosure. If your room is larger and more open, then the effect of this product may be better. some Discount. If you have enough budget and are planning to renovate or move house soon, then a home theater that requires wall wiring is a better choice for you.

Finally, you also need to consider whether you can get a high-quality video source. As mentioned above, if you use it to watch ordinary resources, the sound effect will not be greatly improved. Therefore, if you don’t have the habit of watching Blu-ray and ultra-high-definition sources frequently, and just use TV to watch resources on domestic video websites, then you don’t have to spend four or five thousand yuan to buy a soundbar.

Let's talk about Magnifi Max SR 5.1 again. The biggest advantage of this product is that it is extremely easy to install. At the same time, the sound quality performance can be said to be neither good nor bad. In addition, the relatively low price and good value retention rate (this product was launched in 2017, and the current average price in the second-hand market is around 3,500) make it an entry-level soundbar especially suitable for movie lovers. If you want to experience the auditory effect brought by the soundbar for the first time, then this product is a relatively safe option.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.