Polk Audio SurroundBar Review (General)

Many good things contain the word �bar� in their description. Candy bar, gold bar, er, just plain bar are a few that come to mind as I sit here wishing I had some chocolate to munch on, a better financial portfolio, and an ice-cold brew in my hand.

Thirty-plus year audio industry juggernaut Polk Audio obviously loves the �bar� scene too. Their latest creation known as the SurroundBar, not only borrows my new favorite word for part of its title, but also happens to be a one speaker aural envelopment solution; that�s only a few paces behind a Hershey Bar or an Old Leghumper in my book.

Let�s see how Polk Audio pulls off this auditory tomfoolery with the SurroundBar, and if it�s worth its weight in gold bullion�

Features

• Polk Audio's patented SDA� Surround technology delivers a vivid sound field from a single, 43-inch long cabinet. No rear speakers are required.
• Easy to install thanks to a simple wall-mount bracket
• Separate cradle for mounting on a TV stand, a shelf or for set-top placement.
• Seven 3 �" Dynamic Balance Drivers and three �" Dynamic Balance Dome Tweeters deliver clear, natural midrange, high frequencies and lifelike imaging.
• Aluminum extruded enclosure eliminates cabinet resonance.
• Anti-diffraction grille and bezel help create open, spacious imaging.
• Magnetically shielded, of course, for safe placement on or near TVs.
• MSRP- $949.95
• Simplified color-coded hookup with all 5 channels of information going directly from your home theater receiver to the SurroundBar.
• 25-foot 10-conductor cable is color-coded and clearly marked for easy hookup. No more tangled wires to string around a room.

Although boasting a rather lofty MSRP of $949.95 (street prices are as low as $799.00 at reputable outlets such as JR Music World and similar), the SurroundBar is designed as a �one piece� solution to five channel surround sound processing via Dolby Digital or DTS.

The term �one piece� is referring to the single speaker unit taking the place of the standard five speakers in a 5.1 system. This is not a home theatre in a box (HTIB), even though its price (at least compared to HTIB�s we�ve reviewed) may lead some of you to think otherwise.

The �point one� of the 5.1 is handled by the sub, and you�ll definitely need one of those too (for LFE-encoded material or not- the SurroundBar�s bass reproduction capabilities are extremely limited). Amplification and digital processing are requirements too. A standard Dolby Digital/DTS receiver will do the trick, as the SurroundBar, with its 89db efficiency (8 Ohms), will put out sufficient volume with as little as 25 watts RMS. I�d recommend getting closer to the SurroundBar�s max recommend power of 125 watts RMS if you�re pairing it with a big-boy sub.


Setup

I was expecting that finding a place to mount the SurroundBar- and actually mounting it- was going to be a real pain. I was wrong. The 55� projection TV at the office is wide enough to accept the SurroundBar on its topside (Polk Audio�s literature for the SurroundBar mentions a mount for narrower TV�s is available separately), so that�s where this smart looking piece was going to end up. A small bracket sits atop the TV (with a provision for the speaker cable snake), unfixed, which was a bit perplexing at first. The SurroundBar simply sits in this �cradle�, again, unfixed, but is somehow rock solid. Is this some of the same Polk Audio mojo that is behind the single-source-surround dynamic? Maybe, but I�m guessing proper engineering and soft rubber have a thing or two to do with this interesting yet super-effective mounting solution. Those wanting to wall mount can, with ease, by utilizing the supplied two-piece bracket set.

Platform:
General
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MSRP:
$949.95
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Release Date:
Oct. 2005
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Manufactured By:
Polk Audio
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