The Polk SurroundBar 3000 is one of the few soundbars which can offer a complete package at a reasonable price: it looks great, it comes with a wireless subwoofer and it can deliver powerful sound in most situations.

Design
This piece of audio equipment is one of the better-looking Polk systems you can find. The soundbar looks very slick and slim, the finishing touches are quite attractive and the front grille will draw just the right amount of attention. The subwoofer comes with a glossy finish, while the soundbar itself is only glossy on the outer edges. Both of the units have a simple, but very appealing design.

Setting up the Polk SurroundBar 3000
Like with any other soundbar around, this system can be installed underneath your flat screen TV with the help of a wall mounting bracket. All of the equipment needed is included in the package, so you don’t have to worry about finding the right tools. Keep in mind that the unit is 31 inches wide, 3.75 inches tall and 2 inches deep, so it will look much better on your wall if you own a 42 inch or larger TV screen. The soundbar is only 3.5 pounds heavy, so you don’t have to worry about cracking the wall behind it. Right behind the grille, this unit contains a pair of two by six inches drivers which get their power from a 50 watt amplifier.

The subwoofer measures 10 inches in height, 10.75 inches in depth and 10.25 in width. It is 7.8 pounds heavy, so placing it on a shelf shouldn’t be a problem. Because the subwoofer is not connected through wires, you can place it wherever you want. However, you will have to make sure that the lower sounds come from the right direction, so performing a few sound tests is crucial before you decide on the final position. Even if you have a large room, the 6.5 inch Dynamic Balance Poly Composite Driver will get the job done.

Once you find the perfect place for your Polk SurroundBar 3000, you can get the remote out of the package and see what the system can do. You will only get access to some basic features like volume, input, power, subwoofer volume and mute, but this should be enough in most cases. If you want to use your TV’s remote control, the Surroundbar 3000 will recognize it as soon as you finish programming it.

You don’t have to worry about the installation process; even if you don’t have experience with audio systems, there are only a couple of wires that need to be connected to the socket and you just have to make the connection between your TV and the soundbar. After that, you will be good to go.

Sound quality
If you like listening to classical music, you will notice that the Polk SurroundBar 3000 can deliver powerful sound without compromising on quality. It will hit every note and you won’t hear distortions no matter how high you crank up the volume. However, those who prefer listening to rock and decide to dial the subwoofer to the max will notice that the Polk 3000 is not the most powerful surround bar around. If you place the system in a large room, the subwoofer won’t have enough power to hit you in the chest with every note.

If you’ve been listening to movies through your TV’s speakers, this soundbar will bring something new to the table. The ambient sounds that often go unnoticed will make an impression on your year drums and you will often be immersed in the action of your favorite movie. There are some soundbars which offer higher quality when it comes to dialogue, but none at the price of the Polk SurroundBar 3000.

Pros and Cons
The Polk SurroundBar 3000 is certainly one of the more attractive units of this kind. It will look great next to any flat screen TV and the built quality is top notch. There is nothing to complain about when it comes to sound either. It won’t let you don’t in most situations and the system is quite versatile. The wireless subwoofer is also a plus.

The main problem with this soundbar is that it doesn’t decode DTS and Dolby Digital. This means that you can watch Blu-Ray movies, but you won’t experience the sound to its full potential. This might be a serious problems for those who plan on watching many HD movies and expect high quality sound.

Conclusion
The Polk SurroundBar 3000 is ideal for those who need a complete sound system. If you are looking for a unit that is great with all music genres and you also plan on watching a few movies, this might be the soundbar for you. However, if you are interested in high quality sound, you will want to search for a soundbar that can incorporate HD decoding and a few other features.

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The Polk Soundbar SDA Instant Home Theater is a system which can increase the sound quality you get from your flat screen TV when watching movies or listening to music. The package includes a sound bar which can be placed wherever you want and a wireless subwoofer for maximum mobility.

Design
The sound bar is covered in black cloth and the Polk logo plate is silver. The design is attractive as usual, but you won’t notice anything out of the ordinary. The subwoofer looks really good next to the sound bar, but you will probably have to find some other place for this 12 inch cube if you want to increase the quality of sound offered by it. This woofer measures 6.5 inches and it can reach 130W, which is reasonable for a $500 audio system.

On the top of the sound bar, you will notice a few buttons and the power indicator light. You can switch the system on and off, adjust the volume or teach the unit to recognize another remote, which is one of the most important features.

Setting up the Soundbar SDA IHT
The package contains two sets of power cords, mounting brackets, the manual and the analog audio cables.

The name “Instant Home Theater” is great for describing this product; after you find a place for it, you can just start the unit and it will offer you a great sound experience. Setting up the system is easy and getting it out of the box will probably take longer than the actual set up. You just have to find a socket for the power cords and connect the system to your preferred audio device.

The Soundbar SDA IHT can learn functions from any remote control. You just have to point it at the system and tell it which control you want it to learn. You won’t get a separate remote for these controls, so you might as well take a couple of minutes and program your current remote to fit this audio system. The process is pretty straight forward and you should be able to do it even without consulting the manual.

The 2.4 GHz subwoofer will pick up the signal no matter where you place it and it won’t disappoint you in any way. The connection between this piece and the sound bar is strong and it can’t be interrupted by distance or other objects which run on the same frequency.

All in all, the entire set up process shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes from the moment you first see the system.

Sound quality
The sound field created by the Soundbar SDA IHT will satisfy your needs and the presence of a subwoofer is certainly noticeable. If you get this audio system right after watching a movie or listening to music on your TV’s speakers, you will be amazed by the result. The difference between TV speakers and this sound bar is truly unbelievable and each concert you watch will make you fill like you are in the front row. HD movies will clearly offer you a feel of surround sound and even if you won’t get the full 360 degree effect, you will still enjoy it. A good method of testing the surround capabilities of the Soundbar SDA IHT is playing a first person shooter. You will hear your enemies coming from your left or right and even from behind you. The sound will slowly wrap around you and the experience will be much more satisfying. If you don’t feel this effect immediately, you should find the sweet spot because this system won’t offer the uniform quality you usually get from 5.1 channel systems.

Pros and cons
The system is really easy to set up and anyone can do it in a matter of minutes. The design of each piece is attractive and it will look great no matter where you place it. You will get extra mobility thanks to the wireless subwoofer and the connection between this piece and the sound bar is very strong.

The main problem with this system is the lack of a remote. This won’t bother you if you already have one for your TV set, but there are some people out there who will need to go out and purchase a universal remote for this system.

Conclusion
At the end of the day, $500 is a cheap price for the Soundbar SDA IHT. This system won’t disappoint you when it comes to audio quality and the included subwoofer is something you don’t usually get from such a cheap audio system. The unit is recommended to those who plan on using it for a little bit of everything: music, movies and games. If you want to focus your attention on one particular aspect, you should buy a system which works perfect in that domain.

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For years, the only solution for improving the sound quality coming from your flat TV was getting a large 5.1 surround system which usually damaged the design of the room. You can’t add that many speakers without feeling a little claustrophobic. Plus, you will always have to deal with tons of wires. Luckily, there is an alternative: the Polk 360 Surround Bar. This new type of sound system can be fitted above or beneath your flat panel TV and it will look great. You can also mount in on your wall in just a few minutes.

Besides taking almost no space, you will receive high quality surround sound once you start using it. When Surround Bar systems first appeared, people used to avoid them because the sound quality wasn’t amazing and you had to buy an external receiver for the perfect experience. Now, the situation is different and the Polk 360 Surround Bar has solved all of these problems. With the Polk 360 Surround Bar, you will get virtual surround sound, but you can easily find a place for it and the great design of the system will always look attractive.

Some people might avoid this sound bar because it doesn’t come with a separate subwoofer. However, such an addition would have increased the price of the system without adding much to the sound quality. If you don’t plan on throwing a huge outdoor party, these speakers can easily offer you a great experience, even without the subwoofer. Those who want to spend thousands of dollars on the ultimate surround sound experience should probably start searching for the proper 5.1 or 7.1 channel system, but if you want to get a amazing audio set that does take too much room and comes with a DVD console, you should learn more about the Polk 360 surround bar.

The company has been around since 1972 and even if it hasn’t gained worldwide recognition, they know their way around creating sound systems and you can be sure that the quality of the Polk 360 is not questionable.

Some people might be reluctant to buying this system because of the hefty price tag: $1195. However, those who can afford it will certainly get their moneys’ worth.

The Technology behind the POLK 360 Sound Bar
The people from Polk are not beginners when it comes to audio systems. In fact, the Polk 360 Surround Bar couldn’t be here without the Stereo Dimensional Array surround technology. This feature was developed for a previous model and it was drastically modified and improved in the last few years. Now, you can be sure that you will get the highest quality possible from this version of the sound bar.

The Stereo Dimensional Array system creates the illusion of surround sound by harvesting the power of eight drivers. The advantage of the Surround Bar 360 is that it can capture signal from its own DVD player or from other players. The console comes with all the inputs and outputs you need, you just need to find the right cables.

Setting up the POLK 360 Sound Bar
The surround bar has to be connected to the DVD console through a 15 food cable. Besides that, you will have to plug in a power cord, some speaker wires and a video signal cable. An important detail that everyone should know before buying any audio system is its size. In this case, we are talking about a 44 and half inches wide Sound Bar. It is 4 1/8 inches high and 4 7/8 inches deep. A good part about it is that you can even mount it on a wall thanks to its weight of only 12 pounds. If you want to place it near your TV set, you can put it on top of it or in front of it. You will also have to figure out what to do with the DVD console. It is 16 and a half inches wide, 3 3/16 inches high and 11 and a half inches deep. You shouldn’t have any problems finding the right place for this piece of equipment.

You won’t face a lot of problems when setting up the Polk 360 Surround Bar. In fact, you just have to take a look at the manual and plug in a couple of wires. Even if you decide to mount the system on a wall, it won’t take more than 10 or 15 minutes. Most audio system manufacturers claim that their products are easy to install, but this one actually is. After you plug in a couple of wires, the default settings don’t have to be tampered with at all, expect if you are looking for something in particular.

There are many inputs, outputs and ports on the back of the console: 3 RCA audio inputs (TV, AUXI and CBL/SAD), 3 optical inputs, one COAX digital input, AM/FM antenna connectors, 2 composite and 2 S-video inputs and for outputs you will notice composite, component video, S-video, a subwoofer output and HDMI. You can also add your USB flash drive to the USB port. However, you can only use the flash drive for pictures and only if it has a capacity of 1 GB or less. Besides, you can’t add more than 100 files which might be a problem for some. The only thing missing is the HDMI input. This is one of the biggest problems that the system has and some people will certainly miss it. You will receive the FM antenna with the system.

Sound Quality
The Polk Surround Bar 360 was close to getting the Best of CES award at the Consumers Electronics Show in 2009 so you can be sure that the sound quality will be top of the line. The system contains eight 2 and a half inch drivers. Four of these drivers are situated on each side of the surround bar and the distance between these two sets is of 18 inches.

If you are watching a full HD movie, you will immediately notice that the Polk 360 Surround Bar is indeed a surround system. Even in a somewhat large room, you will hear certain ambient noises from your right, left and even from behind you. This is a great achievement for any system which doesn’t come with 5 speakers. Looking at a single speaker and hearing sound from all directions is not something that seems possible, but apparently it is. You won’t have to struggle to notice the surround sound because the sound bar offers it without even trying. Moving across the room won’t lower the quality of the sound. No matter how big is your room or where you want to sit, you will enjoy a great sound experience. However, the sound can be different from point to point, but not necessarily in a bad way. You can move the system around or change your position and see if you like the result. The outcome may differ depending on the acoustics of your room.

A good part about the experience is that you won’t miss the subwoofer. The sound is clear and clean and it can reach low and high notes without struggling. The console can decode Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1 and Dolby Pro Logic II. The end result will be something very similar to what you get from a 5.1 surround system. In fact, there are many 5.1 channel systems which can’t offer the quality offered by the Polk 360 Surround bar. Until now, Polk systems used a technology which allowed great 180 degree sound. Now, you can get the full surround experience with the help of two of the 8 drivers available. They are the ones responsible for these tones and the results are surely impressive.

The engineers had to study the human head and how the position of our ears affect the way we hear. You won’t place the surround bar behind you, but it has the ability of fooling your ears and your brain into thinking that certain sounds are coming from that area.

Music
If you plan on buying the Surround Bar 360, you won’t use it for movies alone. The sound quality offered when playing music is exceptional and you have to take advantage of it. No matter what type of music you play, you will enjoy it in a whole different manner. Some of the sounds which go unnoticed when listened through regular speakers will now appear vivid and exciting. You can experiment with different genres until you see exactly what this system can offer. The Polk Surround Bar 360 won’t disappoint you in this category.

Video Quality
The default video setting is 16:9. When you start testing the DVD console, you have to pay attention to every detail. This system can display resolutions of 480p, 720p and 1080i. This means that your TV set will have to do the rest of the work and convert the 1080i to full HD (1080p).

Controls
You will receive a remote control along with the Polk 360 Surround Bar. The good part about it is that you can program a few buttons to fit your needs, but the bad part is that you will have to aim it directly to the system. If you don’t, you will get no response. You can also use this remote for your TV and satellite or cable box, but getting used to it might take a while.

You will also notice a few buttons on the top of the console. Here you will find the power switch, the source select button and the volume and eject buttons. You will certainly notice the resemblance between a piano and the buttons of this console and this type of design is surely attractive.

Conclusion
The Polk 360 Surround Bar could be your all in one system, if you don’t need a Blu-ray player. You will be able to listen to radio or play CDs and DVDs, but you won’t watch full HD movies that come on Blu-ray.

In the end, the POLK 360 Surround Bar comes with advantages and disadvantages. You can be sure that the sound quality will exceed your expectations, even without a subwoofer. The system is attractive and it can be mounted anywhere thanks to its light weight. Its design won’t go unnoticed. On the downside, you will have to settle for a simple DVD player, even if Blu-ray movies have already entered the market. The DVD console has some problems with the pause function. If you keep it on long enough, it won’t remember where to resume the movie from. Luckily, you can download a firmware upgrade and install it through the USB port. This is a simple process and it is completely free. Some of the major problems of this system can be solved by connecting a HD player through the console, maybe even your PC if you have the right graphics card. The system is definitely worth buying, especially if you can get passed the lack of a Blu-Ray player.

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The people from Polk first started to get into the market of sound bars in 2005. They have created a few models since and all of them were better than what most people expected. Now, it is time to review the SurroundBar 50. This system is larger in width than most sounds bars around, but it also looks better than them. The design is simplistic, without any unnecessary LED lights or screens. This is a passive system, so a secondary piece of equipment is required.

Design

This sound bar is not your average black, rectangular shaped unit. The rounded shape is unique in the world of sound bars, but it looks great. You can get the Surroundbar 50 in black or titanium and both of these options look equally attractive. The unit is quite large in width: no less than 51 inches. The rounded shape makes it easily mountable in front of your TV without blocking the view or the signal from your remote control. It is only 4.5 inches high and 5 inches deep and weighs around 15 pounds. These measurements are perfect for 50 inch screen TVs, but you can fit it along any other system as well. If you don’t want to place it in front of your TV, you can always mount it on the wall, a set up which will certainly look stylish.

The set up process is easy thanks to the included bracket. On the interior, the Surroundbar 50 contains nine midrange drivers which measure 3.5 inches each. They are accompanied by three tweeters which measure 0.75 inch each.
Most sound bars differ in size and the producer usually ads a touch of uniqueness, but the Surroundbar 50 is one of the best looking systems around. If you have a TV set which has a great design, you shouldn’t ruin it by adding an audio system which doesn’t bring anything new. The Surroundbar 50 will look great next to any flat panel TV and it will certainly grab people’s attention.

Setting up the Surroundbar 50
You will have to connect the system to an AV receiver through the included 5 channel flat cable. It is 15 foot long so if you need a longer cable, you will have to get it separately. If you don’t know how to set up the wires, you should get an amplifier because the connections will be easier to make.
As for the menu, things are relatively simple. You just have to set the left, right and center levels to 0dB and the surround channel to +3dB, as recommended in the manual. After that, you simply have to set the speaker delay to 0 and the crossover control to 100 Hertz or a little more. The first thing you will notice after starting the sound bar is the lack of a subwoofer.

The people from Polk highly recommend adding a sub to the SurroundBar 50 and you shouldn’t forget about this recommendation. This unit wasn’t built to work alone so you can’t use it without the proper equipment and expect high quality sound on all levels. The user guide should make things easier when it comes to set up, so keep it close to you.

Sound quality

One of the biggest problems that sound bars have to face is different room shapes. Most systems will use the bouncing sounds of the walls technique and the result won’t be that great if you have large furniture pieces or anything but a perfectly square room. Luckily, the SurroundBar 50 is not based on this technique. It will generate surround effects directly from its speakers through the SDA surround technology. The virtual sound will be produced through signal processing and the result will be better than what you get from most audio systems. This technology was developed by Polk and it certainly brings something new to the table.

When listening to music, you will notice a clear difference between playing it from a CD and playing form a DVD or Blu-Ray. If you have most of your music on CDs, you should find a way to get it on DVDS because the quality difference can’t be neglected. All music genres will sound amazing, so you shouldn’t worry about this aspect.

If you are getting the SurroundBar 50 for movies, you won’t be disappointed either. It offers great clarity in all sorts of situations and the dialog will never sink under explosions or other ambient sounds. The surround sound is present, but like with all other systems of this kind, you won’t get the full effects. This is the limitation imposed by having a single speaker instead of 5 or 7 across your room. Those who are sited right in front of the system will hear better sound than those who are on the sides. The effects of a HD movie will be fairly good since the SurroundBar 50 offers a reasonable sound stage and high quality sound on all levels, especially if you have a subwoofer.

Pros and Cons
The best part about this system is that it will look great no matter where you place it. It is easy to set up and it will bring something new to your room. The Surroundbar 50 offers high quality sound with only a few cables and it won’t let you down in any circumstance. If you plan on sitting right in front of the speaker, you can be sure that this Polk unit can replicate the sound which you would normally get from a 5.1 channel system only.

On the downside, you will have to buy a separate subwoofer and you have to connect this passive system to your own amplifier or AV receiver. You should be aware of this before you decide to purchase the SurroundBar 50, so make sure that your budget can cover these expenses. Also, if you plan on watching a movie with a bunch of your friends, those who will be sited on the sides of your couch won’t notice the full surround effect.

Conclusion
At the recommended price of $1.000, the system should satisfy even the most opinionated customer. No matter what you expect from a sound bar, this system can offer it, as long as you combine it with the right amplifier and subwoofer. Music playback is amazing no matter how you look at it and even the most demeaning movies will sound immersive at the end of the day. The surround sound is truly impressive if you get into the sound stage and the only minor flaw is the fact that you won’t get full 360 surround at all times, which is nearly impossible with a one speaker sound system.

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The Polk SurroundBar is an audio system which uses the Stereo Dimensional Array technology for offering the best surround sound possible through a single speaker. You can get it for around $950 and it will become the unit which completes your room, especially if you already own a flat screen TV which lacks sound power.

Design
The design of the Polk SurrondBar is simple, but attractive. It will look great next to any TV set and you can choose between black and titanium when it comes to color. Polk has announced that this system will be available in at least 5 different colors soon.

The system contains seven drivers which measure 3.5 inches each and three tweeters. The sound offered by this unit is quite powerful and these small drivers certainly offer a lot more sound than what you’d expect. However, the lack of a subwoofer is noticeable and adding a separate one will make an important difference.

The system is 42 inches wide, 5 inches deep and 4 inches tall. It weighs 25 pounds, so wall mounting shouldn ’t be a problem.

Setting up the Polk SurroundBar
You can forget about connecting various cables like you would with a 5.1 channel system once you take a look at the Polk SurroundBar. All you have to do is set up the speaker terminals from your AV receiver and you will be good to go. This sound system doesn’t have a power cord, amplification or any other cords. After you place the system on the wall or right in front of your flat panel TV, you can use the included 25 foot speaker cable to make the connections. If you feel that this cable is too long or too short, you can always buy one separately. Wall mounting this unit is simple thanks to the included bracket, but placing it at the right level will require some trial and error. If you manage to set up the Polk Surroundbar at ear level, you will get the best sound experience.

If you want to add a subwoofer, you can choose between the output of your receiver and the line level subwoofer output. Polk recommended the first option, but you should try both of them just to be sure. Either way, the sound quality will be drastically improved.

Sound quality
Thanks to the SDA technology, you can forget about tedious room adjustments. With most sound bars, the sound will reflect from your walls and this isn’t exactly ideal, especially if you have a large room with open spaces. With the Polk Surroundbar, you will get the same sound quality no matter the size or shape of your room because sound won’t reflect from surfaces.

The SDA technology will use targeted phase cancellation, which means that the soundstage will be increased and everyone who is listening will enjoy the same surround effect. The sounds coming from the rear channel will appear as they are coming from behind you thanks to the Head Related Transfer Function. This technology is based on the shape of the human ear and the way we hear sounds. By delaying the sounds from the rear channel, you will get the impression of surround sound.

Polk SurroundBar
If you take your time when calibrating the system, this surround bar can reach the sound quality offered by a mid-range 5.1 channel system. You shouldn’t auto calibrate the system through your receiver, because you won’t get the same effect. After you finish the manual setup, you should increase the levels of the rear channel until you are happy with the outcome. The surround effect will be easily noticed when watching a full HD movie, but you can also enjoy the sound quality when listening to music. If you are situated in the best possible location, you will catch a glimpse of 360 surround sound, but in most cases you will get a nice effect, no matter where you decide to sit and this is a good compromise. For those who are really looking for the ultimate surround sound experience, adding a secondary set of speaker is possible and even recommended by the people at Polk.

Even stereo music plays well on the Polk Surroundbar. All levels are balanced and complicated classical pieces will appear to be perfect, with no discrepancies whatsoever. The soundstage can be opened by switching the receiver to Dobly Pro Logic II Music mode.

If you used to watch movies on your flat screen TV without any additional speakers, using the Polk SurroundBar will be an incredible step forward. The quality of the sound offered by this simple unit will change the whole experience of watching a movie and you will be placed in the middle of each scene thanks to the surround effect.

Pros and Cons
The SurroundBar comes with an all in one 25 food speaker cable, which is always a good addition, you can connect it to any receiver and it can be easily mounted on the wall. The surround sound quality will live up to your expectations and you will even enjoy full surround at some points. If you buy the system straight from the producer, you will get 5 year warranty.

Unfortunately, you will need to connect an additional subwoofer if you are looking for the perfect experience and an AV receiver is certainly required. The price of $950 might seem high, but it actually isn’t considering what you get in return. Conclusion If you have enough room and you really want to hear sound coming from behind you, a 5.1 or 7.1 channel system is exactly what you need. However, if you are looking for a small, stylish and affordable sound system which sounds better than many surround units, you should go for the Polk Surroundbar. The SDA technology performs admirably and the quality of the sound will always be top notch.

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