Polk Audio SIGNA S2 vs Samsung HW-K850 review

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l would like to share my experience after comparing and testing two soundbars – Polk Audio SIGNA S2 vs Samsung HW-K850. The Polk Audio SIGNA S2 was rated 5, while the Samsung HW-K850 has a rating 6. The soundbars are equipped with a different number of buttons, power, volume down, volume up, source, Bluetooth for the SIGNA S2 and power, volume down, volume up, source for the HW-K850.

Audio features

Each of the models under consideration has active amplification type. A noticeable difference is the number of channels that SIGNA S2 has 2.1 and HW-K850 has 3.1.2. The built-in subwoofer is not implemented in any of these models. An external subwoofer can be connected to any of the units in this comparison. Audio features and specs of considered models we rated 6 out of 10 in our ranking. The HW-K850 can play audio from Spotify.

Connectivity

Wireless Internet connection is realized only in the HW-K850. Soundbars from this comparison have Bluetooth support. There are 1/0 HDMI inputs/outputs in the Polk Audio SIGNA S2 versus 2/1 HDMIs in the Samsung HW-K850. As in the SIGNA S2, so in the HW-K850 there is the HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC). We rated the connectivity of the SIGNA S2 at 6 out of 10, while the HW-K850 was rated 7/10.

Features

None of these soundbars can be controlled using the app. Soundbars in this review are not equipped with a microphone. The models under consideration cannot become part of a multiroom system.

Multichannel surround

Dolby Atmos audio decoder is onboard the HW-K850. Devices from this comparison cannot process surround sound due to lack of DTS:X. The same score of 4/10 was put to the soundbars for multichannel surround support.

Advantages Polk Audio SIGNA S2 over Samsung HW-K850

Advantages Samsung HW-K850 over Polk Audio SIGNA S2