The Polk Audio Signa S2 is a straightforward 2.1 soundbar that comes with a wireless subwoofer. It has an excited, V-shaped sound signature that isn't the best-balanced we've reviewed so far. On the upside, it gets loud enough for most people, although it might not perform the best when pushed to its limits, as you might hear compression and distortion. On the upside, it's decently well-made and supports wireless streaming via Bluetooth.
Our Verdict
The Polk Audio Signa S2 is a passable stereo 2.1 soundbar. It's a fairly good upgrade from your TV speakers when it comes to watching TV shows and listening to stereo music. However, due to its 2.1 speaker configuration, it doesn't have a great immersive listening experience with surround content and doesn't support Atmos, which is disappointing for movies.
- Decent build quality.
- Decent audio reproduction.
- Can get loud enough for most people.
- Sub-par sound enhancement features, limited customization.
Poor surround performance, no Atmos support.
The Polk Audio Signa S2 is very good for TV shows. Although it doesn't have a dedicated center channel, it's fairly well-balanced in the mid-range and it also features a dialogue enhancement feature to help make voices clearer.
The Polk Audio Signa S2 is a decent soundbar for music. This stereo setup comes with a wireless subwoofer that creates a lot of bass, although it has trouble creating very low-end frequencies for a deep rumble. The sound signature of this soundbar is rather excited and follows a V-shape with extra bass and excess in the treble range. This makes songs sound too boomy or too bright, depending on the track you're listening to.
The Polk Audio Signa S2 is sub-par for movies. It doesn't support Atmos so you won't be able to get height effects. On the upside, it can decode Dolby Digital content but has to downmix it to stereo to be able to play it, which doesn't result in a very immersive listening experience, and it doesn't support DTS.
Changelog
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Updated May 09, 2025:
We've updated the article with the Polk Audio Signa S2D online-exclusive added as a variant.
- Updated Sep 01, 2023: Added market comparison with the Polk Audio Magnifi Max AX SR in the Surround 5.1 box.
- Updated Mar 27, 2023: Added cable lengths to In The Box.
- Updated Mar 22, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.1. With this update, we've added a Mounting test and added information aboutSubwoofer Output, Spotify Connect, and Microphone Mute.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Polk Audio Signa S2 has an online exclusive variant, the Polk Audio Signa S2D. The S2D has the same specifications but a different finish, replacing the standard, black, fine-mesh fabric covering the soundbar and subwoofer with a heathered gray fabric instead. Both the standard and online-exclusive versions should perform identically.
If you come across any additional variants, let us know in the comments below.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Polk Audio Signa S2 is a very straightforward system. Its 2.1 configuration is very simple and can be a good upgrade for your TV speakers. However, it isn't as well-built as some other affordable option in this price range like the TCL Alto 7+, but it performs decently well overall. For more options, check out our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best soundbars with subwoofer and the best budget soundbars.
The standalone Sonos Arc is a better soundbar than the Polk Audio Signa S2. The Sonos is better built, and it supports Dolby Atmos content. It has better center, surround, and soundstage performances and has built-in voice assistant support. It also comes with a room correction feature. However, unlike the Sonos, the Polk comes with EQ presets.
The Samsung HW-B550 is better than the Polk Audio Signa S2. They're both budget-friendly 2.1 bars, but the Samsung soundbar performs best. It has more sound enhancement features, like a graphic EQ that lets you customize its sound to your liking. It's better-built, too, with a more balanced sound out-of-the-box than the boomy Polk.
The Polk Audio Signa S2 and the Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR are two different soundbar setups. The SIGNA is a 2.1 setup that's decent for dialogue-centric content and music. The MagniFi MAX is a 5.1 setup that scores better overall. Unlike the SIGNA, it comes with discrete satellites and more wireless playback options. It has better center and surround performances, too. However, we noticed a lot of issues with the audio when listening to real-life content on the MagniFi Max. Other users have reported similar experiences.
The Polk Audio Magnifi Max AX SR is better than the Polk Audio Signa S2. The S2 is a 2.1 setup that's designed for stereo content like most music and TV shows. It lacks discrete satellites and Atmos support, unlike the AX SR. If you want a simpler bar, though, the S2 may still be an okay choice.
Test Results
