What We Like

What We Don't Like

Polk Audio has some of the best soundbar designs under $500, that’s just a fact. Their Omni SB1 Plus comes across a rather solid performer in all areas that count. Let’s take a closer look and see what it offers.

Design

Polk Audio’s designs are always easy on the eyes. This goes for both their soundbars and bookshelf speakers. Omni SB1 Plus we are looking at here is not different. It features a slightly rhomboid profile with rounded edges. The grille that covers the speakers extends along the entire length of the bar on its front as well as the top surface.

The only thing that breaks up the black glossy nature of the soundbar is Polk’s logo as well as a small square mask at the very center of the bar. Subwoofer cabinet is pretty chunky but ultimately small enough to easily hide away somewhere.

Polk has made mounting Omni SB1 Plus fairly easy, allowing you to install it on your wall or piece of furniture. The length of the soundbar is some 43 inches, making it a solid choice for any TV that is wider than that. Overall, Omni SB1 Plus is one of the better-looking choices in this price range.

Features

Once you pop the grilles and take a look inside, you will see three 3″ drivers in the soundbar, as well as an 8″ cone in the subwoofer. Overall power rating for the entire system is set at 350 Watts, making it a fairly powerful unit. In terms of features, you are looking at a wireless woofer and Bluetooth support. That’s the basics.

The more interesting feature is Polk’s VoiceAdjust option which allows you to tune in frequencies where most dialogs happen. Add Dolby Digital Surround Sound support and you have a fairly capable system right off the bat. It might not be as complex as some other models in this price range, but it has enough features to do its job.

Controlling the Omni SB1 Plus is done either by using the remote or Polks mobile app. In all honesty, the remote feels a bit cheap but serves the purpose.

Performance

The performance of Omni SB1 Plus can be described as solid, under certain conditions. Turn on TV and play your favorite movie. After messing with the VoiceAdjust feature, you will fall in love with this media once more. Seriously, it makes dialogues sound impressively good.

On top of that, the bass and trebles are great for rendering movie sound. However, try streaming music and you’ll run into a less than great performance. On paper, the speaker complement in Omni SB1 Plus should take care of music just fine, but it simply doesn’t. Music doesn’t sound terrible and you will enjoy a rich bass, however, there is no range to be found.

Those who are looking for an all-in-one system should probably check out other models. On the other hand, if you are only after impeccable movie experience, this is the soundbar to go with.

The Rumble:

Omni SB1 Plus from Polk Audio was definitely a surprise, both in a good and bad sense of the word. It’s a great system for movies alone but lacks the range for listening to music.