Polk Audio SIGNA S2 vs Bose Soundbar 500

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To get acquainted with the specs of the devices, we suggest you familiarize with the comparison of Polk Audio SIGNA S2 and Bose Soundbar 500. It shows us that the Soundbar 500 is a better choice as a home soundbar than the SIGNA S2. According to the results of our comparison, SIGNA S2 received 5 points out of 10 possible, and Soundbar 500 was rated 7.4 points.

Advantages Polk Audio SIGNA S2 over Bose Soundbar 500

Advantages Bose Soundbar 500 over Polk Audio SIGNA S2

Audio features

Each of the compared models received 6 points for the audio features.

It worth understanding the difference between the two types of amplification: a passive soundbar does not have its own amplifier and receives amplification from the signal source, while an active soundbar has a built-in amplifier. The same active type of amplification is used in the SIGNA S2 and the Soundbar 500.

There are stereo soundbars and multichannel ones. It is with the help of multichannel devices that you can get volumetric sound. It is worth noting one of the main differences, the SIGNA S2 has 2.1 channels, while the Soundbar 500 has 3.0 channels.

Subwoofers

Soundbars can have a built-in or external subwoofer. The first type is inseparable from the soundbar body, but for the second, you can choose a good location for deep bass. The SIGNA S2 comes with an external subwoofer. Competitors support wireless connection to a separate external subwoofer.

Multichannel surround

Unlike stereo, when reproducing multichannel sound, each specific direction of sound corresponds to its dedicated channel with a separate independent loudspeaker, which creates a three-dimensional sound stage. The multichannel sound reproduction capabilities of the soundbars were rated 4 out of 10.

The peculiarity of Dolby Atmos is that this format is object-oriented, that is, each object of the audio signal is sounded separately and linked to its spatial location. Dolby Atmos surround sound support is implemented only in Bose Soundbar 500.

DTS:X is an algorithm for processing sound scenes by the processor, linking directly to objects, rather than channels, and calculating the optimal distribution of sound output in a room. This ability to reproduce surround sound with DTS:X technology is not implemented in any of the soundbars in this comparison.

Streaming services

The possibility to listen online to millions of songs from one device has become a reality thanks to streaming services. For the ability to work with streaming services, the SIGNA S2 received 4 points, and the Soundbar 500 - 10 on a 10-point scale.

The SIGNA S2 is featured with AirPlay, but in the Soundbar 500 have support for AirPlay 2. The popular Spotify service is available on the Soundbar 500.

Connectivity

The existence of a sufficient number of current connectors significantly expands the functionality of the device. For example, only through HDMI is it possible to implement the transfer of object-oriented formats, and the presence of a Bluetooth connection will allow remote control, etc. The devices received different ratings for connectivity: Polk Audio SIGNA S2 was rated 6 out of 10, and Bose Soundbar 500 was rated 8 out of 10.

The presence of Wi-Fi in the soundbar allows you to get rid of wires when connected to a sound source and get minimal audio latency when playing content from streaming services. Wireless connection via Wi-Fi is possible on the Soundbar 500.

Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for speaker systems, which provides excellent quality and minimal audio latency. The availability of Bluetooth protocol, we can see in both models. The competitors in this comparison has 1/0 HDMI inputs/outputs.

HDMI ARC is a very usefull technology that creates a two-way communication channel between a TV and another device. This is convenient since there is no need to use optical and other cables in the system. HDMI ARC is basic for both soundbars.

Features

Voice control is designed to make operating the device more convenient. This allows you to control basic soundbar functions from anywhere in the room.

Proprietary applications allow you to control your soundbars remotely. This is possible both via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The Soundbar 500 has its own remote control application. Only Bose Soundbar 500 has a built-in microphone.

Some soundbars can be part of a multi-room system and it is an affordable solution for sounding the whole house. However, it is impossible to create a multiroom system based on each of these soundbars.

Dimensions