Polk Audio Signa S3 Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer

Polk Audio Signa S3 Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer

The Polk Audio Signa S3 is a 2.1-channel soundbar system that fixes the two things television speakers do worst: dialogue you cannot follow and bass that is not really there. The ultra-slim bar, just over two inches tall, carries two oval midrange drivers and two tweeters tuned for clarity, while a separate wireless subwoofer supplies the low-frequency weight for films, sport and music. Between them sits Polk’s VoiceAdjust technology, which lets you raise the dialogue level independently of the overall volume — the single most useful feature a TV sound system can have.

Connection is deliberately simple. An HDMI ARC link to the television handles sound and control together, so the TV remote adjusts the bar’s volume; optical and 3.5 mm analogue inputs cover older sets and other sources. For music, Chromecast built-in streams over Wi-Fi from compatible apps, and Bluetooth handles direct playback from a phone or tablet. The bar also responds to Google Assistant voice control through a Google Home device or the Google Home app.

Key features

• VoiceAdjust technology: Polk’s patented dialogue control offers three levels of voice boost, so speech stays clear without turning everything else up.
• Wireless subwoofer: A 5.25-inch ported subwoofer connects without a cable, so it can sit wherever the room sounds best rather than wherever a wire reaches.
• Dolby Digital decoding: The bar decodes Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks and renders them through its performance-tuned 2.1 driver array.
• Chromecast built-in: Stream music over Wi-Fi from services such as Spotify, Tidal, YouTube Music, Amazon Music HD, Deezer and Qobuz, and group the bar with other Chromecast speakers.
• Bluetooth streaming: Direct wireless playback from phones, tablets and computers for everything else.
• Ultra-slim 2-inch profile: At 54.6 mm tall the bar sits in front of most TVs without blocking the screen or the remote sensor, and it wall-mounts on keyhole fixings.
• Movie, Music and Night modes: One-button presets tune the balance for films and music, while Night mode trims bass and lifts dialogue for late listening at low volume.
• One-remote control: Works with the remotes of most major TV brands and CEC-enabled televisions, so everyday use needs no extra handset.

Dialogue, handled properly

Modern film and series mixes bury voices under music and effects, and television speakers make it worse by firing sound at the wall or the tabletop. VoiceAdjust attacks the problem in the vocal frequency band specifically: three selectable levels lift speech relative to the rest of the mix, and because the adjustment is independent, turning dialogue up does not mean turning explosions up. Combined with the bar’s forward-firing drivers aimed at the listener, the improvement in intelligibility is the first thing most owners notice.

The subwoofer’s role

A soundbar alone, however well tuned, cannot move enough air for genuine bass. The Signa S3’s wireless subwoofer uses a 5.25-inch driver in a ported cabinet to cover the range down to 45 Hz for the system as a whole, giving soundtracks physical impact and music a proper foundation. Wireless connection means placement is chosen for sound — near a front wall or corner for maximum reinforcement — and the subwoofer level can be trimmed from the remote to suit the room.

Setup and daily use

HDMI and optical cables are included, and setup amounts to placing the bar, plugging in both units and pairing completes automatically. The remote covers power, volume, subwoofer level, VoiceAdjust, modes and source selection. Wall mounting uses the built-in keyhole hangers. Overall system response of 45 Hz to 20 kHz covers the full range of broadcast, streaming and film audio.

The Signa S3 is the straightforward way to make a television sound like it should: clear voices, real bass and streaming music, in a bar slim enough to disappear under the screen.