The catch
Polk MagniFi Mini AX
Without feet, its compact body is taller than Sony’s.
Side by side
Polk MagniFi Mini AX vs Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6 compared: Both still need TV inputs, with Polk suiting narrow stands and Sony lower screens
Quick verdict
MagniFi Mini AX is the choice for a narrow TV stand and for music over AirPlay 2 or Chromecast. Bar 6 is the choice for physical up-firing speakers and a lower main bar. A separate subwoofer comes with both and neither adds HDMI source sockets, so the television still has to make room for your console and streamer.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Being narrow does not make a bar lower
Without feet, Polk’s body is about 0.58 inches taller than Sony’s, even though Polk is roughly 61% narrower. A limit on width and a limit on screen height can point to opposite products.
Where this comes from
Sony height here covers the body only. (37.4 - 14.4) / 37.4 = 61.5%. 3.1 - (64 / 25.4) = 0.58 inches.
The catch
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
The main bar takes about 23 inches more width.
Polk MagniFi Mini AX
- Why pick it
- The 14.4-inch bar needs to go between TV legs set close together
- Music reaches the bar over AirPlay 2 or Chromecast
- The catch
- Without feet, its compact body is taller than Sony’s.
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
- Why pick it
- Physical up-firing drivers should handle the two height channels
- The main bar has to sit lower beneath the screen, optional feet aside
- The catch
- The main bar takes about 23 inches more width.
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What this page compares
Narrow TV furniture, low screen clearance, Wi-Fi music and a package that already includes a subwoofer are the points of comparison between Polk Mini AX and Sony Bar 6.
MagniFi Mini AX is the choice for a narrow TV stand and for music over AirPlay 2 or Chromecast. Bar 6 is the choice for physical up-firing speakers and a lower main bar. A separate subwoofer comes with both and neither adds HDMI source sockets, so the television still has to make room for your console and streamer.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
There are just 20 inches between the TV legs
Sony’s body is about 37.4 inches and Polk’s is 14.4 inches wide, before placement allowances.
- Polk MagniFi Mini AX
- Better fit
- Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
- Not suitable
Music playback must work over AirPlay 2
Bar 6 does not document that network playback feature, but Polk does.
- Polk MagniFi Mini AX
- Better fit
- Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
- Not suitable
Up-firing drivers have to be physical
Polk handles it through processing, without that hardware, while Sony provides two.
- Polk MagniFi Mini AX
- Not suitable
- Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
- Better fit
Hardly any gap separates the screen from the stand
Sony’s body is lower. Still, measure the real screen edge and any installed feet before you call it a fit.
- Polk MagniFi Mini AX
- Caution
- Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
- Caution
A separate subwoofer has neither a spot nor a power source
A separate powered bass enclosure is part of both selected packages.
- Polk MagniFi Mini AX
- Not suitable
- Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
- Not suitable
In practice
Differences you will notice
Being narrow does not make a bar lower
Without feet, Polk’s body is about 0.58 inches taller than Sony’s, even though Polk is roughly 61% narrower. A limit on width and a limit on screen height can point to opposite products.
How we worked this out
Sony height here covers the body only. (37.4 - 14.4) / 37.4 = 61.5%. 3.1 - (64 / 25.4) = 0.58 inches.
A compact setup still includes the bass box
Under the television Mini AX takes far less width, but its included subwoofer still calls for its own floor position and mains supply.
How we worked this out
A wireless subwoofer comes in both verified packages. It is specified at 7.2 by 15.6 inches for Polk and 210 by 388 mm for Sony. Neither enclosure gets its power from wireless audio.
Phone control and network music are not the same
App support and Bluetooth playback on Sony do not amount to a direct AirPlay 2 or Chromecast receiver. Polk is where those specific music routes are documented.
How we worked this out
Sony lists Bluetooth audio and BRAVIA Connect control but none of those Wi-Fi music features. Polk lists AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Spotify Connect over Wi-Fi.
Plug in your numbers
Is there room for the soundbar under your TV?
Measure the clear space under your TV. Count only the devices you will plug into the soundbar. Leave out the ones already connected to the TV. The numbers below are placeholders until you enter yours.
Polk MagniFi Mini AX
Fails these checksAt 3.1 inches tall, it is higher than the 3 inches below your picture.
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
Fails these checksWith 0 separate HDMI source inputs, it cannot take the 1 device you want to plug into the bar.
Measure the top of an open shelf. This check does not cover enclosed cubbies. Detachable speakers count toward the docked width. Leave extra depth for cables and the TV stand. This checks size and port count only. Dolby Atmos, 4K/120Hz passthrough and the audio formats your TV supports are outside it.
Option A
Polk Audio, MagniFi Mini AX
Polk MagniFi Mini AX
No other bar here is narrower than the Mini AX, so it can work between TV feet that sit close together. The tiny bar does not make this a one-box setup, though, because the included subwoofer puts part of the system on the floor.
- Best for
- The 14.4-inch bar needs to go between TV legs set close together
Facts we checked
- Main-bar width: 14.4 inches
- Body height: 3.1 inches
- Height-effect hardware: SDA processing without physical up-firing drivers
- Network music: AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Spotify Connect over Wi-Fi
Option B
Sony, HT-B600
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
The Bar 6 comes with a separate subwoofer and upward-firing drivers, and you do not have to commit to a whole speaker ecosystem. It is a simple bar-and-sub choice. Just remember that your TV has to do all the HDMI source switching.
- Best for
- Physical up-firing drivers should handle the two height channels
Facts we checked
- Main-bar width: 950 mm, about 37.4 inches
- Body height: 64 mm, about 2.52 inches, without feet
- Height-effect hardware: Two physical up-firing drivers
- Network music: Bluetooth audio, no Wi-Fi music streaming in the reviewed specification
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Polk MagniFi Mini AX | Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6 | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main-bar width | 14.4 inches | 950 mm, about 37.4 inches | Polk takes about 23 inches less horizontal space. |
| Body height | 3.1 inches | 64 mm, about 2.52 inches, without feet | Screen clearance can benefit from Sony’s lower body. Any installed feet have to be weighed on their own. |
| Height-effect hardware | SDA processing without physical up-firing drivers | Two physical up-firing drivers | The Atmos label does not mean the same driver arrangement. |
| Network music | AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Spotify Connect over Wi-Fi | Bluetooth audio, no Wi-Fi music streaming in the reviewed specification | The documented network-music services connect directly to Polk. |
| Included subwoofer footprint | 7.2 by 15.6 inches | 210 by 388 mm, about 8.27 by 15.28 inches | The bass box from Polk is narrower, though slightly deeper. |
| HDMI source sockets | None | None | Source switching is not provided on either, only a TV audio-return connection. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Polk MagniFi Mini AX
- Physical up-firing drivers are not part of it.
With Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
- Polk’s direct Wi-Fi music options are not something Bluetooth playback provides.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Body width available comes to 20 inches
Go with Polk MagniFi Mini AX. Sony’s body does not fit that width, but the 14.4-inch Polk body does, before required clearance.
Two up-firing drivers, physical ones, are needed
Go with Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6. The height-driver hardware that is required comes with Bar 6.
An additional HDMI source input cannot be skipped
Neither model fits. A separate HDMI source socket is on neither bar.
Decision guide
How to decide
MagniFi Mini AX suits a narrow TV stand and music over AirPlay 2 or Chromecast, and Bar 6 suits physical up-firing speakers and a lower main bar. Both come with a separate subwoofer. Neither adds HDMI source sockets, so the television must still have room for your console and streamer.
Check width and height under the television
Mini AX handles a narrow space unusually well, yet its taller body can still cover a low screen edge or remote receiver. Sony needs much more width. Its 64 mm body height leaves out the feet, so verify the final mounting arrangement and do not compare a bare enclosure with an installed one.
Pick the playback route you will use daily
Polk's Wi-Fi music features help when the bar should take an AirPlay 2 or Chromecast stream directly. Sony can receive Bluetooth audio, which suits a different connection routine. Video-source switching is left to the television on both. Count the TV's available inputs before assuming the soundbar creates an extra socket.
Height speakers are an installation decision
A suitable, unobstructed path toward the ceiling is what Sony's physical up-firing drivers need. Polk's spatial processing works differently. Neither specification proves a better result in a particular room. Whatever the size of the main bar, the separate subwoofer in each package also needs its own position, power and sensible clearance.
What this page can’t tell you
- Bass, speech intelligibility and height effects have not been measured by us. Because Sony's published inch dimensions are rounded inconsistently, the body-height arithmetic relies on its North American metric specification.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the soundbars we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk MagniFi Mini AX |
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| Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6 |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Polk MagniFi Mini AX
The 14.4-inch bar needs to go between TV legs set close together
See price & reviews on AmazonSony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
Physical up-firing drivers should handle the two height channels
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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