Polk pumps up the value

This entry-level Atmos package from the American brand appeals to Mark Craven's bank balance

- Mark Craven

Dolby Atmos seems to be everywhere – not just in the multiplex, but in music, TV and games, and implemented in soundbars and a growing number of TVs. Yet for the traditional AV enthusiast, there's something of a black hole where affordable Atmos packages are concerned, and Polk Audio hopes to fill it.

The company's new lower-tier loudspeaker proposition, below its flagship Legend Series and mid-range Reserve models (see HCC #323), the Monitor XT lineup offers, on the face of it, everything a wallet-worried system builder could wish for – floorstanders, bookshelf and centre models in two different sizes, plus an Atmos upfiring module and powered subwoofer. Buyers can of course mix and match, although the Atmos speaker is better suited, aesthetically, to some models more than others.

Auditioned here is a 5.1.2 set that aims for affordability. Just looking at all the boxes to be unpacked, it feels like you're getting your money's worth compared to, for example, a similarly priced soundbar.

The biggest, most expensive Monitor XT model is the XT70, a five-driver tower with a fairly sizable enclosure and £500 price tag. This speaker is outsized compared to the XT90 Atmos topper, so for our setup we've set our sights lower and opted for the smaller XT60. This £349-per-pair floorstander has more manageable dimensions (92cm high, 19cm wide), and misses out on a secondary bass/mid driver. That said, with the front baffle packing a 1in dome tweeter, 6.5in bass/mid and pair of 6.5in passive radiators, it still looks up for a fight.