Polk’s soundbars offer stunning audio quality most of the time, and most have an expandable system – you can add subwoofers, speakers, and more later. It’s a budget-friendly solution to entry-level soundbar woes.
Unfortunately, Polk soundbars often come with some issues. In my years as a home audio enthusiast, I’ve seen my share of issues. However, none of these issues have been as common as when the Polk Audio soundbar cuts off for a few seconds mid-show.
If you’ve had this problem, don’t return the soundbar to the store! There are some things you can do to fix this common issue. Below, we’ll look at general troubleshooting tips. We’ll also give you step-by-step instructions on some tried-and-tested solutions.
Troubleshooting Your Polk Audio Soundbar
There could be many reasons that your Polk Audio soundbar cuts off during use. From spotty connections to the wrong cables, so many things can affect how the soundbar works.
Something as simple as a loose cable could be causing your issue. Before moving forward, check these things:
- Your cables. If any of your cables are damaged, it might cause the soundbar to stop working. Consider purchasing new cables for your Polk soundbar if your current cables have been chewed or cut. If they are frayed or beginning to fray, purchase new cables as soon as possible.
Likewise, you should use only quality cables to connect your soundbar to your TV. Stay away from plastic cables. Try to use optical or HDMI cables that are branded, braided, or of a higher quality. This can make your connection more stable and produce better sound. - Your connections. Sometimes the connections between your cables and devices can become loose. Alternatively, your cables may not be attached correctly. Make sure that your HDMI cord is firmly connected at both ends. If you are using an optical cable, check the orientation. Optical cables plug in one way, but it’s easy to get it wrong. Make sure that the optical cable is connected properly, as it could affect how the soundbar functions.
- Your WiFi. Your soundbar may be connected to your WiFi to keep up with the latest updates. Sometimes, a spotty wireless connection may cause the soundbar to stop working for a few seconds while it tries to reconnect. Test your WiFi connection on your other devices to see if that’s the issue.
- Your Bluetooth. Bluetooth connection issues can also cause your soundbar to cut in and out. If this happens, make sure to check the Bluetooth versions of your devices. If the Bluetooth version they support is different, it could be a compatibility issue. Otherwise, you might just need to reset your soundbar and refresh the Bluetooth connection.
- Your Remote. With some Polk Audio soundbar models, the remote may be the problem. To fix this issue, try installing new batteries. If the issues continue, disable your remote and don’t use another one. Though this may be a pain, it can help the audio cutting out in some cases.
If you’ve checked these things and are still having issues, consider taking further action. Below are some solutions that may work to resolve your issue.
Solution 1: Connection and Source Change
There are two ways to connect your Polk Audio soundbar to your TV or other devices: HDMI ARC and Optical. Some devices also use Bluetooth, but these wired connections are recommended for the best audio quality.
If your Polk Audio soundbar cuts off, it may be due to the way it is connected to your TV. The Polk Audio manual suggests connecting the soundbar via HDMI AND Optical if your TV doesn’t support HDMI ARC.
Take the following steps to try this solution:
- Check the connections between your soundbar and your TV.
- If you are using HDMI and Optical at the same time, disconnect both cables.
- First, try to connect your Polk Audio soundbar with only the Optical cord. Leave the HDMI cord unplugged.
- Try to recreate the problem. If your Polk Audio soundbar cuts off with only the Optical cord connected, stop the test. Move to the next step. If the soundbar does not cut off where it did previously, continue with Optical only.
- If the problem persists, connect only the HDMI cable. Leave the Optical cable unplugged.
- Try to recreate the problem again. If the Polk Audio soundbar cuts off when just the HDMI cord is connected, the connections are not the problem. If the soundbar does not cut off when using just HDMI, continue to use HDMI alone.
This seems to be the most common solution to the problem of your Polk Audio soundbar cutting off.
Solution 2: Reset Polk Audio Soundbar
Resetting your Polk Audio soundbar can fix a lot of problems. It’s generally recommended as the best way to get your soundbar working again, especially if the problems you’re having are new.
It’s a simple process, and it’s not hard to reset the soundbar. However, it essentially wipes the device. It functions like it did when it was new. This means forgetting Bluetooth connections and forgetting saved data. Fortunately, it also solves a whole host of problems.
To reset your Polk Audio soundbar, take the following steps.
- Disconnect all cables and cords from your soundbar. Make sure that your soundbar is only connected to a power source.
- Press the ‘Microphone Mute’ and ‘Volume Down’ buttons at the same time. Hold them. These buttons can be found on the soundbar’s control panel, which is usually on the side or the back of the unit. Locate them and hold them down together.
- Keep holding these buttons for at least 10 seconds.
- When the indicator light begins to blink blue, release the buttons. This means that the device is resetting and will soon restart.
- Once the soundbar has restarted, the indicator light should be solid orange. This means that it has entered setup mode.
- Go through the setup like you did when the soundbar was new. Reconnect your Bluetooth devices and plug the soundbar into your TV and other devices.
This solution should fix many issues, including the Polk Audio soundbar cutting off. It takes a bit of work to get the soundbar set up again, but many of your issues should be gone.
Further Action
If none of these solutions work to fix your Polk Audio soundbar, you might have a defective soundbar. If this is the case, contact the manufacturer. Educate yourself about your warranty. If your soundbar is new enough, you may be able to get a refund or replacement directly from the manufacturer. Otherwise, they might refer you to a technician to fix whatever is wrong with your Polk Audio soundbar.
Conclusion
Your soundbar cutting out during your favorite movie or TV show can be frustrating. With these tips and solutions, you should be able to fix this issue and continue enjoying high-quality sound! However, if issues persist, the problem may be in your soundbar’s hardware. In this case, contact the manufacturer as soon as possible.
