[REVIEW] PUNOS PS-20 is an interesting soundbar with two subwoofers and a wooden build

Many TVs don’t have great audio, so external speakers are a welcome addition to any home. This time we tested the soundbar PUNOS PS-20, which is part of the Xiaomi ecosystem. It’s a 60 W soundbar with multiple speakers, so based on the specs we had quite high expectations.

Where to buy PUNOS PS-20?

You can now order the Soundbar PUNOS PS-20 from the well-known international retailer Banggood. It will be shipped directly from a Czech warehouse with free delivery. Delivery takes about one week and you don’t need to worry about any extra charges either.

Current coupons for PUNOS PS-20

Technical specifications

Package contents

Since we ordered the PUNOS PS-20 soundbar from a Czech warehouse at Banggood, it was delivered to us by DPD. The box measures 101 x 17.2 x 30.5 cm and weighs 9 kg. So it’s definitely not a small soundbar. Packaging is solid: the cardboard box is thick and sturdy, and the soundbar itself is further protected by foam inserts at both ends and in the middle.

The soundbar is also wrapped in a soft white film, so we rate the packaging positively. Besides the soundbar, you’ll also find a smaller box inside the package with the accessories. These include the user manual, a charging cable with an adapter, a remote control, and a pair of cables.

Most soundbars don’t include cables for connecting to the TV, so we were pleasantly surprised that the PUNOS PS-20 package also includes an optical and a coaxial cable. That way, you can connect the soundbar in different ways.

Build quality and layout of the components

The PUNOS PS-20 soundbar is sold in two color options: – white and red. We had the white version available. According to the available photos, the red version actually has a wood-look finish with a subtle touch of red.

The soundbar’s construction is made of wood, so it’s not cheap plastic like in many other cases. The front is covered with black fabric, while the rest is painted white. What didn’t impress us is the quality of this white coating. From a distance it looks good, but when we examined the surface finish more closely, we found a few imperfections in the painting.

The soundbar has no buttons, so both sides with the top surface are completely blank. The edges are rounded, and from a design point of view it doesn’t look overly premium, but it will definitely find its fans. The rear and bottom sides are where the subwoofers live. On the back you’ll also find ports for connecting it to the TV.

The size won’t suit everyone

PUNOS PS-20 isn’t any kind of compact soundbar. Its dimensions are 88 x 23 x 9 cm, so it’s better suited for a living room where the TV is mounted on the wall. After all, the entire soundbar rests on four raised feet, which means it stands 10.3 cm above the ground.

Not all TVs have 10 cm of space underneath the screen. We use the already well-reviewed Xiaomi smart TV with a 43″ diagonal. We have the TV placed on a cabinet designed for TVs. When we put the soundbar from the PUNOS brand in the usual way in front of the TV, due to its height it slightly interfered with the picture. So many TVs don’t have a high enough stand or legs to be higher than this soundbar.

Another issue is the soundbar’s depth, 23 cm. Our TV cabinet has a depth of 42 cm, so the soundbar takes up more than half of it. It only barely fit in front of the TV when we pushed it all the way back. Before buying, we recommend checking whether a soundbar with these dimensions will fit your living room.

As they say, speakers sound better when they have space in which to be placed. There’s plenty of space here. Combined with the wooden cabinet, we expect good sound quality, which larger dimensions should help deliver. So everything has its pros and cons.

Rich connectivity

PUNOS PS-20 offers quite a wide range of connection options. On the back of the soundbar, you’ll find a black panel with ports that you can use to connect to your TV or another device. There’s an optical port, AUX, and coaxial. However, you won’t find HDMI here.

Besides wired inputs, the soundbar also supports Bluetooth. That way, you can play music not only from your TV, but also from your smartphone, tablet, or any other Bluetooth-enabled device. Switching between the different modes is done using the remote control, where each of them has its own separate button.

In the front section above the PUNOS logo, the soundbar has five LED diodes that light up depending on which input is being used. It would be better to have some kind of display under the grille that shows at least the current volume level.

Sound quality and speakers

Inside the soundbar, there are a total of 8 speakers with three amplifiers. Two of them are tweeters (1″), between which there are four 2.5″ midrange speakers from the Alto brand. They’re complemented by a pair of 8″ bass speakers at the bottom, with which we get 2.2-channel equipment. The specs are very good—let’s talk about the sound quality and our impressions.

On the Banggood page you can find information about 10-channel sound output, but there are actually 8 speakers. This is confirmed by the product photos and the individual speakers that are covered with black fabric on the front—only under direct light can you clearly see them.

But let’s get to the main thing: sound quality. The audio output is at a very solid level. We first tested the soundbar using an optical cable connection to the TV. We listened to music of different genres, watched series and movies, and we can say that the sound is excellently balanced. The most noticeable are the mids and highs, which complement the bass at a very pleasant level. It isn’t too strong or too weak—it’s just right, well balanced.

Playback from a smartphone via Bluetooth is also absolutely problem-free, and we didn’t notice any visible delay. The large body of the soundbar really pays off in the form of very decent sound, which will definitely improve your TV’s audio significantly.

As for volume, it can be adjusted in very small steps, which we also appreciate. The maximum volume is sufficient, and in a typical apartment you’ll certainly use the soundbar in the first half of the volume range. On the other hand, the minimum volume level is really low, so it’s not a problem to listen to music even at night when you don’t want to disturb anyone.

Remote control

The remote control is simple and works using infrared waves. To power it, you need a pair of AAA batteries, which are not included in the package. The dominant element on the remote is the circular dial, which lets you control the volume and the order of the songs.

Besides it and the power on/off button, each of the inputs has its own separate button, which is quite unusual. On most soundbars, the inputs are switched by repeatedly pressing a single button. With this solution, however, you’ll switch to the desired input faster.

Sound modes also have separate buttons, but they’re optically joined into one. These buttons are a bit harder to press than individual buttons. The last one is the button for instant mute, the so-called mute button.

Sound modes

As we mentioned earlier, the soundbar has 3 preset modes for different styles. Specifically, there’s a mode for music, movies, and news. In this case, though, the modes don’t really matter, because the sound is almost identical in each one.

A keen audiophile might notice a small difference, but the average person won’t. For this reason, we have absolutely no way to customize the sound through the soundbar. The equalizer is missing, and the sound modes are not working. So you can’t add bass, treble, or otherwise manipulate the audio output directly from the soundbar. The only option is to adjust the equalizer in the player you use to play your music.

PUNOS PS-20: Final assessment

PUNOS PS-20 is an interesting soundbar, but it won’t suit everyone. Unlike typical soundbars that come with an external subwoofer—or where you can buy one separately—PUNOS PS-20 has all the speakers, including two subwoofers, built into one unit. These 8 individual speakers deliver very solid sound output quality. The sound is well balanced, and we’re happy with its quality.

But the dimensions won’t suit everyone either. Its deep and tall body won’t fit all TVs, and it also may not fit on the TV cabinet. Even the manufacturer’s product photos suggest the soundbar is better suited for TVs mounted on the wall. We tested it with Xiaomi Mi TV 4s, but when placed on a cabinet it slightly encroached into the picture.

Current coupons for PUNOS PS-20

As we mentioned at the beginning of the review, for your purchase we recommend our partner Banggood—this is what their current offer looks like.