Ultramarine vs Sound Bar Controller
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ultramarine
Transform your mobile device into a wireless remote for your Polk Ultramarine stereo system. Control power, volume, radio tuning, Bluetooth streaming, satellite radio, and audio settings directly from your phone or tablet.
- Power on/off
- Volume and mute control
- AM/FM radio tuning
- Bluetooth streaming
- SiriusXM control
- USB media playback
- Audio menu adjustments
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Polk Ultramarine is the ultimate wireless remote control for your Polk Ultramarine stereo system. Enjoy the convenience of all the primary functions of your Polk Ultramarine stereo right from your phone or tablet by transforming your mobile device into a functional stereo remote control! The Polk Ultramarine app works with the following Polk Ultramarine models: UM1A PA4A P1 This app controls all of the primary functions of your stereo features including: Power on/off Volume and mute AM/FM radio tuner: access station, recall, store presets, switch songs NOAA weather band and alert Bluetooth® streaming audio SiriusXM® Satellite Radio File structure visibility, track selection, track audible scan up and down via USB 1 & 2 iPod/iPhone/iPad® control capabilities via USB 1 Auxiliary audio input control: auxiliary analog 1 & 2 Speaker selection A, B and/or C Audio menu controls: subwoofer, bass, midrange, treble, balance, fader, equalizer, volume, and speaker selection settings Zone control presets Visual display feedback so you can see artist title and album on your mobile screen Polk Ultramarine transforms your mobile device into a functional stereo remote control making it a perfect pocket-size, portable controller to fit your marine lifestyle. *App capabilities vary with the stereo’s feature set.
Sound Bar Controller
Control select Yamaha sound bars remotely from your iOS device. Manage volume, input selection, and set up Alexa voice control. Stream audio from your phone or NAS drive over Wi-Fi.
- Alexa voice control setup
- Volume and input control
- Wi-Fi audio streaming
- Wireless surround speaker control
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The Sound Bar Controller app provides easy operation for select Yamaha Sound Bars using your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Key Features: - Initial setup of built-in Alexa voice control settings - Basic control functions such as volume up/down and input selection - Play audio files stored on your phone or NAS drive through Wi-Fi - Volume control for wireless surround speakers and wireless subwoofer (Only SR-X40A, SR-X50A, ATS-X500) [Supported Models] YAS-109, YAS-209 ATS-1090, ATS-2090 SR-X40A, SR-X50A, ATS-X500 [iOS Version Requirement] * This application supports iOS version 15 or above. - A wireless Local Area Network (LAN) and a compatible Yamaha Network product(s)* residing within the same LAN.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Sound Bar Controller at 4.4 against Ultramarine's 1.6. Sound Bar Controller also leads on ratings volume (7K vs 40) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 17 months). Ultramarine's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Sound Bar Controller holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sound Bar Controller has 7K ratings behind it against 40, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 9% of Ultramarine's written reviews are positive against 22% of Sound Bar Controller's.
Ultramarine ships an update every 17 months, Sound Bar Controller every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ultramarine | Sound Bar Controller |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.6 (40 ratings) | 4.4 (7K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 8.7% of reviews | 21.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 40 | 7K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | Every 5 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 112 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ASA Electronics, LLC | Yamaha Corporation |
Customer experience
Ultramarine
Sound Bar Controller
Bugs and requests
Ultramarine
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Sound Bar Controller
Reported bugs
4 issues- App unable to connect to sound bar
- Sound bar randomly disconnects
- Firmware updates cause issues
- Bluetooth connectivity problems
Requested features
4 requests- Equalizer for more sound customization
- Better volume control options
- Improved Alexa integration
- Simplified app navigation
In-app purchases
Ultramarine
No in-app purchases
Sound Bar Controller
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Ultramarine free?
Is Sound Bar Controller free?
Which has better reviews, Ultramarine or Sound Bar Controller?
Do Ultramarine or Sound Bar Controller have ads?
Which is updated more often, Ultramarine or Sound Bar Controller?
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