Are you looking to step up your home audio game? Maybe you are looking for the perfect gift for your significant other with an unbeatable taste in music and an arsenal of records. Or maybe you are looking to create a home cinematic experience.
Whatever your master plan may be, you will undoubtedly need a set of mind blowing speakers. You want to cover all the bases and basses. You also want to be sure to include the highs and mids in your search for the perfect pair of speakers.
We’re not looking for singular soundbars here today. No, we want some impressive bookshelf speakers. Speakers we can put anywhere, and make us feel like we’re front row at our favorite show.
We want all of this from our in home experience without the drunken guy next to us stepping on our feet. Well, unless that drunken guy is you. So, where do we begin in a sea of quality speakers?
We are going to take you straight to one of our favorite pairs — the Polk Audio T15 100 watt theater bookshelf speakers. So, let’s take a look at what kind of sound experience Polk can deliver…
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Polk Audio T15 100 Watt Home Theater Bookshelf Speakers
Polk has been a top contender in the audio industry for almost 50 years. They produce a wide range of speakers from soundbars to bookshelf speakers. They have always managed to produce quality sound equipment that is affordable for those on a budget.
Now that we have you here, let’s dissect this T15 home theater set. What they have to offer and why you should consider making this your next audio purchase.
Let’s work our way from the outside, in…
How Do They Look?
Well, at first glance, they look like any other set of home speakers, square black boxes with a mesh front panel. Upon closer inspection, we can see that the housing cabinet features a glossy wood-like finish. They are a mid-weight speaker weighing in at 8.25 lbs, so they won’t break the bookshelf, you can take their name seriously.
They look not only look nice but can blend in with most décor because of their standard look. The cabinet isn’t just a pretty housing for the speakers, though. The outer cabinet was designed to be audibly motionless made from furniture grade MDF.
What does that even mean?
Well, MDF is a fiberboard that is denser than plywood. This is beneficial for speakers because it holds the sound and directs it where it needs to go. This helps to reduce sound vibration and distortion.
This is also a bonus as most speakers feature some cheap vinyl lining; the wood like outer casing offers a classier look.
Inside The Box
Polk not only thought of the outside but the inside as well. Featuring sonically matched speakers to deliver balanced, crystal clear sound.
The tweeter is made from a polymer silk that delivers pitches so high and clean that you won’t fear glass breaking. The composite dynamic woofer cracks the mid ranges wide open and spreads them evenly through the room. And with front-ported bass, you can crank them up high without any distortion.
The tweeter is what controls the high pitched frequencies, not to be confused with the social media platform.
Though the bass is a 2.0 system, it is not quite as powerful as we had hoped. If you want to feel the beat in your chest and your eyeballs vibrate, you will need an additional subwoofer. However, this isn’t an issue as these speakers work seamlessly with surround sound systems.
Effortless and easy, this set of speakers is ready to use once you take them out of the box. They can be placed either vertically or horizontally, but for the best bass resonance, they are best placed vertically.
With a front-mounted bass port, you can mount these speakers on the wall without compromising on the bass frequencies. Wherever you place them in the home, they are bound to blend in. So you can enjoy your favorite album with quality sound as loud as you like, or until the neighbors complain. This not only makes them one of the best speakers for vinyl currently available, but one of the best bookshelf speakers under 500 dollars on the market.
Polk Audio T15 Pros & Cons
Pros
- 5-year warranty on speakers and cabinet.
- Front-mounted bass port.
- Wide sound range.
- Easy to use and mount.
- High volumes with low distortion.
- Affordable.
- Works with other surround speakers.
Cons
- Bass could do with a boost from an external subwoofer.
- Best mounted vertically which may limit placement options.
Conclusion
Polk has provided us with quality mid-level speakers at an affordable price. They are a sleek set of budget bookshelf speakers that can be used on their own or integrated with a surround system.
They feature 5-way binding posts to suit a number of wiring options, so you can mix and match your speaker sets. The work with Dolby Surround Sound and DTS, giving you a truly home cinematic experience.
The sound quality is separated so you can tell where everything is coming from, high to low. With evenly distributed sound, you won’t need to stand in front of these speakers to hear when your favorite character is whispering.
From movies to music, the T15s from Polk are a sound choice. Highly recommended!