Polk Audio TL1600 Review (5.1 Home Theater Speaker System)

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Polk Audio TL1600

Product Name: Polk Audio TL1600

Product Description: 5.1 Home Theater System

  • Design - 8.9/10
    8.9/10
  • Movies Performance - 9/10
    9/10
  • Music Performance - 9/10
    9/10
  • Inputs and Features - 8.6/10
    8.6/10
  • Price / Quality - 9.3/10
    9.3/10
9/10

Summary

Total Score

Pros

  • Good overall performance
  • Very stylish design
  • Very low price

Cons

  • No Dolby Atmos or DTS:X support
  • Subwoofer could be a bit punchier
  • Hi-gloss finish is a fingerprint magnet

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*We are a reader-supported website. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Home Media Entertainment does not accept money for reviews.*


Today we have the pleasure to test a home theater system from Polk Audio, a very respectable and known US company in the audio equipment segment, and while many people know them for their top of the line floorstanding speakers in our case today we will be checking one of their smaller 5.1 home theater systems that are mostly suited for home theater beginners or people are don’t have a lot of space or budget to go for a bigger setup.

We have started testing a lot of these small audio systems lately from various manufacturers as it seems that the need for low cost home theater systems that can offer respectable performance at a smaller size is becoming more and more popular. But with so many small audio systems in the market today how does Polk Audio fairs compared to the competition? Does their system manages to leave it’s mark or we get another good but ultimately forgettable audio system. Continue reading our Polk Audio TL1600 review to find out.

Polk Audio TL1600

Design, Inputs and Features

The Polk Audio TL1600 home theater system is a small 5.1 channels system that includes 4 similar satellite speakers for the front and surround channels, 1 center channel and 1 active subwoofer for the low frequencies.

For the front and surround we get 4 identical TL1 satellites that sit vertically and have a very characteristic Curved Enclosure Design that Polk Audio created both to create a very distinct visual appearance but also to minimize audio coloration from internal surface resonances as well as in order to create a more rigid enclosure. A hi-gloss “Blackstone” finish all around give the speakers a nice gleaming look while on the front there is a removable black cloth grille that covers and protects the drivers. On the back we find a keyhole bracket in order to be able to wall mount the speakers while for the wire connections Polk Audio used 5-way binding posts instead of the cheaper spring clips.

Polk Audio TL1600

Another characteristic at the back of these small satellite speakers is that Polk Audio added an Aperiodic-Tuned Rear Port in order to create better blending with the subwoofer but also for better bass extension without distortion by controlling the air flow through the port. A pretty neat design and although the difference may not be huge when we are talking about such a small sized speaker but this shows that Polk Audio has thought even the slightest of details even if it would have minor acoustic improvements.

The satellite speakers measure 6.5″ X 3.75″ X 4.875″ (H x W x D) (16.51 cm X 9.53 cm X 12.38 cm) and weight 1.85 lbs (0.84 kg) making them small enough to be placed almost anywhere in your living room, bedroom or home theater area with their elegant and portable design. Each satellite speaker consist of one 2 1/2″ Long-Throw Driver With Dynamic Balance Driver Technology, which is Polk Audio’s patented transducer design in order to play loud without strain while also be able to create detailed and transparent sounds, and one 1/2″ Silk Dome Tweeter for the high frequencies. These two-way systems are able to produce a frequency response of 120 Hz to 22 KHz with 89 db of efficiency and 8 Ohms impedance.

Polk Audio TL1600

The center channel follows the same design principles as the satellite speakers by having a curved enclosure design and rear bass port for better blending with the subwoofer but naturally it sits horizontally and consists of 2 similar mid-range drivers and 1 tweeter. Measuring 4″ X 15″ X 3.5″ (H x W x D) (10.16 cm X 38.1 cm X 8.89 cm) and weighting 3.35 lbs (1.52 kg) the center speaker is a bit bigger but not so much as it tries to keep the low profile that is characteristic of the whole system. The 2 mid-range drivers in combination with the silk dome tweeter are able to produce a frequency response of 95 Hz to 22 KHz with 89 db of efficiency and 8 Ohms impedance.

Both center and satellite speakers feature what Polk Audio mentions as Time Lens Technology which basically has the tweeter and mid-range driver’s acoustic centers aligned in order to produce more crisp sounds while the acoustic lens that is fitted on the back of the grill smooths the tweeter’s frequency response resulting in much better performance that was impossible before in such small sized speakers…so Polk Audio says.

Polk Audio TL1600

Along with the satellite and center speakers comes an active down-firing subwoofer in order to help with these low frequencies. Having a cubicle design with round edges sitting on four long legs with rubber ends and measuring 13.875″ X 12.5″ X 12.5″ (H x W x D) (35.24 cm X 31.75 cm X 31.75 cm) and with a weight of 20.5 lbs (9.3 kg) the subwoofer comes with a heavy-duty, non-resonant MDF enclosure with a satin black finish. The downward firing 8″ long-throw Dynamic Balance poly composite driver along with the downward firing vented port and a built-in 50 Watt continuous / 100 Watt peak amp give the subwoofer the ability to go as low as 45 Hz.

At the back we find more or less the expected with a volume knob, a low-pass knob that can adjust the cutoff frequency between 80 and 160 Hz, a 0-180 phase switch, a power switch, analogue audio input as well as speaker level inputs and outputs in case you have an older receiver with no dedicated subwoofer output.

Polk Audio TL1600

Closing this part we have to say that we are very impressed with the build quality of such a small system. Having such a low price made us a bit skeptical how good the TL1600 could be both from a design point of view but also more important on the construction of the speakers. Polk Audio really created an audio system to be proud of and one that has already justified it’s cost just by the looks and quality design. Now it only remains to be seen how much better it would be in what really matters. Audio performance.

Performance

This system, being 5.1 channels, doesn’t include an height speakers and as such cannot support any next generation audio tracks like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. As it is mostly meant for home theater beginners or people that just want to enjoy immersive surround sound with the least possible cost this shouldn’t be a problem as 5.1 is still enough for many people in order to create an expanded sound stage.

In our case positioning the speakers in our viewing area was a breeze and after the necessary connections and calibrations we were ready for testing.

Polk Audio TL1600

Movies

To test the capabilities of this small 5.1 system we went with 2 Blue-ray films, Saving Private Ryan and Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, which both come with amazing DTS-HD Master Audio tracks more than enough to stretch the Polk Audio TL1600 to it’s limits.

We started by popping the Saving Private Ryan disc into our Blue-ray player and naturally decided to watch the opening battle with the Omaha beach landing. Having tested a couple of small 5.1 systems lately and with our memory still fresh we were curious if this one would be able to offer a different experience than the rest.

The TL1600 managed to faithfully reproduce the opening audio effects, the marine engines sound, splashes of water, background artillery shells and dialogue were all coming together nicely with good channel separation that gave you a clear understanding what was going on both in front and behind.

Polk Audio TL1600

When the boats reach the beach and the doors open we get a rain of machine gun fire and artillery shells explosions and the TL1600 tried to really bring all the action of the screen in our room. Channel shifting was very good with accurate transitions, the center channel delivered all dialogue clearly even in all the mayhem while the surround channels managed to encompass us in this chaotic war scene with great success.

The subwoofer had a lot of work in these scenes as explosions, gun fire and projectiles that fly all around is the main attraction of that particular scene and although it managed to go low enough sometimes it felt a bit underpowered. It gave us a sense that it didn’t have the same punch as some other similar systems and although the difference was minor that to some many even be non-existent we couldn’t say that it wasn’t there. It’s not like the subwoofer under-performed or anything but a bit more power would definitely help make these low frequencies more dynamic.

Next for our testing came the Blu-ray disc of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring that features, in our opinion, one of the best orchestrated heavy soundtracks we have ever heard.

Polk Audio TL1600

One of our favorite scenes is when Gandalf faces the Balrog at the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. From the first roar he makes to the file confrontation on top of the bridge this is a scene that combines a lot of sound effects with dialogue, a lot of low frequencies and surround effects on top of Howard Shore’s amazing orchestrated theme with the TL1600 managing to recreate what we saw on the scene very nicely.

The sound effects were nicely separated from the dialogue and the music, the satellite speakers managed to expand the immersion field well behind us and the center channel delivered the words of Gandalf clearly and with good detail. The subwoofer once again gave to the scene the necessary weight but as previously we would love if it was a bit punchier. Nevertheless transition between it and the rest of the speakers were seamless creating a very immersive atmosphere.

Polk Audio TL1600

In general we were very please by the Polk Audio TL1600. It’s amazing what such a small and low priced audio system can offer and it seems that manufacturers have made many advancements in their designs and technologies used in order to bring their performance a little bit closer to more advanced systems. The system definitely has it’s limitations and we would like the subwoofer to offer more punch but if you consider it’s size and cost then Polk Audio really did an amazing work.

Music

Next in line was our music testing and for this we selected a few FLAC audio tracks to see how the TL1600 would perform. As with all these small setups it’s hard to get the kind of excitement you usually get from big floorstanding speakers but nevertheless the TL1600 managed to give a stellar performance. Music instruments were clearly distinct while vocals were nicely separated from the rest of the channels.

Mid-range with high blended very good but the bass was a bit more dull than what we would like. The system managed to keep control even when pushing the listening levels to disturbing levels although there is so much such small speakers can do. But although their size and limitations they never bulked under the high volume keeping surprisingly good control.

Polk Audio TL1600

Final Thoughts

Polk Audio has proved to us that although huge, top of the line speakers may offer the best audio immersion and quality possible, you don’t need such equipment to be able to get enough enjoyment out of a surround audio system. A lot of people just want to be able to get some of the surround audio magic with the lowest cost possible and this system can provide plenty of that.

The Polk Audio TL1600 has a very nice design that is both compact to be fit almost anywhere and of good quality for such a small size offering some very good performance that may not be apparent from a first look. Obviously the system is meant for small living rooms, bedrooms or small home theater areas but the speakers can go loud enough to fill even a bit bigger areas with acoustic immersion. Polk Audio paid much attention to details in order to achieve such performance from such a small design and they should be applauded for this. If you add to all these the amazing price for a full 5.1 surround system then this is a system that is definitely worth a try.

Being a budget friendly audio system it means that with no height speakers there is no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X support. There is a reason why it’s called small and budget -friendly but for the people it is meant for, going for a 5.1 channels system will be enough. The high-gloss finish of the speakers may look nice but it’s a bit of a fingerprint magnet that needs cleaning all the time. Lastly although the included subwoofer blended very good with the rest of the speakers we would like it to provide a bit more punch.

Polk Audio TL1600 is a great system for those that are just beginning their home theater experience, are tight in budget or have limited space or a combination of any of the above. And although it is small enough and low priced to fit these criteria Polk Audio made sure that it would be able to provide the best performance possible within these limitations and as such they managed to do a very good job.

For more reviews you can check our dedicated Complete Home Cinema Speakers reviews list or even look at our Product Reviews Table where you can find the brand and specific product you are looking for.


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*We are a reader-supported website. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Home Media Entertainment does not accept money for reviews.*


Specifications

  • Satellites
    • Height: 6.5″ (16.51 cm)
    • Width: 3.75″ (9.53 cm)
    • Depth: 4.875″ (12.38 cm)
    • Weight: 1.85 lbs (0.84 kg)
    • Driver Enclosure Type: Non-Resonant Composite w/Time-Aligned Geometry And Aperiodic Tuned Port
    • Driver Complement: 1 X 2.5″ (6.35 cm) Long-Throw Driver With Dynamic Balance Driver Technology, 1 X 0.5″ (1.27 cm) Silk Dome Tweeter
    • Frequency Response: 120 Hz → 22 KHz
    • Lower and Upper -3dB Limits: 135 Hz → 20 KHz
    • Efficiency: 89 db
    • Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms
    • Recommended Amplifier Power Per Channel: 10 watts → 100 watts
  • Center
    • Height: 4″ (10.16 cm)
    • Width: 15″ (38.1 cm)
    • Depth: 3.5″ (8.89 cm)
    • Weight: 3.35 lbs (1.52 kg)
    • Driver Enclosure Type: Non-Resonant Composite w/Time-Aligned Geometry And Tuned Port
    • Driver Complement: 2 X 2.5″ (6.35 cm) Long-Throw Driver With Dynamic Balance Driver Technology, 1 X 0.5″ (1.27 cm) Silk Dome Tweeter
    • Total Frequency Response: 95 Hz → 22 KHz
    • Lower and Upper -3dB Limits: 125 Hz → 20 KHz
    • Efficiency: 89 db
    • Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms
    • Recommended Amplifier Power Per Channel: 10 watts → 125 watts
  • Subwoofer
    • Height: 13.875″ (35.24 cm)
    • Width: 12.5″ (31.75 cm)
    • Depth: 12.5″ (31.75 cm)
    • Weight: 20.5 lbs (9.3 kg)
    • Subwoofer Array Driver Enclosure Type: Downward Firing Vented Port
    • Subwoofer Array Driver Complement: 1 X 8″ (20.32 cm) long-throw Dynamic Balance poly composite driver
    • Amp Power: Built-In 50 Watt Continuous /100 Watt Peak with active crossover

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44 thoughts on “Polk Audio TL1600 Review (5.1 Home Theater Speaker System)”

  1. Nice review about this home theater. I am few days away from changing my woofer and I saw this post which actually caught my attention. The funniest aspect is that it’s wihhin my budget price for home theater and I couldn’t be more luckier. The cons about the glossy finish can still be an issue but it’s something I can adapt to with daily or occasional cleaning of the fingerprints. This is really helpful. 

    Reply
  2. I have not heard of polk audio systems before, it seems I have missed a lot on these segments of Americans sound systems. I like the fact that you said this polk audio TL1600 is people like me who can not afford the bigger ones. I am going for this one cause the Chinese one I am using is not helping at all.

    Reply
    • Polk Audio makes good quality systems and even in a small audio system as this is you can see the attention to detail it is given. You will not go wrong with it Charles.

      Reply
  3. I have two questions really after reading your review of the Polk Audio setup, I’ve been looking for a home theatre system for quite some time but I know very little about them. 

    First off the bat…how easy is this system to setup for a tech newbie like myself?

    Secondly, does the lack of Dolby Atmos or DTS:X support mean there will be interference in the final audio?

    Reply
    • Setting it up doesn’t present any difficulties Chris. It is as easy as placing them as the manual of your av receiver shows in order to calibrate a 5.1 audio system.

      There is no interference in audio as you will have to calibrate your av receiver for a normal 5.1 system without any height speakers. the rest will be handled by the receiver itself.

      Reply
  4. I love the capacity and the power of this Polk Audio TL1600. It’s really helpful and precise. I have a little problem with my home theater around the back and cord area, mainly connection problem with my  Samsung TV, I was advised to change the home theater before it inflicts damage to the  TV, the problem is I don’t know if this will be compatible with the TV or if there is any recommended smart TV you can advice, I will really appreciate the help. Thanks. 

    Reply
    • You will have to give me a few more details about you setup Stella in order to be able to help you. What kind of system you currently have and how everything is connected? If you give me more details I can provide you with solutions.

      Reply
  5. Lovely review made on Polk Audio TL1600. it having three pros and three cons to me makes it an average product. As for me i love its design, its sleek and nice.The subwoofer and Satellite speculations are fair enough. I love the fact that  its a budget friendly audio system, though it can only be used for rooms that are not too big. Nice review , will love to read more of your posts subsequently. Thanks

    Reply
    • It’s not how many pros and cons it has but the kind of pros and cons we provide. Polk Audio TL1600 is more than average really and if you consider it’s price it’s a real bargain to tell you the truth.

      Reply
  6. The Polk Audio Tl1600 catches your eye because of it is stylish design. And it’s small size which makes it perfect for people with small space but desire a top notch speaker. I have a small sitting room so i had to go for the TL1600.and it is very good for listening to music. Reviews from this website are always well detailed and I got to discover new features of a sound system I have. Worth reading review.

    Reply
  7. It would be interesting to see where the Polk system ranks against its competitors, quality and price-wise. I also wonder where is the best place to position the sub-woofer given its size and weight. The company sales literature does not show it. But the important thing is whether people on a budget or not willing to pay for high-end equipment will still enjoy their movie or music experience using the Polk equipment. It sounds like they will based on your review.

    Reply
    • You will definitely have an immersive feeling with this surround system Glen. It may not have the power of more expensive systems but for the price and size it has it will give you a very good cinematic experience.

      As for the subwoofer placement you should know that bass is omni-directional which means that when active you shouldn’t be able to tell from where it comes as you will feel it all around you. But the most common placements are near a wall in the front so it can blend better with the front channels or close to a corner in order to reinforce the low frequencies.

      Reply
  8. I didn’t see the price for the Polk Audio TL1600. It looks OK, nothing really spectacular that can add to the sleekness of a room but it maybe just ok for the price it’s been pegged at and the kind of users that it targets. I surely have seen better home theaters. But, surely, an honest review. Good job. 

    Reply
    • The TL1600 is a pure budget-friendly system. It doesn’t aim for anything spectacular and to be honest it can’t with such a low price. But it will offer very pleasant viewings to anyone who give it a chance.

      Reply
  9. Hi! This is a great option for a low price home theater system. And I absolutely love its cool design. And the fact that it offers good performance at a smaller size is key in my case.

    I have good first hand experience with Polk Audio’s floorstanding speakers. And I know they are a respectable and well known US company in the audio equipment segment. So, I’m convinced Polk Audio TL1600 will be a great acquisition. Thank you very much!

    Reply
  10. Thank you for this great and powerful review of  Polk audio, I find it really interesting and well detailed, I think I like the design and the sound quality as the speakers are of great quality also. I will bookmark this post and read all over it again anytime I will be needing a home theater device. Thank You. 

    Reply
  11. Hi Stratos,

    Thank you for this awesome post. I was hearing very little about Polk Audio home theater systems before. But Polk Audio TL1600 I did not have any idea about. I like that Polk Audio TL1600 can be placed in a small place and its price is within my budget so I will soon buy TL1600 home theater. Thanks for writing this helpful article. I’m going to bookmark and share with my friends.

    Reply
  12. I like how majority of the info was right there in the beginning, almost just left rest of the reading alone! Lol

    you’ve just convinced me to get a system for my house. I had never really made a fuss about it, but this set looks like a great deal. I do have parties at home, but just go with small simple systems. I must say you’ve convinced me to get a new one.

    Reply
  13. Hi there,

    Excellent review, I found it very useful!

    I was looking on the net for speakers; my husband loves to listen to the sound of the movie very loud. We never had speakers so far, so we are new to this stuff. The Polk Audio TL 1600 seems to be great for beginners, and it’s not so expensive. 

    I will check this further on Amazon. What I didn’t see though is the warranty. There should be one I suppose. If so, what is the limit time?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • The TL1600 is excellent for any home theater beginner. As for warranty according to their website satellites have 5 years while the subwoofer has 3 years for the amplifier and 5 years for the woofer itself.

      Reply
  14. Hi Stratos, great review.

    Got it, and can confirm, that everything plays great for the size of it.

    I wanted to upgrade it with low cost to Atmos. Could you propose some height speakers (2 pcs) for it? I don’t even now if they are 4, 6 or 8 oms, and don’t know what should I keep my eye on this task.

    Second, subwoofer is connected via single RCA cable (left channel on subwoofer). I’ve noticed that sub doesn’t goes offline after the tv and receiver turns off. Any advice about that?

    Reply
    • Hey Marcin. I am glad you like the speakers. It’s a lovely little surround setup. Now as for your questions both of them have to do with the receiver. What model do you have? For Atmos it really doesn’t matter what kind of speakers you use. You only need to check that your receiver supports the ohms of the speakers you like to use. Your second question is a bit more vague. I guess that this is also a matter of the receiver because if the subwoofer was not detecting a signal it should power off after some time. This of course means that you already have checked that the power switch is on the Auto position and not in the On position. But tell me first what receiver you have and we will take it from there.

      Reply
  15. Hi Stratos,

    Amazing review. I am seriously considering buying it after reading your thorough review.
    I am a bit concerned with a down-firing subwoofer though. I live in a multi-storied building with concrete slabs floors. Would down-firing be annoying to neighbours living in the aparatment down below?

    Thanks,
    Mahendra

    Reply
    • Hello there. The type of subwoofer shouldn’t worry you as bass in general is omni-directional so either you have a down-firing or front-firing subwoofer the effect on your neighbours will be the same.

      I hope I helped you with my answer. If you need any more help let me know.

      Reply
      • Thank you very much for a quick reply! Your comment helps a lot, it was only thing that was stopping me from ordering it along with Denon AVR x550BT 5.2. (Hopefully, a good combo for beginners/budget home theatre System), Cheers!

        Reply
        • The combo you mentioned will serve you very good as a beginners setup. Happy hearings!!! Let me know if you need anything else.

          Reply
  16. You have been very responsive and kind. One last question please: Would “Marantz NR1508 5.2-CH” be a lot better if I decide to throw in some more money?

    Reply
    • Thank you for your kind words. I always try to help our readers as this is one of the main pillars of our website.

      Now for your question. It depends. The Denon has more power (70w vs 50w of the Marantz) but the Marantz has much more features that are missing from the Denon. It comes with HEOS, WiFi, Airplay 2, support for all voice control platforms, it has the Audyseey calibration system and more connectivity ports. So if any of these features are important then the Marantz is the way to go. Otherwise go for the Denon.

      Reply
  17. Hasta ahora pensaba comprar un 5.1 Logitech Z906. Este sistema vs el Polk Audio TL 1600, será mejor? Cuál me recomendarías? Pues sus precios son parecidos. Gracias.

    Reply
    • Hello Eduardo. Please I ask you next time to write your comment in English so it’s easier for everyone to read.

      As for your question. In terms of pure audio quality I would give a slight edge to the TL1600. But keep in mind that the Polk Audio system is more of a traditional speakers setup meaning that you need a dedicated av receiver or amplifier to connect them all while the Logitech Z906 doesn’t need that. You can connect it to the TV or any other source and it’s ready for use. So keep this in mind also when considering between the two.

      Reply
    • Hello Paul. Of course you can. This may be a set of speakers but in the end they need an amplifier to be connected to. So you can do whatever you want.

      Reply
  18. Hello! Nice review! I think it’s good for me because it’s not that expensive and I have a very small bedroom. But I’ll use it with a computer, some people said I need an amp but I don’t understand much about amps… if you can recommend one for me I’ll be very glad! Thanks a lot!

    Reply
    • All speakers cannot work by themselves. They need to be connected to an amplifier or an av receiver for them to work. For the TL1600 you specifically need a 5.1 channels amplifier/av receiver. I don’t know what your budget is but since you have a small room and your requirements are not very high from what I understand a small AV receiver could do the trick.

      Your other option, since you want to connect it to a computer, is to get a surround system that is better suited for that purpose. The Logitech Z906 comes immediately to mind. You can check out my review for that also.

      Lastly there is a third option you may consider. You can get a soundbar either with surround speakers or a single type of unit, depending what you want.

      All these options are viable for your situation. It really depends on your budget and if you want to have surround sound or not. If you can give me some more info on these I may be able to give you more specific suggestions.

      Reply

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