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Got surround sound? Polk unveils strikingly affordable new T Series speakers

Ryan Waniata
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For those looking to to step into a full surround sound setup on the cheap, Polk today unwrapped a deal just for you. The audio company has unleashed two new entries in its T Series speaker lineup, including the new T50 tower speaker and the new T30 center channel, each of which are priced at a mere $130 per unit. Combine that with Polk’s T15 bookshelves — and a sub of choice — and you could potentially make off with a full 5.1 surround sound speaker setup for well under a grand.

Speaking with a Polk representative, we were informed that the new entry-level speakers are designed to go up against Pioneer’s Andrew Jones SP-PK52FS Elite speakers, which would put the system in mighty company indeed. Our review of the affordable system from Pioneer pegs it as one of the top entries for sheer value in the home theater marketplace.

The new Polk speakers begin with the T50, which run $130 per side. The T50 boasts a 1-inch silk dome tweeter equipped with Polk’s “custom wave guide” designed for better sound dispersal, along with a single 6.5-inch bi-laminate composite driver, called a Dynamic Balance driver for what Polk calls an “uncolored midrange, and punchy, dynamic bass.” However, while the speakers are bejeweled with two more 6.5-inch speaker cones of similar shape, the aforementioned drivers are the only active ones on board. The two extra cones are actually a pair of 6.5-inch passive radiators, designed to help fill out the bottom end with some added resonance in the sub-bass frequencies.

The T30 center channel sports the same 1-inch silk dome tweeters as the towers, and also offers dual 5.25-inch Dynamic Balance drivers on each side. Like the T50, the speaker runs just $130, while a pair of Polk’s capable T15 bookshelf speakers — which are armed with 5.25-inch Dynamic Balance drivers, and a .75-inch silk dome tweeter — can be added to the equation for as little as $80 each, depending on your retailer of choice. As you can see, that makes the full set enticingly affordable — especially if they can live up to Polk’s claims.

Unfortunately, there’s not much else we can tell you about the T50 and T30 speakers as far as specs, aside from the fact that they come wrapped in furniture-grade cabinets with a black oak finish to match up with the T15 bookshelves. But at these prices, it’s hard to ask too many questions.

Polk’s new T50 and T30 speakers are available at Best Buy, Amazon, and Crutchfield today. We’ll most likely be pulling a set in for evaluation soon, so stay tuned for our final word.

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Ryan Waniata
Ryan Waniata
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…
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