We are fortunate there are plenty of budget loudspeakers with good sound quality for the money to choose from and the Polk Audio T15 is certainly one of such speakers. They are a pair of small bookshelf speakers with an incredibly affordable price point and will fit most listeners’ budgets. You can choose to use them as desktop speakers, front mains, or surround speakers. Due to their front-firing bass port, you can position the T15s nearer to walls.
For a bookshelf speaker of this size and price, the bass reproduction is pronounced and heavy, Bass fanatics who are looking for an affordable pair of budget speakers should definitely check out the Polk Audio T15 stand-mounters. They are also ideal for casual music listeners but as for critical listeners and analytical audio enthusiasts, the Polk Audio T15 speakers are certainly not for you. There is a lack of accuracy and clarity, as the bass delivery tends to overshadow the higher frequencies. Adding a powered subwoofer into the mix and allowing it to take over the bass performance will help to slightly improve the overall sound reproduction.
More Info at Amazon – Polk Audio T15 Bookshelf Speakers Pair, Black
Also setting the Polk Audio T15 to “Small” speakers via your AV receiver should improve their clarity as this will let the subwoofer take charge of the bass reproduction and allow the Polk Audio stand-mounters to focus on producing the higher registers. The Polk Audio T15 may sound prominent in the bass department but it doesn’t really reach deep enough which is as expected for a compact size bookshelf speaker. This is where an active sub comes into play as it could deliver subsonic bass response with weight and power.
There are many high-performance powered subwoofers currently out on the market and we need to find one which will match the Polk Audio T15 speakers. To help with the decision-making, we will need to start working on your subwoofer requirements. We are going to share with you some of the usual subwoofer requirements which listeners will consider.
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Subwoofer Requirements
The Polk Audio T15 is a flexible speaker which can be used as part of a home theater setup or a stereo system. If you are using the T15s mainly to watch movies with your HT setup, we suggest getting a ported subwoofer as it is more ideal for home theater performances. If you mainly listen to music then a sealed subwoofer is a better option due to its agile and tighter bass delivery. Sealed subwoofers are usually more accurate than ported subs as well.
How deep do you require the subwoofer to reach into the bass region will affect your choice too. For HT performance, you might want to go with an active subwoofer which could at least reach down to 20Hz and deliver these subterranean low frequencies with prominence. To go for such a powerful subwoofer will cost more than those which are unable to hit that low. This is why you should work on your budget now and see how much you are willing to spend on an active sub. It will help to filter out subwoofers that do not meet your price requirements.
The size of the subwoofer plays a part too especially you are trying to fill a large listening room and if this is the case, you would need a bigger subwoofer. This is where you need to see if you have enough space to accommodate it. The more available space you have the better as you could do a subwoofer crawl to determine which spot is the optimal position for your subwoofer so as to provide you with the best performance. These requirements are certainly worth your time to consider, feel free to add in more on your own. We have prepared for you a list of the best subwoofers to pick and pair with the Polk Audio T15 speakers, please take a look.
Best Subwoofers to pair with Polk Audio T15
The SVS PB-1000 Pro is one of the best entry-level ported subwoofers to pair up with your Polk Audio T15 speakers. This is a 12″ ported sub with bass performances that are worth every single cent invested in them. It could go below 20Hz frequency and has a peak power of up to 820+ Watts. The subsonic bass reproduction is powerful and has ample weight, easily shaking a small HT room. SVS PB-1000 Pro is great for home theater use and there is an option for you to switch to “Sealed” mode, giving you more flexibility.
More Information at Amazon – SVS PB-1000 Pro Black Ash
It is still hard to compete with the articulation and agility of a “true” sealed cabinet subwoofer, this is why SVS SB-1000 Pro is an amazing choice for audiophiles who mainly use their sound system for music playbacks. The SVS SB-1000 Pro can easily keep up with the Polk Audio T15 bookshelf speakers and doesn’t over exaggerate the bass reproductions. It may not have the same level of bass output as the PB-1000 Pro but the SB-1000 Pro is still good enough for HT use. The SVS SB-1000 Pro is capable of reaching down to 20Hz (+/-3dB).
More Information at Amazon – SVS SB-1000 Pro Sealed Sub
For listeners who are facing space constraints, the Yamaha HS8S is an excellent choice go for especially if you do not want to compromise the bass quality. It is a compact 8″ studio-grade subwoofer and the HS8S is more than capable of keeping up with your Polk Audio T15s. The Yamaha HS8S is able to produce clean bass quality with high accuracy and the low frequencies are well-textured too. Its frequency response is 22Hz-150Hz which is impressive for a studio subwoofer of this size and price.
More Information at Amazon – Yamaha HS8S Studio Sub
Polk Monitor XT12 is one of the best subwoofers to match with the Polk Audio T15 speakers. Since they are both made by the same company, they should share similar sonic signatures and provide us with seamless overall sound reproduction. The Polk Monitor XT12 is a fantastic choice for Polk Audio fans, it has a 12″ bass driver and is been driven by a Class AB amplifier (100W Peak). It has a modest price tag and could go quite loud. We highly suggest using the Polk Monitor XT12 subwoofer in small listening rooms.
More Details at Amazon – Polk Monitor XT12 Powered Sub, Midnight Black
If you are using the Polk Audio T15 speakers inside a medium-sized room, you might want to go with the SVS PB-2000 Pro. This is a powerful 12″ ported subwoofer with up to 1500+ Watts of power (Peak) and could reach down to 16Hz bass extension (+/-3dB). It is capable of giving us an exhilarating home cinematic experience with thumping and thunderous bass. You can also switch to “Sealed” mode for tighter bass response. SVS PB-2000 Pro will be an ideal subwoofer partner for the Polk Audio T15 speakers and could handle most bass demands.
More Info at Amazon – SVS PB-2000 Pro 12″ Ported Sub
For listeners who have tight budgets, you can take a look at the highly-rated Klipsch R-12SW which is a 12″ front-firing subwoofer with a very modest price tag. The Klipsch R-12SW has received plenty of praises from its satisfied owners and has up to 400 Watts of dynamic power. Its overall bass performance is clean and could deliver deep low ends with weight. If you require a more affordable active subwoofer then the Elac SUB1010 will be one of the best budget subwoofers to go for and partner up with your Polk Audio T15 speakers.
More Details at Amazon – Klipsch R-12SW Sub
More Details at Amazon – Elac SUB1010 120 Watt Subwoofer, Black
To Sum It Up
Before making the purchase, you should at least audition 1 or more subwoofers from this list. We suggest shortlisting the subwoofers based on pricing first followed by the rest of your requirements. By listening to how well they perform when paired with your Polk Audio T15 speakers, you will be able to find out if the potential subwoofer fits your sonic preferences. It is also recommended to audition potential subwoofers in your own home.
