Customer Ratings & Reviews

I really love theater quality sound. I want it for my game room, for my family room, and anywhere else my wife will allow. My wife wants simple-to-operate controls, and fuss free TV or movie watching, I have no problem with sounderbars . . even have one . . but I’m gonna lean towards multiple speakers and more control features wherever I can. The POLK Audio - BlackstoneTL1600 and DENON AVR-S540BT Home Theater Package fulfilled my desire to recreate a theater and concert environment in a medium sized room. (I actually set up and tested in a 6400 cu.ft. room.) It even addressed a few problems and made managing my audio and video equipment much more convenient. SETUP: I’m not going to claim “really” easy, because, there are five speaker wires (10 wire pair ends to carefully strip), a subwoofer cable, and HDMI to connect to TV. But, ALL the cables I mentioned are included. [100 ft of speaker wire you can cut to size. Do not strip wire excessively - 3/8 inch is perfect for the spring-clip speaker connects on the Denon. They’re the cheaper connectors, but they are less likely to allow crossed wires and blown amplifiers. Connectors on each Polk are plastic twist posts. Again, be sure the stripped pair of wires NEVER touch each other. Tighten down on the bared wire, not the insulation.] The ON-SCREEN TV setup makes the process easy. BUT, you need to learn how to use ARC on your TV, especially if you also want to rely on the Apps built into your TV. Setup was flawless in every way. DENON provides room correction, even in this lower priced AVR. The REMOTE control is perfect for SETUP. The Denon Setup Assistant will CALIBRATE your speakers by AUTO MEASURING speaker DISTANCES, the ideal CROSSOVER points, and the best relative speaker LEVELS so the speakers are ideal for YOUR room. There is an included microphone for accurately setting up these (or any other future, upgrade) speakers for your room. The Denon phone App is better for everyday use. It controls volume, selecting sources, and manages your music. Worked nicely. [ARC - audio return channel - sends the multi-channel audio from your TV Apps or anything else connected to the TV out to the AVR for amplification. It uses the same HDMI cable that connects your TV to this AV system.The 4K HDMI cable is in the box. I then made sure ARC was enabled on both the DENON and my TV. (Some TVs only send 2-channel audio via ARC. My Toshiba-Fire TV did NOT have this problem. An optical cable from TV to the AVR might solve the problem for other TVs.] Here’s what I was able to accomplish: + I now have a single “switch” (the DENON AVR) for my different video sources connected to my 4k HDR TV. I’m upgrading everything to 4k eventually, and I want the 4K streaming and 4k media quality I‘m paying for to appear on my TV with 5.1 channel audio filling my room. + That theater sound I’m looking for is all here. The important voices are very natural and served mostly by the central channel with bass re-inforced by the subwoofer. All those other speakers are so well matched to the center, and blend so well with the subwoofer, that you aren’t so much aware of the individual locations, but are immersed in the sound field. It’s all very nicely done. Voices are especially easy to understand. Playing various music selections from my iPhone XR, I switched sound to multi-channel stereo, and every speaker was utilized … quite nicely. And, I can definitely say that I was able to fill my larger sized room with sufficient sound to mimic a theater or concert. This was very nice and capable of loud volumes when you want them. My room was so big I could get to harsh sound levels, but you’re not likely to do that in average rooms. + A comment on volume: Some of my acquaintances freak out if the volume dial “numbers” need to be higher than expected for “loud.” You say your old receiver only needed a 27 to reach the same volume as this AVR, which requires 40? I’ve owned enough audio equipment to know this is irrelevant and only represents a design decision regarding volume control behavior. Relax. It’ll get way too loud before you run out of numbers. + Setup and subsequent control from both the remote and/or my phone all works great. + I wanted brand names that will be reliable and hold value over time. Hey, it’s Denon and Polk. WHAT’S HERE? POLK surround theater SPEAKER SYSTEM; Each of the five, TL1 speakers has a tweeter and mid/bass woofer in a hand sized enclosure that looks great on a shelf or a wall bracket. (there are keyhole slots around back and threaded inserts for brackets and stands.) The center channel speaker adds another mid/woofer. THE SUBWOOFER: has an 8” ported driver and is powered by its own amplifier. It includes a Low Pass control that ensures you can blend the deep bass from the subwoofer with the mid-bass coming from the small satellite speakers. It has a Volume control so you decide how much thunder and roar fills your room. 14”H x 12.5”W x x13.4”D. THE DENON Audio Viideo Receiver: AVR-S540BT: This 5.2 channel AVR will pass Dolby Vision, HDR, HLG and 4K HDCP 2.2 through 3 (of five) HDMI inputs. It includes Denon’s SETUP ASSISTANT and it can be controlled from the Denon 500 Series Remote App, using Bluetooth, not Wi-Fi. (hence, the BT in the model number). This Denon receives, but does NOT send, Bluetooth signals (so, no wireless headphones, for example). Multichannel Surround codecs include DTS Master, Dolby TrueHD, Multichannel Stereo with 5.1 channels supported. SUMMARY: With all the resources of the most recognized and respected names in audio/video equipment, this theater package doesn’t just have the DENON and POLK names on it, but actually has their expertise and technology inside. This is the real thing. Yeah, it’s smaller, with less power, and leaves a few features off. But for a signifiant number of end users, it has the stuff that matters to them. This is clean, realistic sound that will fill a room with all the action, excitement and realism you heard at the cinema. The newest and most desired advanced video content is switched and passed on to your new TV without fuss or fault. I can recommend this Polk - Denon package.

Modern great looking system . Every thing you need in a sound system. For some reason it has to be turned up on volume to 60 percent to hear it . overall good sound system.

Lets start with delivery... This set-up is BIG. The box is just under 65 pounds. I'm not surprised given that is includes a large sub-woofer and a full multi-channel receiver, in addition to a nice center speaker and 4 solid front R/L and rear R/L speaker set. I hauled the box from garage to stairs and then got it downstairs with no problem. That said, if you have ANY doubt if you are hauling it a decent distance or up/down stairs, I might suggest to open the main box and separately move the Denon receiver box individually first, and then after moving it, remove the heavier Polk speaker box. Better safe than sorry and just my $00.02. As mentioned, the first box out is the Denon AVR-S540BT. Included in that box was the receiver, remote (with battery), AM and FM antenna's tuning speaker and user manual. I'll get to the setup later. Before removing the Polk box, important to note they include probably close to 100' of nice 16 gauge cable, a decent HDMI cable and a single lead for connecting Sub-woofer to the receiver. Nice inclusion, Polk/Denon. Next up, I removed the Polk Blackstone box. Inside were the usual suspects: 4 surround speakers, 1 center speaker and a hefty sub-woofer. Initial feedback was pretty impressive. They had a nice quality feel and were relatively heavy. With speakers and sub-woofers, I generally find that to be a good thing, indicating solid build and heavy magnets for the speakers. The next 2 hours was me replacing my 15+ year-old existing speaker wire. I did not want to taint my experience (positive or negative) by effecting performance with external variables. That said, I did have to buy an additional spool of wire for the last speaker, but I do have a LARGE basement so I was expecting that. All speakers are wired and connected... Important note, they chose to use a locking nut design that I really appreciated. It offered a 100% positive feeling in knowing that your speaker wire was fully connected. I don't really have anything against standard spring loaded wire connections, but these are certainly more high quality and positive. Another important note, they also included templates for mounting the 4 surrounds and 1 center speaker. I also appreciated that the speakers offer multiple mounting options from table top, speaker mounting kits and simple wall mount with a basic screw/nail single mount. Nice options. Next was the Denon AVR-S540BT receiver. Bare in mind, this an entry level receiver, but that DOES NOT mean its NOT a good receiver. This is an excellent option for a great choice for any 5.1 home theater. While you can always spend more money (sometimes a LOT more$$$) to get more features and advanced options, but there is nothing wrong this unit. I honestly find it to be nicely equipped for the price-point and found no features I had to have to meet my needs and the needs of most for nice 5.1 option. The receiver offers multiple HDMI inputs, 3 that are 4K pass-through. The front panel clean and simple, yet effective and efficient. Very handsome unit. The remote is large, but for me, that's a good thing. With my big-old sausage fingers, the buttons are nicely spaced and clearly labeled even for my old 48 year old eyes. I do wish it were back-lit, but still a very nice start. Set up was straight-forward and simple. On powering unit up, it is best to have it connected to a TV, monitor or projector. If you do, it will clearly display instructions. It will take you from the best suggestions for speaker placement, clear through the speaker attenuation (to get the most balanced surround experience) to the HDMI 4K port set-up. In all, it took less than 5 minutes. Where the rubber hits the road is in how this sounds. I started off with Dunkirk on Blu-ray. Wow. I was impressed. You could easily hear the bullets and bombs moving towards and from you and the thunder of bombs and mortars all around you.This thing packs a punch, but does so with an impressive elegance for an off-the-shelf box like this. The surround quality was excellent, the highs were crisp without being over-bearing and they blended nicely with crisp and smooth mids which are then impressively melted with the rich and powerful lows. The sub-woofer is excellent. I have a similar sized Bose that is impressive on its merits, but this Polk is the most impressive I have ever experienced in a home environment in a long time. A final note if you chose to buy this great unit, one nice feature to easily and immediately adjust this to your tastes and your room, on the remote there is a button labeled "CH LEVEL" that will quickly and intuitively allow let you adjust the dB level of each speaker, including the sub. I would suggest fiddling with that for a few minutes and using a couple mediums to fine tune or your ear and room. While there are far too many other features to list that would take weeks to experience and fine-tune, I have no problem recommending this unit to a friend. I also have no problem giving a 5 star rating. I am not going to "punish it" for not being a $900 unit. No, it does not have Dolby Atmos. No, it does not have 7.1 or 9.2 or anything else, but what it does have is great digital decoding and an excellent 5.1 option. Additionally, these speakers are also an excellent value that offer impressive quality. They easily out-kick their coverage. Great value. Disclaimer: This product was provided free, or at reduced cost, for the purpose of reviewing the product. Nevertheless, the above review, be it positive, negative, or anywhere in-between, is a 100% honest review, and the price paid played absolutely no part in my review.

Setup and installation took me about 30 minutes, sound quality is super clear and it does offer premium clarity to the extend I can follow every single word coming out of the tv. Wiring is simple. Speaking of Denon AVR system, it is the process of redefining the sound and take it to the next level. I was able to connect my 3 4K devices; Xbox one X, PS4 Pro, Sony 4K player, and Apple TV 4th generation, in addition to more 2 hdmi ports for other devices. Sound modes are variable and offer sound quality enhancement. Watching a movie is a new great experience. I would highly recommend it if you like sound quality and 5.1 channels.

I was very conflicted on where to begin with my review because it delivers amazing sound from all angles. However, there are design elements that I didn't consider and I prefer a sleek minimal look where this has a large clunky receiver, wires all over and a dated operating/setup. At the forefront of everything the sound I got was theatre quality which is pleasing. I've had some sound systems that are muffled or are just loud without giving crisp and clear sounds. Polk's Blackstone system is what a good starter theatre system for the home should be. The subwoofer provided the best level of bass while the smaller five speaker system complimented the room. All of this was possible through the microphone which calibrates the speakers based on the room. Setup took me a while but I allocated time for it since I knew I would be splitting speaker wires and setting up various speakers. A pitfall for theatre systems is still the split wires and removing such and eye sore from a living room. I am disappointed in the Denon receiver because it was so bulky, it had a dated looking setup program which needs refinement and more features. It does not come off as user friendly. The remote is large and the volume animation on the tv made my 4K tv look tacky. I probably need in wall speakers to keep the minimal look I want so don't hesitate to get this system based on my feedback. I was just really hoping for a update from the theatre system setup I had in the early 2000s but there are still quite a few wires to work through which was really my big setback. Wires and the few dated qualities aside I really love the sound it gave me. I loved watching National Geographic and being able to ear water splashing and all the other sounds you just don't get from your normal tv speakers. I was also excited during a horror flick which made me feel like I was at the movies but at home. Great sound and I could not have asked for more!

This system is really great when played through my iPad or iPhone but leaves a little to be desired with the TV/Cable output. Bluetooth works extremely well and it is nice to quickly connect to this system and listen to your favorite music service. The system is “adequate” but is very dependent on the source of the sound. Don’t be surprised when you have to turn it up to between 60 - 75 (out of 100) when watching cable or streaming from YouTube or Amazon Prime (I don’t have Netflix to comment). I have another Polk system that demands it to be turned up that far as well. It seems to handle it and appears to be no big deal for this Denon amp. The sound is big and the bass is what you want it to be, but you would expect it to be scary loud at the advertised “700” watts. It’s not. That said, the average person is going to find this more than adequate. If you’re looking for something that absolutely amazes you, you are going to have to spend twice the price. I’m happy enough with it, although I expected to be amazed. If I had it to do again, I’d buy a bigger system. The bass, which is typically the weakest link in a home system, doesn’t buzz at all when turned up. Expect to purchase speaker mounts or at the least stands for the room speakers. Beyond that, it comes with everything else you need and is easy enough to set up. The sound balancing mic is a must to use to get the sound nicely balanced for the room. Once that’s done, be sure to use the setup settings to boost every speaker to +12db of the default setup. This will give you enough volume power to be satisfied with your purchase, but it does take some fine tuning and adjustment to get the most from this system. Don’t just go with what it gives you by default or you won’t be happy. You’ve got to get a little under the hood with this unit.

The clarity is quite remarkable at this price point! Right out of the box it’s easy to set up. With doing custom speaker wire runs and unpacking everything, I had the entire system installed and on in about an hour. The Denon receiver set up took just a few minutes to sample the room (with reference mic provided) and make necessary adjustments. After that it was time to test the system with my own ears. I have to say, I’m seriously impressed. This is a well matched speaker/receiver system and for $500.00, I really feel well pleased with my choice. Are there better systems out there? ABSOLUTELY! But you’ll obviously pay more for them! Are there cheaper systems out there? Absolutely! But you won’t get the clarity, frequency response or SPL from them. The channel separation, clarity and punch in this system... remarkable! Truly impressive! My only issue so far has been of my own doing. The receiver has 5 built in amps and at high volume they generate quite a bit of heat. I foolishly set my DVD player directly on top of it and choked off air flow, thus I caused (note I say I did it!?) the receiver to thermal fault. So make sure you set YOUR receiver where it has adequate and unobstructed air flow to keep cool. Other than that... this is a rockin sound System! Currently jamming Mr. Big’s Lean Into It at volume setting 75 and getting some house work done! Y’all have a blessed day!

So I'm a long time Polk speaker buyer. I've always felt they provide a solid value speaker. First of all, these Blackstone speakers are very good for their size. Their bass radiators make them sound much bigger than they are. The included sub leaves much to be desired. I think one probably needs at least a 100 watt powered sub for these speakers. With all that said, I purchased this as an open box for $325 and for that price, it's like getting a free receiver. And this receiver is very basic. However, for a new 5.1 setup, this thing is more than capable. The UI is something out of a DOS/Colecovision from the late 80's, but it's kind of charming and the onboard room optimizer works for the most part. To be completely transparent, I'm not using this system together or as designed. I purchased the Polk T15 bookshelf speakers and used them for the fronts and repurposed an older Onkyo 7.2 channel receiver to power the blackstones and the T15's. The blackstones have now be relegated to atmos speakers, center, and surrounds and I also replaced the sub with a PSW12. The system sounds extraordinary. I used the receiver to power a basic 5.1 setup in another room and it works just fine. So, in summary, the only draw backs to this system is the powered sub (under powered) and the very basic receiver. However, for a first setup and a small room, this is a great little system especially at $325. For a larger room, you'll need to upgrade the sub.

I have had many sound systems in my short life time, but only hand me downs from my parents....this system, is far from what Mom and Dad had...by that, I mean, it is phenomenal. If you want a good theater system on a budget, this is amazing. It doesnt support Dolby Atmos, but it does support True HD sound, which when activated, is the best sound I have ever heard out of this thing. I wish everything supported True HD sound....set up for me was a breeze, granted Ive been doing this since I was 8 years old. I learned a bit more about optimal sound. I decided to adjust everything manually, man does it give you lots of options!! Love it seriously. When I move out of my apartment, I plan on getting an additional subwoofer to give a more surround "bass" sound. It takes a lot of tweaking, but once you get the sound where it needs to be the system shines. The bass rattles walls, glasses, cabinets, so be prepared.

Great sound for a budget. I went the sound bar route and they just do not do Dolby surround sound justice. This is great and easy to use. Even has bluetooth so I can connect to my phone when I want.

This system sounds great and is a compliment to a 4K TV. They complicate the setup by requiring you to use an online screen to choose and activate inputs instead of allowing you to merely plug in, but once the setup in done, it is fine. However, the instruction book provided is almost worthless. Fortunately, I have setup several other home theater systems so I had some knowledge of what I had to do without going on-line to find a detailed instruction manual.

This Polk Audio - Blackstone TL1600 and Denon AVR-S540BT Home Theater Package 5.1-Ch sounds great for the price I paid. I have a small family room and the audio surround is amazing. It was easy to setting up with the instruction provided. I would have given it a 5 star, but my first system had problems the rear surround speakers. Best Buys was great to exchange it and my 2nd replacement system works great.

Coming from a Vizio 2.0 Sound bar. I was always wanting a receiver just didn’t know anything at all, seen this one and a few others decided to research and read great things about Polk audio speakers so I took the leap. After getting the sweet spot on the Hz, distance of speakers, etc, the set up mic worked but it’s “settings” didn’t fit my taste, it’s also about placement of your speakers and sub. The system knocks hard the Dolby audio really kicks in while watching movies, I kept pausing the movie cause those sounds like dogs barking, baby cry, far distance in the audio really catches and plays it so you get all paranoid. Point is, great beginning system I am very happy.

Our 2012 Samsung system finally died, so we went shopping for a new system. This Polk Audio 5.1 is really nice. I like it better than our old system - crisper sound, definitely directional. Only oddity was that setting it up is a throwback to the 1970s. It came with 100' of speaker wire and I used all but about 8' of it. The subwoofer also required wire - the included coaxial cable was nice, but there is no coax port in either the Denon amplifier or the subwoofer. Go figure. But all is working great, and we are enjoying it very much.

I normally don't write reviews, but felt the need to, for this unit. I have been wanting a Surround Sound System for several years now and after doing some comparisons, I landed this one. To know me is to know that I'm not "usually" pleased EASILY, but when I tell you this unit MEETS and EXCEEDS my EXPECTATIONS!!! I purposely look forward to watching TV, movies and listening to music on my new Surround Sound System. Besides the wire stripping, everything else was easy to follow and put together. I ❤ BASS and this Unit DOES NOT DISAPPOINTMENT!!! CAN YOU SAY, SATISFIED CUSTOMER INDEED

I love this set. It sounds awesome and was easy to put together. Very good value for the price I paid - $379.99. I recommend this item.

I purchased this product on sale for about $375. First, I have been using just sound bars for the past 8 years, so this was obvious step up. Also, I installed this in a pre-wired media room designed to amplify sound. That being said, I could not be happier with the sound quality and clarity. My daughter thought there was a storm outside when I watched a movie with a storm going. My only concern is that I may be bothering my neighbors on movie nights.

Would love it incredibly but having issues with right surround sound speaker. Not sure if it's speaker or channel on reciever. But thinking about return and finding another. May upgrade to a 7.2 vs 5 1. But unfortunately this system has issues. Right surround plays really low. Have calibrated room twice changed speaker wire. Not a newbie at electronic surround sound set up. If it didn't have this issue would have 5 stars for quality and price

Very nice surround sound system. Works great. Very easy to set up and use out of the box.

Sounds great, the features are there, a bit lacking and the interface could be a bit easier to use.