Polk Audio 6500BT User Manual

6500BT

ENGLISH

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

This product was designed and manufactured to meet strict quality and safety standards.
There are, however, some installation and operation precautions which you should
be particularly aware of.

1. Read Instructions. All the safety and operating instructions should
be read before the system is operated.

2. Retain Instructions. The safety and operating instructions should
be retained for future reference.

3. Heed Warnings. All warnings on the appliances and in the operating
instructions should be adhered to.

4. Follow Instructions. All operating and use instructions should be followed.

5. Cleaning. Unplug the appliance from wall outlet before cleaning. Do not
use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

6. Attachments. Do not use attachments not recommended by the product
manufacturer as they may cause hazards.

7. Water and Moisture. Do not use these appliances near water for example,
near a bath tub, washbowl, kitchen sink, or laundry tub, in a wet basement,
or near a swimming pool, and the like.

8. Accessories. Do not place these appliances on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket,
or table. The audio/video products may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult,
and serious damage to the products. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket,
or table recommended by the manufacturer, or sold with the appliances. Any mounting
of the appliances should follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and should use mounting
accessories recommended by the manufacturer.

9. Ventilation. Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation and to ensure
reliable operation of the appliances and to protect them from overheating, and these openings
must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the products
on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface. This product should never be placed near or over
a radiator or heat register. This product should not be placed in a built-in installation such
as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer’s instructions
have been adhered to.

10 . Power Sources. This product should be operated only from the type of power source
indicated on the marking labels. If you are not sure of the type of power supply to your
home, consult your appliance dealer or local power company.

11. Grounding or Polarization. This product is equipped with polarized alternating-current
line plugs (plugs having one blade wider than the other). This plug will fit into the power
outlet only one way. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug fully into
the outlet, try reversing the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician
to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug.

12. Power Cord Protection. Power-supply cord should be routed so that it is not likely to be walked
on or pinched by items placed upon or against it, paying particular attention to cords at plugs,
convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the appliances.

13. Lightning. For added protection for this audio/video product during a lightning storm,
or when it is left un-attended and unused for long periods of time, unplug it from
the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system. This will prevent damage
to the product due to lightning and power-line surges.

14. Power Lines. An outside antenna system should not be located in the vicinity of overhead
power lines or other electric light or power circuits, or where it can fall into such power lines
or circuits. When installing an outside antenna system, extreme care should be taken to keep
from touching such power lines or circuits as contact with them might be fatal.

15. Overloading. Do not overload wall outlets and extension cords as this can result
in a risk of fire or electric shock.

16. Object and Liquid Entry. Never push objects of any kind into this product through openings,
as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a fire
or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on this audio/video product.

17. Servicing. Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or removing
covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all servicing
to qualified service personnel.

18. Damage Requiring Service. Unplug this product from wall outlets and refer servicing
to qualified service personnel under the following conditions:

a. When the power supply cord or plug is damaged.
b. If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the product.
c. If the product has been exposed to rain or water.
d. If the product does not operate normally by following the operating

instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating
instructions, as an improper adjustment of other controls may result
in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician
to restore the product to its normal operation.

e. If the product has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged.
f. When the product exhibits a distinct change in performance this indicates

a need for service.

19. Replacement Parts. When replacement parts are required, be sure the service
technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or that
the parts have the same characteristics as the original part. Unauthorized
substitutions may result in fire, electric shock or other hazards.

CAUTION: Danger of EXPLOSION if battery is incorrectly replaced.
Replace only with the same or equivalent type. (CR2025)

WARNING: Do not expose batteries or battery pack to excessive
heat such as sunshine, fire or the like.

20. Safety Check. Upon completion of any service or repairs to this product,
ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that
the products are in proper operating condition.

21. Carts and Stands. The appliances should be used only with a cart or stand
that is recommended by the manufacturer. An appliance and cart combina­ tion should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven
surfaces may cause the appliance and cart combination to overturn.
Use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid
injury from tip-over.

22. This product is not intended for use outdoors.

23. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could
void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

24. This device complies with Industry Canada licence-exempt RSS standard(s). Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause
undesired operation of the device.
The CAUTION marks shown here are located on the back of your SurroundBar

CAUTION: To prevent electric shock, match
wide blade of plug to wide slot, insert fully.

CAUTION: No naked flame sources, such as
candles, should be placed on the apparatus.

CAUTION: The manufacturer is not responsible for any radio or TV interference caused
by unauthorized modifications to this equipment. Such modifications could void the user
authority to operate the equipment.

Radiation Exposure Statement

This device complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled
environment and it also complies with Part 15 of the FCC RF Rules.

This equipment should be installed and operated with a minimum distance of 20 centimeters
between the radiator and your body.

Class B Emissions Limits: This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements
of the Canadian Interference—Causing Equipment Regulations.

Operation

This equipment complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules and Industry Canada RSS-210.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

1) This device may not cause interference, and

2) This device must accept any interference, including interference
that may cause undesired operation of the device.

The device meets the exemption from the routine evaluation limits in section 2.5 of RSS
102 and compliance with RSS-102 RF exposure, users can obtain Canadian information

Product Disposal: Certain international, national and/or local laws and/or regulations
may apply regarding the disposal of this product. For further detailed information, please
contact the retailer where you purchased this product or the Polk Importer/Distributor
in your country. A listing of Polk Importer/ Distributors can be found on the Polk website www.polkau­dio.com or by contacting Polk Audio at: 5601 Metro Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21215, USA. Phone:
[phone]; in California: 1-800-377-7655.

Note:

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pur­suant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can
radiate radio frequency energy, and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that inter­ference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference
to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on,
the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. Increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver
is connected. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

®

Speaker System

Customer Service Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9am-5:30pm est [e-mail] 1

PLEASE TAKE INVENTORY

Please check to ensure you have everything in your Polk®
SurroundBar

SurroundBar
Subwoofer
Remote Control (Battery Included)
Subwoofer Power Cord
24V Power Supply
6' Digital (Optical) Cable
1/8" to 1/8" analog cable
1/8" to RCA adapter
Quick Start Guide
Owner’s Manual
Online Registration Card

Important Note: If anything is missing or damaged, or if your
Polk Audio SurroundBar 6500
dealer immediately. We recommend keeping your original carton
and packing materials in case you need to ship the unit
in the future.

®

6500bt carton. Inside, you should find:

bt fails to operate, please notify your

ABOUT YOUR SURROUNDBAR 6500bt

Thank you for choosing the SurroundBar 6500bt from
Polk. You’re about to discover how the legendary Polk sound
makes watching TV and movies so much more exciting.
Using a single bar loudspeaker and a wireless subwoofer,
the SurroundBar 6500 BT produces a wide soundstage
and rich, full sound. Polk
performance and convenience. And there’s even more
about the SurroundBar 6500

®

Digital Logic® offers spectacular

bt you’ll enjoy:

Near Field Communication (NFC) for the ease and convenience
of simply touching your Bluetooth device to the cube to pair
and connect.

Energy Star® certified.

6’ Optical Cable included for the quickest, easiest hookup
from your TV to the SurroundBar 6500

bt.

Built-in keyhole slots for wall-mounting ensure a wide
range of placement options.

Simple, touch-sensitive keypad controls on the bar include
programming function for your existing remote control.

INSIDE YOUR SURROUNDBAR 6500 BT CARTON:

Remote Control

(Battery Included)

The SurroundBar’s extremely shallow depth and sleek
design blends seamlessly with today’s contemporary
TV designs.

SmartBar™ programming enables you to program the
SurroundBar to your TV’s original IR remote control
(Backup remote control included).

Polk’s signature sound, warm and full, with clarity
and detail, turns games, music, movies and TV into a more
exciting viewing experience.

Dolby® Digital decoding.

Energy Star® certified.

Powerful wireless subwoofer can be placed anywhere
in the room within 50' of the SurroundBar.

Use your own remote control with the SurroundBar 6500bt

Thunderous bass anywhere in the room thanks
to a high efficiency wireless subwoofer, which
can be placed up to 50' away.

Bluetooth® wireless technology apt-X® and AAC delivers high
quality sound from you smartphone, tablet, computer or other
compatible device.

1/8" to 1/8" Analog Cable

1/8" to RCA Adapter

24V Power Supply

Important Notes • Notes importantes • Notas importantes

SMARTBAR™ PROGRAMMING NOTE:

NOTE SUR LA PROGRAMMATION SMARTBAR

Pour que la SurroundBar réponde à votre télé-

For your SurroundBar to respond to your remote

commande, vous DEVEZ D’ABORD la programmer

control, you MUST FIRST program the bar to

pour qu’elle réponde à la télécommande IR

respond to your television’s original IR (Infra-Red)

(infrarouge) originale de votre télé. Les télé-

remote. An RF (Radio Frequency) remote will

commandes RF (radiofréquences) ne sont

not work. Other remotes (cable, satellite) will

pas compatibles. Les autres télécommandes

work only after you have programmed the bar

IR (câble, satellite) ne peuvent être programmées

to respond to the TV’s IR remote.

que lorsque vous aurez programmé la barre
pour qu’elle réponde à la télécommande
IR de votre télé.

Digital Optical Cable • Câble optique numérique

1

Cable óptico digital

Note: Remove caps prior to inserting cable.

Note: Vous devez retirer le capuchon avant d’insérer les câbles.

Nota: Si es necesario, quite la tapa antes de insertar el cable.

Remote • Télécommande • Control remoto

2

MUTE

SUB

SOURCE

SUB Volume Up and Down ( + / – ): Adjusts the volume of the subwoofer.

321

SUB

VOL

Point the remote at the SurroundBar to adjust the subwoofer’s volume.
Do not point the remote at the subwoofer. Push the remote volume buttons
10-12 times to equalize the subwoofer’s volume to the SurroundBar’s. Push
the remote button once per second.

Volume Sub ( + / – ): Règle le volume du subwoofer.

Pointez la télécommande vers la SurroundBar pour régler le volume du
subwoofer. Ne la pointez pas vers le subwoofer. Appuyez sur les boutons
de volume de la télécommande 10 à 12 fois en autant de secondes pour
apparier le volume du subwoofer et celui de la SurroundBar.

Subida y bajada de volumen del subwoofer (SUB, + / – ):
Ajusta el volumen del subwoofer.

Apunte el control remoto hacia la SurroundBar para ajustar el volumen del

No apunte el control remoto hacia el subwoofer. Oprima los

subwoofer.
botones de volumen del control remoto de 10 a 12 veces para igualar el volumen
del subwoofer con el volumen de la SurroundBar. Oprima el botón del control
remoto una vez por segundo.

MC

:

NOTA DE PROGRAMACIÓN SOBRE LA
SMARTBAR™: Para que la SurroundBar

responda a su control remoto, es
INDISPENSABLE programarla PRIMERO para
que responda al control remoto IR (infrarrojo)
original del televisor. Los controles remotos de
RF (radiofrecuencias) no funcionan. Se pueden
programar otros controles remotos (de cable
o de satélite) sólo después de haber programado
la barra para que responda al control remoto
infrarrojo del televisor.

2 Polk Customer Service 800-377-7655 (Outside USA & Canada: 410-358-3600)

1 2345

SOURCE LED GUIDE

SOURCE 1

SOURCE 2

SOURCE 3

Bluetooth

SOURCE MUTELEARN

FRONT

BACK

POWER

OFF

24V

2.5A
SOURCE

SYNC

BAR CONTROLS

FRONT PANEL:

1. Learn—Puts the bar into “learning mode” so

you can program it to respond to commands
from your existing remote control.

2. Source—Changes which input source
you are listening to.
Source 1: digital/optical
Source 2: analog
Source 3: analog
Source 4 Bluetooth ( ): Bluetooth
technology (See “PAIR AND CONNECT YOUR
BLUETOOTH DEVICE WITH THE SURROUNDBAR”
on page 8.)

LED—Blue light indicates which Source has
been selected (see Source LED Guide above).
Source 1 LED will light green if Dolby Digital
signal is being decoded.

3. Power ( )—Turns on the bar or puts
it in standby mode.

LED—A light that shines green, orange
or red to indicate operating status.

4. Mute—Mutes and unmutes the sound
coming from the SurroundBar 6500 BT,
indicated by green slow flash.

5. Volume Up and Down ( / )—Adjusts
the volume of the SurroundBar 6500 BT.

BACK PANEL:

®

wireless

ON

60W

67 89

132

BAR POWER ( ) LED

NORMAL OPERATING MODE:

Green Steady—Power is on; all is well.

Red Steady—The bar is in standby mode.

Green Two Blinks—A remote control or keypad

operation signal is received successfully.

Green Slow Blinking—System is muted.

Green Fast Blinking (After pressing volume up

button)—You have reached the maximum volume.

Green Fast Blinking (At power up)—The bar and
subwoofer have established a wireless connection.

LEARNING MODE: (See page 9 for instructions.)

Orange Blinking—The bar is in learning mode.

Orange Steady—The bar is in learning mode

and a function has been selected.

Green Blinking—The bar has successfully
learned a remote control command.

Red Blinking—The bar has failed to learn
a remote control command.

Red and Orange Blinking—Learned IR codes
have been successfully erased.

6. Power Switch—Turns the bar on or off,
but you can leave it on all the time.

7. Power Connection—The bar power supply connects here.

8. Audio Inputs (Source 1, 2 or 3)—Where you connect

your TV (or other sources) to the SurroundBar 6500

bt.

Use the 6’ optical cable (Source 1) provided or 1/8"
analog cable (Source 2 or 3) provided.

9. SYNC—The SYNC button ensures the subwoofer
and bar are communicating. (See “CONNECTING
THE BAR AND WIRELESS SUBWOOFER” on page 7.)

Customer Service Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9am-5:30pm est [e-mail] 3

SOURCE LED:

Green Blinking—Dolby Digital source

recognized (Source 1 only).

Green Steady—Dolby Digital source received
and is being decoded (Source 1 only).

Blue Steady—PCM or analog source received.

12

REMOTE CONTROL

3

45

POWER

ON

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference,
and (2) this device must accept any interference

OFF

received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.

This Class B digital apparatus complies
with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numerique de la classe B est

AC INPUT

~

100V - 240V
50Hz - 60Hz

50W

WARNING

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE, REFER SERVICING TO

QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

conforme a la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

AVERTISSEMENT

POUR RÉDUIRE LES RISQUES D’ÉLECTROCUTION, GARDEZ

CET APPAREIL À L’ABRI DE LA PLUIE ET DE L’HUMIDITÉ.

AUCUNE PIÈCE INTERNE RÉPARABLE PAR L’UTILISATEUR.

CONFIER L’ENTRETIEN À UN PERSONNEL QUALIFIÉ.

ATTENTION

RISQUE D’ÉLECTROCUTION

NE PAS OUVRIR

E217409 03BG

1. Power ( )—Turns on the bar or puts
it in standby mode.

2. Mute—Mutes and unmutes the sound
coming from the SurroundBar 6500 BT IHT.

3. Source 1, 2, 3, or ( )—Changes which input
source you are listening to.

4. Volume Up and Down ( + / – )—Adjusts
the master volume of the SurroundBar
6500 BT IHT system.

5. SUB Volume Up and Down ( + / – )
Adjusts the volume of the subwoofer.

POWER

ON

1

OFF

AC INPUT

~

100V - 240V
50Hz - 60Hz

2

50W

SUBWOOFER CONTROLS

1. Power Switch—Turns the wireless subwoofer on

or off, but you can leave it on all the time if you wish.

2. Power Connection—The subwoofer power
cord connects here.

THE STATUS LIGHT ON THE WIRELESS
SUBWOOFER INDICATES THE FOLLOWING:

When light shines green:

a. Green Steady—The bar and subwoofer are connected.

b. Green Slow Blinking—The subwoofer is searching

for the bar.

c. Green Fast Blinking—The subwoofer is in the
process of connecting with the bar.

When light shines red:

a. Red Steady—The subwoofer is in standby mode.

b. Red Blinking—The subwoofer is in protection mode.

Specifications

System Power 280 Watts

Dimensions
SurroundBar 3 3/4" H x 35" W x 2 1/4" D
(9.53 cm x 89 cm x 5.72 cm)

Subwoofer 11" H x 10 1/4" W x 12" D
(27.94 cm x 26.04 cm x 30.48 cm)

Weight
SurroundBar 7.6 lbs (3.43 kg)
Subwoofer 10.6 lbs (4.81kg)

Power Requirements
SurroundBar 24V, 2.5 A
Subwoofer 100V - 240V, 50Hz - 60Hz

Model SurroundBar 6500

bt

Remote Battery CR2025

4 Polk Customer Service 800-377-7655 (Outside USA & Canada: 410-358-3600)

LEA

2

2

3

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LEA

RN

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Shelf mounted bar sits in front of TV

WHERE TO LOCATE YOUR BAR

Wall mounted bar

1

2

2

FOR THE BEST SOUND

It’s easy. The bar comes with rubber feet already attached,
so it will sit securely on any flat surface. Just center the bar
under your TV screen. If your TV is housed in a media center,

Overall Dimensions

you can place the bar above the TV.

1. 3 3/4" H (9.53 cm)

If your TV is wall mounted, the bar can mount right beneath
it. The bar has built-in keyhole slots that make it easy.

Note: The rubber feet are detachable and may be removed
entirely (for wall-mounting the bar) or moved along the bottom
surface of the bar, depending upon your installation.

WHERE TO LOCATE YOUR SUBWOOFER
FOR THE BEST SOUND

Your wireless subwoofer is really easy to place and can

2. 35" W (88.9 cm)

Keyhole Slots

3. 24" W (60.96 cm)

Note: If you wall mount your SurroundBar, ensure that your

wall anchors secure properly into the wall and that they can
bear the weight of the SurroundBar, which is 7.6 lbs (3.63 kg).

go just about anywhere in the room. Plus you don’t have
to worry about connecting wires, because the only wire
you have to plug in is the power cord. And that’s it.

Here’s a little trick: If you place
your subwoofer in a corner of
your room, it will reinforce the
subwoofer’s output, making it
sound louder.

3

Customer Service Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9am-5:30pm est [e-mail] 5

HOW TO CONNECT YOUR BAR

HOW TO CONNECT YOUR SUBWOOFER

This is really easy too. You likely have many sources for your
audio signal: your TV, your DVD player, or a cable/satellite box.
The bar is able to accept audio from up to four different sources.
The simplest approach is to connect the optical audio output of
your TV to the optical input on the back of the bar. This method
will provide the highest quality audio regardless of whether you
are watching TV or watching your favorite DVD.

If your TV does not have an optical output, you can use the optical
output from your DVD player or your cable/satellite box to con­nect to the optical input on the bar. Then simply use the other bar
inputs for your other audio sources.

POWER

OFF

ON

24V

2.5A

60W

SOURCE

132

Your subwoofer receives a wireless audio signal from the bar,
so all you need to do is plug in the power cord and make
sure the main power switch is ON.

TV or Cable/Sat Box

ANALOG

SYNC

AUDIO OUTPUT

R

L

DIGITAL OPTICAL

AUDIO OUTPUT

SYNCING THE BAR AND WIRELESS SUBWOOFER

The SurroundBar 6500bt bar and wireless subwoofer come
from the factory preset to work together. If the wireless
subwoofer stops receiving an audio signal, follow these
instructions to re-establish the connection.

1. Turn off the subwoofer’s AC Mains switch.

2. Press and hold the SYNC button on the back

of the bar for three (3) seconds.

3. The LED on the back of the bar will blink,
indicating that the bar and the subwoofer
are ready to be connected.

4. Turn on the subwoofer’s AC Mains switch. When
the subwoofer LED turns solid green, the bar
and subwoofer are connected and ready to use.

Note: Remove the
protective cap prior
to inserting cable.

NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION (NFC)

NFC gives you the ease and convenience of simply “touching”
your Bluetooth/NFC compatible device to the bar to pair and
connect. Regardless of what source you are in, or if the bar is in
standby, NFC will initiate a Bluetooth connection.

6 Polk Customer Service 800-377-7655 (Outside USA & Canada: 410-358-3600)

BLUETOOTH® WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY

To use your Bluetooth wireless technology device
with the SurroundBar 6500

bt, you must first pair your

device with your SurroundBar.

Pairing creates the ability of your Bluetooth device to connect
with your SurroundBar wirelessly. Pairing is like a handshake
between your Bluetooth device and your SurroundBar 6500

bt

in which they meet and exchange information.

You only have to pair your SurroundBar with your Bluetooth
device one time for this exchange of information to take place.
After that you simply select the “polk soundbar” from your
device list to make the connection to your SurroundBar.

The SurroundBar can hold 8 Bluetooth devices in its memory.

If enough devices pair after yours, your device could
be dropped from the memory list.

Pair and connect your Bluetooth device
with the SurroundBar:

1. Make sure your Bluetooth device and SurroundBar 6500bt

are both powered on.

2. Activate the Bluetooth function on your Bluetooth source
device. See your device’s manual for instructions.

3. Press the Bluetooth source button from the SurroundBar
remote or press the SOURCE button on the SurroundBar
until the Bluetooth source is selected.

How to disconnect with a Bluetooth device:

1. Press and release the Remote Control Bluetooth button, or

2. Press and release the Bluetooth Source button, or

3. Turn off or disconnect the Bluetooth feature

on your Bluetooth device.

The SurroundBar will emit a short tone and the
Bluetooth source symbol will begin slowly pulsing
when disconnected.

Automatic connection:

Any time you want to connect the last paired device
and play it through the SurroundBar, do the following:

1. Turn your device’s Bluetooth function on.

2. Enter Bluetooth source by pressing the Bluetooth source

button from the remote or press the SOURCE button
on the SurroundBar until the Bluetooth source is selected.

3. After a short delay, the two devices will automatically
connect. You will hear a short tone, and the Bluetooth
source symbol will now be steady blue.

Note: By default, the last connected Bluetooth device
will automatically connect if available.

Pair and/or connect to a device when in Bluetooth
source, but disconnected:

SOURCELEARN

The Bluetooth symbol will illuminate, then begin slowly
pulsing as it looks for the paired device.

4. Your SurroundBar will now be displayed on your source
device and available to pair and/or connect. Select the
“polk soundbar” on your device to initiate
the connection process.

5. After a short delay (5 seconds), the two devices should
now be connected. You should hear a short tone and
the Bluetooth source symbol will now be steady blue.

6. Play your music from your device!

Note: If your device asks for a passcode to pair to the

SurroundBar, enter “0000.”

1. Engage the Bluetooth function on your Bluetooth source
device. See your device’s manual for instructions.

a. The SurroundBar will be displayed on your source
device as available to pair and connect. Select
the “polk soundbar” on your device to initiate
the pairing and connection process.

After a short delay, the two devices should now be paired
and connected. You should hear a short tone and the
Bluetooth source symbol will now be steady blue.

How to disconnect:

Note: Anytime The SurroundBar exits SLEEP mode and is in

Bluetooth source, the SurroundBar will automatically connect
to the last paired Bluetooth device if the paired device’s
Bluetooth feature is on.

Customer Service Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9am-5:30pm est [e-mail] 7

HOW TO OPTIMIZE THE SOUND
WHEN TV SPEAKERS ARE ON

You should hear sound from the bar. If you don’t, turn up
the volume on the bar using its volume control buttons.

FINE TUNING YOUR SUBWOOFER VOLUME LEVEL

The next thing you’ll want to do is adjust the subwoofer
to blend with your bar. This will ensure the system produces
the best sound.

If your bar is connected to your TV, there’s a very good chance
your TV speakers are also playing. It’s impossible to give specific
instructions on how to turn off the speakers for every TV, but
here’s a way to do it that covers many of the TVs out there.

1. On your TV remote control, find a “menu” or “setup” button.

2. Press this button. You should see an on-screen menu.

3. Next, look for an option to control audio functions

and select it.

The setting to turn off your TV’s internal speakers should be here.

If you can’t turn off your TV internal speakers, don’t worry.
Your SurroundBar 6500

bt will make your TV sound much

better. To enjoy the best performance from your bar, you’ll
want it to play louder than your TV. Use the following steps
to adjust the volume balance between your TV and the bar:

1. If necessary, program your bar to respond to the volume
up and down control commands of your TV remote.
(See “HOW TO SETUP A REMOTE CONTROL FOR
YOUR SURROUNDBAR” on page 10.)

2. Turn your TV volume all the way down using the control
buttons on your TV.

3. Then, using the volume keys on your bar, set the volume
to a normal listening level (do not use the remote control).

To set the subwoofer’s volume, play a variety of source materi­al—some music, a movie sound track with great special effects,
a movie chapter or a part of a concert in which people are
speaking. Adjust the volume until what you hear sounds
natural to you in your normal viewing location.

After you make these adjustments, your SurroundBar 6500 BT
should always be louder than your TV speakers. Then use the
TV remote control to adjust the volume as you normally do.

8 Polk Customer Service 800-377-7655 (Outside USA & Canada: 410-358-3600)

SO

URCE

MUTE

LEAR

N

HOW TO SET UP A REMOTE CONTROL
FOR YOUR SURROUNDBAR

SMARTBAR™ PROGRAMMING NOTE:

For your SurroundBar to respond to your remote control, you
MUST FIRST program the bar to respond to your television’s
original IR (Infra-Red) remote. An RF (Radio Frequency)
remote will not work. Other remotes (cable, satellite) will
work only after you have programmed the bar to respond
to the TV’s IR remote.

Programming Instructions: Your SurroundBar is currently
programmed to respond to the remote control that is included
with the product. However, we strongly recommend programming
the SurroundBar to also respond to your existing remote control
using the steps illustrated below. This will enable you to operate
all of your components using a single remote control. While

programming the SurroundBar, ignore anything that
may be displayed on the TV screen.

5

Tap “Volume Up” button on your TV’s remote control
4 - 8 times, once per second. Tap, do not hold.

LED

LED blinks with

each button press

6

When the LED blinks green quickly for 3 seconds,

VOL

the command has been learned. The LED will
become solid green.

Example: To teach your bar the “Volume Up”
command of your remote control:

1

The SurroundBar is turned on and the LED is solid green.
And you have sound coming from the bar.

Press and hold “LEARN” for 2 seconds, or until LED

2

blinks orange, then release the “LEARN” button.

SOURCELEARN

LED

Blinks orange

3

Press and release Volume Up “ .”
LED turns solid orange.

MUTE

LED

Solid orange

LED

LED blinks green,

then turns solid green

VOL

Verify command works.

Repeat steps 1-6 to program “Volume Down” ( ), Source,
Mute and Power buttons ( ).

Note: If your bar fails to learn certain IR remote codes, the power

LED will blink red. Try erasing any previously programmed codes
(see below) and carefully repeat steps 1-6 above.

Code Erasing Procedure: If you have programmed your
SurroundBar to respond to a remote control and you no longer
want it to do so, erase the codes by pressing the LEARN key for
about two seconds while the unit is in standby mode (power LED
is red). You’ll know that previously learned codes have been
successfully erased when the power LED blinks orange twice.

Note: This procedure removes ALL of your bar’s remote control
programming. If you only need to change the programming for
some of the bar buttons, follow the six steps in the sequence
previously described to redo any previous programming.

The SurroundBar will continue to respond to the provided credit
card remote control.

4

Hold TV remote 1' - 2' from SurroundBar.

1' - 2'

SUB VOLUME CONTROL ON THE BAR

While unit is on and LED is solid green.

1. Tap LEARN once, LED ( ) turns orange.

2. To adjust sub volume, tap up ( ) or down ( ).

3. To return to master volume, tap LEARN again,
LED ( ) turns green.

NOTE: Bass can also be adjusted with included remote control.

Customer Service Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9am-5:30pm est [e-mail] 9

TROUBLESHOOTING

The bar does not power on.

Ensure you have plugged the power supply

into a live wall outlet.

Ensure that all components of the power

supply are connected properly.

Ensure the power supply is properly connected

to the bar power input.

Ensure the rear panel power switch is in the “ON” position.

The subwoofer does not power on.

Ensure the subwoofer is plugged into a live wall outlet.
Ensure the rear panel power switch is in the “ON” position.

No sound from the bar.

Check that the TV or cable box is providing a signal.

If necessary, check using an alternate source.

Check that the bar is receiving power and is turned on.
Turn up the volume of the bar.
Check the input cables to make sure they

are connected securely.

Turn up the volume of your television or cable box.
Check mute status: Is the bar status light slowly blinking

green? If so, press the MUTE button on the bar.

No sound from the subwoofer.

See section “Subwoofer does not power on.”
Turn up the subwoofer volume using the remote control.

Is the subwoofer status indicator blinking green? If so,
the bar and subwoofer’s wireless connection has been
lost. Turn off both the bar and subwoofer. Then turn them
back on to re-establish communication. If this does not
fix the issue, refer to the section “SYNCING THE
BAR AND WIRELESS SUBWOOFER,” on page 7.

The sound coming from the bar is distorted.

Try turning down the volume of your audio
source, if possible.

Audio processing (see FAQ’s on page 12)—
there may be audio processing occurring prior
to reaching the bar. Disable this processing.

The included remote control won’t work.

Bass output is not loud enough.

Turn up the subwoofer’s volume using the remote control.
Place the subwoofer closer to a corner of the room.
Move subwoofer closer to viewing location within the room.

The bar won’t learn my remote control commands.

Carefully follow the programming instructions

on the previous page of this manual.

Hold the remote steady and 1-2 feet

from the front of the bar.

Quickly “tap” the button on your existing

remote until the status LED blinks green.

Note: The bar learns almost all IR commands,
but some IR protocols cannot be programmed.

The volume of my television speakers gets louder
than my SurroundBar 6500

bt system over time.

Turn off your TV speakers per the instructions

on page 9 of this manual.

When the remote control volume button is held down,
your television may change volume levels faster than
the bar. Use the buttons on the bar to adjust the volume
of the bar to the correct balance with the TV speakers.

The subwoofer’s output is intermittent,
or sounds weak or is distorted.

The wireless subwoofer could be too far away
from the bar to receive a sufficiently strong signal.
Try moving the subwoofer closer.

My Bluetooth device and bar will not disconnect.

Some Bluetooth devices will constantly attempt
to connect to a paired device, so you must turn off
the Bluetooth function on your device to allow other
devices to connect to the bar.

Ensure the battery’s protective plastic tab

has been removed.

Replace the battery (CR2025).

10 Polk Customer Service 800-377-7655 (Outside USA & Canada: 410-358-3600)

FAQ’S (Frequently Asked questions)

My TV does not have an optical output.
How do I connect my audio?

You have several options for connecting your audio:

Use the optical output of your source unit (cable/satellite
box, DVD player, etc.) and connect directly to the
SurroundBar 6500

bt using the supplied optical cable.

Use the 1/8” (3.5mm) analog / headphone output of your TV
(if available) and connect directly to the SurroundBar 6500

bt

using the supplied 1/8” (3.5mm) to 1/8” (3.5mm) analog cable.

Use the RCA audio outputs (white/red pair) on your TV
(if available) and connect directly to the SurroundBar 6500

bt

using the supplied 1/8” (3.5mm) to 1/8” (3.5mm) analog
cable and 1/8” (3.5mm) to RCA adapter.

What if my provided optical cable is too short?

We did our best to provide a cable of adequate length;
however, there might be a few setup instances in which
the cable may be too short. If that is your situation,
your local electronics store will have cables that
meet your required length.

My audio sounds strange and distorted.

Your SurroundBar 6500bt requires a clean, unaltered stereo
or Dolby Digital or DTS signal for proper audio performance.
If the sound from your SurroundBar 6500

bt is strange

or distorted, then check the audio menus of whatever
source(s) are connected to your SurroundBar 6500

bt

and make sure any audio processing is turned off.

Why can’t I successfully program the SurroundBar 6500

bt

to respond to my remote control?

My SurroundBar 6500

bt was responding to commands,

but now it isn’t. What should I do?

In this rare event, simply turn off the power (switch located
on the back of the bar), wait a few seconds, and then turn
the power back on. This should restore control.

How do I erase previously learned remote
control commands?

If you have programmed your SurroundBar 6500bt to respond
to a remote control and you no longer want it to do so, then
you can erase the codes by pressing the LEARN key for about
two seconds while the unit is in standby mode (power LED
is red). The SurroundBar 6500

bt will continue to respond

to the provided credit card remote control.

Can I adjust the subwoofer level control from the bar
keypad if I cannot locate the provided remote control?

Yes. You can control the subwoofer volume from the
bar keypad by tapping the LEARN key prior to using the
volume buttons. When the power LED shines orange,
the volume keys ( / ) control the subwoofer volume.
Tap the LEARN key again when you are done with
the adjustment.

To contact Customer Service/Technical Support:

If you have a question or comment, please feel free to call
us or email us. In North America and Canada, call Polk Audio
Customer Service: 800-377-7655 (M-F 9-5:30 EST) or via email
[e-mail]. Outside the US, call 410-358-3600.

There are many remote control formats, and we have done

our best to make the SurroundBar 6500

bt compatible with the

most popular brands. However, there are likely some cases
in which the bar will not be able to learn your remote codes.
In this case, please use the remote control provided with
the SurroundBar 6500

bt product or try a different universal

remote control.

Note: RF only remotes will not work with this system.

How do I control the SurroundBar 6500

There are three ways to control your SurroundBar 6500

bt?

bt:

Use the touch-sensitive buttons on the front of the bar.
Use the provided remote control.
Program the SurroundBar 6500 BT to respond to your

existing remote (see instructions page 10).

Customer Service Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9am-5:30pm est [e-mail] 11