Polk Audio Command Bar - Official Discussion

Let's discuss Polk's product announcement at CES yesterday, the new Command Bar. It's a soundbar and wireless subwoofer, with built in Amazon Alexa.

Video from the unveiling:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcb4-oJAjxc
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Comments

  • rpf65
    rpf65 Posts: 2,127
    Another technological break through that I have no interest in.

  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    This still has a fatal flaw that follows all sound bars: subwoofer localization, due to the mains not being able to get down to the low vocal range and the sub has to fill the gap. So placement, as suggested in the video above, will yield sub-par results. As I understand it, that isn't the goal of Polk, yet that appears to be the direction they're headed with this. As I had posted in the other thread: fixing the "thin TV" problem with a thin sound bar. The Maxi should have been their building point I think.

    This is just my initial opinion.
  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 6,646
    I wonder if this will fit on the dash of my car? And how will Alexa respond to my incessant profanity while driving in traffic?
  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 6,646
    F1nut wrote: »
    What we have here is a failure to communicate.

    Some men you just can't reach. (The fact that Alexa is female is irrelevant.) So you get what we had here at CES. Which isn't the way we want it. But we get it. And I don't like it any more than you Polkies. :'(

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj60OAh7O5U
  • scubalab
    scubalab Posts: 3,101
    edited January 2018
    Hmm... some threads seem to have disappeared from the Clubhouse... :/
  • Good afternoon Members of the Forum.

    The first thread of the Command bar was shut down due to VERY inappropriate language being used towards Amazon, Dave Limp, and Polk Audio.

    This is a project that we, at Polk Audio and Amazon, have worked very hard on.

    Please do not simply dismiss the efforts of our teams because of your feelings for Voice Products or Soundbars.

    We have found a very nice solution that will work in a consumers Alexa eco-system. It will introduce consumers who wouldn't normally consider a Voice product, to our products.

    This is a very versatile bar for ONLY 299, a very reasonable price range for the features it has.

    If foul language is used on this thread directed at any of the Brands: Polk Audio, Amazon, Sound United, there will be consequences for the perpetrators. We are a community that should respect each other and share ideas, not tear each other down.

    Thank you for your time. If anyone has questions about anything said here, questions about the Command Bar, the collaboration or Polk and Amazon or the recent acquisition of Classe Audio by Sound United please let me know via direct message or response to the thread. I will do my best to check on this through out the evening.

    Ken
  • codycatalist
    codycatalist Posts: 2,662
    edited January 2018
    Good afternoon Members of the Forum.

    The first thread of the Command bar was shut down due to VERY inappropriate language being used towards Amazon, Dave Limp, and Polk Audio.

    This is a project that we, at Polk Audio and Amazon, have worked very hard on.

    Please do not simply dismiss the efforts of our teams because of your feelings for Voice Products or Soundbars.

    We have found a very nice solution that will work in a consumers Alexa eco-system. It will introduce consumers who wouldn't normally consider a Voice product, to our products.

    This is a very versatile bar for ONLY 299, a very reasonable price range for the features it has.

    If foul language is used on this thread directed at any of the Brands: Polk Audio, Amazon, Sound United, there will be consequences for the perpetrators. We are a community that should respect each other and share ideas, not tear each other down.

    Thank you for your time. If anyone has questions about anything said here, questions about the Command Bar, the collaboration or Polk and Amazon or the recent acquisition of Classe Audio by Sound United please let me know via direct message or response to the thread. I will do my best to check on this through out the evening.

    Ken

    Why shut down the thread instead of removing comments you felt were inappropriate? Opinions are opinions and shutting the thread down seems like a way to "hide" the disappointment we felt on this announcement as oppose to removing individual comments that fit the terms you stated above?

    Not trying to bicker here but taking down a whole thread for SOME comments seems a little heavy handed.
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,560
    Could please kindly clarify what exactly falls under "inappropriate" or "foul" language? I believe all dictionary swears automatically get censored, so I'm just hoping to make it very clear what will not be tolerated.
    The first thread of the Command bar was shut down due to VERY inappropriate language being used towards Amazon, Dave Limp, and Polk Audio.

    If foul language is used on this thread directed at any of the Brands: Polk Audio, Amazon, Sound United, there will be consequences for the perpetrators. We are a community that should respect each other and share ideas, not tear each other down.

  • @codycatalist you make a good point. But myself and Ken Swauger felt it better to have it removed completely than edited the entire thread. It was heavily edited by the time I had it brought to my attention.

    We appreciate your cooperation and input.
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    edited January 2018
    I still want to know what Alexa will do when she finds out I have been cheating on her with... never mind.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 4,636
    Alexa, what is SDA?
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    Congratulations Polk, I think with the combo with Amazon, you will have a hit on your hands!
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
  • Strong Bad
    Strong Bad Posts: 4,276
    There's definitely a HUGE market for this product. I don't blame Polk one bit for this partnership with Amazon. Let's face it, we have 3 giants out there in terms of the "voice command" tech...Amazon, Apple and Google. Myself, I'm on the Apple platform and will be sticking there. Over the holidays, I installed the Hue lighting system in my house. I have the main hub with NINE bulbs throughout, from the basement home theater to the bedrooms. The more I use it, the more I configure it, the more I love it.

    I work with people who think i'm nuts for having a 7.1 surround system with huge subwoofer. These are the people that want a product exactly like this Command Bar. This IS the market we're in. Voice command and home automation are it and it's growing by leaps and bounds. You may not like it, you may think it's dumb and not for you, but there are millions upon millions of people out there that love it and want it!

    Nice job Polk! I hope it's a success...now make one with Apple/Siri enabled and i'll look at it.
    No excuses!
  • mikeyb128
    mikeyb128 Posts: 2,885
    I need a surround bar for my bedroom. Considered Polk many times, but to be honest those bars make me nervous. I know 2 friends who I pushed to Polk products who now have broken surround bars after warranty. I hope this one works!
    2 channel:
    Bryston 4B3, Bryston BDA3, Cary SLP05, Shanling CDT1000SE with parts conneXion level 2 mods, Nottingham analogue ace space 294, soundsmith Carmen MKii, Zu DL103 MKii, Ortofon MC 20 MKii, Dynavector XX2 MKii, Rogue Audio Ares, Core power technologies balanced power conditioner, Akiko Corelli power conditioner with Akiko Audio HQ power cable, Nordost heimdall 2, Frey 2, interconnects, speaker and power cables, Focal Electra 1028 BE 2, Auralic Aries Femto, Black diamond racing cones, ingress audio level 1 roller blocks, JL Audio E110 with Auralic subdude, Primacoustics room treatments.
    Theater:
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  • smglbrth
    smglbrth Posts: 1,458
    F1nut wrote: »
    I'm sure I'll be viewed as a dinosaur, but whatever. All this voice command stuff is the optimity of laziness and yet some wonder why Americans are so fat.

    Couldn't have said it better myself...
    Remember, when you're running from something, you're running to something...-me
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    I wonder how the market research was conducted. One would normally have an Alexia in a common room of the house, not a HT. So, I would assume this isn't geared to a HT, but as a add-on for a regular TV in the living room. Then I would wonder how many regular TV viewers purchase sound bars. Just curious.

    Personally, I would never have a component in my house that listened to everything being said. My Sony 4K TV has voice command capability, but that is, supposedly, disabled. Of course, since it is in the HT there isn't much conversation to be recording.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
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    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    The vast majority of people's HT room IS their livingroom. Not everyone can/does/want a whole separate room just to watch movies especially if you live in an apartment.

    Two great companies working together to make life and entertainment easier for everyone. That's what I call cool!
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 16,834
    How about paying us to write a positive review?? I’ll take payment in the form of RDO-198’s... :D
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
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    The two Kens settin' things straight around here!
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    cfrizz wrote: »
    The vast majority of people's HT room IS their livingroom. Not everyone can/does/want a whole separate room just to watch movies especially if you live in an apartment.

    Two great companies working together to make life and entertainment easier for everyone. That's what I call cool!

    Oh I get it, I started installing Home Automation back in the 90's...big closet full of panels, writing DOS strings for integration. I'm still an integrator today.

    http://www.unitysystemshomemanager.com/original-unity-home-manager/history

    https://imgur.com/gallery/Jb6jW

    For Alexa to really work for whole home, you need to buy several Alexa products. In apartment how many Alexa products do you need. One in the kitchen, living room, bedroom...then what

    Expensive light switch, a phone/TV to look at the weather and talking remotes...we have them. Again these are not devices even your typical apartment dwellers, except in locations of the higher end apartments/income.

    Cathy...how many Alexa devices will you purchase over the next 2 years? What will you use the Alexa for in your daily routine?

    Is it cool...yeah, but is it revolutionary and overall affordable, not on average. Will you have to have it in your devices to compete....yeah probably.

    Been doing this stuff for over 25yrs...just saying.
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 6,646
    xschop wrote: »
    We received an Echo for Christmas and we re-gifted it.

    Ah, maybe that's why it is called an "Echo"?
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    txcoastal1 wrote: »
    ...

    For Alexa to really work for whole home, you need to buy several Alexa products. In apartment how many Alexa products do you need. One in the kitchen, living room, bedroom...then what
    ...

    I guess this is what I (technological knuckle-dragger that I am) don't get about these 'assistants'. I thought that in the IOT everything would be addressable -- which to my mind suggests that one "Alexa" box, asked to do something, ought to be able to send out the right command strings to the right IP addresses on the network to make things happen. Not at all clear to me why the soundbar needs "Alexa" if, e.g., one's source of streaming -- whatever -- is a tablet or a phone or something that already has Alexa or Siri or (heaven forefend) Cortana or whatever.

    Maybe I am just underthinking the sophistication of 2018 technology.

  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    edited January 2018
    What is this all about....Amazon. Amazon was a data company long before being a consumer sales company

    Hey not knocking what they accomplished, but like Wal-Mart, if you can't beat them join them.
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a