Will polk ever bring out high end speakers
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As long as Polk keeps producing speakers with 5.25" and 6.5" mid woofers I will be happy. The 4" and less mid woofers just don't do it for me.
My humble opinion.
ScottI like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D -
Bashing are oui? Banning are Wii?Something like that. I was referring to the ****-like movement of air produced by those paper thingies they like to use in their speakers.
,,,has to be reported first but nah DARE TO SOAR:
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DARE TO SOAR:
Your attitude, almost always determine your altitude in life -
Yep sales are still good, we still have plenty of mw65** drivers, and RD0 tweeters still available.
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However, I am convinced Polk would rather sell more speakers (more profitable) unless Polk would get dibbs on the Xo upgrades that was spoken earlier in the thread (more money for Polk should be an incentive to keep this old technology alive). Wouldn't you think it be just fair? I am convinced that keeping the old stocks piled on the inventory shelves is more of a headache than simply get people to buy new again uless Polk gains $$$ from thisKyleShufelt wrote: »Yep sales are still good, we still have plenty of mw65** drivers, and RD0 tweeters still available.
Cheers!
TKDARE TO SOAR:
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KyleShufelt wrote: »Market reasearch is a powerful thing.
This is probably one of the wisest things said in this thread so far...though it has been mostly good.
Market Research is where it is at for Polk....and frankly, "I" don't know what their research is telling them. But they would be fools to market 'anything' NEW without it!
To get back to high end. Personally, I think LSIs are high enough for Polk. That's not their market! And they perform well beyond their PRICE! So I think we're good there.
And for all the Polk aficionados there are SDAs (I own a pair myself and may eventually buy another...will also soon be buying a pair of LSI bookshelves--hey they're a nice speaker!). Why should I spend more on speakers when these already sound so good for my purposes and what I can afford!
Otherwise, what I'm waiting for are Mark's allusions of the SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME! (H.G.Wells--for those who do not know the reference).
cnhCurrently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!
Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
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I cant stop thinking about the new speakers polks going to be releasing after kyle spilled the beans on them
Whats the cabinets gona be like....slim piano black with industrial metal grills and gold foor spikes
What price will they be retailing for ?
Will they be tailored for todays high def sound formats like bluray
Will the bring out more than one centre channel ....... I would love to see a huge gigantic monster
i would like to also see a contemporary approach to the speakers designs ,especialy the centre channel -
Could this be the new SDA?;):pThe Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2800 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
How many flies need to be buzzing a dead horse before you guys stop beating it? -
I remember some pictures from a past polk fest at Polk headquarters -- can't remember the year but it's been a few-- of some speaks that were being used by the band that played ---- they looked kinda like lsi9's but had more drivers & seemed a bit wider
wish I woulda saved that pic darn it -
Did you get this thing from out of space :eek: or are you as guilty as Kex says? Wii report you and oui bannnooshinjohn wrote: »Could this be the new SDA?;):p:mad::p DARE TO SOAR:
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Stop! you are scaring me PFpolkfarmboy wrote: »I cant stop thinking about the new speakers polks going to be releasing after kyle spilled the beans on them
Whats the cabinets gona be like....slim piano black with industrial metal grills and gold foor spikes
What price will they be retailing for ?
Will they be tailored for todays high def sound formats like bluray
Will the bring out more than one centre channel ....... I would love to see a huge gigantic monster
i would like to also see a contemporary approach to the speakers designs ,especialy the centre channel
DARE TO SOAR:
Your attitude, almost always determine your altitude in life -
I remember some pictures from a past polk fest at Polk headquarters -- can't remember the year but it's been a few-- of some speaks that were being used by the band that played ---- they looked kinda like lsi9's but had more drivers & seemed a bit wider
wish I woulda saved that pic darn it
I believe you're referring to Matt Polk's LSI-9 SDA effect set up...uses two pairs of LSI-9s...2 left channel 2 right channel if I remember that picture and the description correctly. Perhaps one of the members who was actually there can confirm this.
cnhCurrently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!
Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
[sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash] -
I'm not a marketing or business guy, just a guy into audio. I believe there are many people who do not hit Best Buy or the other big box stores. They do stroll through malls shopping or just killing time. A few well placed stores, targeted to the Polk demographics would put the product in view of people who may not have heard of the brand, or those who have but can't find them anywhere.
It is hard to hear the brand! Unless the design is to become an Internet Direct company, ala Emotiva, then the exposure becomes less and less. Where better to showcase a Super LSI or any of the lines than where the most people are?
Perhaps I'm naive when it comes to ideas like this. Bose did not do it over night, neither can Polk. But based on the quality sound of Polk compared to others (no brand bashing) if they can do it, why can't Polk?
Gordon2 Channel -
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agreed HawKeye!DARE TO SOAR:
Your attitude, almost always determine your altitude in life -
I'm not a marketing or business guy, just a guy into audio. I believe there are many people who do not hit Best Buy or the other big box stores. They do stroll through malls shopping or just killing time. A few well placed stores, targeted to the Polk demographics would put the product in view of people who may not have heard of the brand, or those who have but can't find them anywhere.
It is hard to hear the brand! Unless the design is to become an Internet Direct company, ala Emotiva, then the exposure becomes less and less. Where better to showcase a Super LSI or any of the lines than where the most people are?
Perhaps I'm naive when it comes to ideas like this. Bose did not do it over night, neither can Polk. But based on the quality sound of Polk compared to others (no brand bashing) if they can do it, why can't Polk?
Gordon
I'm with you here bro. Just the fact the BB or any of the big box stores employees don't know Jack Schitt about setting up a good demo rig for LSi's, it stands to reason that stores staffed with Polk employees who know the products strengths and limitations could do a bang up job of displaying new products and technology ala SDA/DSP/LSi combos.
Again, there really is no where for the consumer to go to listen/audition a new Polk offering like when Brick & Mortar stores were king. -
Will they be tailored for todays high def sound formats like bluray
How does one tailor a speaker to a format?
BTW, Blu-ray is not high def. SACD is.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Will they be tailored for todays high def sound formats like blurayHow does one tailor a speaker to a format?
That sounds like the "digital ready" BS that was flying around as a marketing scheme years ago. -
nooshinjohn wrote: »How is it that Polk Audio builds speakers for the average Joe, but average Joe knows nothing about them. How did Polk get so big building speakers if they market to AJ and AJ has never heard of them?;):p
They build speakers for the average Joe, but that doesn't mean that every single one of the average Joe's is in the market for speakers. Your typical average Joe has never heard of Polk.;)Polk is practically a household name when it comes to speakers precisely because of the SDA's. Best Buy, CC, Fry's and other big box stores came into play because Polk recognized the shift away from Mom&Pop stores and adapted and grew exponentially as a result. Many that didn't make the shift went under all together.
Household name? Hardly.
Maybe amongst some people, but I can assure you that Polk is definitely not a household name amongst any of the people I know. As far as all of my personal, local friends go...I've yet to run into a single one that has any idea what an SDA is. Most of them have never even heard of Polk Audio period. The only speaker company that's really a household name is Bose.
I'd guess that age differences have a lot to do with it too. Point is, one of the markets that Polk would have to appeal to with these new "SDA's" would be the younger crowd. Generally speaking, younger people just aren't really interested in Hi-Fi audio anymore. Their idea of a "bangin' system" is a crappy HTIB setup, with a couple 15" car subs in addition to the crappy 8" sub that came with the HTIB. I have seen this MANY times.Polk does not stay in the SDA game by making drivers for the classics if there was no demand for it or money to be made from it, and this tells me there is a demand out there for these speakers. The exceedingly high prices commanded for SDA's in pristine condition confirms it. There is a market for them and Polk knows all about it.
Very true, but one of the things that is so appealing about the vintage SDA's is the fact that they're so affordable. Exceedingly high prices? Maybe for absolutely mint condition examples, but generally speaking, the SDA's can be had for very reasonable prices. A pair of SDA 1C's can generally be had in the $500 range. How much would a brand new 1C "equivalent" cost? The MSRP of a pair of LSi25's is $2800. The 1C equivalent would almost definitely cost more than that...so were looking at closer to $3500 MSRP or so. Factor in the difference in "real world" pricing, and you're still looking at $3000-3100 for a pair. There is a VERY significant difference between $500 and $3000.
A new SDA wouldn't really have anywhere near as much of the bang for the buck factor as the vintage SDA's have...since they aren't used. Many people are willing to drop $500 on a pair of speakers. You aren't going to have as many people willing to drop $3000 on a pair. I definitely won't be dropping 3k on a pair of speakers anytime soon. Quite a few of you have said "count me in" regarding a new SDA...but if it actually came down to it, how many of you are going to plunk down $3000+ on a pair of new SDA's. Some of you would...however, the majority of us would be waiting a few years for them to start showing up on the used market.All bolded stuff simply is not true and in fact not even close to being true
1) as I've stated several times with DSP technology the speakers don;t have to be as big as current classic SDA's. They could be made smaller. Matt talked about this at PF '08.
2) While LSi's don;t have the volume of the other series I think they sell quite well, or they did when they could be demo'd
3) Polk Audio is probably among one of the top 10 names in audio that is the most recognizable. I have several friends that are not into audio and they all have heard of Polk Audio and one in fact thinks they are a higher end company.
1-My mistake. I didn't read the entire thread post for post. Would an SDA with DSP technology have the same magic as the original SDA's though? I don't know one way or the other...but I find it hard to believe that they could accurately simulate the original analog SDA effect with digital algorithms. It sounds like DSP would be more of a compromise than a solution. I'm not exactly a speaker designer though...
2-The LSi's do sell fairly well...but they aren't a "mass market" speaker in the same sense as the Monitor's and RTi's. I never suggested that the LSi's didn't sell well...I simply meant that the LSi's, and higher end speakers in general, are never going to sell as well as speakers that are in the Monitor/RTi type of class. Most people just aren't that crazy about audio. Especially with our countries economy being the way it is...I don't think much of the general public is really looking to drop thousands of dollars on speakers right now.
3-Yes, Polk is one of the most recognizable names in audio...but that's not saying much. As I mentioned above, I have NEVER met a person, outside of internet forums, that has ever heard of a Polk SDA. Seriously...not once. Aside from a few of my friends that are also somewhat into audio gear, the majority of them have never even heard of Polk Audio.Cathy, I do hang around with a little older crowd than Curt so perhaps my frame of reference is a little skewed. Because one thing I have noticed is how many younger kids 16-21 years old aren't sure who Led Zeppelin is.
I still think it's somewhere in the middle as far as Polk Audio being recognized as a brand.
H9
I think that's probably a big part of it. As I mentioned above, the younger crowd really isn't that into Hi-Fi anymore. Most of my friends that are my age don't even own a stereo...they listen to their music on computer speakers, cell phone speakers...ear buds...and numerous other terrible sounding devices. The younger generations don't want big hulking stereo equipment for the most part. They want cheap convenience. Most of them could probably buy a Bose HTIB setup, and be completely happy with it for the rest of their lives.I'm certain I'll get flamed for this but here goes.
Bose has their own store in several malls. Why couldn't Polk have a "Polk Store" in several malls to actually show the product that hardly anyone can see, touch or hear? Put them in different scale malls, average and high end and see what washes out. They could mix and match just like mom and pops used to do to.
Gordon
Sounds like a pretty good idea to me...but it's probably not practical from a financial perspective. They'd be looking at a LOT of overhead there.polkfarmboy wrote: »I cant stop thinking about the new speakers polks going to be releasing after kyle spilled the beans on them
Whats the cabinets gona be like....slim piano black with industrial metal grills and gold foor spikes
What price will they be retailing for ?
Will they be tailored for todays high def sound formats like bluray
Will the bring out more than one centre channel ....... I would love to see a huge gigantic monster
i would like to also see a contemporary approach to the speakers designs ,especialy the centre channel
I think he's basically already released all of the information he has about it. It's probably one of those "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you" situations. I think we're just going to have to be patient for more info.
Will they be tailored for Bluray? How exactly can you tailor a speaker for Blu-ray? As long as it's capable of accurately reproducing a full bandwidth(or nearly full bandwidth) signal, it's doing all that it needs to do. There is no such thing as a speaker that's "tailored for Bluray". Some companies try to use statements like that as an advertising ploy, but it's pure BS.
Also, Bluray audio isn't high def...it's High Resolution.
I'd also love to see an updated LSi series center channel. Something with four midwoofers and a tweeter would be great.The nirvana inducer-
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I believe you're referring to Matt Polk's LSI-9 SDA effect set up...uses two pairs of LSI-9s...2 left channel 2 right channel if I remember that picture and the description correctly. Perhaps one of the members who was actually there can confirm this.
cnh
No, I believe he is talking about the LSi driver based "monitors" the live band was using when they played during the lunch break in the tent. 4 LSi drivers and 4 Vifa tweets and 2 ports per cabinet. All the band members were Polk employees and they sounded damn good!
"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | Roon Nucleus 1 w/LPS - Tubes add soul! -
Yeah that makes nosense,It's either accurate or it's not.How does one tailor a speaker to a format?
Blu -ray is most certainly hi rez.BTW, Blu-ray is not high def. SACD is. -
No, I believe he is talking about the LSi driver based "monitors" the live band was using when they played during the lunch break in the tent. 4 LSi drivers and 4 Vifa tweets and 2 ports per cabinet. All the band members were Polk employees and they sounded damn good!
I think he is speaking of the set-up at Matt's house.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2800 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
How many flies need to be buzzing a dead horse before you guys stop beating it? -
I remember some pictures from a past polk fest at Polk headquarters -- can't remember the year but it's been a few-- of some speaks that were being used by the band that played ---- they looked kinda like lsi9's but had more drivers & seemed a bit wider
wish I woulda saved that pic darn it
I have that pic and the house band was The Kluge....the year 2005.CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint. -
I believe you're referring to Matt Polk's LSI-9 SDA effect set up...uses two pairs of LSI-9s...2 left channel 2 right channel if I remember that picture and the description correctly. Perhaps one of the members who was actually there can confirm this.
cnh
No, that's not what he is referring to.CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint. -
No, I believe he is talking about the LSi driver based "monitors" the live band was using when they played during the lunch break in the tent. 4 LSi drivers and 4 Vifa tweets and 2 ports per cabinet. All the band members were Polk employees and they sounded damn good!
You know what's amusing Brock, is that barely anyone noticed that driver array. L O L. You get a gold star today.CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint. -
Many of us were discussing the arrays at our tables."He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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Face - When did you become one of the normal people?CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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You must be mistaking me for someone else."He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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I have no idea but I have had information for years.....I should write this stuff down next time, hmmmm.CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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*deleted*"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | Roon Nucleus 1 w/LPS - Tubes add soul!
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Mhmacw - Relax....if this is going to be attack mode, take it privately or elsewhere. And to the readers of his comment ....take my response to heart.
If you have some issues, you can certainly PM me offline and I'll tighten you up on factual information.CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
