Why all the Polk bashing on other sites?

TroyD

GREAT post, I concur 100%

I'd also say that Carver may have been a victim of the same type of thing back in the day as well.....

BDT

burdette

If you think about it, a LOT of this has to do with the need some people have to make themselves feel good, and feel better than they do currently. And it is absolutely human nature, at least for the human's who have this need, to achieve that "feel good" by putting other people (or their possession) down. It happens with audio, it happens with cars.. it can happen with *anything* that someone holds dear if that person needs justification for their decision and fails to have the self confidence to just be happy and forget what others may think.

Why bash ANYTHING if you're happy with what you have? Years ago my father-in-law came to me for audio advice, and you bet I would have directed him to Polk. But before I could even get going on the research, he made an impulse buy... Bose Acoustimas 5.1 setup. He was impressed. He was happy. He spent a shitload of dough on something that *I* certainly would not have purchased... but I had/have my reasons for buying or not buying something, and he has his.

Lest you forget, we are a very select group of individuals here. We are very much into audio, we have prioritized having a good audio/video system, we spend crazy amounts of money and fill our homes with gear and speaker after speaker to fulfill our lust. But you know what? There are a lot of people who simply don't give two **** about it. They couldn't comprehend why anyone would ever buy anything more than a minisystem at Walmart. And each one of us has SOMETHING, multiple things, that we really don't care about, but which is some OTHER select group's passion. My family goes fishing with about $30 worth of gear... some people spend $30 on a single fly. I have subscribed to Stereo Review/Sound&Vision for over 20 years. I can't even IMAGINE getting a magazine that is about NOTHING but running, or fishing, or guns and ammo, or computers even, for that matter.

When you're used to two 3" television speakers, Bose does indeed sound pretty good. And if you don't have the motivation or passion to shop store after store, audition piece after piece, put together THE system, then taking home one box or just a couple of boxes is great. And if you don't carry the passion for audio, and don't desire all the shopping, then you are indeed going to listen to the salesman who supposedly knows. There are plenty of times *I* listen to some salesman's advice on something for which I'm not that passionate... like a muffler.

You can state your preference, you can describe why you bought Polks rather than Bose or Paradigm or whatever. But you don't *have to* also bash those who disagree. And if you DO feel the need to bash, then I think the problem lies in you, not them or their decision.

madmax

You guys might want to push the next possible Bose purchaser towards a 5.1 computer speaker setup. Better quality, same size, 1/4th the price. Am I the only one who sees this comparison?
madmax

eclypse

Damn nice post there Burdette! Amen to all of that.. Totally agree.

Yes to each there own.. If they ask for your opinion give it.. if not its best to not bash theres.

C Bennett

They are not considered(remember this is the key word considered) "elite" or "audiophile" type speakers any more becuase as others have said they can actually readily be found in "normal" electronics stores. Its not that they are a bad product, its more that they don't have to be found in a "stereo shop" only anymore like they used to be. I rememebr when JBL and even Infinity were audio shop(not mass chain)available only and had the "reputation". I really think if you put any product PSB,Paradigm,Definitive Technology,Acoustic Research, ETC... in say a Wal-Mart/Circuit City/Best Buys/ or a mass market place they would within a few years have their reputation drop off too becuase they are not hard to find/listen to/get anymore and have lost some of their "rarity". The only stuff that I can audition where I am is the stuff CC carries and Klipsch,Boston Acoustic,Def Tech all brands carried by the local stereo shop. So unless you want them if say you had a PSB system I think guys consider it a prized posession and a rarity cause you cant just get it down at the local store. Polk used to be that way back when I got my S4's no one carried them but the local "high end" shop so guys used to be like WOW nice system nice Polks they sound great. Now even though they are the same speaker its more like oh just Polks you can get those anywhere you should hear my Atlantic Technology system even though it would not sound any better than a comprable Polk system its perceived to cause it was bought in a shpo for stereos not CC.