Definitive's New Spkr Line Up...

VR3

These are pretty intriguing...

http://definitivetech.com/Products/Series/BipolarSeries2010.aspx

I saw these at the local Magnolia the other day.

My interest was peaked. They look phenominal -- very slender and intense looking...

But I must say that I feel DT's build quality is going down hill...

Plastic top and bottom caps -- the dispersion phase plug was not straight....

I dunno - but the speaker looked incredible

TECHNOKID

But I must say that I feel DT's build quality is going down hill...

Plastic top and bottom caps -- the dispersion phase plug was not straight....

Unfortunately, I find this to be the case for most manufacturers (including Polk). Plastic all over, cheap Chinese manufacturing and the list gors on. I don't know about the US, but here in Canada big box store are really moving away from quality speakers and all you can find in store is those plastic boxes. I use to see some decent Polk speakers and now the rare Polk that are in the store is the cheap and hugly RM6750 which seems to be the only one that can compete with HTIB plastic offerings (Sony, Samsung just to name a few...).

BTW, seems like definitive also has their share of plastic toys :rolleyes:

http://definitivetech.com/Products/HomeTheater/OnShelfSystems.aspx

VR3

Mythos are Aluminum (hence the price tag)

But yeah, I have some Monitor 450 - one set uses nice 1' medite wood for the baffles, the other uses dual layered .5" MDF that is poorly lined up.

Funny funny

wz2p7j

For the record, I like Def Tech, but it really looks like they "dumbed down" the whole line.

Chris

Face

Bi-pole=large blurred images, yuk.

VR3

I can agree with that a little bit.

They made alot smaller but it I would like to hear their new bipolar array with two front woofs with 1 back... I wonder how that would balance...

But I really did not like the plastic end caps with Definitive painted on the bottom one instead of an actual emblem....

The drivers looked poorly constructed too..

But the styling of the enclosures are badass

VR3

Having owned my fair share of Bipolar towers - I will have to disagree with the blurred imaging remark. You have to spend alot of time setting them up..

But yeah if you just throw them in a room and do little to perfect their placement they can definitely sound bad...

dorokusai

TECHNOKID wrote: »

Unfortunately, I find this to be the case for most manufacturers (including Polk). Plastic all over, cheap Chinese manufacturing and the list gors on. I don't know about the US, but here in Canada big box store are really moving away from quality speakers and all you can find in store is those plastic boxes. I use to see some decent Polk speakers and now the rare Polk that are in the store is the cheap and hugly RM6750 which seems to be the only one that can compete with HTIB plastic offerings (Sony, Samsung just to name a few...).

BTW, seems like definitive also has their share of plastic toys :rolleyes:

http://definitivetech.com/Products/HomeTheater/OnShelfSystems.aspx

I can't comment on DT but how on earth do you feel the new RTiA or soon to be in your hands Blackstone and LSiM are cheap? If your basing your current opinion on a RM series product, you need to get out more. For one, that's the budget line and meant for a totally different market segment than the RTiA series, for example. You should clarify those comments a bit if I were you as a Polkie.

Polk is one of the most diversified manufacturers that has easily, albeit with some pain, weathered the current economic climate and is introducing 80 new products. Where are some of the other heavyweights in commercial audio? Either bankrupt, stagnant, floundering or also doing well at keeping the product name alive.

If Polk has done anything with the new lineups and filler products, they've stepped things up. You should wave off the fog around your head.

TECHNOKID

dorokusai wrote: »

I can't comment on DT but how on earth do you feel the new RTiA or soon to be in your hands Blackstone and LSiM are cheap? If your basing your current opinion on a RM series product, you need to get out more. For one, that's the budget line and meant for a totally different market segment than the RTiA series, for example. You should clarify those comments a bit if I were you as a Polkie.

Polk is one of the most diversified manufacturers that has easily, albeit with some pain, weathered the current economic climate and is introducing 80 new products. Where are some of the other heavyweights in commercial audio? Either bankrupt, stagnant, floundering or also doing well at keeping the product name alive.

If Polk has done anything with the new lineups and filler products, they've stepped things up. You should wave off the fog around your head.

I specifically mentined that I deplore not seeing any of the real speakers out in store any longer. I've mentioned that the RM are the only one you actually see on the shelves. The only RTiA I've seen were old damage demo they priced down to get of their inventory. I've been checking the stores frequently to see if the new TL offering would be in store and this withouth success. I repeat, all you see in store these days is HTIB style speakers unless you go to the very few boutiques (which unfortunately in my area doesn't carry Polk). Yet, if you want decent Polk speakers thes days you have to buy them online as for some reasons the store will not carry them (I guess that is not what the new generation wants)...

Let me repeat my self;

I use to see some decent Polk speakers and now the rare Polk that are in the store is the cheap and hugly RM6750 which seems to be the only one that can compete with HTIB plastic offerings (Sony, Samsung just to name a few...).

Ah Ah ! Just found out I can go to Ontario or in Montreal if I want to see the TL or Lsi. To my surprise, Addison (one of my favorite Quebec part supplier) sells Polk speakers

Toolfan66

Tko!!!!

dorokusai

TECHNOKID wrote: »

I specifically mentined that I deplore not seeing any of the real speakers out in store any longer. I've mentioned that the RM are the only one you actually see on the shelves. The only RTiA I've seen were old damage demo they priced down to get of their inventory. I've been checking the stores frequently to see if the new TL offering would be in store and this withouth success. I repeat, all you see in store these days is HTIB style speakers unless you go to the very few boutiques (which unfortunately in my area doesn't carry Polk). Yet, if you want decent Polk speakers thes days you have to buy them online as for some reasons the store will not carry them (I guess that is not what the new generation wants)...

The only person you have to blame for that is your actual B&M stores and of course Canada, as it's not a Polk nor DEI issue. It's the fact that the retailers want to nickle/dime and establish such strict proprietary rules upon their own retail establishments, end caps and frontage that keep real manufacturer product lines from being present within their own walls. If you want to complain, start there, not here Mr. Helper.

I'm not bound by legalities anymore so get your head straight before you rail against what you perceive as a Polk issue. If I recall, Polk went out of their way to get you demo'd up correct? You were excellent in that process, provided a great review and multiple demo events and even got to keep what you recieved....just wondering if you forgot about all that.

The HTIB offering being the only avenue for folks to get their ears on really sucks and I couldn't agree more. The new stuff is miles above the old but if the past experience is all that user has to go on and they end up having another crappy demo....the fans, you and I, end up losing the argument....again.

I wish that Polk would be almost Bose like in their approach to all of this but if you didn't know, that approach is extremely expensive and is based on individual stores....not the chain as a whole. Bose spends almost as much as they do, well.....used to do in actual R&D, per store and per retail space....per store. It's ridiculous and makes it hard for a better company to justify the cost of doing such a venture.

txcoastal1

If you do some research into Polk finance report you can probaly see that most moneys is reinvested for the R&D audio cause. The company on paper is stream lined there only escape was outsource production. They they are no Bank Omerica nor AIG...money goes back into company...from what I can tell

dorokusai

txcoastal1 wrote: »

If you do some research into Polk finance report you can probaly see that most moneys is reinvested for the R&D audio cause. The company on paper is stream lined there only escape was outsource production. They they are no Bank Omerica nor AIG...money goes back into company...from what I can tell

Outsource production has been happening for Polk, and many other larger manufacturers, for over a decade. For some others, that may surprise you....way more than a decade.

TECHNOKID

dorokusai wrote: »

1. The only person you have to blame for that is your actual B&M stores and of course Canada, as it's not a Polk nor DEI issue. It's the fact that the retailers want to nickle/dime and establish such strict proprietary rules upon their own retail establishments, end caps and frontage that keep real manufacturer product lines from being present within their own walls. If you want to complain, start there, not here Mr. Helper.

2. I'm not bound by legalities anymore so get your head straight before you rail against what you perceive as a Polk issue. If I recall, Polk went out of their way to get you demo'd up correct? You were excellent in that process, provided a great review and multiple demo events and even got to keep what you recieved....just wondering if you forgot about all that.

3. The HTIB offering being the only avenue for folks to get their ears on really sucks and I couldn't agree more. The new stuff is miles above the old but if the past experience is all that user has to go on and they end up having another crappy demo....the fans, you and I, end up losing the argument....again.

4. I wish that Polk would be almost Bose like in their approach to all of this but if you didn't know, that approach is extremely expensive and is based on individual stores....not the chain as a whole. Bose spends almost as much as they do, well.....used to do in actual R&D, per store and per retail space....per store. It's ridiculous and makes it hard for a better company to justify the cost of doing such a venture.

1. Your argument could be justified if it was solely Canadian own stores however, fact is the major player in canada are US owned; BB and Future Shop which is also owned by BB. I am not in the big picture (don't really know what is going on behind the scene) but I can tell you Polk is being pushed away from thos US owned stores in Canada. Is it politics or is it Polk's approach in Canada? Knowing Best Buy, they are heavy enough to get their ways in Canada just as much as the US.

2. As far as demoing the HM, I was honest with my feeling of the product. You have to expect me to be honest about my feeling of the RM6750s. If I am dishonest about that product, how can you expect me to be honest about any of Polk's products? As I mentioned, I own some of the RM10, RM20 and RM30 along with the SB 42" which were of greater quality than the latest RM products. Do you expect me to STFU about my opinion of the various products or simply be a fanboy and say "yeah they are all great products"?

3. That is exactly what I am trying to find, THE NEW OFFERINGS. I expressed my concerns of the plastic enclosure of the TLs but YOU had the opportunity to see them and demo them. Your word on them drove me to try to locate them in my area and give them a chance (especially the description of the TL3s).

4. Personnally, if Polk had the bose approach I would probably stay away. Also let's keep in mind that if Polk used the extensive marketting and markups that bose are famous for it would definitively bring the price tag way up.

Now, I will leave it as that because the thread is suppose to be around DT and plastic enclosure tops and bottoms and that was the reason I brought Polk into it. Face it, ALL companies are cutting on quality with plastic enclosures and Chinese manufacturing in order to cut their costs.

<end of text>

TECHNOKID

dorokusai wrote: »

1. The only person you have to blame for that is your actual B&M stores and of course Canada, as it's not a Polk nor DEI issue. It's the fact that the retailers want to nickle/dime and establish such strict proprietary rules upon their own retail establishments, end caps and frontage that keep real manufacturer product lines from being present within their own walls. If you want to complain, start there, not here Mr. Helper.

2. I'm not bound by legalities anymore so get your head straight before you rail against what you perceive as a Polk issue. If I recall, Polk went out of their way to get you demo'd up correct? You were excellent in that process, provided a great review and multiple demo events and even got to keep what you recieved....just wondering if you forgot about all that.

3. The HTIB offering being the only avenue for folks to get their ears on really sucks and I couldn't agree more. The new stuff is miles above the old but if the past experience is all that user has to go on and they end up having another crappy demo....the fans, you and I, end up losing the argument....again.

4. I wish that Polk would be almost Bose like in their approach to all of this but if you didn't know, that approach is extremely expensive and is based on individual stores....not the chain as a whole. Bose spends almost as much as they do, well.....used to do in actual R&D, per store and per retail space....per store. It's ridiculous and makes it hard for a better company to justify the cost of doing such a venture.

1. Your argument could be justified if it was solely Canadian own stores however, fact is the major player in canada are US owned; BB and Future Shop which is also owned by BB. I am not in the big picture (don't really know what is going on behind the scene) but I can tell you Polk is being pushed away from thos US owned stores in Canada. Is it politics or is it Polk's approach in Canada? Knowing Best Buy, they are heavy enough to get their ways in Canada just as much as the US.

2. As far as demoing the HM, I was honest with my feeling of the product. You have to expect me to be honest about my feeling of the RM6750s. If I am dishonest about that product, how can you expect me to be honest about any of Polk's products? As I mentioned, I own some of the RM10, RM20 and RM30 along with the SB 42" which were of greater quality than the latest RM products. Do you expect me to STFU about my opinion of the various products or simply be a fanboy and say "yeah they are all great products"?

3. That is exactly what I am trying to find, THE NEW OFFERINGS. I expressed my concerns of the plastic enclosure of the TLs but YOU had the opportunity to see them and demo them. Your word on them drove me to try to locate them in my area and give them a chance (especially the description of the TL3s).

4. Personnally, if Polk had the bose approach I would probably stay away. Also let's keep in mind that if Polk used the extensive marketting and markups that bose are famous for it would definitively bring the price tag way up.

Now, I will leave it as that because the thread is suppose to be around DT and plastic enclosure tops and bottoms and that was the reason I brought Polk into it. Face it, ALL companies are cutting on quality with plastic enclosures and Chinese manufacturing in order to cut their costs.

<end of text>

dorokusai

I stopped reading when you started numbering things so I'll have to just say yeah, ok. Good luck Canuck.

If you think you can't speak your mind about this or that, you may want to get your ears checked. I try to be as critical about Polk as possible and you'll find nothing different since 2003 from me.

cnh

As I'm reading this thread I am listening to some Rti-A3s on a NAD integrated and, in their price range, Quality is the word I'd use.

The workmanship is top notch. The Cherry Veneer like a piece of fine furniture. The new streamlined laminated shape--even the wife likes that.

The new LSI-Ms at PolkFest tipped the scales at over 100 lbs without the internal crossovers in them, and they looked fabulous. As you all know by now. I spent a year in China. I toured a number of factory facilities and production lines in that time (not Polk's). Chinese manufacturing for better or worse has 'arrived'! Is that good for 'us' (well, that's another question).

The new Blackstone series, already listed on Polk's site, describes an interesting array of newer technologies for HTIB type satellites. I think Polk is doing fine!

Def Tech, I don't know. I need to peruse the link above more.

cnh

txcoastal1

dorokusai wrote: »

Outsource production has been happening for Polk, and many other larger manufacturers, for over a decade. For some others, that may surprise you....way more than a decade.

I apologize if I was misunderstood, my comment was a positive for Polk, and know well about the reasons for outsourcing, (but I won't get into that) and happy that Polk can give most every consumer a chance to taste from the bottom lines to the top based on there finanacials. I also like listening here to what some experience from taking even the higher end Polks and modifying and passing on the tests of the trade. My comment was based on giving Polk pat on the back to stay a float to provide a quality product on almost everyones budget in this horrible economy and still release something new and exciting...hence the new LSim series.

dorokusai

txcoastal1 wrote: »

I apologize if I was misunderstood, my comment was a positive for Polk, and know well about the reasons for outsourcing, (but I won't get into that) and happy that Polk can give most every consumer a chance to taste from the bottom lines to the top based on there finanacials. I also like listening here to what some experience from taking even the higher end Polks and modifying and passing on the tests of the trade. My comment was based on giving Polk pat on the back to stay a float to provide a quality product on almost everyones budget in this horrible economy and still release something new and exciting...hence the new LSim series.

Don't apologize, it's all good and all comments and opinions are more than welcome here. Polk needs to see these comments and they really do pay attention, unlike other companies, so keep 'em coming TX's.

VR3

Hmmm

So.... Definitive's new line...

Interesting eh?

Face

No.

mantis

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »

Hmmm

So.... Definitive's new line...

Interesting eh?

Yes they are. They have new drivers and a reworked crossover. New subs and cabinets. I'm excited to see them come up on a future job.

hoosier21

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »

Hmmm

So.... Definitive's new line...

Interesting eh?

nope, point out what is interesting about them

VR3

The DSB surrounds are interesting and I do not really understand how they work...

How can the surround at the inside part of the woofer actually do any good? Is it actually connected to the top one?

Honestly - I would just like to see what they are getting out of 3.5" drivers that makes them feel confident in the series.

I still am not to fond of the powered subs...

Toolfan66

Polk has speakers in a variety of price range and my Polk RTiA9's are far from cheap.

I am very much looking forward to the new LSiM's

Mark if your going to be a part of any demos of the new line just add my name now..LOL

VR3

Here is a write up on these drivers...

http://definitivetech.com/TechnicalPapers/?id=8

hoosier21

http://www.definitivetech.com/documents/TechnicalPapers/BDSS_Tech.pdf

Surround on the normal outer edge of driver cone, and at teh inner edge of the driver cone, here is a diagram, might help you see what they are doing.

I don't know what you mean by this "Is it actually connected to the top one?"

hoosier21

what happened here?

VR3

Thats different, so I guess the surround just takes up surface area the cone would normally have and connects where the bottom of the cone normally would?


Hmmmm

Toolfan66

hoosier21 wrote: »

lol nice post

hehe, hey might as well get in as soon as you can.. lol

thuffman03

I just saw the new lineup last week. I have not had a chance to hear them but will be searching out local HT shops to take a listen. They do look interesting but I am not a fan of power subs in my speakers. I will have to wait and see to give any thoughts on the matter.