Why the lack of love for Polk?

scottyboy76

I have loved the polk sound since 83 or so, when working at stereo village in atlanta, a coworker sat me down, played a vhs audio tape of stevie wonder on something called sdas, well it was a long time before i owned polk speakers, but always knew they provided a great value.

This site is a great bonus, and im a better guy for having come here.

acmf74

Toolfan66 wrote: »

And the same for Cars as well..


What I have come to love about Polk is it gave me a hobby (with the help from a lot of good people here as well) and taught me a lot. There will always be better this or that. I also feel I have grown a lot from being a part of this Fourm..

Enjoy and have fun

Completely agree. Before I started to build my rig I asked alot of questions here before I purchased. My newbie questions were well received (for the most part) and I learned a tremendous amount. As for POLK respect..I'm not sure why they aren't widely respected. All I know is when people listen to music or watch a movie on my rig they are usually really impressed. (even some music snob friend of mine) :biggrin:

dorokusai

I love Polk Audio but there's a lot to love about audio. Polk isn't respected because one, they're much larger than most manufacturers owners that complain. It sucks for them since they sell WAY more product. The second issue is that Polk caters to everyone, not just a single market segment, which is difficult to do let alone expensive. It's usually just haters with no real perspective. Other manufacturers of equal size have a varied product line and get ragged on as well.

However, I will bow to the fact that Polk made ZERO effort to establish a high end product prior to the arrival of the LSi series, and subsequently the LSiM. Both those products started to get Polk back on the map and is point three....when someone makes high end affordable, it must be at a cost or not based in reality. Sorry gang of haters, it's reality and the reviews are stellar across all model lines....so buckle down and try and find faults to back up your nonsense.

Mark

Polk CS

Doc99

Polk became too mass market. Years ago, you would only find them in high end audio stores. Now some audio snobs lost respect for the brand. You find them in the big chain stores.

gce

No love lost here....well maybe for there sub's. :razz:

leroyjr1

Yep, there subs aren't that good.

dorokusai

Yeah that ended a couple years ago Leroy and the subwoofers of the 90's were in fact just awful. There was also no market for any hardcore subwoofers back then, check it(Velo was one of the only folks that GOT IT back then) and since specific manufacturers like SVS for example dropped the bomb on affordable, low end subwoofers....it's been great for the entire industry.

Look how many others have popped up and other manufactures have stepped up the plate? Polk needed to pull their collective head out and make what they could the entire time without getting so involved in market segments and piecemeal. They did and finally the DSW series can not, and is not embarrassing. Sure it's not 10hz monster but they don't need to make a 10hz monster. They've tried to adapt to a shrinking and seriously rough industry to compete in and survive. That's pretty smart in my book especially when you continue to diversify yourself at the same time....YET keep some kind of identity? All the better. How many reviews do you see about a LOT of manufacturers that used to dominate the field of audio anymore? It's all small companies and not many large ones AT ALL, period. Polk is still kicking live and well.

You can hate Polk all you want, just meaning generically Leroy, and have one product cause some kind of weird hatred towards a manufacturer. It happens all the time, and with EVERY manufacturer and theres winners and losers in EVERY brand. Hey man, its just audio, not rocket science. If it sounds good, buy it, if it doesn't move the hell on. Simple.

Mark

BlueFox

So, just where is all this hatred, and lack of love occurring? Other audio forums with members who do not appreciate cables do not count.

Toolfan66

If it looks good, you'll see it.
If it sounds good, you'll hear it.
If its marketed right, you'll buy it.
But...if its real, you'll feel it..

leroyjr1

dorokusai wrote: »

Yeah that ended a couple years ago Leroy and the subwoofers of the 90's were in fact just awful. There was also no market for any hardcore subwoofers back then, check it(Velo was one of the only folks that GOT IT back then) and since specific manufacturers like SVS for example dropped the bomb on affordable, low end subwoofers....it's been great for the entire industry.

Look how many others have popped up and other manufactures have stepped up the plate? Polk needed to pull their collective head out and make what they could the entire time without getting so involved in market segments and piecemeal. They did and finally the DSW series can not, and is not embarrassing. Sure it's not 10hz monster but they don't need to make a 10hz monster. They've tried to adapt to a shrinking and seriously rough industry to compete in and survive. That's pretty smart in my book especially when you continue to diversify yourself at the same time....YET keep some kind of identity? All the better. How many reviews do you see about a LOT of manufacturers that used to dominate the field of audio anymore? It's all small companies and not many large ones AT ALL, period. Polk is still kicking live and well.

You can hate Polk all you want, just meaning generically Leroy, and have one product cause some kind of weird hatred towards a manufacturer. It happens all the time, and with EVERY manufacturer and theres winners and losers in EVERY brand. Hey man, its just audio, not rocket science. If it sounds good, buy it, if it doesn't move the hell on. Simple.

Mark

Polk has come along way from 10 years ago but they still have a ways to go.

leftwinger57

just about every store I went to that carried a limited line of Polks I was generally always steered away from them to go w/ KEF,
Klipsch,B&W anything but Polk.This was them not me.

dorokusai

leftwinger57 wrote: »

just about every store I went to that carried a limited line of Polks I was generally always steered away from them to go w/ KEF,
Klipsch,B&W anything but Polk.This was them not me.

That's a failure of those that follow up and handle that sales category, and its a shame. At least you went to something else that sounds pretty cool.

Leroy - I agree from an enthusiast standpoint but understand that we've done that 10hz stuff and its simply not the market Polk sells to....just isn't. You can cover a lot of market segment as a company but not everything and it has to kept in business perspective. Those of us in the high end realm, like you, are way off the charts in what we expect from any product. I'm very critical of Polk which is why I'm very well received at times when I review products. Hey....again, if it sounds good buy it. Respect.

Mark

tophatjohnny

I love my polk speakers!! And always someone there to talk to. Thanks to all here!!

RickTfromAZ

I have to agree with everything that Mark has said. After Polk quit making the SDA line, there wasn't a single Polk speaker that I even remotely considered owning until the LSi series was introduced. I'm sure that my sentiments are shared by a large number of former Polk owners.

What I miss the most, and this is of no fault of Polk's (well, maybe it is), is going down to HiFi Sales on Main Street in Mesa and listening to the SDA and RTA speakers in what I considered an intimate and inviting atmosphere. This is the way Polk used to sell to it's customers. HiFi Sales was a niche store. The staff consisted of Audio Enthusiasts (not audio snobs) that were mostly over the age of 30. They didn't sell any of the really high end stuff and instead focused on selling brands that performed well beyond their price point. The SDA SRS 1.2tl was one of the centerpieces in their store and people would come in droves just to see them let alone hear them. Then they would do like I did and purchase something that they could afford. I purchased a pair of RTA15tl's. Same drivers and tweeter as the 1.2tl's. I thought that they were pretty special. HiFi Sales has been gone for years now. Interestingly enough, I believe that they didn't last much beyond Polk discontinuing the SDA line and changing their marketing strategy.

So what's left now? Big Box stores that are staffed by kids and also sell toasters. How do you overcome these marketing challenges?

DarqueKnight

BlueFox wrote: »

So, just where is all this hatred, and lack of love occurring? Other audio forums with members who do not appreciate cables do not count.

dorokusai wrote: »

It's usually just haters with no real perspective. Other manufacturers of equal size have a varied product line and get ragged on as well.

It's fun getting on the Internet and anonymously parroting the brand bashing read elsewhere. Some people think that makes them look smart.

Doc99 wrote: »

Polk became too mass market. Years ago, you would only find them in high end audio stores. Now some audio snobs lost respect for the brand. You find them in the big chain stores.

leroyjr1 wrote: »

Polk has come along way from 10 years ago but they still have a ways to go.

A long way to go to get where? To the point where Polk is synonymous with "high end"? In my 20+ years of dealing with Polk's design, engineering, marketing and sales people, I came to know many of them as avid high end audiophiles. I don't know if most of the people complaining about Polk's lack of focus on the high end market are aware that high end audio is a cottage industry. Polk decided a while ago that they did not want to be a "boutique" loudspeaker manufacturer. That sound business decision was probably arrived at after observing so many boutique audio manufacturers go out of business. There aren't many audio boutiques around these days.

cowtrimmer

cnh wrote: »

Another reason may be the Polk philosophy of trying to give the consumer a better speaker at a "lower" price. To hit the spot in the market which allows the greatest number of people to actually "afford" good sound. Elitests "hate" that, and will frown on any company that targets the middle. lol

I agree 100%. A few weeks ago I had a chance to listen to a pair of LSiM707's in a two channel configuration driven by a mid level Yamaha amp and I was severely impressed with the sound. I think any manufacturer would be hard pressed to make a commercially available speaker in that price point.

Tankman

My LSi-15's,LSiC and my LSIFX's will never leave my set-up.I have owned Polk Speakers since the 80's. Love the sound and looks of them.But the LSi's are a really great looking speaker.Yep much Love I have for Polk Audio.

leroyjr1

DarqueKnight wrote: »

It's fun getting on the Internet and anonymously parroting the brand bashing read elsewhere. Some people think that makes them look smart.





A long way to go to get where? To the point where Polk is synonymous with "high end"? In my 20+ years of dealing with Polk's design, engineering, marketing and sales people, I came to know many of them as avid high end audiophiles. I don't know if most of the people complaining about Polk's lack of focus on the high end market are aware that high end audio is a cottage industry. Polk decided a while ago that they did not want to be a "boutique" loudspeaker manufacturer. That sound business decision was probably arrived at after observing so many boutique audio manufacturers go out of business. There aren't many audio boutiques around these days.

I agree but let's look at the MP4K which I've owned two. At $1600 a piece it's forced into the higher end audiophile group and at the price point you can definitely start off in the 10hz monster sub category buying from ID company's.

DMara

leroyjr1 wrote: »

I agree but let's look at the MP4K which I've owned two. At $1600 a piece it's forced into the higher end audiophile group and at the price point you can definitely start off in the 10hz monster sub category buying from ID company's.

What? Did you really buy the MP4K at $1600 a piece?:razz: I used to own one of those, and I got it brand new at less than half of that price. That Polk sub is amazing in sound quality! However I moved to another brand because it's too light which makes it move away from its location easily when it hits hard.

leroyjr1

Paid about half off per sub.

PolkieMan

I don't care what other people think, there are speakers and then there are Polk SDA speakers. When it comes to speakers any other speaker is just speakers. I don't care about frequency response slew rate or all the other jargon they sound good and that's what is important to me.

nspindel wrote: »

All I can say is that I have a friend from England who is very well of means, and spends big bucks on audio equipment. Big, big bucks (well, pounds....). He visited me earlier this year, and was blown away by my modded SDA-1C's. Polk speakers rock, at least the vintage ones. I can't really speak for the newer ones. If you like them, enjoy them. Who cares what other people say....

I disagree with the car analogy. I'd say my SDA's are in the BMW or Mercedes class. Yeah, there are people who want to drive Bentleys and Ferraris, let them enjoy. But SDA's ain't no Honda Civic of a loudspeaker.

shadowlight

For me personally when I was looking for speakers it got very confusing on which ones were the right fit for me. Just way to many options and not that many places to listen to them before purchasing.

Toolfan66

SDA speakers are not the be all end all, be it that I love them!!

fossy

Maybe Polk should go back to the " lab coat " advertizing idea !!!!!!!!!!:eek: polk has been around along time for a reason ..... doubters or not ..

[Deleted User]

When people could listen to a setup, and not look at branding or the salesman that is trying to sell, I will give them some credit. People should use what they hear as judgement. Unfortunately, most people have to be told what they like or not in today's society.

I have experienced many different line of speakers but my preference is the new LSIM's. It does everything so right, when set up correctly. For my taste, the only other speaker I would go with is Usher. Anyhow, Polk has done bad assery stuff with the new line, and for you idiots out there. Stop reading and start listening instead.

After a while, it gets tiresome listening to all the whining. "oh i heard this or I read this". Grow some effin balls and make a manly decision instead of being breast feed all the damn time.

gdb

Somebody pee in yer cornflakes this AM?

tonyb

gdb wrote: »

Somebody pee in yer cornflakes this AM?

Nah......I'm sure he's just expressing what many feel. We get this stuff all the time so it gets old hat really quick. Why doesn't Polk do this or that.....why no respect.....blah blah blah.

Polk puts out products to fit anyones wallet with a sound quality to please even the most discerning ear. Not too many other speaker makers can do that at the same price points Polk does. Sure, there are better speakers out there, big deal, open your wallet then. Some are more into the specific brands than how they actually sound. Mass marketed ?? Get a clue....do you want to make money ? Do you want brand recognition ?

This whole arguement is childish at best.....and nobody pissed in my cornflakes.....yet anyway. Better go see what the dogs doing right now.