Is Polk having quality control issues?

mikeyb128
mikeyb128 Posts: 2,885
in Customer Service
It all started out with a defective lsim 706, which has been corrected. I posted something on this quite some time ago. I finally received my lsim 705's on Friday night from visions electronics here in Canada. Super excited, bring them home, pull them out of the box, and right out of the gate one of the binding post plates are upside down.... OK.... easy fix, but a little disappointing. Open the other box and grill is bent, wont stay on. also polk badge has fallen off....OK... more easy fixes, bend the grill back and stick on the polk badge. put the towers where my old lsi 15's were, start turning the screws in for the leveling feet, the hex holes look stripped, and the chrome is chipping off in my hand. ANOTHER huge disappointment, but I'm pretty easy, figure I will call Walter on Monday and get polk to send new ones. Hook them up and start playing some tv while I clean up, at this point its late. things sound really good. I leave them play for a few hours. The next day I run my elites auto eq and slap in a movie and crack a beer. listening at about -20 which is decent volume but not too high, want to break them in nice and easy. So far so good, sound great, seem super easy to drive. Hours go by, noticed the right speaker is rattling. And they are crossed over at 80hz, haven't even run them in full range yet... turn it down a bit give them more time. Seems as thought the 5 1/4 driver is making noise. At this point I'm a little less patient.... start inspecting things and noticed no treble from the left speaker. Tweeter is not working. At this point I'm pissed off. Call visions and they are super nice and have ordered a new pair. THIS SUCKS! Have to wait another 2 weeks now....Have owned at least a dozen or more of polks models over the past 10 years or so and not one issue. Never one. Do they even test these speakers over in China? Or just assemble and send them on their way. I really want these speakers but this has left me feeling nervous and thinking of getting my money back... ugh sorry for the long story. Needed to rant. Still a loyal polkist, but this will be the last speaker I buy from polk, Its time to move on to something else.
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:
Focal Aria 926,905,CC900, SVS PB ultra x2. Pioneer Elite SC85, Oppo BDP93, Panamax M5400PM, Minix neox6, Nordost Blue heaven LS power cables.

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Comments

  • mikeyb128
    mikeyb128 Posts: 2,885
    They don't carry them. BUT, they can order them since they are an authorized polk dealer. They gave me a pretty decent deal too :smile:
    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:
    Focal Aria 926,905,CC900, SVS PB ultra x2. Pioneer Elite SC85, Oppo BDP93, Panamax M5400PM, Minix neox6, Nordost Blue heaven LS power cables.

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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    nbrowser wrote: »
    ...Future Carp...
    Is this the carp from the future of which you speak?

    image-6029-452-auto-both-both-85-5.jpg
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • polk500
    polk500 Posts: 1,171
    Holy Carp!!!
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  • mikeyb128
    mikeyb128 Posts: 2,885
    Just don't pay retail nbrowser, visions marks them up super high with our carpy dollar lol. They are truly gorgeous speakers. I have wanted these for years and can finally afford it. Super upsetting they were carpy right out of the box.
    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:
    Focal Aria 926,905,CC900, SVS PB ultra x2. Pioneer Elite SC85, Oppo BDP93, Panamax M5400PM, Minix neox6, Nordost Blue heaven LS power cables.

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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    Good luck. Dealing with a broken anything is a pain in the buttski, and a broken speaker is even worse.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • Dennis Gardner
    Dennis Gardner Posts: 4,861
    edited March 2015
    QC issues within your top line gear doesn't bolster my confidence level, but issues with product rollouts and quality seem to be more common than in the past.
    HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable

    2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable
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  • mikeyb128
    mikeyb128 Posts: 2,885
    Has left me really nervous! My lsi 15's performed flawlessly for the 5 years I've owned them, and I bought them used! They have taken countless hours of loud music and movies, never heard one even come close to crying out in distress. Hope these new pair of lsim's will be good!
    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:
    Focal Aria 926,905,CC900, SVS PB ultra x2. Pioneer Elite SC85, Oppo BDP93, Panamax M5400PM, Minix neox6, Nordost Blue heaven LS power cables.

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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    I wouldn't be unduly concerned, Polk isn't having any quality issues. Their speakers remain well made and backed by the best customer support there is. What you experienced was an anomaly and not indicative of a problem. Polk has an independently owned inspection company that oversees the complete manufacturing process. The vender is required to continuously submit samples of each individual part to be compared with a "golden standard" and rejected if it falls outside the acceptable guidelines. Then every single speaker is rigorously measured and compared with the design.
    In fact the testing regimen is designed by the same engineering team that designs the speakers. Nothing is left to happenstance, Stu Lumsden is a total stickler for quality in every thing. You'll be fine.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,981
    Kens right, Stu is a stickler. Type of guy who measures the blades of grass after he cuts the lawn.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • mikeyb128
    mikeyb128 Posts: 2,885
    Thank you ken! I was hoping to get some re-assurance from polk. I hope you understand how I would be nervous! Still excited to get a working pair in the house, and take them for a spin :smile:
    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:
    Focal Aria 926,905,CC900, SVS PB ultra x2. Pioneer Elite SC85, Oppo BDP93, Panamax M5400PM, Minix neox6, Nordost Blue heaven LS power cables.

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  • mikeyb128
    mikeyb128 Posts: 2,885
    edited March 2015
    nbrowser wrote: »
    Why oh why do I have an urge to go place an order for a pair of say 703s...darn I'm becoming a hoarder now...

    Hehehe just do it! My girl friend just shakes her head now. And says,"you paid how much for that?"
    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:
    Focal Aria 926,905,CC900, SVS PB ultra x2. Pioneer Elite SC85, Oppo BDP93, Panamax M5400PM, Minix neox6, Nordost Blue heaven LS power cables.

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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    You're welcome, I'm glad the information was helpful. Once a week Polk's QA department holds a CAB (critical action board) meeting where members from all of the engineering, product management teams, customer service get together to examine each aspect of product development, production and in-field operations. It doesn't matter how small the detail each speaker or piece of electronics is scrutinized thoroughly. When I was CS manager I was a CAB member and it never failed to impress me how dedicated everybody was to spotting potential problems before they happened and getting a solution in place.
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,444
    mikeyb128 wrote: »
    nbrowser wrote: »
    Why oh why do I have an urge to go place an order for a pair of say 703s...darn I'm becoming a hoarder now...

    Hehehe just do it! My girl friend just shakes her head now. And says,"you paid how much for that?"

    I do that every time my wife buys a purse, make-up or a pair of shoes.

    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
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