New Polk Audio "Legend" Speaker Series shown at 2019 Hong Kong High End Audio Video Show

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Comments

  • motorhead43026
    motorhead43026 Posts: 3,956
    edited August 2019
    mlistens03 wrote: »
    Here is a picture of our living room, and I think a set of those with a light wood finish would look very nice in here. I offer this purely as a somewhat "trendy" living room.

    (note, I'm not in charge of decor or speaker placement, so please save your criticisms. :) )
    f13qgmebpf2p.jpg

    By the decor I am going to assume there is a powerful presence of estrogen in that household, looks good though.
    The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

    It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,380
    edited August 2019
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    They should have used a clean damp rag to clean followed by a dry one. That right speaker looks bad. I'd love to hear them and would hope there is a way to attach splkes

    Or is that some sort of marbled finish? I had the same thought, but I was (am) up for givin' 'em the benefit of the doubt.

    I am also thinking that the little two-ways (EDIT: both flavors of 'em -- I didn't notice at first they were different!) look considerably more promising -- not that looks necessarily correlate one whit with sound.

    Based on their configuration, the floorstanders are of little interest to me a priori, but then again I can say with some certainty that I ain't their key demographic B)

  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,380
    PS: I mean... things are kinda odd in Hong Kong at the moment.

    :(
  • TEAforONE
    TEAforONE Posts: 1,026
    I kind of like them. I mean,I'm not like pulling out the check book or anything. I don't find them offensive. However,who ever was in charge of setting them up for display,should be fired! Water spots and finger prints all over your product. This is how you display a brand new product for the whole world to see???
    See my profile for list of gear.
  • hochpt21
    hochpt21 Posts: 5,423
    I need to see more pictures, but the LSiM’s look way sexier to me.
    2 ChannelTurntable - VPI Classic 2/Ortofon 2M BlueAmplification - Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II, Parks Audio Budgie PhonoSpeakers - GoldenEar Triton 17.2 Home TheaterDenon AVR-X3300W; Rotel RMB-1066; Klipsch RP-280F's, Klipsch RP-450C, Polk FXi3's, Polk RC60i; Dual SVS PB 2000's; BenQ HT2050; Elite Screens 120"Man CaveTurntable - Pro-Ject 2.9 Wood/Grado GoldAmplification - Dared SL2000a, McCormack DNA 0.5 DeluxeCD: Cambridge AudioSpeakers - Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary; LSiM 703; SDA 2A
  • Hermitism
    Hermitism Posts: 4,289
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    those drivers appear to be ribbed for maximum pleasure.

    Listening pleasure, one would assume.
    vnv1dmvvbpu1.jpg
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,084
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    those drivers appear to be ribbed for maximum pleasure.

    Listening pleasure, one would assume.

    Have you seen the movie about Howard Stern called "Private Parts"?

    Maybe more than listening pleasure. ;)
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 3,016
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    They should have used a clean damp rag to clean followed by a dry one. That right speaker looks bad. I'd love to hear them and would hope there is a way to attach splkes

    I think it's still got the plastic film stuff on it.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,380
    Gorgeous as in, e.g., Wilsons? ;)

    yaj63hrj6hoc.png


    I mean, I am pretty tolerant of imposing loudspeakers B) -- but I'd prefer not to be menaced by them. Some of the bigger/'spensiver Wilsons are the stuff of nightmares.

    :o
  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,547
    OleBoot wrote: »
    I think it's still got the plastic film stuff on it.

    Looks like that's it. The bookshelf speakers have more of a flat blackish finish it seems, not shiny and wrinkly black.

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  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 3,016
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Gorgeous as in, e.g., Wilsons? ;)

    yaj63hrj6hoc.png


    I mean, I am pretty tolerant of imposing loudspeakers B) -- but I'd prefer not to be menaced by them. Some of the bigger/'spensiver Wilsons are the stuff of nightmares.

    :o

    Take me to your leader, earthling.
  • WLDock
    WLDock Posts: 3,073
    edited August 2019
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Another pic, quality isn't great though:
    high_end_avshow_2019_0152.jpg

    Something to consider....do they look any better or worst then theses:

    g970AF61GB-F.jpg

    IMO, I like the curved top of the LSiM more so than the flat top ELAC Adante.
    414DfsFtd5L.jpg

    So, if Polk can get more performance out of these for less money then the LSiM they might be on to something. Because from a distance the G.E. or overall general effect of their design is not far off from other brands out there like the ELAC. The hurdle is all of the other brands in the $5K retail price bracket. Many tend to gravitate to the so called "audiophile" brands.

    When does the club Polk listening road show start? :)
    2.2 Office Setup | LG 29UB55 21:9 UltraWide | HP Probook 630 G8 | Dell Latitude | Cabasse Stream Amp 100 | Boston Acoustics VS 240 | AUDIORAX Desk Stands | Sub 1 - Mirage Omni S8 | Sub 2 - Mirage Omni S8

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,380
    ... and they don't even sound very good. :|
    OK, I haven't heard the WAMMs, but the Wilsons I have encountered were, shall we say, not to my taste sonically, either.

    I.e., one remains cautiously optimistic 'bout this new line of Polks.
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 51,224
    Jesse seems impressed. That's enough for me to be intrigued....

    I'm not sure impressed is correct. Let's say I didn't find anything objectionable in my short demos. I'll also say there is more to come.

    As for the colors, as you can see there are 2 and IMO they look better than the LSiM colors.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

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  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,469
    la2vegas wrote: »
    So much for the blockbuster unveiling.

    Yeah doesn't look like what we saw on the Polk tour either. Then again we only saw the bottom 1/2.
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Interesting. What’s the theory behind a dimpled surface on the driver?
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,064
    I would expect a re-worked crossover in these too. Aside from that mid woofer, everything else looks like parts they have on hand from previous models. All in all, I personally see not much to warrant chasing them. Especially given what you can pick up the LSIM's for these days.
    HT SYSTEM-
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    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

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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 13,052
    edited August 2019
    The ring radiator reminds me of the Scan-Speak Revelator with the silver phase plug:

    11w3lut.jpg

    r2904_7000-05.jpg

  • codycatalist
    codycatalist Posts: 2,662
    :).... :/.... :s.... :(

    Meh.
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,380
    verb wrote: »
    Interesting. What’s the theory behind a dimpled surface on the driver?

    Like razors with five blades -- gotta make things new and different.

    :|

    Of course, the notion of little thingies to fight resonances or decrease break up irregularities isn't... umm... exactly new.

    cfu3g2h0cysb.png
    https://www.stereophile.com/content/listening-116-page-3

    Perhaps the best sounding coax driver evah (at least relative to my ears) -- I cannot afford a pair, though :/

    And then there's that strong but light thing -- cf. corrugated cardboard :)
  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    I like that they are front ported. Sure would like to hear the rr tweet tho. Thought it was the 703s weak link.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,380
    Clipdat wrote: »
    The ring radiator reminds me of the Scan-Speak Revelator with the silver phase plug:

    11w3lut.jpg

    r2904_7000-05.jpg

    ...which, in turn, looks to me like an armor-plated version of Roy Allison's 1970s n!pple-shaped 'dome' diaphragm (used in both midrange and tweeter drivers in Allison's superb early loudspeakers).

    tr2r9yh7ymyb.png


    The Polk/ScanSpeak/Peerless style 'ring radiators' date back to the 1990s, if memory serves.
    The notion of a 'ring radiator', though, dates back to JBL in the 1960s (at least), and again, AFAIK :|

    http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?6368-Ring-Radiator-Comparisons

    vhbi6fq3bfc6.png

    (borrowed image of the notorious JBL 075 ear-gougers, with lots of extra goodies, in this case :p )
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,064
    I do like that they are front ported also. The look though, for something deemed "legend', reminds me too much of the Sig. series, with a ring radiator from the Lsim series, with a new midwoofer.

    To tell the truth, I was expecting something.....other than this. In the end though, let your ears judge as we like to say.
    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
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 8,121
    All I’ll say for now is that if you listened to @D2Lo’s discussion, it was clear that the streamlined lineup of good (t series), better (signature series), and best (apparently legend series?) would put the best somewhere better the old rtia and lsim series. Clearly Polk can’t or is no longer interested in selling speakers at the LSiM MSRP (I suspect its the former), so they had to cut costs with this new flagship model to get the MSRP down. Or so I speculate...
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,380
    edited August 2019
    rooftop59 wrote: »
    All I’ll say for now is that if you listened to @D2Lo’s discussion, it was clear that the streamlined lineup of good (t series), better (signature series), and best (apparently legend series?) would put the best somewhere better the old rtia and lsim series. Clearly Polk can’t or is no longer interested in selling speakers at the LSiM MSRP (I suspect its the former), so they had to cut costs with this new flagship model to get the MSRP down. Or so I speculate...

    ^^^ Great post.

    1) I didn't recall any of that; thanks for the reminder!

    2) ... and I think it could be fairly and reasonably argued that superior sound at affordable prices would fit right in with the classic (dare I say Legendary Polk [Audio] ethos. :)

    j9ox6voywyod.png

    Ad from September 1977 (42 years ago :| )

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/180156/a-project-for-2018-compendium-of-polk-audio-ads-etc/p1
  • hochpt21
    hochpt21 Posts: 5,423
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    rooftop59 wrote: »
    All I’ll say for now is that if you listened to @D2Lo’s discussion, it was clear that the streamlined lineup of good (t series), better (signature series), and best (apparently legend series?) would put the best somewhere better the old rtia and lsim series. Clearly Polk can’t or is no longer interested in selling speakers at the LSiM MSRP (I suspect its the former), so they had to cut costs with this new flagship model to get the MSRP down. Or so I speculate...

    ^^^ Great post.

    1) I didn't recall any of that; thanks for the reminder!

    2) ... and I think it could be fairly and reasonably argued that superior sound at affordable prices would fit right in with the classic (dare I say Legendary Polk [Audio] ethos. :)

    j9ox6voywyod.png

    Ad from September 1977 (42 years ago :| )

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/180156/a-project-for-2018-compendium-of-polk-audio-ads-etc/p1

    This is actually where I thought they might go. Given Klipsch and JBL's recent re-introduction of some vintage lines.
    2 ChannelTurntable - VPI Classic 2/Ortofon 2M BlueAmplification - Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II, Parks Audio Budgie PhonoSpeakers - GoldenEar Triton 17.2 Home TheaterDenon AVR-X3300W; Rotel RMB-1066; Klipsch RP-280F's, Klipsch RP-450C, Polk FXi3's, Polk RC60i; Dual SVS PB 2000's; BenQ HT2050; Elite Screens 120"Man CaveTurntable - Pro-Ject 2.9 Wood/Grado GoldAmplification - Dared SL2000a, McCormack DNA 0.5 DeluxeCD: Cambridge AudioSpeakers - Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary; LSiM 703; SDA 2A
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 26,292
    la2vegas wrote: »
    Well we can all put the speculation to rest about Polk reintroducing a modern version of the SDA. Sad to say, but expected. :'(

    The closest you're going to get to an SDA is in a soundbar.