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

Upstatemax

I don’t agree Skip.

I think increased competition only hurts the bad dealers. If a dealer is getting hurt because customers have increased choices, it’s because they were not taking care of their customers.

I’m also big into cycling, we have been seeing this same dynamic playing out with local bike shops (LBS). Online competition has has put extra pressure on the LBS network and many have not weathered the storm.

However from what I’ve seen, it’s the poor LBS that got hit hardest. It’s a natural cleansing of the market place.

Increased competition makes dealers better and makes the whole experience better for the customer.

I think that’s a very, very good thing.

motorhead43026

Deleted

Upstatemax

DSkip wrote: »

I imagine with LBS it is a more service-oriented business, right? This is just selling product. When you have dealers invest six figures in your gear to demo it and you allow another guy down the street to become a dealer with a minimal investment that steals sales from the bigger guy, you've already began to lose. If it continues to happen, you end up with the big dealer dropping the brand and a bunch of little guys who don't represent the brand properly. The biggest issue I see here is that the brands mentioned are going to be repped by home theater integrators, not two channel enthusiasts. HT Integrators do not keep inventory and rarely have any demo products - they only sell based on price and interest.

It's a slippery slope.

A very, very small part of a LBS business is based on service. Usually around 10%

The money comes from bike sales.

Like audio, cycling has a traditional brick and mortar style business that allowed bike shops to be generally isolated. Customers wanted to experience the product before slapping down thousands of dollars, high end bikes can easily exceed $10,000 today. Was it the right fit for THEM, bikes are very personal.

Honestly, audio and cycling are VERY similar industries...

mhardy6647

nooshinjohn wrote: »

The dealer search tool on the Polk front page shows me a Home Depot store some 40 miles from my home as the nearest Polk Dealer, when there is a Best Buy and a Fry’s that both carry the brand less than three miles away... I would say that tool is broken.

Dude -- I would totally buy a pair of L800s from Home Depot!

VR3

Knowing home depot, it would be in the gardening section

mhardy6647

VR3 wrote: »

Knowing home depot, it would be in the gardening section

on the top shelf...

motorhead43026

mhardy6647 wrote: »

VR3 wrote: »

Knowing home depot, it would be in the gardening section

on the top shelf...

And you can't find anybody to get them down.

WLDock

displayname wrote: »

Give it time. If these live up to the hype, they will end up in more and more stores. Especially at their price point. It just might take a year or two to make it into places that seem like very obviously choices.

I agree that time will tell all. I'm hoping for Polk that these get labeled as giant killers. Then, those with $4K-$10K to spend on speakers might take notice. If they get some to stretch their budget and others to spend less and adopt Polk into the audiophile fold, then they'll be on to something. Polk is large enough to make some noise in the marketplace.

Still, lets not forget the LSiM saga. I lived in MI, then moved to IN and could not find a place to demo the speakers in either area. I just knew there would be a huge selection in IL, greater Chi area. However, the choices were not there at all. Only Abt Electronics carried the line and they had very limited selections (703) of the LSiM on display. The 707 is $4K set. So, the smart people at Polk have a lot to figure out and a lot of work to do to move the $6K speakers and more expensive family.

Reviews will help....get them in the hands of all who don't refuse them!

Upstatemax wrote: »

A very, very small part of a LBS business is based on service. Usually around 10%

The money comes from bike sales.

Like audio, cycling has a traditional brick and mortar style business that allowed bike shops to be generally isolated. Customers wanted to experience the product before slapping down thousands of dollars, high end bikes can easily exceed $10,000 today. Was it the right fit for THEM, bikes are very personal.

Honestly, audio and cycling are VERY similar industries...

I used to work in the cycling industry and I agree! Back in the late 80's- early 90's the deep pocket customers that were spending $2K-$4K expected the dealer to cater to them and assist with the fit from pre-sales through years after the sale. Most wouldn't purchase from you if they did not trust in your service and satisfaction guarantee. Do them right the first time and they'll ALWAYS come back for that second, third, fourth, etc purchase. There was a lot of competition back then but I don't think that is true today. Still, the dealer network is crucial.

xsmi

I live in NW Ohio. I can drive an hour north to Ann Arbor and listen to $250K Wilson Audios and $125K Sonus Fabers. I had. to drive 3.5 hours to a fellow Polkie's house to hear the LSiM's. I REALLY hope the Legends aren't a repeat of that experience.

tratliff

I have been starting to follow the new line up. Was surprised to find an upcoming event at Nebraska Furniture Mart in the DFW area. Not sure I will be able to experience the full line in a quality way.

You ever try to talk audio with the sales associates at NFM??? They may have been selling toasters or area rugs yesterday.

verb

OMG been gone for a few days and 81 new posts on this thread! Gotta get my read on!

verb

So just got caught up on this thread. Interesting the challenges of product distribution, many fans clamoring to get into a demo, all good problems to have, as we say in my biz! Means folks want to buy this product!

But, here is my biggest take away:



LMAO @nightfall !

Mike Reeter

tratliff wrote: »

I have been starting to follow the new line up. Was surprised to find an upcoming event at Nebraska Furniture Mart in the DFW area. Not sure I will be able to experience the full line in a quality way.

You ever try to talk audio with the sales associates at NFM??? They may have been selling toasters or area rugs yesterday.

Yes, but you can get an Extended Warranty/ Service Contract that can conveniently be added to our FREE Financial Package, well Free for the first 30 days anyway!

And btw, do you have the wires/ cables to properly hook up these beautiful speakers?

tratliff

Mike Reeter wrote: »

tratliff wrote: »

I have been starting to follow the new line up. Was surprised to find an upcoming event at Nebraska Furniture Mart in the DFW area. Not sure I will be able to experience the full line in a quality way.

You ever try to talk audio with the sales associates at NFM??? They may have been selling toasters or area rugs yesterday.

Yes, but you can get an Extended Warranty/ Service Contract that can conveniently be added to our FREE Financial Package, well Free for the first 30 days anyway!

And btw, do you have the wires/ cables to properly hook up these beautiful speakers?

Mike I think that is exactly how the conversation will go. Never will they be able to explain if they will work correctly with my mono blocks.

Hell, they won’t even know what mono blocks are.

dolbyd

New Audioholics video on the Legends.

https://youtu.be/bMc2ou81JLI

Emlyn

Interesting bit about possibly using two sets of L800s with height modules as front and rear speakers. Seems to imply no center channel may be needed in that configuration as well as no side surrounds.

tonyb

bump

tonyb

bump

mhardy6647

I will resist posting a link to YT for a 1970s Jimmy Castor Bunch hit...

verb

tonyb wrote: »

bump

good call!

TopperDude

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.techhive.com/article/3437045/polk-legend-l100-review.amp.html

First review of Polk Legend speakers. The small L100 bookshelf.

verb

Review from Techswitch (copy and pasted on other review sites as well):

https://techswitchcf.com/2019/09/17/polk-legend-l100-review-higher-performance-than-youd-expect-from-any-bookshelf-speaker/

F1nut

I'm sorry, the L100 lacks bass and therefore a fullness to the sound. The L200 is a much better speaker.

The author is incorrect about the low end, he quoted the overall. The -3dB is 57Hz.

verb

Glad you chimed in on this Jesse. I read the review and was a bit surprised by the comments regarding the L100 bass performance.

skrol

I know that one usually does not think of sub-woofers as legends, at least as far as legendary Polks, but I am wondering if there will eventually be a "Legend" sub to pair with the L100 or L200.

VR3

Polk has historically stayed away from high end subwoofers. There are so many options in that space, I don't see them trying to compete

tonyb

VR3 wrote: »

Polk has historically stayed away from high end subwoofers. There are so many options in that space, I don't see them trying to compete

I dunno Trey, they have to round it out and include a sub, HT is still a big part of their product line. Sig series has it's own sub, I see no reason why they would not make one for the legend series.

Granted, other brands are kicking rear end in the sub dept.,like you said, but that hasn't stopped Polk from putting out new subs in the past. Some people just like to keep everything brand specific.

skrol

The brand specific thing is what I was thinking too.

nooshinjohn

tonyb wrote: »

VR3 wrote: »

Polk has historically stayed away from high end subwoofers. There are so many options in that space, I don't see them trying to compete

I dunno Trey, they have to round it out and include a sub, HT is still a big part of their product line. Sig series has it's own sub, I see no reason why they would not make one for the legend series.

Granted, other brands are kicking rear end in the sub dept.,like you said, but that hasn't stopped Polk from putting out new subs in the past. Some people just like to keep everything brand specific.

They would need to try very hard to best my REL...

PSOVLSK

nooshinjohn wrote: »

They would need to try very hard to best my REL...

And my SVS Plus/2.