Polk Audio coming to Best Buy in June

Deadof_knight

The only problem with that is that they have hit the mainstream buyer normally the quality just isnt what it used to be when that happens. It turns out to be all about money instead of Quality!

TroyD

I'm not saying that JBL can't put out a decent product from time to time but it's NOT the same company that it was, it has nothing at all to do with J.B. Lansing other than the initials whereas Polk is not only thriving but they are doing it with a lot of the same people who have been around for many, MANY years.

BDT

Yashu

Congratulate them and move on.

Yay Polk!!!! Hip hip!! Huzzah! ;):D:o:):cool:

Troy, I like more than just JBL, so chill man... I am not a one note guy, hopefully Polk won't end up a one note company. I am crossing my fingers that they are going to innovate, not just saturate.

Polk could learn a lot from JBL, because you are right, they are NOT what they used to be... they used to be the gold standard in terms of quality, they were in every recording studio across the world, in every movie theater, but times have changed. That is my point... JBL failed to carry their legacy forward... I don't want to see the same happen to Polk. It's easy to just saturate the market and make money, but that doesn't mean it's going to change the state of hifi. Speakers are only ONE part of a home theater or music system. Polk and it's more broad ownership, they have DefTech, there is a lot of weight there that can be used to push places like Best Buy, Circuit City, Frys, Tweeter, to forge relationships with higher end associated equipment manufacturers, to really bring things together. Maybe this desire is beyond what is possible... It doesn't mean I can't hope... I really like my hobby, and remember the way things used to be before mid-fi was the best you could find at the large audio chains.

I meant what I said about commending Polk's efforts... I am going to look at the bright side of things. While the other high end manufacturers have failed to maintain a presence in these stores, Polk has managed to keep soldiering on, and go beyond what even the best had done before, break past the Tweeters, and into Best Buy, Circuit City, and so on... It is a fact that I can walk into a big box store and walk out with a high end speaker. I can't say the same about other equipment. So, in a way, I hear what you are saying, I do understand, and my passion for this whole industry has caused me to lose sight of that GOOD achievement.

So yes, if I could pat Matt on the back, I would... It truly is a remarkable thing.

RuSsMaN

Yashu, I think I'm missing your point. Could you explain again / further? Something really in depth if you don't mind.

Thanks.

Yashu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quixotism

Careful Russman, you are playing with fire... I wonder what the character limit of a post is... hmm... :eek:

heiney9

Yashu wrote: »

Yay Polk!!!! Hip hip!! Huzzah! ;):D:o:):cool:

Troy, I like more than just JBL, so chill man... I am not a one note guy, hopefully Polk won't end up a one note company. I am crossing my fingers that they are going to innovate, not just saturate.

Polk could learn a lot from JBL, because you are right, they are NOT what they used to be... they used to be the gold standard in terms of quality, they were in every recording studio across the world, in every movie theater, but times have changed. That is my point... JBL failed to carry their legacy forward... I don't want to see the same happen to Polk. It's easy to just saturate the market and make money, but that doesn't mean it's going to change the state of hifi. Speakers are only ONE part of a home theater or music system. Polk and it's more broad ownership, they have DefTech, there is a lot of weight there that can be used to push places like Best Buy, Circuit City, Frys, Tweeter, to forge relationships with higher end associated equipment manufacturers, to really bring things together. Maybe this desire is beyond what is possible... It doesn't mean I can't hope... I really like my hobby, and remember the way things used to be before mid-fi was the best you could find at the large audio chains.

I meant what I said about commending Polk's efforts... I am going to look at the bright side of things. While the other high end manufacturers have failed to maintain a presence in these stores, Polk has managed to keep soldiering on, and go beyond what even the best had done before, break past the Tweeters, and into Best Buy, Circuit City, and so on... It is a fact that I can walk into a big box store and walk out with a high end speaker. I can't say the same about other equipment. So, in a way, I hear what you are saying, I do understand, and my passion for this whole industry has caused me to lose sight of that GOOD achievement.

So yes, if I could pat Matt on the back, I would... It truly is a remarkable thing.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.........................blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...................blah, blah, blah, blah, blah..............more blah, blah, blah, blah..................yet more blah, blah, blah,blah,blah...........insistent blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,blah.............misinformed blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, self righteous blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, self important blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, can you hear me know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah..........................we don't give a **** blah, blah, blah, blah............

mrbigbluelight

Yashu wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quixotism

Careful Russman, you are playing with fire... I wonder what the character limit of a post is... hmm... :eek:

Careful, Yashu, you are playing with ...... uhm .....


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemorrhoid


......you know, those will never heal unless you stop playing with them.



In any event Polk needs a B&M presence to get their product out there among the masses.
Best Buy is an excellent choice.
Best Buy is aggressively changing their targeting of customers, and proactively attempting to meet the changing face of retail sales.

Sounds like a business that is not merely responding to market, but attempting to shape that market.

And, while there are risks involved, that's a good thing.

(find out for yourself, read how investment houses and strategists view Best Buy).

Now, has Best Buy made mistakes in the past ? Heck yeah.
Best Buy used to follow the marketing strategies of "Silo"; remember them ?
But they changed.
Are they where I'd like them to be ? No, not really.
But they seem to be taking proactive approaches to future challenges, as opposed to Circuit City who, IMO, is merely circling the wagons and waiting for the storm to pass over; it's not going to, and CC is in trouble for that approach.

So Polk has done well teaming up with Best Buy. Polk is also at our local American with some apparent success (American has a slight flavor of Silo, though. Given a choice, I'll go to Best Buy).

So, here's to wishing Polk good luck in a changing world, and ....... quit playing with your ...... you-knows.

Yashu

So I say something nice and also try to be lighthearted and I get insulted, I guess when your nick is Yashu, right cannot be done, eh?

TroyD

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

JHC, I can't even slog through your posts. It's like the teacher on the Charlie Brown cartoons.

Perhaps, Yashu, people, other than myself, think your BS is BS.

BDT

GZ

I guess I don't get what all the fuss is about. Was there this much debate, arguing, thrashing, mud slinging, etc when CC started selling Polk speakers???? As long as Polk makes great sounding speakers for the price and puts them in a store where they can be accessed by the masses, who cares. Polk can sell their product wherever they want. Will I go to my local BB when they finally get their Polks in? Yes I will, just to be snoopy. Will people get a good audition of Polks in BB's crappy environment - No.

Guys, believe it or not, I have 16 Polk speakers in da house, two 5.1 set ups, 2 in the kitchen, even my daughter has a pair in her bedroom 2 channel rig. OK - I like the sound of Polk speakers, the value for the $, and being a member of Club Polk. Just my $02 here, instead of all the fighting, maybe tone it down abit to more of a debate.

My rant is over, thanks.

dorokusai

I hope we get so many new members that some of us can retire.

heiney9

I think it's great because as much as many of us put the sound first others will look at fit and finish and how they integrate in their home decor and physical size. By having the speakers physically in B & M store people can touch them, see the actual color, see the drivers, etc. For many who are not audiophiles this is how the decision is made to purchase something. Aesthetics first, sound second. And if as Yashu states they aren't the right speaker (apparently they suck) then they can be returned w/o hassle.

H9

jdhdiggs

Seeing as BB is putting CC out of business, this is a great move for Polk. Anyway that they can get more exposure to mainstream America the better. Realistically, BB is one of the best places I can think of for Polk to demo there goods. CC's suck and tweeters are few and far between and can cause some sticker shock walking in. Fry's are the only relative equivelent but their scarcity hurts Polk a bit.

Congrats to both companies on a good partnership! Cheers!

Moving on....

tonyb

Don't get it.....it's about distribution folks.Who has the most stores in the best locations? BB does,what better way to sell your goods than putting it out infront of as many people as possible.The end. Wait...I am not a marketing guru,so,to some,this means squat.

jazzisnumberone

Well what interesting writing on this subject of Polk Speakers in BB stores. I've been a Polk speaker aficianado for close to 20 years. The RTa 12c's. They sound great,they still look great. I know it matters where one can listen to these fine loudspeakers but the only decision is in your heart, your mind and ultimately your EARS. Long live POLK!!!

reeltrouble1

RuSsMaN wrote: »

Yashu = windbag. I've never seen someone type so much, yet say so little.

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...........Yazoo I have told you about getting that Kazoo of yours stuck on go. At least gear it back to a paragraph and stop bugging folks, dude, your going to sink so low here you have to look up to look down.

Any store that sells Polk Audio Speakers will get my support and my rants if they eff up my brand with bs displays. I am betting BB will be no worse than CC for display.

RT1

Face

BB with the Magnolia section will be better than any Circuit City display. Not that it's a optimized room, just that they'll be using halfway decent equipment.

LuSh

People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments. I can only imagine employees stating that some folks on the forum should spend more time with their kids or listening to music then pretending to understand the 'industry'.

Monster Jam

TroyD wrote: »

Safe to say that Polk is far from being a washed up, soul-less company like, say, JBL.

Come on now, JBL is soul-less? Last time I checked, JBL was a business (owned by Harmon International, which owns Harmon/Kardon and Infinity brands among others).

And by the way, while I own both polk LSi line and some of the cheepest JBL speakers available, JBL leads the industry where professional and industrial audio applications are concerned.

I'm a Polk fan but even I will say that they couldn't hold JBL's jock where thats concerned.

jazzisnumberone

It's all about the bottom line. IMHO they're only trying to protect there's.

Yashu

Yay Polk!!!! Hip hip!! Huzzah!

Troy, I like more than just JBL, so chill man... I am not a one note guy, hopefully Polk won't end up a one note company. I am crossing my fingers that they are going to innovate, not just saturate.

Polk could learn a lot from JBL, because you are right, they are NOT what they used to be... they used to be the gold standard in terms of quality, they were in every recording studio across the world, in every movie theater, but times have changed. That is my point... JBL failed to carry their legacy forward... I don't want to see the same happen to Polk. It's easy to just saturate the market and make money, but that doesn't mean it's going to change the state of hifi. Speakers are only ONE part of a home theater or music system. Polk and it's more broad ownership, they have DefTech, there is a lot of weight there that can be used to push places like Best Buy, Circuit City, Frys, Tweeter, to forge relationships with higher end associated equipment manufacturers, to really bring things together. Maybe this desire is beyond what is possible... It doesn't mean I can't hope... I really like my hobby, and remember the way things used to be before mid-fi was the best you could find at the large audio chains.

I meant what I said about commending Polk's efforts... I am going to look at the bright side of things. While the other high end manufacturers have failed to maintain a presence in these stores, Polk has managed to keep soldiering on, and go beyond what even the best had done before, break past the Tweeters, and into Best Buy, Circuit City, and so on... It is a fact that I can walk into a big box store and walk out with a high end speaker. I can't say the same about other equipment. So, in a way, I hear what you are saying, I do understand, and my passion for this whole industry has caused me to lose sight of that GOOD achievement.

So yes, if I could pat Matt on the back, I would... It truly is a remarkable thing.

Show me where I said polk speakers sucked... Troy, you are an ****, I don't care if your submissives, or you, cannot read what I said and see that I gave my compliments to Polk. I commended them, and I gave my congratulations to adding to their presence. I am sorry if your attention span is too short to read more than two lines... not my problem.

Here are two lines:
Congratulations to Polk and their parent company for expanding their presence. In a market filled with low and midfi product, Polk has managed to put true quality on the shelves, and I hope that other manufacturers follow suit.

cfrizz

Well now if that had been all that you said & all that you should have said w/o all the high end nose in the air ****, this thread wouldn't have gone into the toilet.

I honestly wonder what your motive is for being here Yashu, because for the most part you come across as a high end know-it-all snob who hates Polk speakers. Then when you get called on it you backtrack or throw out a bone of appeasement.

If you hold Polk speakers in such low regard, this probably isn't the forum for you to post at.

Yashu wrote: »

Show me where I said polk speakers sucked... Troy, you are an ****, I don't care if your submissives, or you, cannot read what I said and see that I gave my compliments to Polk. I commended them, and I gave my congratulations to adding to their presence. I am sorry if your attention span is too short to read more than two lines... not my problem.

Here are two lines:
Congratulations to Polk and their parent company for expanding their presence. In a market filled with low and midfi product, Polk has managed to put true quality on the shelves, and I hope that other manufacturers follow suit.

dkg999

Cathy gets tough :eek: I know a line of good behaviour has been crossed when that happens.

sucks2beme

The demise of Tweeter in most markets has left a gaping hole.
Lets hope Polk reps make their way out to BB Magnolia shops and
set up some great LSI demo gear. It's time for Polk to step up and
show the public at large what good sound is all about. All it would take
is a little effort to educate the demo room guys how NOT to screw up a
great sounding speaker.

Yashu

if you hold Polk speakers in such low regard, this probably isn't the forum for you to post at.

Considering I never said any such thing, I never said polk sucked, I never said their speakers sucked, I have sung praise for their speakers all throughout this thread. The ONLY thing I have said is that one tweeter design is a little bright. I don't know where you guys are getting this stuff, I wonder if you just secretly want me to think polk sucks to validate all the insults towards me.

I am going to say again. POLK SPEAKERS DO NOT SUCK for the last damn time. I said that, basically, the speakers are of such high quality, that they need to be paired with better equipment than BB sells. I don't know what can be better praise than that as far as quality. I said that polk might have benefited from releasing a speaker designed for low and mid-fi gear, and all the problems associated with that type of gear. That was it. If BB (CC, Frys, Tweeter) isn't going to change, them maybe it might be good to adapt to that type of market. For the last time, I never said polk sucked, I never said the company sucked, or their speakers sucked. I am critical of one tweeter design, and some short-sighted marketing. Macroeconomics is a complicated issue, and sometimes, it takes more than just putting your product on as many shelves as possible, no matter how good it is. All things are relative. The best speaker on the face of the planet is going to sound like crap when connected to a BB insignia receiver, that doesn't mean the speaker is crap. Polk has put high end speakers on BB shelves. It is time to get NAD, Adcom, Creek, Rotel, B&K, even Sunfire, ect... to get some of their units into these stores so people can not only get the speakers, but the right associated gear. I am not asking to see Krell and Mcintosh stuff at BB, but if Polk and DefTech, even ML, are going to be there, then it is time to increase the level of quality of the rest of the gear. What is wrong with me thinking that Polk is in a league beyond your typical Denon or Yamaha? How the hell do you call that holding them in a low regard?

treitz3

Blah, blah, blah.

So, the price of tea in China is what? How about how much the price of the pet rock has changed since it's inception? Any collectors here?

cfrizz

So go **** on NAD, Adcom, Creek, Rotel, B&K, Sunfire forums & tell them to put their products out & lower their prices to be able to fit in BB stores.

The whole point is once Polk speakers get into peoples hands & they hear how good they are, they will most likely start exploring upgrade options all on their own.

Polk speakers do sound good to just about anything you hook them up to, and yes they benefit from better equipment upgrades.

But neither Polk or any of us have any control over what other gear is sold in stores. So long as Polk is in stores that I can get to & I can come here to do more research, than nothing else matters.

TroyD

Gee, I have some Polk R15's hooked up to a Denon receiver, it sounds pretty damn good to me.

Again, Yashu, it may not sound good to YOU but that's anecdotal. I think you will find that Polk, as Sean said, did NOT just fall off the turnip truck. They've been doing this for a few years. If you think you can do better, please, I'm sure they'd look at your resume. Or, start your own company.

If Polk's mission, as stated by Matt Polk is to put good sounding speakers into the hands of as many people's hands as possible, slam dunk, this is a good thing just as I said it was when Polk went to CC. Compared to the dreck that those stores sell, Polk is a no brainer. They look better and they sound better, on ANY gear. The added benefit that high volume affords is an economy of scale. By virtue of the volume they don't require the profit per unit that other companies do. A nice ancilliary benefit is that they can afford to produce higher end products, a la the LSi's, at a price that's substantially less than another company could.

Sure, Polk COULD go back to being a boutique brand. That's what, in essence, you are saying. That's bad for Polk in a myriad of ways.

BDT

nodeuces

I can't remember seeing Monster cables in a best buy in some time.

So much angst here towards a B-stock store. Sorry you got ripped off kiddies, but live and learn. The majority of the morons that actually buy something besides closeouts there are pretty happy, which is why their business is booming.

Tweeter upsells their crap cables and combo packages too...they just overcharge for everything to make up for the decent wage they pay semi-knowledgeable staff. Which is why they are going out of biz and why BB is going to open a store in it's place.

Face

I believe Best Buys sell AR cables now, possibly along with Monster. IMO, AR is worse than Monster, but without the Monsterous prices.