Polk Audio Hitmaster - Gaming Loudspeaker - Demo

[dorokusai]

OK, we're going to keep 3 in rotation. Messiah, Technokid and Unknown for now. They should be re-shipped before mid-January. Messiah JUST got his so I'm marking the time with him as Technokid lives in Canada. The third will ship very soon.

The other 3 need to come back for press reviews. I know Demiurge said he's ready....Leoryjr1, Kawizx9r or Disc Jockey, are you guys done? Sorry if I missed an email.

[kawizx9r]

OK, we're going to keep 3 in rotation. Messiah, Technokid and Unknown for now. They should be re-shipped before mid-January. Messiah JUST got his so I'm marking the time with him as Technokid lives in Canada. The third will ship very soon.

The other 3 need to come back for press reviews. I know Demiurge said he's ready....Leoryjr1, Kawizx9r or Disc Jockey, are you guys done? Sorry if I missed an email.

Yep, I'm done Mark.

I'll go ahead and fill out that questionnaire tonight as well as my review.

[Disc Jockey]

I'm done as well. It's boxed and ready to go whenever you can get a label to me.

I'm working on the questionnaire now and if it's as dead as I expect around here I will get the review done today also.

DJ

[Demiurge]

What questionaire?

[Disc Jockey]

Mark sent out a questionnaire for us to fill out on the 19th. I don't see your email in the in the address line, which is probably why you didn't get one. I can send you a copy if you want. :)

[leroyjr1]

OK, we're going to keep 3 in rotation. Messiah, Technokid and Unknown for now. They should be re-shipped before mid-January. Messiah JUST got his so I'm marking the time with him as Technokid lives in Canada. The third will ship very soon.

The other 3 need to come back for press reviews. I know Demiurge said he's ready....Leoryjr1, Kawizx9r or Disc Jockey, are you guys done? Sorry if I missed an email.

All done. I'll fill out the questionaire.

Thanks again Mark and Polk Audio

[dorokusai]

What questionaire?

You never sent me your email David.

[Demiurge]

I did, but you probably lost it in the mix. I forwarded it to you again.

[TECHNOKID]

Originally Posted by Demiurge
What questionaire?

You never sent me your email David

.Mark, you still have my email? I didn't receive the questionaire either and I would gladly fill it if you send it to me :)


One of the challenges I wanted to put the HITMASTER to, was performing during our family Xmas party (which was kept a secret until set-up time on the afternoon of the 25th). The room was much larger this year and it allowed me to install 3 tables in a "U Shape/format" with a 70" screen and the HITMASTER safely installed at the bottom of the screen facing the head table which allowed a brand new 360 with various games and up to 3 players. The other 2 tables were to accomodate other viewers. The goal was to see if the HITMASTER could provide enough sound for the players and viewers while I was pounding between 200 - 400 watts of dance music and entertainment (DEAL or NO DEAL etc...) through the night.

Amazingly, with the HITMASTER close to its maximum power, you could hear clearly the HITMASTER spitting the High - Mid - Low action of Hockey, wrestling and other various games. In previous years, the gaming aera was always a little more moderate and without sound effects since it didn't seem feasible with the powerfull PA used for music. This year, the gaming area didn't simply attract the younger (7 - 25) which are mainly the family gamers but also attracted the older folks (goes up to 80 years old).

As pointed out, during the loud music periods the HITMASTER was closed to its max and with carefull monitoring and to my amazement the amp never got any warmer than luke warm. However, during the speaches and the "DEAL or NO DEAL" game I had to drop the HITMASTER's volume down to 1/2 power since it could be heard slightly at the closest tables which were maybe 20' away from the gaming area (also muflled by the tables and peoples around them). That night, the HITMASTER was definitely a BIG HIT :D

My sister and her husband have been organising those Xmas parties for close to 10 years (next will be 10) and they both along with their "hard core gamer son" were very impressed and definitley welcomed the HITMASTER.

The next challenge was my nephew's interest in a more centered demo of the product in his gaming/bedroom area. The 25 years old has been raised with games from his younger days. Being a night owl, the big challenge was for him to have enough interest to actually get up to demo during the evening while everyone elses was up. I wasn't too sure what to expect since we all went to bed at 05:00 am and he doesn't usually get up until late night. He agreed that I could wake him up. Unbelievably he was up around dinner begging for his demo ;) After setting him up, I left him alone for the evening to "game" as he pleased. The arrangement was that he had to return the HM in my area before he went to bed because I needed to pack it for return to Ottawa the next day. I guess around 01:30 am he returned it and came to see me with his impressions. To make it simple, he definitely wants to acquire one as he likes the portability along with the audio effect(s) (often go out heavily gaming with friends along with on line gaming).

This first part of the New Year ) next 3 days), I intend to put the HITMASTER through various tests in my own environment.

Find below a pic I took of the HM along with some bigger/profesionnal brothers. By the way, the speakers that were used during the Xmas party are to the right (a pair of warfdale, we call them "mini warf" but they are actually as powerfull as the larger warfdale (200 watts RMS)). The other pics are related to the game area. Unfortunately, we couldn't get a larger close up of the HM.

Happy New Year everyone!
TK

[TECHNOKID]

I hope I will not be too late as I've learned on our digital forum that the Paul McCartney event at the Les Plaines D'Abraham in Quebec city in on this evening and what a nice way to test some music playing on the HM (analoge cable w/CRT TV).

Cheers!
TK

[dorokusai]

Rene' - You are officially the 2009 Polk Nerd.

I'll send the Polk review forms to you and David now.

[dorokusai]

Wutadsmn23 - I need a phone number and email from you. The Hitmaster is coming your way next.

Labels have been sent to Disc Jockey, Demiurge, Kawizx9r and Leroyjr1.

[dorokusai]

For those of you with shipping labels for these already...Please ship them as soon as possible. Thank you :)

[TECHNOKID]

Rene' - You are officially the 2009 Polk Nerd.

I'll send the Polk review forms to you and David now.

Thanks Mark, I received the HM Beta Test form. I have done some more toying/auditionning over the weekend, I will report as soon as I have time...

Find below a pic I took of the HM along with some bigger/profesionnal brothers. By the way, the speakers that were used during the Xmas party are to the right (a pair of warfdale, we call them "mini warf" but they are actually as powerfull as the larger warfdale (200 watts RMS)). The other pics are related to the game area. Unfortunately, we couldn't get a larger close up of the HM.

How stupid of me for not including the pics

Here they are:

[Disc Jockey]

For those of you with shipping labels for these already...Please ship them as soon as possible. Thank you :)

It's being dropped off today.

[TECHNOKID]

After I came back from Xmas, I proceeded to play with the HM in my own environment (home sweet home!).

I started using the HM in the bedroom while watching TV programming and movies. Yet, the HM is perfect as a stand alone for games but I felt it needed some assistance as it was not enough of a sound stage for TV/Movies I then decided to pair my M-AUDIO studio monitors (being powered). Surprisingly, I found the 2 brands blending quite well and that they formed a nice sound stage. The voices are much warmer and the TV effects are of better quality (good bass) compared to the built in TV speakers. However, I was very limited for testing at higher volume since the dividing wall of my semi-detached is part of the bedroom and I was afraid to disturb the neighbour (the HM has quite decent bass ;)).

Yesterday evening after temporary installing my new living room towers, I moved my Sony TV back to proceed with music and video auditionning. Again, I found the stand alone HM needed some sound stage back-up using my M-AUDIO studio monitors. I did some comparisions: HM as a stand alone, M-AUDIO pair alone and teamed the HM with the M-As. Again, for music and/or movies the combination of the HM & M-As provides the best results.

I used the powered speakers directly inputed from the DVD player with good volume. Once the DVD is hooked-up through the TV I/P and coming back out the TV external jacks, the volume drops drastically and I have to crank the TV volume quite loud with both the HM and the M-As cranked about 3/4 volume in order to get satisfactory sound O/P.

I then used my little clunker mixer to increase the I/P level to the powered speakers in the area of the desired 0 db level and this provided me much better volume control from the TV it self.

I finished a movie that was playing on TV while selecting a known movie for evaluation. I selected The World Trade Center since I have watched it on many occasions and being familiar with the sound effects was definitiley a good tool to evalute the HM.

Since the HM is created for reproducing the effects of games, it isn't surprising it performs quite well with movies effects. The HM somehow acts as a center while it also provides for the bass effects with very good results. My listening distance was in the area of 6 to 7' and at the peaks of the Towers rumble I was feeling the shaking (hard wood flooring) even in the cough itself.

I'd be very curious to do similar experience with 3 HMs instead of the M-AUDIO (maybe I'd reconsider my purchase)...

For my portable system, I was originally looking at pairing the M-As with the pinaccle 6" sub which claims to be very effective for its small size. Now, with the HM coming to the market and considering it can also perform as the center I feel it is the BBB when I compare MSRPs (yet unknown in CDN $ for the HM but with a 500$ MSRP for the pinnacle, it's a no brainer). The more I audition the little bugger, the more I'd like to acquire one which would eventually be used for the grand children gaming and would be a welcome asset when I bring portable movie system when visiting family (we love watching good movies on the pool deck in the summer ;) ). More to come!

Don't mind the mess as I am revamping the home set-ups at this time.

Cheers!
TK

[TECHNOKID]

I sure hope you are NOT serious when you say to drop the HM on the floor as part of the test, you got to be pulling my legg..... You can't go around sending jokes like this, somebody will actually do it

[wutadumsn23]

Wutadsmn23 - I need a phone number and email from you. The Hitmaster is coming your way next.

Labels have been sent to Disc Jockey, Demiurge, Kawizx9r and Leroyjr1.

PM sent Mark. Loking forward to this one.

-Jeff

[Demiurge]

PM sent to Mark about the label. Ready to be dropped off, but there are problems.

[TECHNOKID]

Rene' - You are officially the 2009 Polk Nerd.

I'll send the Polk review forms to you and David now.

Mark, by the way I did receive the review form I read it and it is quite complete and therefore covers just about every aspects that might be of use for Polk (as I mentioned, your drop test comment got my heart beating and probably bleeding too ;) ).

Last evening, I asked my coworker to take the hitmaster home to use with his newly acquired PS3. The young lad got carried away and pushed the HM quite loud and time passed by while he was having a ball.

Guess what, at 11:00 pm he received a call from his landlord requesting that he brought the volume down from his amp since it was apparently very disturbing for the neighbours. Apparently that when the HM started to rumble from the game effects his cat(s) started to go nuts an run like crazy. Quite some rumbling out of that little box :p That reminds me when I got in trouble some 20 years ago while pushing my vintage speakers through the beat of good old music:D The young lad was pretty impressed and mentioned he wanted one for sure.

Potentially this weekend, the manager of our sister company will use it as a monitor for his guitar recording he needs to fiddle with. I think it should be interesting as he is a more mature candidate and musician which knows his audio inside out. Well see, I am very curious to hear what his impressions will be (I think he is the person I would trust the most in this office for a serious opinion of the little bugger speaker).

I was thinking of putting the HM through the wii this weekend but I think I'll pass this time since I much prefer to have multiple opinions and through multiple applications in order to see what is the extent of the HM capability. Yet we know it is great with gaming gear, half decent for HT applications if used with multiple units and yet so so for music (however younger "Ipod" generation might think it is great.

By the way, I am far from being a nerd (yak!) but ratter passionate about audio in all its various fascets ;)

Cheers!
TK

[wutadumsn23]

Just got it today in the mail from Disc Jockey, haven't had time to mess with it yet but it looks pretty cool. Can't wait for the weekend to give it a whirl.

-Jeff

[Serendipity]

I can't wait to try this out :)

[wutadumsn23]

Did a little experimenting over the weekend and I must say Polk did a good job with this thing. I was esp. impressed with the musical ability of the Hitmaster, gonna mess with it some more this week/weekend and will send it on. Full review to follow.

-Jeff

[TECHNOKID]

I used the powered speakers directly inputed from the DVD player with good volume. Once the DVD is hooked-up through the TV I/P and coming back out the TV external jacks, the volume drops drastically and I have to crank the TV volume quite loud with both the HM and the M-As cranked about 3/4 volume in order to get satisfactory sound O/P.

Last Friday, I stayed back after hours since I had prep a small set-up in the warehouse for one of our Freelance Technician (which is also a guitarist). I invited him to bring his own music along for proper auditionning and this was also our chance to feed an Ipod trought the HM via the 1/8 connection. This was done very casually sipping on a beer while listening to the music switching from the HM to the M-AUDIO and also using both simultaneously.

The set-up was quite simple, a DVD was feeding the HM while the HM was feeding my M-AUDIO but NO mixer introduced in the circuit since in normal conditions most people don't use any mixer. We also used the 1/8 connection to feed an Ipod through the HM which in turn supplied the audio to the M-AUDIO. It was noticed how the HM performed much better with hard music which contained lots of bass. The difference of 16hz in bass response between the HM and the M-AUDIO monitors was quite drastic during auditionning. We found that in order to perform without distorting, the M-AUDIO had to be kept at much lower volume than the HM (at least 1/4 less).

It was again mentioned how well both type of speakers really blended, the HM providing for the Lo punch effect while the monitors provided a great flat response of the recording. This leads me to believe the HM can perform much better when combine with left & right speakers (HM or any matching 2 channels speakers). As previously pointed out by the PS3 owner for the first PS3 auditionning, there are some games that can even take advantage of a full 5.1 system (in this case if one owns a full 5.1, he/she might not care so much for the HM unless his system is actually 5.0 thus lacking much of the bass. Then the HM might be an alternative to a subwoofer. IE: small dinky computer 5.1 systems should be NO match to the HM and therefore potentially a welcomed addition to those flimsy computer speaker systems (unless of course they are so crappy that they do not deserve to be teamed up with the HM thus deterioting sound ratter than enhancing it).

I don't know if anyone had auditioned the HM with their Ipod but here is our experience doing so. It was a big disappointment since the Ipod behave exactly as my above description of CD/DVD player compared with the TV aux out and furthermore, I think the end result was even worse. As soon as we hooked-up the Ipod we both noticed and agreed on the volume difference. My co-auditionner pushed is Ipod near max and distortion was definitely present. This never showed that bad when demoying with the TV aux out since there was still plenty of room before topping the volume (thus far away from distortion/clipping).

I was hoping that the circuit hooked up to the 1/8 stereo connector was slightly different than at the RCA I/P to the HM providing for the lower I/P of Ipods and/or computers. The end result emphasized the original recommendation I wanted to give Polk. I wonder if proving a small selector switch which would change the resistive value of the I/P to the HM to compensate and allow for a smaller input signal to be felt and accepted by the HM without having to drastically change the O/P thus having a better quality of I/P at the HM and also at the O/P since both volume at the I/P and volume at the O/P of the HM can be kept at a decent level (below 1/2 power setting) thus allowing for a better quality of sound.

Let's keep in mind that "garbage in = garbage out" and if the owner tends to increase the O/P power of the Ipod (or TV) in order to compensate for the minmal audio, he will potentially apply distotion/clipping to the mix. The same applies for the HM volume O/P if kept at max, it also potential can create distortion/clipping not counting that the user may jeopardize the life of the built-in amp. Yet so far this is the only cons I found with the unit but as pointed out, a small "signal I/P selector switch" may solve that problem while not necessarily affecting the price point?????

Cheers!
TK

[jacob.simpson]

count me in please details sent already.:D

[wutadumsn23]

Hey Mark, should be finishing up this over the weekend. Been super busy at work this week, so not much time to play around with it. Let me know when you get the labels done and I will pass it along. Thanks again for the oppertunity, this thing is awesome and will be sad to see it go.

-Jeff

[dorokusai]

Leroy/ Freddy.....where are the Hitmasters?

[kawizx9r]

Leroy/ Freddy.....where are the Hitmasters?

It's been awhile since I've been on here :o

I'd like to drop this thing off asap since it's boxed up and waiting to go. Had to prioritize and this just wasn't on the list as of yet with hospital/issues/etc.

Great little speaker, about to go write up the review for it now.

Thanks Polk Audio!

-Freddy

[wutadumsn23]

Good to see you again, hope all is well Freddy.

-Jeff

[dorokusai]

I sent new labels to both of you. It would be appreciated if you'd shuffle your Polkie asses to the local FedEx dropoff since they're not for me or another Polkie....they're for Polk to send for reviews.