Press Releases

Polk Audio's New SurroundBar® Delivers Surround Sound From a Single Speaker

Today Polk Audio announced the introduction of the SurroundBar loudspeaker featuring Polk's patented SDA Surround technology. When connected to any multichannel receiver, the SurroundBar delivers an immersive surround sound experience from a single, slim, front mounted speaker styled to complement the latest shallow screen TV’s and without the need for rear mounted speakers. SurroundBar will be delivered to retailers in October 2005 with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of $949.95.

The Surround Bar was designed to offer an enveloping surround sound experience for anyone who wants better sound from their TV but does not want to install rear mounted speakers. The Polk Audio SurroundBar delivers surround sound from a single, multi-driver loudspeaker located under (or over) the TV screen using Polk’s patented “SDA Surround” technology which traces its roots to the legendary Polk SDA (Stereo Dimensional Array) loudspeaker systems of the late 1980’s. This technology is based on fundamental research into the way in which our ears process sound and perceive the direction of sounds. It uses a patented combination of signal processing and acoustical geometry that complements the spacing between your ears to produce surround sound without the need for rear mounted speakers. Since the SurroundBar works directly with the hearing mechanism and requires no special room characteristics it can deliver a room-filling surround experience in nearly any location in almost any type of room, even outdoors.

The SurroundBar is composed of a single 43" wide extruded Aluminum enclosure housing seven mid-range drivers and three dome tweeters. The product may be wall mounted above or below the TV with the supplied bracket. It may also be used on a shelf or on top of a TV with its supplied cradle. Both the cradle and wall bracket allow the speaker to be aimed up or down. The product is available in either Titanium or Black anodized finish.

"I wanted to be able to integrate all the latest entertainment technology into the new house we are building but I didn’t want to let the technology start running our lives in the process" said Polk Audio Co-founder and Chairman Matthew Polk. "In our case, the problem was surround sound. With half a dozen separate home theater systems in various rooms around the house it was simply not practical to give each system a full complement of five, six or seven speakers. In some cases it was not even possible to install rear speakers, but we still wanted to have the benefit of a great surround sound experience in each of these locations. Discussions with architects, electronic systems contractors, retailers and home owners have revealed that many other people are also looking for a solution to this exact same problem.”

The SurroundBar may be used with any surround sound receiver and hook-up is a snap. All 5 primary channels are connected to the SurroundBar via a supplied 25 foot multi-channel speaker cable consisting of five pair of color coded wires in a sheathed bundle. However, any choice of speaker cable may be used. The five sets of binding post inputs on the back of the SurroundBar are color coded and clearly marked for simple, straightforward connection. The SurroundBar performs down to 80Hz and can be enjoyed without a subwoofer. However, Polk Audio recommends the use of an optional powered subwoofer for a full-range home theater experience.

The original SDA technology, developed in the early 1980’s was a two channel technology developed to allow stereo reproduction of a soundstage extending beyond the actual speaker locations. SDA Surround utilizes the same basic principles but expands the technology to allow for reproduction of surround sound without the need for rear speakers. In fact, it is possible to reproduce surround sound from just a few closely spaced drive units located directly in front of the listener. SDA Surround provides a wide, deep soundstage extending far out to the sides and wrapping around behind the listener. SDA Surround also achieves remarkably continuous side to side and front to back imaging so that sounds transition smoothly from the front, around the sides and to the rear, closely following the action suggested on screen.

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About Polk Audio
Baltimore, Maryland-based Polk Audio is an award-winning manufacturer of high performance audio products. Founded by Chairman Matthew Polk and CEO George Klopfer in 1972, Polk Audio holds over 50 patents for advances in loudspeaker design and technology. Polk's products include loudspeakers and electronic components for home, auto and marine applications, the first XM satellite home component tuner, the world's first active IP-addressable loudspeaker, and in the winter of 2005-2006 the I-Sonic—the first entertainment system to include HD radio, XM Connect & Play capability and a DVD player. Polk products are available through specialist consumer electronics retailers worldwide. For the location of a Polk retailer or distributor in your area visit the Dealer Locator page of www.polkaudio.com or call us at 1-800-377-7655 (USA and Canada). Outside of North America call +1 (410) 358-3600.