Polk Details Two New SurroundBar Systems and One-Box F/X Wireless Surround

In addition to new satellites, floorstanding speakers, and in-ceilings (more on those in a bit), Polk officially announced new ship dates and details today for three new outside-the-box surround sound solutions: two new SurroundBar packages and the F/X Wireless Surround.

First up, the SurroundBar CHT500 Component Home Theater is two-piece, single-speaker surround system that measures 49 inches wide and a mere inch-and-a-half deep, making it the ideal aesthetic complement to a wall-mounted flat-panel display. The SurroundBar CHT500 features three of Polk’s high-end 0.75-inch ring radiator tweeters and nine proprietary 3.5-inch anodized aluminum dome mid-woofers, along with an external Stereo Dimension Array signal processor, which accepts the 5.1 or 7.1-channel output from any AV receiver. Look for it to ship in the first quarter of 2011 for a suggested retail price of $999.

You won’t have to wait that long to get your grubbies on Polk’s SurroundBar 6000 Instant Home Theater, though. It ships in September 2010 (for $499), and while it doesn’t have all of the snazzy drivers found in the CHT500 (it sports four drivers, total), the package does include a wireless 7-inch subwoofer. While it does come complete with Polk SDA Surround technology, don’t expect it to deliver the same level of faux-surround experience as the CHT500.

For that, you’ll need to add the F/X Wireless Surround, a self-contained, one-box surround solution that sits behind you on the floor, or a table or shelf if you so desire. The F/X Wireless Surround packs in four 2.5-inch drivers and a 5.25-inch woofer, and relies on Polk’s Controlled Dispersion Array (CDA) technology to bounce sound off the ceiling and walls around you to create a convincing side-and-rear surround channel effect. I had a chance to demo a preproduction unit at Polk’s booth at CES in January, and although I won’t be replacing my dedicated surround channels anytime soon, I have to say: the effect was surprisingly engrossing. If you’re looking to add some dimension to your sound experience and don’t want to (or can’t) run speaker wires or place speakers all around the back of the room, the F/X Wireless Surround is a smart, simple, effective solution. Look for it to hit stores in October for $399.95 SRP.

Contact info:
Polk Audio
866.764.1801