Polk Audio has announced a new addition to its family of Omni multi-room speakers, the S6. This speaker comes in at the high-end in comparison to its siblings the S2 and S2R. With a $350 price tag and improved specifications, Polk is using the S6 to compete with other popular multi-room speaker systems from SONOS and Denon. Read on for more details on this new release and how it stacks up to the competition.
The Omni S6 focuses on filling larger spaces with audio, leaving smaller bedrooms and offices to the S2 and S2R. This new speaker has added some functionality that was previously excluded from the Omni line-up, including support for playback via a built-in 3.5mm jack that can be re-streamed to other wireless connected speakers. Additionally, it has added support for DTS Play-Fi which brings Spotify Connect capabilities and support for playback directly from services like Pandora. The entire system can be controlled by Polk’s Omni app for iOS and Android.
Polk is using two four-inch drivers, two .75-inch tweeters and a four-channel 100W digital amplifier to drive the S6. The design is squarely aimed at competing with the SONOS PLAY:5. Notably, streaming via the 3.5mm jack is a feature that SONOS has been bragging on for years and rightfully so. This allows for non-digital audio, like a vinyl record, to be streamed throughout a home. In comparison to other speaker systems, SONOS and Polk stand out in this area from the competition.
All across the board, Polk’s Omni line-up comes in cheaper than the competition. The smaller S2 comes in at $180, while the S2R carries a $250 price tag. Today’s newly released S6 will clock in at $350 and push the Omni line-up to a higher price point. In comparison to SONOS, Polk is roughly 10-20% cheaper at the top and bottom. This lower price point will be attractive to some consumers that are looking to outfit an entire home with a system. For example, if you were to purchase two low-end speakers, a mid-range unit and a flagship set, the savings might be enough to consider going with the Polk system.
Ultimately, the choice lies in the hand of the consumer. Polk certainly is an established name across the entire spectrum of audio products but SONOS has reigned supreme in this specific sub-category. Either way, more options and increased development is a good thing for consumers all around.
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[9to5-press-release]
Polk Audio Introduces Omni S6: A High Performance Wireless Music Streaming Speaker
New Flagship Speaker Joins the Omni™ Wireless Music System to Deliver Room-Filling, Premium Sound
Vista, Calif. (Sept. 22, 2015) – Continuing to expand its presence in wireless, multi-room audio, Polk Audio—a high-performance audio brand with over a 40-year legacy of sound expertise—has announced its newest wireless streaming speaker: the Omni S6. Joining the Omni Collection, the Omni S6 (MSRP: $349.95) is ideal for medium- to large-sized rooms, and produces astonishingly loud, rich and room-filling sound for a single stereo speaker. The Omni S6 is the first speaker within the Omni Collection to support playing music via a 3.5mm jack directly to the speaker and re-streaming music to all of your Omni wireless speakers. Setup is quick and simple out of the box, and the new speaker features DTS Play-Fi® technology for instant access to popular streaming music services like Spotify Connect® and Pandora®, personal music libraries and Internet radio stations, which can be played anywhere in the home wirelessly from a phone, tablet or PC.
The Omni S6’s curved transducer array produces vibrant, room-filling stereo sound by way of two 4-inch drivers, two 0.75-inch tweeters and a dedicated four-channel, 100-watt digital amplifier. New stereo pairing functionality enables two Omni S6 speakers to work in unison as a designated left and right channel. Polk built the speaker with the companies’ proprietary Dynamic Balance™ technology—which uses specific loudspeaker materials that enhance overall audio output and limit sound distortion—ensuring the speaker delivers an authentic and immersive listening experience. To seamlessly fit into any room of the home, the design has the same warm tones, curved edges and premium materials found within the entire Omni Collection, and it exclusively features a flat backside so that it can be placed flush against a wall without inhibiting the sound. The Omni S6 comes in black or white options.
“The Omni S6 gives our customers an easy way to listen to all the music they love from a beautifully-designed wireless speaker that incorporates the same build quality and sound engineering found in our core audio line of high performance products,” said Michael Greco, global brand director for Polk Audio. “To develop the Omni S6, we took our expertise in component speakers and combined the sound we’re famous for into the fTormat of a single stereo-powered speaker. This speaker will truly surprise and delight listeners with its immersive and transparent sound.”
Coinciding with the Omni S6 debut, streaming of Spotify Connect into multiple rooms is now available for Android and iOS customers through the free Polk Omni app. Listeners have instant access to a robust music catalog of over 30 million tracks through the newly updated Spotify service, along with the ability to control and play content throughout the home to multiple Polk Omni and other DTS Play-Fi-enabled products. In addition to Spotify Connect availability, consumers have access to a wide selection of music streaming options from the most popular music streaming services, including Pandora and others. Consumers can also play their favorite songs from personal music libraries stored on iTunes® as well as music from thousands of Internet radio stations.
An update to Polk’s Omni app will be available in the coming months and will include improvements to usability, more control and new features with special attention paid to the set up process, graphical user interface and the ability for the S6 to support re-streaming.
Omni S6 can serve as a standalone speaker or connect with other products featured in the Omni Collection, including: the compact Omni S2 tabletop speaker, the compact and portable Omni S2 Rechargeable speaker, the Omni SB1 sound bar and wireless subwoofer system, the Omni A1 amplifier, and the Omni P1 pre-amp. Thanks to the DTS Play-Fi open ecosystem, users can mix-and-match with other speakers that leverage this technology to create a whole-home, wireless audio experience.
The Omni S6 retails for $349.95 and is available now for purchase. The black Omni S6 is available for purchase at Magnolia locations inside Best Buy, and both black and white wireless speakers are available at Amazon, BestBuy.com, Crutchfield, PolkAudio.com, and other select retailers. To learn more about the Omni Collection and Omni S6, visit wireless.polkaudio.com.
About Polk Audio
Polk Audio is an award-winning designer of high-performance audio products and the largest audio brand of Sound United. Founded in 1972, Polk is a leading manufacturer of premium home theater speakers, sound bars, headphones, wireless speakers, outdoor, mobile and marine speakers and amplifiers, and other high-performance audio products. For more information on Polk Audio, please visit www.polkaudio.com. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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