August 16, 2010
Polk Adds High Performance, Two-Component System To SurroundBar® Lineup

Sleek SurroundBar Component Home Theater (CHT) Brings True 7.1-Channel Audio To Single-Cabinet, Multichannel Category

By Gary Reber

Polk Audio®, the Speaker Specialists®, today announced the next generation in its SurroundBar series of innovative single-cabinet, multi-driver home theater systems.

Beginning in Q1 2011, Polk will ship the new SurroundBar CHT500 Component Home Theater, a 7-Channel Single-Speaker, two-piece surround system that sets a new sonic standard for single-cabinet, multichannel speaker products.

“Polk has been a leader in bar speakers since the introduction of our first SurroundBar in 2005,” said Polk Audio Line Manager Al Baron. “With the CHT500, we are taking a major leap forward in terms of both industrial design and multichannel performance from a single speaker system.”

The SurroundBar CHT500 is less than 1 ½” inches deep and is housed in a 49” black extruded aluminum enclosure that blends right in with the latest 50” or larger flat panel televisions. Three next-generation Polk Audio ¾” ring radiator tweeters — found only in top-of-the-line floor standing, bookshelf and in-wall/in-ceiling products — work with nine proprietary Polk 3 ½” diameter super-shallow (22.86mm depth) anodized aluminum dome mid-woofers to deliver dynamic 7.1-channel surround audio.

The power of the new SurroundBar 500CHT is harnessed and distributed from its accompanying external SDA® Control Module, which includes all of the system’s crossover components as well as Polk’s proprietary SDA® (Stereo Dimension Array) surround technologies that combine digital signal processing and acoustical geometry to create an enveloping sonic experience.

Set-up is quick and easy as the SDA Control Module connects to a receiver’s 7- or 5-channel speaker output to handle all of the signal and crossover processing for the SurroundBar 500CHT, while an included 15’ cable mates into a multi-pin connector on the back of the 500CHT. When paired with a Polk wireless subwoofer, the SurroundBar CHT500 and SDA Control Module provide a high-performance musical or movie experience with the absolute minimum of clutter. This easy integration makes the SurroundBar 500CHT an ideal, simple solution as a primary home theater speaker system or as an add-on system in a secondary location, such as a bedroom or study.

“The finest recipe must include the finest ingredients,” added Baron. “The drive units in the CHT500 are not only the finest ever developed by Polk Audio, but they are among the finest incorporated in any speaker, regardless of price. These high-performance ‘ingredients’ combine to provide a musical or movie experience not previously possible from a bar-type product.”

The SurroundBar 500CHT and SDA Control Module ship with a wall bracket, two shelf cradles, rack mountable connectivity module, and 15’ multi-conductor cable. It has a suggested retail price of $999.
 




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