Polk Audio Announces a Free Weekly Music Download

[admin]

Beginning September 1st, 2012, Polk Audio will offer a free MP3 download on their website every week. This move appears to be part of a major PR campaign for Polk. A new website, a new logo, and now the announcement of a free weekly MP3 download on their website, all help create a clear message that Polk is alive and well in the audio industry. The goal of this weekly download is to embrace the musical passion of Polk Audio’s customers. To download the track, you simply have to go to Polk Audio’s website and enter in your name and email, then click the "Weekly Download" link for the free download. A new download is released every Monday.


Discuss "Polk Audio Announces a Free Weekly Music Download" here. Read the article.

[corey]

Here's what Polk's web site says:


Stay Tuned!

We are currently in talks with partners to provide you with some of the best music and video content directly from Polk!

[Cliff_is]

It's live. I just downloaded the track. The song is great,a live version of "Under Pressure".

Too bad it is mp3. I loaded it into TT Dynamic Range Meter and it got a score of 8, which is minimally acceptable.

Also, there is quite a bit of clipping if you look at it in Audacity.

Too bad they don't offer a high quality version...

[dkane360]

As a marketing major, I'm not too impressed with their rebranding. It makes no sense at all

On the subject of the free weekly download, it speaks volumes that it's offered as an mp3, especially compared to similar (although not free) offerings from Bowers and Wilkins (FLAC and ALAC downloads).

[Cliff_is]

dkane360, I completely agree.

Although they revamped their flagship line not to long ago, they seem to be focusing on big box retailers and headphones. Only offering an mp3 option is really disappointing.

Granted, this may just be a case of oversight by the marketing department.

I think there has been a shift from many AV manufactures to cater to more entry level and portable solutions. Brands that used to only be high end are starting to release more entry level products. Martin Logan is a great example of this. I am not saying this is a good or bad thing, just an observation.

here is a pic of the mp3 in Audacity.

[BoredSysAdmin]

dkane360, I completely agree.

Although they revamped their flagship line not to long ago, they seem to be focusing on big box retailers and headphones. Only offering an mp3 option is really disappointing.

Granted, this may just be a case of oversight by the marketing department.

I think there has been a shift from many AV manufactures to cater to more entry level and portable solutions. Brands that used to only be high end are starting to release more entry level products. Martin Logan is a great example of this. I am not saying this is a good or bad thing, just an observation.

here is a pic of the mp3 in Audacity.

I'm sure this mp3 would sound lovely on any iPod with $3 white Apple headphone buds

[corey]

The problem is not the Polk site, it's the Audioholics link to it. The article links to Weekly Download | Polk Audio® which has the stay tuned message. The real download is at Download of the Week | Polk Audio®

It's a 160 kb/s mp3 file. I've never owned Polk speakers, but my understanding is that they have some roll-off in the upper range. Perhaps Polk is gearing up to advertize their speaker line with the tag "160 kb/s: sounds fine on our line!"

dkane360: an mp3 download is not the problem, 160 kb/s is the problem. Try to setup a blind listening test between 320 kb/s mp3 and a wav. btw be sure to rip using Exact Audio Copy, and create the mp3 with LAME.