Garmin is moving JL Audio deeper into the high end home audio conversation with Primacy, a premium active loudspeaker system built around network streaming, amplification, signal processing, and room optimization. That approach is becoming more common across the category, as brands try to simplify hi-fi without asking listeners to build a rack full of separate components.
But Primacy is not chasing the same customer as WiiM, Eversolo, or other value driven streaming platforms. Garmin and JL Audio are making a much bigger ask. They want audiophiles to buy into a complete ecosystem where the streamer, preamp, DSP, room correction, amplifiers, and loudspeakers are designed to work together from the start. At $50,000 to $105,000, that is not convenience audio. That is a controlled, luxury hi-fi system for buyers who want fewer boxes, fewer cables, and far less guesswork.
JL Audio Primacy
Primacy will be offered in two loudspeaker configurations: the T6 three-way tower loudspeakers or the S3 two-way bookshelf/stand-mount loudspeakers. Both systems are designed around the same basic idea: keep the amplification, signal processing, loudspeakers, and system control working as one package instead of forcing the customer to assemble the whole thing one expensive box at a time.
That matters because this is not a passive speaker system waiting for someone to add an amplifier, streamer, DAC, and room correction later. Garmin and JL Audio are selling Primacy as a complete active loudspeaker ecosystem, with the electronics and speakers intended to operate together from the beginning.
The hub of the Primacy system is the CS Centerpiece, which handles network streaming, preamp duties, system control, and room optimization processing. In other words, this is where the Primacy system stops being just a pair of active loudspeakers and becomes a complete JL Audio ecosystem.
“Primacy reflects our unwavering commitment to integrate modern lifestyles and technologies into luxury audio that is high performing, beautifully built, and uniquely optimized for the space it is in,” said Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing. “The ultimate audio experience, Primacy lets you listen to music, movies, and games like you are there live, inside the scene, with amazing clarity of every sound.”
Inside the JL Audio Primacy System: Streaming, Room Optimization, and Active Loudspeakers
Active Design: The Primacy T6 and S3 are active loudspeakers with DSP based audio filtering and built in amplification for each driver section. JL Audio uses switching amplifier technology, with DSP filtering applied at the input of each active amplifier channel. The goal is tighter control over each driver and better integration across the loudspeaker, rather than relying on an external amplifier and passive crossover network to sort it all out after the fact.
The Primacy T6 is the floorstanding tower option, while the Primacy S3 is the bookshelf or standmount model for smaller rooms, secondary spaces, or installations where a full tower makes less sense. Not everyone wants a loudspeaker that looks like it requires its own zoning permit.
Precision Machined Alloy Enclosure: Each Primacy loudspeaker uses a single cast, precision machined aluminum alloy enclosure with integrated internal bracing and woofer ports. That construction is designed to improve structural rigidity, reduce unwanted resonance, and support more predictable acoustic performance. It also makes the system feel more like a finished luxury product than another wooden box pretending the room is not part of the problem.
Primacy Automatic Room Optimization: Primacy Automatic Room Optimization, or P.A.R.O., measures and optimizes the system during setup, including any additional powered subwoofers used with the system. According to JL Audio, P.A.R.O. automatically adjusts crossovers, levels, equalization, and delay for each driver section. That matters because this is a fully integrated active system, not a mix and match pile of components hoping the room behaves itself.
High-Performance Triple-Core DSP: A digital signal processor, operating at 32-bit/192 kHz audio resolution, provides precise control over crossover filters, equalization, dynamics, and delay and phase.
Dante Digital Network: Dante is an audio/video networking technology that is built into each Primacy loudspeaker. Dante supports efficient routing, control, and connectivity for streaming pristine digital audio directly to the Primacy loudspeakers’ internal amplifiers.
The Primacy Centerpiece
CS Centerpiece System Hub: The Primacy CS Centerpiece is the control hub for the system, combining network streaming, preamplifier functions, source connectivity, and control for the T6 and S3 active loudspeakers. It is designed to keep the main system functions in one component rather than requiring separate boxes for streaming, preamplification, source selection, and system control.
Streaming and Source Connectivity: The CS Centerpiece supports Bluetooth, AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Qobuz Connect, and TIDAL Connect. It also provides wired digital and analog inputs, including MM/MC phono input for turntable users. That gives Primacy support for both modern streaming services and traditional sources.
External Tabletop Remote: The system includes an external wireless tabletop remote, giving users physical control without relying only on a phone or tablet.
Minimalist Industrial Design: The CS Centerpiece has a clean, minimalist design intended to integrate into a room without drawing too much attention. That fits the broader Primacy approach: fewer visible components, fewer cables, and a more controlled system layout.
The centerpiece connects to the Primacy T6 and S3 active loudspeakers via Dante networking. This supports a high-resolution digital signal flow and includes a wireless, Wi-Fi connected tabletop remote controller that features a weighted volume knob and touch buttons to select source, profile, and more.
Primacy App
As a complement to the Centerpiece, JL Audio’s Primacy App also provides audio and room optimization control. The app can also be used to create, store, and name listening profiles optimized for different listening positions, equalization preferences, and activities.
JL Audio Primacy Comparison
| JL Audio Model | T6 | S3 |
| Product Type | Floorstanding Active Speaker | Bookshelf Active Speaker |
| Price (Pair) | $90,000 | $35,000 |
| Driver Configuration | 3-Way | 2-Way |
| Drivers | 1 x Tweeter: 1″ 1 x Midrange: 5.5″ 4 x Woofer: 5.5″ | 1 x Tweeter: 1″ 1 x Woofer: 5.5″ |
| Enclosure type | Tweeter: Sealed Midrange: sealed, secondary cast alloy enclosure Woofer: bass-reflex design vented at the base of the primary cast alloy enclosure | Tweeter: Sealed Woofer: bass-reflex design vented at the base of the primary cast alloy enclosure |
| Amplifier Power (RMS) | 1000 W (Total) Tweeter: 200 W Midrange: 200 W Woofer: 600 W | 400 W (Total) Tweeter: 200 W Woofer: 200 W |
| Frequency response (Anechoic) | 45 Hz to 20 kHz, ±2 dB, -3 dB @ 35 Hz, -6 dB @ 32 Hz. | 55 Hz to 20 kHz, ±2 dB, -3 dB @ 44 Hz, -6 dB @ 36 Hz. |
| Digital to Analog Converters | ESS SABRE Reference DACs x 3 (operating in mono mode) | ESS SABRE Reference DACs x 3 (operating in mono mode) |
| Analog to Digital Converter | ESS SABRE ES9822PRO (operating in mono mode) | ESS SABRE ES9822PRO (operating in mono mode) |
| Digital Signal Processor | AKM triple-core with Velvet Sound technology, processing at 32 bit/192 kHz for local system volume, crossovers, delays, equalization, and dynamics for each amplifier and driver section | AKM triple-core with Velvet Sound technology, processing at 32 bit/192 kHz for local system volume, crossovers, delays, equalization, and dynamics for each amplifier and driver section |
| Signal Processing | Unbalanced input(s) Mono (one RCA jack – input impedance of 50k ohms) Balanced input(s) Mono (one female XLR jack – input impedance of 50k ohms) | Unbalanced input(s) Mono (one RCA jack – input impedance of 50k ohms) Balanced input(s) Mono (one female XLR jack – input impedance of 50k ohms) |
| Calibration mode | Primacy Automatic Room Optimization (P.A.R.O.) via PC and Primacy Centerpiece (sold separately) | Primacy Automatic Room Optimization (P.A.R.O.) via PC and Primacy Centerpiece (sold separately) |
| Input modes | Analog or Dante Network | Analog or Dante Network |
| 12 V trigger output capacity | 50 mA max (1/8″ (3.5 mm) mini jack) | 50 mA max (1/8″ (3.5 mm) mini jack) |
| Maximum peak short-term sine wave acoustic output, averaged from 100 Hz to 3 kHz @ 1 m, half space | >112 dB SPL | >114 dB SPL |
| Dante Network Connections | Two RJ45 ports | Two RJ45 ports |
| Analog input sensitivity | 0.32 V (-10 dBV) to 8.0 V (+18 dBV) | 0.32 V (-10 dBV) to 8.0 V (+18 dBV) |
| Input modes | Analog or Dante® Network | Analog or Dante® Network |
| Input Grounding | Isolated or grounded (analog inputs) | Isolated or grounded (analog inputs) |
| Level control | Level Trim (dB): 0 to -5 dB and muted (-∞) | Level Trim (dB): 0 to -5 dB and muted (-∞) |
| Filter frequency range High-pass | 80 Hz | 80 Hz |
| Crossover frequencies/slope | 240 Hz/3 kHz, 24 dB/octave Linkwitz-Riley | 240 Hz/3 kHz, 24 dB/octave Linkwitz-Riley |
| Processing bit depth/resolution | 32 bit/192 kHz | 32 bit/192 kHz |
| Power modes | Off, on or automatic (signal-sensing or 12V trigger) | Off, on or automatic (signal-sensing or 12V trigger) |
| Mains voltage | 100 to 240V AC, 50/60 Hz | 100 to 240V AC, 50/60 Hz |
| Enclosure Finish (Standard) | Black gloss | Black gloss |
| Dimensions | Height: 48.9″ (1,242 mm) Width: 14.2″ (361 mm) Depth 21.2″ (538 mm) | Height: 20.7″ (526 mm) Width: 10.1″ (257 mm) Depth: 13.5″ (343 mm) |
| Weight | 272 lbs (123 kg) | 82 lbs (37 kg) |
| In The Box | T6 speaker with black gloss decorative side panels Power cord Documentation White gloves Grille(s) included | S3 speaker with black gloss decorative side panels Power cord White gloves Documentation |
Primacy CS Centerpiece Specifications
| Jl Audio Model | Primacy CS Centerpiece |
| Product Type | Streamer, Preamp, Controiller |
| Price | $15,000 |
| Construction | Primary cast aluminum alloy enclosure with secondary machining, glass top, and fascia |
| Volume control | Machined aluminum rotary dial with active lighting ring and push-button center cap |
| Display | RGB AMOLED dead front, 640 x 320 pixels, 198 ppi, 70 x 43 mm active area |
| Circuitry Shielding | Modular architecture with isolated power supply and dedicated, fully shielded secondary enclosures for analog and phono subsections |
| Thermal Management | Active, quiet-flow fan cooling system with user-serviceable air intake filtration |
| Streaming Functionality | Apple® AirPlay® 2, Google Cast™, Qobuz Connect, Roon Ready, SPOTIFY® Connect, TIDALSMConnect, and more… |
| Network Standard | UPnP/DLNA |
| Digital to Analog converters | ESS SABRE Reference DACs x 2 (operating in mono mode) |
| Analog to Digital Converters | ESS SABRE PRO x 2 (operating in mono mode) |
| Digital signal processor | AKM triple-core with Velvet Sound technology, with local input switching/routing and line output processing |
| Processing bit depth/resolution | 32 bit/192 kHz |
| Sample Rate Conversion | Dedicated, hardware asynchronous sample rate converters for rate matching non-analog inputs to core 32-bit/192 kHz processing |
| Primacy® Automatic Room Optimization (P.A.R.O.) | Yes – Includes speaker and subwoofer optimization |
| Computer Requirements | A computer running the Primacy Desktop application Windows 10 (OS Build 1809 or later), 11 Mac OS 14, 15, 26 |
| Audio Settings | Balance: left/right channel slider Tone controls: Off/on Bass: -6.0 dB to +6.0 dB in 0.5 dB steps Midrange: -6.0 dB to +6.0 dB in 0.5 dB steps Treble: -6.0 dB to +6.0 dB in 0.5 dB steps Extreme Low Frequency (E.L.F.) Trim –12 dB to 0 dB in 0.5 dB steps |
| Network Digital Audio Transport | Protocol Dante® audio over IP Standard 802.3ab compliant (1000BASE-T) Four RJ45 (Four-port switch, redundant or daisy chain Dante + control) 2 Channels @ 32 bit/192 kHz |
| Unbalanced Analog Inputs (RCA) | Two sets of left and right RCA input jacks Input impedance: 47 kΩ Frequency response 20 Hz to 20 kHz (+/- 0.02 dB) |
| Phono Inputs (RCA) | Left and right RCA input jacks, plus grounding terminal – MM and MC compatible RIAA equalization method: Two separate passive networks per channel, one each for low and high frequencies. RIAA frequency response 20 Hz to 20 kHz (+/- 0.2 dB) |
| Optical Input (Toslink) | 3 x Toslink (SPDIF) Input receiver transfer rate 25 Mbps (max) Input receiver sensitivity (min) –27 dBm Input receiver wavelength 650 nm Digital input data type: 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz, 24-bit LPCM |
| HDMI Input | Standard HDMI 2.1/HDMI-CEC Audio format 2 CH LPCM (ARC/eARC) Sample rate support 16/20/24/32 bit @ 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192 kHz |
| USB Input (USB-C®) | USB 2.0 (high speed) ASIO 2.3.1 compliant driver (supports audio class 1.0/2.0 and USB 2.0 full-speed/high-speed devices PCM: 16/20/24 bit @ 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/352.4/384 kHz DSD: 1x/2x/4x |
| Subwoofer Outputs | Two sets of analog subwoofer output jacks (RCA and XLR) |
| Network/Wireless Specifications | LAN 802.3ab compliant (1000BASE-T) (for the best streaming experience, a wired LAN connection is recommended) WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax 2×2 MIMO (Wi‑Fi® 6) Bluetooth® 5.1 SBC with AAC codec RST DFU USB-2 USB-3 Service controls |
| Power | Mains voltage 100 to 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz Power consumption Standby in Eco mode: < 7.0 W Idle power consumption (active with no signal) 120 V: ~34 W, 240 V: ~40 W |
| 12 Volt Trigger | 12 VDC input: 1/8″ (3.5 mm) mini jack, tip positive 12 VDC output 1/8″ (3.5 mm) mini jack, tip positive, 50 mA max. load |
| CS Centerpiece Physical Specifications | Overall height (including feet) 3.61″ (92 mm) Chassis height 3.31″ (84 mm) Width 13.10″ (333 mm) Overall depth (including volume control and connections) 11.30″ (287 mm) Net weight 18 lbs (8 kg) |
| CS Remote Controller Physical Specifications | Height 1.20″ (31 mm) Width 6.61″ (168 mm) Depth 3.98″ (101 mm) Net weight 1.72 lbs (0.78 kg |
| What’s In The Box | Primacy centerpiece Tabletop remote controller USB-C cables (4 m and 2 m) P.A.R.O. microphone Power cord Microphone fixturing accessories Microfiber cloth Documentation |
The Bottom Line
Garmin’s JL Audio Primacy is a luxury active audio system built around the $15,000 CS Centerpiece and either the $90,000 T6 towers or $35,000 S3 bookshelf/standmount speakers. The hook is integration: streaming, MM/MC phono, room correction, Dante networking, DSP, amplification, and loudspeakers designed to work as one system.
What makes it different is also the gamble. Primacy is not as design-forward as the best Bang & Olufsen systems or as exotic as some Goldmund wireless offerings, but it appears to offer deeper system control, more serious connectivity, and customizable speaker finishes through removable exterior plating.
What’s missing? Flexibility. At this price, many audiophiles may still want to choose their own electronics and speakers. Primacy is for luxury buyers who want high-end audio without the usual stack of boxes, cables, and setup anxiety.
Price & Availability
JL Audio Primacy Systems are available through JL Audio and Authorized Dealers
- Primacy T6 Active Floorstanding/Tower Speakers are priced at $90,000 (pr)
- Primacy S3 Active Bookshelf/Standmount Speakers are priced at $35,000 (pr)
- Primacy CS Centerpiece Streamer/Preamp/Controller is priced at $15,000
- Primacy T6 Speaker/CS Centerprice system would be priced at $105,000
- Primacy S3 Speaker/CS Centerpiece system would be priced at $50,000
Pro Tip: Primacy loudspeakers can be customized with a variety of finishes to complement the design of any room.
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