Polk Audio announced that it has signed a license and technology agreement with XM Satellite Radio, the nation’s leading satellite radio company, to collaborate on the development of a high performance XM satellite radio component tuner for use with existing premium home audio systems. The marriage of Polk’s long history of unparalleled design expertise and XM’s cutting edge broadcast technology will offer the best audio performance to date from an in-home XM tuner. This piece also plays heavily on aesthetics and is sized and styled to match standard premium audio components.
“We are big fans of XM Radio,” said Polk Audio President Jim Herd. “The audio quality is excellent and XM’s content is outstanding. Furthermore we see a close match between a large cross section of XM subscribers and Polk Audio’s customers.” Polk Audio and satellite radio customers share an interest in premium audio component systems and high-quality sound, he said.
“It is a true privilege to associate the XM brand with that of Polk Audio, a company that has distinguished itself in delivering outstanding performance and value to a very loyal customer base,” said Dan Murphy, SVP Retail Marketing and Distribution. “We’re very excited to be partnering with Polk to take XM’s commercial-free music and premier talk content to the next level for home audio. The discriminating listener will enjoy XM as never before.”
The product is slated for fall delivery at an MSRP of $329. Polk Audio expects to release full product details to the press in late June 2004.
About Polk Audio
Polk Audio is an international manufacturer of home and car loudspeakers with headquarters in Baltimore, MD. Matthew Polk and George Klopfer continue to lead the company they founded in 1972 with $200 and a dream. Polk Audio, The Speaker Specialists, holds over 55 US and foreign patents for advances in loudspeaker technology and design. Polk speakers are sold in over 50 countries and in audio/video retailers throughout the US and Canada. More information about Polk Audio can be found at http://www.polkaudio.com. Consumers can reach Polk Audio by phone (800) 377-7655 or by email polkcs@polkaudio.com.
About XM Satellite Radio
In the fall of 2001, XM Satellite Radio pioneered the introduction of satellite radio in the U.S. Today, XM is America’s #1 satellite radio service with more than 1.68 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City and Nashville, Tennessee at the Country Music Hall of Fame, XM’s 2004 lineup includes more than 120 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: 68 commercial-free music channels, featuring hip hop to opera, classical to country, bluegrass to blues; 34 channels of premier sports, talk, comedy, children’s and entertainment programming; and 21 channels of the most advanced traffic and weather information for major metropolitan areas nationwide. Affordable, compact and stylish XM satellite radio receivers for the home, the car, the computer and boom boxes for “on the go” are available from retailers nationwide. In addition, XM is available in more than 80 different 2004 car models. XM is a popular factory-installed option on more than 40 new General Motors models, as well as a standard feature on several top-selling Honda and Acura models. Passengers on JetBlue Airways and AirTran Airways will be able to listen to XM’s programming in-flight later in 2004.
