Polk preps a range of headphones, speakers with a page of history

We’ve seen some pretty decent equipment come out of the labs of Polk Audio in the past when we’ve checked out sound bars, but it appears that its new range of products is targeting more than just better sound for your TV.

The new gear is aimed squarely at personal audio, and includes mobile speakers and headphones, with much of the aesthetics looking back at what sound equipment used to look like and a more retro-inspired form of design.

Polk Audio has been around for 40 years, so looking back at what audio gear used to look like makes sense for the company, and the vintage designs are things the company knows about, as it can just wander into its archive and modernise the look.

This writer is more of a headphone person, so we’ll start there, and Polk has four models in this series, with two on ear and two that go inside.

For the on-ear, there’s the $349 Buckle and the $249 Hinge, with the Buckle providing a compact over-the-ear experience, while the Hinge sits on the ear, with the former being larger for people who love big immersive sound, and the latter more portable with an aluminium hinge.

In-ear headphones are catered for with the $279 Nue Voe and the $129 Nue Era, both made from polymer resin with remotes and built-in microphones, and designed to work with iOS devices specifically.

Not everyone fancies listening to music through headphones, though, and there are two speakers coming out from Polk Audio with retro-inspired designs, too.

Designed to connect to wireless devices, Polk will have the Camden Square, which is an 18cm by 18cm speaker with a 24 hour battery aimed at people who want a non-stop audio experience.

We’re told there will be an app made available to let up to four iPhones connect and play at the same time, but anyone with a bigger device – say a laptop – will be able to plug right in using the 3.5mm jack on the side.

Then there’s the $849 Woodbourne, which is a big desktop speaker with a 180 watt amplifier, two mid-woofers, two tweeters, and a look that could make it fit into a living room with wood furniture.

Wireless technology is supported here with AirPlay, Bluetooth, and AptX, though it can also be plugged into an Ethernet connection, USB, optical, and the typical 3.5mm stereo jack.

All of these products are slated to hit shelves in Australia shortly, so look for them in retailers soon.