Baltimore – An active speaker pair launched by Polk is the brand’s first active speaker pair equipped with Bluetooth and first with USB audio input.
The $399 Hampden is available at PolkAudio.com and select retailers, including Crutchfield, Stereo Advantage and Worldwide Stereo.
When connected via USB to a computer, the speakers bypass a computer’s built-in DAC for the speaker’s own DAC with DSP. When connected to sources via Bluetooth, the speakers let four people at a time jointly create a playlist. The speakers also stream Bluetooth with AptX.
The biamplified 80-watt RMS Hampden features all-wood cabinets with curved teak wood veneer, all-white front, glass-filled nylon bezels, and angled-up baffle. “Hampden is part of the Heritage Collection of products whose retro design “captures the essence of a classic pair of Polk speakers,” said Michael DiTullo, chief design officer of Polk parent Sound United, a DEI company.
Each bass-reflex speaker features 1-inch, soft-dome silk/polymer tweeter, 4.5-inch polypropylene woofer with rubber surrounds, and downfiring port. Each woofer and tweeter is powered by its own amplifier with power rating of 2×30 watts plus 2×10 watts.
Frequency response is 50Hz to 22kHz. A four-pin cable connects the two speakers together.
