Polk Audio

Polk Audio was founded in 1972 in Baltimore, Maryland, by Matthew Polk, Sandy Gross, and George Klopfer — three graduates of Johns Hopkins University who set out to create loudspeakers capable of the most accurate and lifelike sound possible. Operating initially from an 18th-century mansion on Notre Dame Lane in Baltimore, the founders pursued a vision of delivering genuinely audiophile sound at prices accessible to a broad audience.

The company's early growth was driven by the Monitor 7 loudspeaker in 1974, followed by the Monitor 10 in 1976. By 1975 the operation had relocated to Dickeyville, Maryland, and Polk Audio went public on NASDAQ in 1986 after appearing on Inc. magazine's list of fastest-growing companies. A significant milestone came in 1984 with the introduction of SDA (Stereo Dimensional Array) technology, a solution to inter-aural crosstalk designed to improve stereo imaging. Later innovations included Power Port Technology and Hi-Res Audio certified product lines.

Polk Audio's product range today spans floorstanding and bookshelf loudspeakers, subwoofers, sound bars, in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, outdoor systems, and car audio. Engineering and research continues at the Audio and Acoustics Research and Development facility in Owings Mills, Maryland. The brand operates as part of Harman International Industries.