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Radiosophy, Polk Audio Receivers Still Lagging

Boston Acoustics has managed to continue to be the first and only tabletop HD Radio on the market: Back last July, I expected at least three, maybe five tabletop HD Radios to be available by now. But it appears that the engineering issues are a little more complicated than previously expected. Boston Acoustics pushed their original delivery back several months, finally producing units for the market in December. Polk Audio and Radiosophy (pictured) slipped through small increments for some time, with March being a target for both companies by late last year.

Polk Audio now says summer on its site for the $599 I-Sonic; Radiosophy has taken the opportunity to be transparent and has a status log for pre-orders of its $269 MultiStream HD to see how the engineering issues are coming.

These delays are incredibly frustrating to radio stations, I have been hearing, because the expectation in January 2005 was that receivers would be available at early adopter prices by third quarter of that year. Now nearly into second quarter of 2006, there are no automotive deals for HD Radios to be built into every model of a popular car nor tabletop receivers in much abundance.

I speculate that Boston Acoustics price drop from $499 to $299 for their Receptor Radio HD might be partially funded by iBiquity, which needs an affordable HD Radio on the market. This would be a good use of their money. Radio stations haven't slowed their plans, but this must be painful to be broadcasting to an empty house.

Crutchifield, by the way, has a deal on the Receptor Radio HD: $279 when you factor in an additional $20 mail-in rebate.

Posted by Glenn Fleishman on March 16, 2006 4:01 PM | Permalink