Garmin has just launched super-elite hi-fi gear through its sub-brand best known for its marine sound systems – and the stereo speakers are priced (perhaps appropriately) like a pair of Bowers & Wilkins’ Nautilus

JL Audio, owned by Garmin, unveils new hi-fi products
Two speakers: T6 and S3, each with high prices
Also reveals the CS Stereo Centerpiece preamp and streamer

Everyone’s favorite smartwatch brand Garmin has taken a break from wearables, such as the recent Tactix 8, to release a range of home audio gadgets with bank-breaking prices.

This is JL Audio’s Primacy series and this is one of Garmin’s sub-brands. You’d be forgiven for not having heard of them as their main areas are automotive and marine audio, and this leap into luxury hi-fi is sure to raise some eyebrows.

However, don’t expect these gadgets to cost the same price as the best Garmin watches. They are seriously expensive pieces of hi-fi equipment – priced to match elite items from e.g. Bowers & Wilkins and Wilson Audio – which you can only get from specialist audio retailers.

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Meet the Primacy friends

(Image credit: Garmin JL Audio)

First, let’s talk about the Garmin JL Audio Primacy T6 (just above). This is the most expensive of the bunch, selling for around $90,000 apiece. couple.

These floor-standing active speakers each have six drivers: a 1-inch carbon tweeter, a 5.5-inch midrange driver, and four 5.5-inch woofers. These are three amplifiers per unit, a total of 1000W output, and each amplifier has its own DSP and DAC, with support for 32-bit/192kHz audio.

The JL Audio Primacy S3, which retails for $35,000 per pair, the specs drop a bit. They are active speakers again, with the same 1-inch dome tweeter as the larger model, plus a 5.5-inch woofer and two amplifiers per speaker.

Both speakers have various refinements such as shaped enclosures and sound filters to offer tuned sound. They are connected via XLR, RCA or Cat 6

Rounding out the trio, ostensibly to control the others, is the $15,000 CS Stereo Centerpiece. This is both a streamer – with compatibility for various audio services – and a preamplifier. It has everything you’d hope for for the price, such as room correction, user profiles, Bluetooth compatibility and a built-in screen.

None of Garmin’s new devices are available from their website. Instead, the listings guide you to your local dealer where you can pick them up.