JL audio introduces Primacy speakers and “CS Centerpiece”

[Puddingbuks]

Tuesday, 5 May 2026, 6:00 am CDT

Garmin redefines luxury home audio with revolutionary new Primacy® system from JL Audio®​

Unparalleled acoustic experience blends performance-driven sound with visual elegance​

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OLATHE, Kan./May 5, 2026/PR Newswire — Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) today unveiled JL Audio Primacy, a premium home audio system that offers extraordinary sound performance that’s tuned exactly for each listener’s space. Available with full-size T6 three-way tower loudspeakers or compact S3 two-way stand-mount loudspeakers, Primacy redefines high-end audio by combining the amplifier, signal processing and loudspeaker to deliver a speaker system that sounds just as remarkable as it looks—without clutter or complication. What’s more, the system is controlled and enhanced with the CS centerpiece, an elegant yet powerful networked streamer, preamplifier and room optimization processor that, when combined with the loudspeakers, sets a new standard for sonic experience.

“Primacy reflects our unwavering commitment to integrate modern lifestyles and technologies into luxury audio that’s high performing, beautifully built and uniquely optimized for the space it’s in. The ultimate audio experience, Primacy lets you listen to music, movies and games like you’re there live, inside the scene, with amazing clarity of every sound.”

–Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing

Performance-Driven Sound

• Active Design: Primacy loudspeakers replace traditional energy-draining passive components with fully active designs featuring precise DSP-based audio filtering. Each loudspeaker features multiple built-in amplifiers – one for each driver section – employing the most advanced switching technology from JL Audio. DSP filtering occurs at the input of each of the active amplifier channels for optimal control and damping over each moving diaphragm.
• Beautifully Crafted Alloy Enclosure: Each loudspeaker features a single cast, precision‑machined aluminum‑alloy enclosure with integrated internal bracing and woofer ports to deliver exceptional resonance control, structural integrity and acoustic performance.
• Primacy Automatic Room Optimization (P.A.R.O.): Audio signals are automatically adjusted to deliver an optimized listening experience to specific locations in the room based on the user’s preference.
• High-Performance Triple-Core DSP: A digital signal processor, operating at 32-bit/192 kHz audio resolution, provides precise control over crossover filters, equalization, dynamics, delay and phase.
• Dante® Digital Network: Built-in professional, studio-grade audio/video networking technology, Dante is built into each Primacy loudspeaker and establishes a routing, control and audio connection that streams pristine digital audio directly to the Primacy loudspeakers’ internal amplifiers.

Video: Experience Luxury Audio with Primacy

The Peak of Simplicity and Performance

Primacy Centerpiece:Control and enhance a Primacy audio system with the luxury centerpiece stereo system controller that includes a source connection component, tabletop remote and options to stream audio via a connected device. The Primacy centerpiece offers an elegant design that blends into its surroundings, ensuring prime integration with its environment.

When paired with a centerpiece, the system utilizes P.A.R.O. to precisely tune for the perfect tone. P.A.R.O. measures and optimizes the entire system – as well as any additional powered subwoofers – and automatically optimizes crossovers, levels, equalization and delay for each driver section to guarantee the best possible sound in any room.

The centerpiece connects to the Primacy loudspeakers via Dante networking, preserving a high-resolution digital signal flow, and includes a wireless, Wi-Fi®-connected tabletop remote controller that features a weighted volume knob and touch buttons to select source, profile and more. Audio can be streamed from the listener’s favorite online sources; Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, plus Roon Ready, Apple Airplay® and Google Cast are all supported by the centerpiece.

Primacy App: For added convenience, audio and room optimization control can be done from the companion Primacy app. Plus, the app can also be used to create, store and name listening profiles optimized for different listening positions, equalization preference and activities.

Premium Finishes: Primacy loudspeakers can be customized with a variety of beautiful finishes to complement the design of any room.

JL Audio Primacy is available now. To learn more, please visit garmin.com.

 

[aikofan]

I love my JL Audio sub, but this gives me vibes of not being cost effective.

Edit: I wish I was wearing a Garmin tracker to measure my heart rate when I found out the list prices.

 

[kemmler3D]

Hmm, according to a comment on reddit, these are $90K/pr. Hopefully that turns out to be wrong. Nope, they really are $90K.

Seriously? These "revolutionary" speakers with (as far as I can tell) room correction technology that was not even SOTA 10 years ago?

I'm supposed to pay more than I would for the equivalent Magico to a car audio brand owned by a GPS / Smartwatch brand? This is like Chiquita Bananas trying to sell me a pizza.

They're specc'd at 112dB (100- 3000hz) and +/-2 dB down to ... 45hz. That's respectable but for the money, it's settling. And the bass response from a venerable sub brand doesn't seem impressive.

Who is running Garmin and what are they smoking? You can't just come out and charge 6 figures after tax for your very first hifi speaker. Personal opinion.

I would say $10K would be interesting, (not to me, but at least relevant to the market) with the aluminum enclosures and stuff. I am not sure who thinks highly enough of JL Audio as a hifi brand to pay 9x that for this speaker.

Maybe I'm just ignorant and the JL Audio reputation is much stronger than I realize, but I mostly think of it as an overpriced sub brand and that's about it. Am I the idiot here?

e: Apparently these cabinets are cast, which I guess requires giant molds. Large capital / engineering expenditure up front. Maybe why they cost so much. Maybe the "k-shaped economy" has made anyone who thinks $100K is a lot of money irrelevant. Who knows.

 

[Matias]

Good luck to them.

JL Audio Primacy Active Loudspeaker System Overview and First Listen

What happens when a $7B company builds a state-of-the-art loudspeaker system? JL Audio Primacy aims to redefine luxury audio with T6 towers, S3 standmount active speakers, and Centerpiece DAC/preamp.

www.audioholics.com

 

[DatSpeakerTho]

Audio in it's ultimate form, according to the picture that means one speaker behind you and to the right. It feels super lazy to me that a company asking 90k for a speaker, can't even take a real picture of it in a room.

 

[kumizi]

This is like bringing a $500k Mustang to the market. Even if it performs, people buying luxury products want luxury brands.

 

[kemmler3D]

This is like bringing a $500k Mustang to the market. Even if it performs, people buying luxury products want luxury brands.

Next up: Garmin launches a $30k watch to compete with Rolex?

 

[Pearljam5000]

 

[LTig]

That's a hell of a lot of money for a tower speaker with 4 tiny woofers.

 

[Dialectic]

Garmin is trying to find new markets now that consumers have no use for its GPS products. (Their aviation products still seem to be reasonably popular.)

 

[kyuu]

That's a hell of a lot of money for a tower speaker with 4 tiny woofers.

Yeah, I'd be all for another decent active tower speaker... but this for $100k? Why wouldn't I just get the KEF LS60 or some Genelecs?

 

[thcdru2k]

And you still have to save money for subwoofers if you want extension down to 20hz

 

[LTig]

And you still have to save money for subwoofers if you want extension down to 20hz

... probably another $20k for a JL sub with two 8" woofers? Just sayin' ...

 

[Lsc]

... probably another $20k for a JL sub with two 8" woofers? Just sayin' ...

Actually $20k will get you two JL subs with dual 12” woofers .

Also Garmin is a $7 billion dollar company which is probably only 2nd to Samsung in companies who have stakes in high end audio. Regardless, $90k feels a bit high…at least by a factor of 3 to be on the conservative side.

I liked the YouTube videos featuring them since I have a pair of Gothams but I’ll stick with my salon2 and find other ways to spend my money. Too big of a leap imho.

 

[Vacceo]

There are some technical elements I like in the system: the use of Dante protocol, the central hub, active speakers... However, I can see the same limitations in also competent and much cheaper system such as the KEF LS lineup.

To me, the frontier in these systems is still multichannel (which shouldn´t be hard given the Dante protocol) and the integration of relatively cheap and well-engineered sources such as CD or a turntable that easily integrates in the ecosystem (app and remote compatibility).

If a user is tempted by a system of this kind and finds good use for it, I´d advice to get the LS60 from KEF though.