Original Monitor 4s: Pictures and Questions

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kevinko
kevinko Posts: 165
edited March 2017 in Vintage Speakers
This was only two weeks ago...

http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/176392/a-crying-shame/p1

I still wanted a pair so I did a nationwide Craigslist search and found a pair of original Monitor 4s in Pennsylvania. The seller was willing to ship them to Wisconsin. They arrived last week - boxed and bubble wrapped like it was Christmas morning.

fwma8smmflqv.jpg

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  • kevinko
    kevinko Posts: 165
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    The only flaw I have found so far is a creased dome on one of the tweeters. The other tweeter dome looks fine.

    mscf4c1ftb4n.jpg
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  • kevinko
    kevinko Posts: 165
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    Tweeters are stamped 75140883 but have a "Made in USA" sticker. I thought the 7514 indicated that they were made in Denmark.

    9f7w96mjghiz.jpg
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  • kevinko
    kevinko Posts: 165
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    Batting is stiff and brittle and will be replaced. It is stuffed in the bottom of the cabinet around the driver. Is this where the batting should be?

    f5q8ls0xsu7h.jpg
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  • kevinko
    kevinko Posts: 165
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    I read an old thread that suggested that Polk might have used different crossover designs for the Denmark and the USA Peerless. Does anyone know if this is true?

    yir7u335mv6d.jpg
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  • kevinko
    kevinko Posts: 165
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    My receiver was professionally cleaned last week so the speakers will be tested with a little John Coltrane this evening...
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  • Faustin
    Faustin Posts: 1,149
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    My understanding is that the 7514 Peerless were made in Denmark. Who knows, maybe Polk put a made in US sticker on them to indicate that the Polk speaker was American made. In regards to the c/o....... good luck. The early 4's Polks I had a couple of years ago had a c/o that was identical to a Monitor 10 c/o. I rebuilt them and they sounded great, but I was not able to get a "straight " answer from Polk or anyone else as to why they had that c/o.
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  • Faustin
    Faustin Posts: 1,149
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    Oh, In regards to the batting, I had the same foam in mine and replaced it some polyfill I believe that I bought at a fabric store
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  • kevinko
    kevinko Posts: 165
    edited March 2017
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    Faustin wrote: »
    maybe Polk put a made in US sticker on them to indicate that the Polk speaker was American made
    I think the stamp might be wrong. But why would the USA shop even have a Denmark stamp?

    From this old thread:
    http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/99168/vintage-peerless-clarification

    A quote in reference to a 5514:
    geppy1 wrote: »
    Same markings as above But gold back, no flat spot and a dimple in the middle on the back Seems to have been used in 1983

    geppy1's image of this tweeter:
    j64xleik0n99.jpg

    It looks the same as mine but with a little different dimple.
    sm8rw24emgyo.jpg

    You gotta love the Polk mysteries.

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  • kevinko
    kevinko Posts: 165
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    And now that I hear them for the first time I have stopped caring where they were made.
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  • kevinko
    kevinko Posts: 165
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    These 4s sound crisp and smooth at the same time. Little bass but for late night jazz in a tiny apartment they're perfect. And they don't sound like they have a cold like my 5jrs do.
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,071
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    They're great little speakers for sure. Keep your eye out for a pair of mint Peerless tweeters and a MW6500 or two. I think it's good to have extra drivers on hand, just in case. You might not agree.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,071
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    Faustin wrote: »
    My understanding is that the 7514 Peerless were made in Denmark. Who knows, maybe Polk put a made in US sticker on them to indicate that the Polk speaker was American made. In regards to the c/o....... good luck. The early 4's Polks I had a couple of years ago had a c/o that was identical to a Monitor 10 c/o. I rebuilt them and they sounded great, but I was not able to get a "straight " answer from Polk or anyone else as to why they had that c/o.

    That is strange. Is it possible a previous owner replaced the M4 cups and crossovers from M10's?
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • kevinko
    kevinko Posts: 165
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    Nightfall wrote: »
    You might not agree

    I do.

    I think I'm gonna pick up a pair of the Midwests when they become available in 3-4 weeks (I'm told). Would be nice to have a new and "close-enough" backup pair of those.

    I have also read that the 6503s are "close enough" and still available I believe. A pair of those as well and a crossover upgrade = a lot of money. But you'd have "New" Original 4s if and when the tweeters or drivers failed.
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 4,698
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    Are you going to swap the guts into the 5jr's?
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • kevinko
    kevinko Posts: 165
    edited March 2017
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    I discussed the whole idea with the guy who cleaned my receiver. He builds speakers and knows his stuff. He advised against it.

    I would go from two good pairs of Polks, one of which sounds lovely, to a 5jr that might never sound quite right and a bunch of parts (Sl1000s, empty Monitor 4 cabinets) no one would want.
    Post edited by kevinko on
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  • kevinko
    kevinko Posts: 165
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    A pair of Peerless tweeters is up on eBay right now that are stamped 5514s with a "Made in USA" sticker on the magnet. They look identical to my 7514s.

    6km75mvaxq4y.jpg

    Maybe the parts for mine were made in USA but assembled in Denmark.
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  • kevinko
    kevinko Posts: 165
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    Yep2 wrote: »
    If you run across a vintage Onkyo Integra integrated, they are a very nice pairing...
    Onkyo being a hair bright, & the M4's non fatiguing, laid back (mine are).

    Mine too. Laid back and flat smooth. Clean and clear. I was really impressed. Paired with Marantz 2216B.
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