Monitor 5 series 2!

rallyshark

I just spotted these on CL, and they seem to be in good shape. I would love to get these, but I can't even spare the $50 they are asking:( I'm sure they would make someone very happy though:) I have no affiliation with these speakers. Maybe someone will grab'em.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/ele/1724867365.html

Litz

rallyshark wrote: »

I just spotted these on CL, and they seem to be in good shape. I would love to get these, but I can't even spare the $50 they are asking:( I'm sure they would make someone very happy though:) I have no affiliation with these speakers. Maybe someone will grab'em.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/ele/1724867365.html

I have no idea how these compare to the 5A or B.... but the price is FINE!

shadowofnight

Somebody local to them grab those, at that price and condition they are a steal.

I just grabbed a really nice pair of the same exact ones on craigslist myself some months back, and I wouldnt sell em for 4x what they are asking for those.

comfortablycurt

Looks like they're in great shape!

$50 is a great price too.

Bobsama

They sound pretty good; the SL2500 tweeter, to most, is an improvement over the SL1000 & SL2000 versions of the Monitor 5's. However, some M5's (mine included) switched from the regular crossover with binding posts to those crappy clamps you find on most consumer speakers. The crossover's soldered directly to the clamps. They still sound great, though.

Litz

Bobsama wrote: »

They sound pretty good; the SL2500 tweeter, to most, is an improvement over the SL1000 & SL2000 versions of the Monitor 5's. However, some M5's (mine included) switched from the regular crossover with binding posts to those crappy clamps you find on most consumer speakers. The crossover's soldered directly to the clamps. They still sound great, though.

That brings into question: how much of the improvement can be attributed to the driver...vs the xover components?

I found LONG ago that the very same Vifa dome tweet can sound anywhere from unimpressive, bright or harsh to magificiently detailed (like Vandersteen and Von Schwiekert. for example).

Bobsama

Litz wrote: »

That brings into question: how much of the improvement can be attributed to the driver...vs the xover components?

I found LONG ago that the very same Vifa dome tweet can sound anywhere from unimpressive, bright or harsh to magificiently detailed (like Vandersteen and Von Schwiekert. for example).

*shrug* The tough way to respond to that is to question how to fairly test speakers. I don't want to get into that because I don't want to get into a flame war about generic vs. high-end cables or the effects of that last 1%. To be honest, I think both versions of the M5s2 crossovers are the same component-wise.

Anyways, about the tweeters, if you like the sound of the RDO-198-1, that's the drop-in upgrade for SL2500 and SL3000 tweeters. So if you don't like these tweeters (they sound good to me), you can just grab the replacements.

heiney9

Bob, those spring clips must have been added by another owner. To the best of my knowledge the M5, M7, M10 series II never used those from the factory. Some later M4's used them. It is possible that a very final run of M5 series II might have used them as odds and ends were known to be used from the Polk parts bin, but for the price when new I doubt it very much.

YMMV

H9

Litz

Bobsama wrote: »

*shrug* The tough way to respond to that is to question how to fairly test speakers. I don't want to get into that because I don't want to get into a flame war about generic vs. high-end cables or the effects of that last 1%. To be honest, I think both versions of the M5s2 crossovers are the same component-wise.

Anyways, about the tweeters, if you like the sound of the RDO-198-1, that's the drop-in upgrade for SL2500 and SL3000 tweeters. So if you don't like these tweeters (they sound good to me), you can just grab the replacements.

Good plan! I ask not to cause controversy, but because I am soon restoring some 5A's and installing some higher quality xover parts and wiring. (I am also bypassing the fuse).

heiney9

The RD0's in place of the sl2000 along with newer non-electrolytic caps and wire wound resistors make a HUGE difference. Don;t believe me, try it for yourself. I started with just caps and resistors and left the aged sl200o tweet in place.............couldn't stand it so I promptly ordered the RD0 replacement silk domes.......................sublime

Litz

heiney9 wrote: »

The RD0's in place of the sl2000 along with newer non-electrolytic caps and wire wound resistors make a HUGE difference. Don;t believe me, try it for yourself. I started with just caps and resistors and left the aged sl200o tweet in place.............couldn't stand it so I promptly ordered the RD0 replacement silk domes.......................sublime

I may yet try the RDO. I can believe it because technology has improved. For ex: The new ring radiator tweeter is a leap beyond the original litzwire peerless in linearity, detail, response, power handling...etc.

I need to look into sourcing these RDO tweets anyway while I am on a roll..

Bobsama

heiney9 wrote: »

Bob, those spring clips must have been added by another owner. To the best of my knowledge the M5, M7, M10 series II never used those from the factory. Some later M4's used them. It is possible that a very final run of M5 series II might have used them as odds and ends were known to be used from the Polk parts bin, but for the price when new I doubt it very much.

YMMV

H9

They're official Polk. Perhaps last-run (mine are September 1991 manufactured), though. No reason to remove binding posts and the cabinets are also original Polk. Either way, I'll tear these down, take some pictures, and do the Mortite mods on both these and my early SDA-1's.

As for the huge audio generic vs. high-end controversy, I'd be more interested in seeing and identifying, scientifically, the electrical and response differences between loudspeakers (and their components).

heiney9

The original peerless (both versions) are just as good and some say better than the new RD0's. One note is the X-over's for the Monitors that use peerless tweets are different than the X-overs that use the sl2000 so some modding is needed to use the newer RD0's properly. The bezel on the peerless is smaller than the bezel on the RD0 so some cabinet modding is nec. for it to fit the opening.

H9

heiney9

Bobsama wrote: »

They're official Polk. Perhaps last-run (mine are September 1991 manufactured), though. No reason to remove binding posts and the cabinets are also original Polk. Either way, I'll tear these down, take some pictures, and do the Mortite mods on both these and my early SDA-1's.

So you bought them new that way? If not, then I'd say some one might have replaced them. But, it could be they came that way. A shame as I detest spring clip terminals. That reeks of cheapness and us audio snobs can't fit our high end cables into the clips

Bobsama

heiney9 wrote: »

So you bought them new that way? If not, then I'd say some one might have replaced them. But, it could be they came that way. A shame as I detest spring clip terminals. That reeks of cheapness and us audio snobs can't fit our high end cables into the clips

Don't worry; I am happy with my gold-plated banana plugs & on my SDA-1's. It's simply easier to manage when you have a quick-release method.

I'm not the Original Owner, but I've seen a lot of sales on eBay with the official Polk serial numbers (the top-corner stickers w/ barcodes), including mine which have those stupid spring-clip terminals. Don't get me wrong; they work fine with your cheap "pin" terminals (I have some from Belkin; clamps down on up to #14 wire iirc), but they're annoying to have none the less. I purchased my M5s2's for something like $130 (iirc) shipped. As they were the only M5's on eBay at the time, I settled. I was actually going to buy M5jr's but a deal on those fell through. Either way, I'm mostly happy with these. They work fine as "bookshelf" speakers. I'm using them as NFM's at the moment due to space constraints.

heiney9

I would actually say beyond the cheap spring clips they are a very, very nice book shelf speaker. I love my 5B's in my office rig, absolutely love them. They have RD0's and x-over mods on spiked stands.

H9

billbillw

Good price, but I wouldn't say steal. These may sell for $80 under perfect conditions.