Monitor 10b xo & Posts upgrade

Jack A

I completed the last Monitor 10b xo & posts upgrade after the first 10b upgrade, the next upgrade went a lot easier. I identified all components on the PC board first, aids in locating caps & resistors
1. 0008 PC board
2. 0013 Terminal hub old posts
3. 0009 Wires from fuse holder cut & ready to solder
4. 0014 Old connectors removed
5. 0016 Old original post
6. 0017 New Vampire BPHEX posts
7. 0010 Lock washer & two nuts(plastic washers optional)
8. 0011 Wires soldered & glued to posts all holes filled with hot glue
9. 0007 New post in terminal hub
10. 0019 Sequence for removing caps & resistors which worked well for me
11. 0012 Two Monitor 10b's xo & posts completed burn in time about 100 hours

Jack A

Two photos were left off for some reason
0007
0012:frown:

Oldfatdogs

Hay Jack Great pictures and posts. They will be very helpful to others redoing 10s. Great job, How are they sounding with all your upgrades?

DON73

Thanks for posting the photos Jack. The x overs on my 10s will be my next project.

Jack A

Oldfatdogs,
They are sounding great better every day...Sorry they left on 2 photos they keep telling they were already attached to a thread and they were not.

Jack A

Don73,
Thanks Polk left off 2 photos, keep telling me the photos were already attached and they were not ????

TennMan

Jack A wrote: »

Don73,
Thanks Polk left off 2 photos, keep telling me the photos were already attached and they were not ????

Here are the two photos that were left out. 7 is the new binding post and 12 is the upgraded crossover.

Good job Jack!!

On3s&Z3r0s

Nice work! I was about to start my own thread detailing a post upgrade but it looks like you pretty much got it covered. It's definitely some good information for those looking to use the Vampire BPHEX posts. Some other things people might want to note are that the threaded posts are 5/16" for the BPHEX which is bigger than the stock posts, so the holes need to be enlarged with a drill.

Also, I noticed there's a "sided-ness" to the plastic washers if you're using them. The one white (neoprene?) washer for each post is flat on both sides. The other white washer and corresponding red washer have a slightly proud ring right around the threads on one side. I think the order of assembly is meant to be:

1. Flat white plastic washer goes against the cup
2. Non-flat washer gets the raised side down toward the flat washer
3. Then the lock washer
4. Then the nuts

I wish I was smart enough to wait to screw the nuts down until after soldering. The extra thermal mass doesn't help when trying to get everything hot enough to take solder (newbie mistake). At least I didn't solder without slipping the washers/nuts over the wire first. That would have been worse. It's also good to completely remove the retaining nuts on the business end of the binding posts when soldering for the same reason.

Thanks for posting!

DON73

Jack A wrote: »

Oldfatdogs,
They are sounding great better every day...Sorry they left on 2 photos they keep telling they were already attached to a thread and they were not.

How did they sound the first time you played them? The Sonic caps are more expensive than others.....I'm getting x overs for my model 7s and Sonic caps are what I bought. Cost more than the speakers when shipping and sales tax (Texas) are added in. I also bought Mills resistors and paid $1 extra for Sonic to find a 34uf cap.
If you had to do other speakers would you go with Sonics again? I'm asking because I want to do my model 10s but I'm hesitant to spend the $$ if there is little or no difference in say Sonic and Solen. Some CP members have used Clarity but they don't list anything close to 34uf.

TennMan

Don, I'm in the same boat. I look forward to hearing what capacitors you decide on for the 10s.

I'm leaning toward ClarityCap PX from Madisound for the 12uf capacitors and Erse Audio PulseX 33uf caps. I want to use Mills resistors. I wish there was a better alternative in this price range that had everything needed in one place.

DON73

TennMan wrote: »

Don, I'm in the same boat. I look forward to hearing what capacitors you decide on for the 10s.

I'm leaning toward ClarityCap PX from Madisound for the 12uf capacitors and Erse Audio PulseX 33uf caps. I want to use Mills resistors. I wish there was a better alternative in this price range that had everything needed in one place.

I ordered everything from Sonic because I got all I needed at one place. I paid a premium but I'll only do the speakers once. I also paid almost 9% sales tax because Sonic has a facility in TX. I'm surprised that it's almost impossible to find a place that has it all. It's the 34uf/33uf cap that they don't have usually. From reading the forum there are a lot of Polks being recapped and they usually use the 34uf and 12uf. Some supplier should make a kit.

TennMan

DON73 wrote: »

I ordered everything from Sonic because I got all I needed at one place. I paid a premium but I'll only do the speakers once. I also paid almost 9% sales tax because Sonic has a facility in TX. I'm surprised that it's almost impossible to find a place that has it all. It's the 34uf/33uf cap that they don't have usually. From reading the forum there are a lot of Polks being recapped and they usually use the 34uf and 12uf. Some supplier should make a kit.

I doubt any parts supplier that reads this forum would ever consider making up a kit. There is so much disagreement about capacitors in the lower price range that the supplier wouldn't do it for fear of the kit being criticized for the brand of components used. I don't understand why there is not a consensus about who makes the best low priced capacitors like there is for SoniCaps in the higher price range.

Sonicraft has the market cornered for the folks willing to spend that much on capacitors. I don't mean to sound critical of Sonicraft because from all accounts they offer a quality product and good customer service plus they have all the capacitors and resistors in the proper sizes to rebuild the monitor 10s. It's one stop shopping if you buy from them. Everyone who can afford to buy them seems to be happy. For the rest of us who can't or don't want to spent the money for Sonicaps choosing the right capacitor is not as clear cut.

Toolfan66

Nice Job!!!!!

Jack A

Thanks Ronnie

Jack A

Don, TenMan sent in the 2 missing photos

Jack A

on3s&Zsros, Re: the plastic red & white washers, I spoke with Jeff at Sonic Craft were I purchased my Vampire post,caps and resistors I asked him about the plastic washers were do they go. Answer they are just extra parts for different applications really not needed.

Attached photo 5/16 holes for the Vampire posts.

Jack A

Your welcome Don

On3s&Z3r0s

Jack A wrote: »

on3s&Zsros, Re: the plastic red & white washers, I spoke with Jeff at Sonic Craft were I purchased my Vampire post,caps and resistors I asked him about the plastic washers were do they go. Answer they are just extra parts for different applications really not needed.

Attached photo 5/16 holes for the Vampire posts.

That's good to know... I assumed maybe they were supposed to create a more airtight seal around the post when compressed, but the hot glue would definitely do a better job of that anyway.

Jack A

I just know Sonic caps & Mills resistors seems to be the first choice. After upgrading caps, resistors & binding posts the 10b's are Rockers. Do it right the first time. the 34uf is a custom cap that can be hard to find. Jeff at Sonic Craft will make them.

Jack A

Just installed three left front, center, right front 6' 14 gauge wire & ultra-sonic welded locking connectors from Blue Jeans Cable (sale@bluejeanscable.com.).
There is a big difference in sound from the old 16 gauge speaker wire.
One note of caution, the connector shaft comes not screwed up tight DO NOT TIGHTEN BEFORE INSTALLING ON POSTS. You will not be able to push onto the binding post. Install the connector first then tighten the shaft which will lock the the connector to the posts. This is a first class banana connector.

DON73

Sonicraft tests all of their capacitors for correct tolerance and sometimes they find some that are 34uf or very close and thats the ones you get if you have to have 34uf.........costs a dollar extra. Parts for my 7s cost almost $170.
Two 34uf, two 12uf and because my crossovers are different I had to buy 2 Mills resistors.




When I was a teenager I had a friend that restored a 1940 Coupe. He put a Chevrolet V8 in and a B&M Hydro and a lot more goodies. When he was finished he had spent more than a brand new Cadillac but he was thrilled with his Ford. That's the way with restoring these old speakers......I'll probably have more in the 7s or 10s than a new set would cost but I'll be happy.http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif

Jack A

Correction, that should be 12 AWG not 14 AWG

transmaster

Hello everybody I have a set of Polk 10B's I purchased new back in the early 1980's. They have not moved from their current location in more then 15 years. In the last 6 years or so they have not had much use as I had a first rate 5.1 Klipsch speaker system for My PC. The Klipsch system died hard, I am not at all pleased pleased with the trouble I had keeping it going. With the purchase of a new Onkyo receiver I hooked the 10B's to it. I found one of the 10B has a technical problem very little sound and what there is sounds very strangled. I suppose the lack of use has caused failure in one or more of the cap's in the crossover. Once I hit it up with the test equipment we will see. I really appreciate the photo's on this threat it will help a bunch. Is there some where I can get an actual systematic for the 10B.

When I first looked up the 10B online I had no idea these speakers are so well thought of. I will definitely refurbish then and keep them in use.

F1nut

If your 10B's have a fuse mounted to the binding post cup, remove it, clean the fuse ends and the fuse clips. If they don't have a fuse, the polyswitches on the crossover boards have failed. Either replace in kind or remove them and replace with a jumper or replace with a low value (.22 ohm to .5 ohm) Mills 12 watt resistor.