Buying Advice Monitor 60 vs Monitor 70

vol007

So I've read up on the Monitor 60 and 70 models pretty extensively and would appreciate some advice from the knowledgable Polk Circle. I'm between these two speakers and am about to pull the trigger on one of them as my fronts. I've read some places that the Monitor 70's are far superior and other places that the Monitor 60's with a sub are cleaner in the mids/highs, unfortunately I don't live anywhere to demo these sets live to determine it on my own.

My current setup is:
Receiver: Yamaha vx671,
Center: CS2,
Surround: Monitor 40s.

My main use for these would be roughly 70/30 Music/HT. I am living in a duplex so I won't be cranking these up to their fullest most of the time and I've never been one needing much house rattling bass, however I still plan on pairing either set with a budget Sub, probably the PSW10. Price isn't really an issue, however I can get the 60's for $215 per pair vs the 70's at $350 per pair.

As an aside, since they are going to be more music than HT, what are your experiences in listening to music in 2ch Stereo vs 2.1 vs all channel stereo? I know I'll just have to test it out and see when I get my system up, but just wanting to see what others do. Thanks so much in advance for any experiences and advice that you might have.

mole'

+1 monitor 70

Splif

This is my totally unprofessional opinion based only on what I've read and my 48 experience with my own M60's....

The concensus seems to say if you are a big music guy/gal you want the 70's because they can push a lot lower than the 60's. But they really seem to shine when you pump 200w into them. So that would require a receiver and amp.

The 60's, which I just got to my door 2 nights ago, sounded ok the first night. Last night I watched Entourage on BluRay and they sounded 100% better. But I also have a BIC F12 to compensate for the lack of a lower end compared to the 70's. I could "feel" the bass in the 60's compared to the 40's that they replaced up front. But the voices and mids were also very nice.

to sumize... 70's for music with an amp
60's for HT and light music, but you need a decent sub.

again not my professional opinion at all, just what I have read from the more experienced/informed.

djperez81

I would go with the monitor 60's and get a better sub, that psw 10 really isn't worth buying. Maybe look at a psw505 or maybe even a BIC f12 both can be bought for around 200 dollars. I think your receiver will handle the 60's better than the 70's. If you get the 60's you will have more to spend on a sub and get better bass than you would from the 70's and a psw10.

splif we must have been typing at the same time and thinking the same thing. lol

vol007

@mole - Thanks for the vote

@Splif & djperez81 - Thanks for sharing your first hand experience with the 60's and the subwoofer pointer. I hadn't heard of the BIC F12 sub before you both mentioned it, so I'll read up on it tonight, looks like it has good reviews though! Definitely saved me money by avoiding the PSW10 though since it won't add that much to either set.

I'm no audiophile by any means and most of my music library is around 192 bit rate anyways. I just know that it would be more for music. Like I said, I'm not concerned with the price difference but at the same time didn't want to buy the 70's if I A) wouldn't be taking advantage of them by playing music at mid to lower levels and didn't have the receiver to push them properly.

I figured I'd have to bi-amp them at the least, but it still wouldn't be a dramatic difference since it's coming from the same receiver. I like my receiver but unfortunately the one downfall with it is I have no pre-outs, so externally powering the 70's isn't an option, unless I could persuade NewEgg to take it back (just purchased it 5 days ago). Thanks guys for your input and anyone please feel free to chime in as well if you have any insights. This forum is so very helpful.

jbooker82

If you load up the avr with some big speakers and it cant effectivly power them then the whole sound spectrum will suffer. This is why people say to get them and dont push them hard. Trebel carries farther than bass. As you turn the volume up bass becomes more pronounced.

So if you cant crank the monitor 70's up to get them to produce the bass (due to a weak avr with no amp) then why have them.

Kind of like having a Ferrari with a Geo Metro 3 cylinder engine. All flash with no power to back it up.

vol007

Thanks jbooker82, that definitely makes sense. My amp says it's around 90-95 watts RMS and the comments on the M70s I've read made it sound like you definitely need to be around 100 watts and more than that (as mentioned by Splif above) to get their full range to come out. So if I'm on the borderline of having enough amp to really properly power them then I will step down to the 60's to avoid pointlessly buying too much speaker.

Geoff4rfc

If it's 60's you want, go for it. I got the 70's knowing I'd get an amp eventually. Got the amp. I have a killer sub and set the 70's to small.

If your Yamaha doesn't have pre-outs, go for the 60's for sure. If you've got pre-outs and believe you will eventually get an amp, consider the 70's.

vol007

It's not necessarily the 60's I want or have decided on, i don't really have a preference, but with my Amp not having preouts and being right around 90-100 wpc I just want to make sure I am not buying too much speaker when I won't be utilizing it and potentially underpowering it. Had I bought an amp that did have the capability to supply more power then my decision would be easier, but that's not the case. Either way, it's been fun getting into some of this stuff for the first time and it's great to have places to get first hand feedback and experience.

67jason

When considering the 60s or 70s, I say get the 70's other wise you might subject yourself to second guessing or what if-ing your self into madness.

Not to discount the advice given regarding WPC, I can say that my experience with both the 60s and 70s is that you shouldnt worry a whole lot about it. As long as you have something decent you should be able to power either of these speakers well for most HT or 2 channel music applications

I am currently running 70s and 60s with a cs2 off a denon 1611 and it is rated at 75wpc, and likely only putting out 50something with 5 channels being used and I can say that it sounds clean and does not leave me wanting a whole lot more for movies or music...speaking of music I have been enjoying playing the 70s at full band with no sub when listening to my CD collection. Sounds really good, but I can see where more powerful amps could help, I do have to turn it up fairly high to get a full emerssive stereo effect, a better amp would likely help me achieve this effect at lower volume levels I have had my 1611 up to -3 on the dial when listing to two channel and not once have I heard gross amounts of distortion nor has it put the avr into protection mode. As long as you power is clean you should be able to power either speaker well. The 70s are great for music btw and I can only guess how much more I would be satisfied with them if I were to have a higher powered avr/amp, but am still very pleased with what I get with the gear I have now.

Ronster267

Monitor 70's hands down, they offer more of everything. You obviously HAVE to drive your system with only the Yamaha, and it is quite capable of driving the 70's as hard as the 60's. If you come to the realization later that you need more power you will have to replace the Yamaha anyway. IMHO if you listen to HT more than 2 channel, you will need a sub regardless of your choice. My choice was the PSW 505, although there are higher end choices should you feel the need. The Monitor 70's are are thievery at current prices, high end speakers for a bargain price.

67jason

Ronster267 wrote: »

Monitor 70's hands down, they offer more of everything. You obviously HAVE to drive your system with only the Yamaha, and it is quite capable of driving the 70's as hard as the 60's. If you come to the realization later that you need more power you will have to replace the Yamaha anyway. IMHO if you listen to HT more than 2 channel, you will need a sub regardless of your choice. My choice was the PSW 505, although there are higher end choices should you feel the need. The Monitor 70's are are thievery at current prices, high end speakers for a bargain price.

X2!!
One has to remember that the 70s had an orginal msrp of nearly a grand for a set, now you can get them for 350 give or take from the egg. There is hardely another set of towers on the market in the same current price bracket that competes with them.

Also another 505 fan, in fact I got two of them (not intentially, but that is a tale for another time). For a 200 dollar sub it performs surprisingly well both for HT and music. The aforementioned bic is good, but I feel the 505 performs better musically where the bic stands out better for HT, though the 505 is no slouch there either. Best of the available psw subs.

To the op, get the best you currently can afford. It keeps the upgrade demon at bay for a bit longer.that means inmho to get the 70s and a quality sub, use your current avr until you can get something substatially better. I promise you will enjoy the 70s with your current gear.

piker

Ronster267 wrote: »

...and it is quite capable of driving the 70's as hard as the 60's.

This part is a lie. M70's take more to drive properly than the M60's. I own both pairs of speakers and spent about a year on the M60's for the front sound stage before swapping them for the M70's.

I immediately noticed the difference in how subpar the M70's sounded in comparison. They sounded faded, rather dull, lifeless, muddy, etc. The clarity and punch of the M60's was absent. After adding a separate amp is when the M70's came to life and sounded better than the M60's.

A lot of folks cannot tell the difference between onboard audio on a pc and using a dedicated sound card. The difference between using a receiver for driving the M70's and using a separate amp can be the same way. Some may not realize there's much change taking place, but those who can will surely enjoy the difference.

The M70's are better for music but need higher watts to run effectively. Especially if you plan to listen to music at low to mid volume levels only. I still say you should go for the M70's. If you don't know what you're missing then you won't realize you are missing out on anything.

Ignorance is bliss, right?

Ronster267

Geez, I guess I must be an ignorant LIAR!

ROHfan

piker wrote: »

This part is a lie. M70's take more to drive properly than the M60's.

"Lie" is a little harsh, especially considering the subjective nature of the topic.

Glowrdr

I'll add that I agree with the M70's. Granted, you may just be starting out with a system, but you gotta start somewhere right? If you get the 60's - eventually you will more than likely find yourself wanting the 70's (or a whole new speaker all together). You can't really consider the $215 you'd put towards the 60's as an investment, it needs to be "disposable" income. What I mean by this, is you might as well dish out the extra hundred bucks, rather than spending $215 and then spending another $350 later down the road.

Believe me - people around here will make you second guess every move you make. Buy one thing, and within a week you're going to want something bigger and better. Considering you just bought your receiver 5 days ago, and you've already uttered the words "Unless I can get NewEgg to take it back" - get the M70's. Good luck either way, and welcome to the club

vol007

@Glowrdr - Very true in all regards. I know that the 70's in the long run would be a more suitable product should the time arrive of upgrading other equipment. I just was wanting some feedback to make sure that it would also work out as well for the present system too.

Thanks to all for the feedback on this matter, it's been really helpful and given me more food for thought concerning the system I'm trying to piece together.

grimmace19

I ran a pair of 70s off an entry level onkyo and an entry level yamaha for a long time with no problems. Plenty of volume without any issues. I'd go 70s as you already have the cs2. This should be plenty to get you through until a sub is in the budget.

For the love of god spare yourself the displeasure of buying the psw10. In my opinion that was by far the worst audio purchase i've made along my journey.

tiberius1023

My personal experience is that the 70s are better if you're planning on using them for music only and don't plan on using a sub.....60s are great for home theater since you'll most likely be using a sub to compensate for the lack of bass. If you plan on using a sub anyway get the 60s or the polk tsi400. With a sub the 60s sound just as good as the 70s in my opinion.

Systems

djperez81 wrote: »

I would go with the monitor 60's and get a better sub, that psw 10 really isn't worth buying. Maybe look at a psw505 or maybe even a BIC f12 both can be bought for around 200 dollars. I think your receiver will handle the 60's better than the 70's. If you get the 60's you will have more to spend on a sub and get better bass than you would from the 70's and a psw10.

splif we must have been typing at the same time and thinking the same thing. lol

....+2...great Advice..if you do go with the M70's..the PSW 10 would do ok..You will get better low end with M70's..But for HT set up the PSW 10 will not hit as hard as you would like. The 505 12"sub is 300 watts and with lots more headroom...So it would pair well with the M60's..The subs in my set up's are the PWS 10..and i do like them.And got them at a great price.They fill in the low end nice..I feel that most user's who have the PSW 10 are overdriving that sub.Or they just haven't set it right.

spock 2054

You are correct about the 70's being a better speaker, but it depends on what you are using it for and the size and acoustic properties of your room.

A speaker that sounds good for music should be equally as good for a home theater application. In previous posts I've suggested that if the bass/low frequency effects are boomy or rattling the rafters, that's not a good thing. You can have the best of both worlds by buying a good, quality sub (or 2) that produces tight, musical bass, and LFE that you can feel - without pissing off your neighbors. Avoid the low end polk subs. Last Father's day, I picked up 2 70's, 2 60's and a cs2 in cherry for about $660 from newegg, shipped. For the money, you can't beat the quality of the sound from these speakers.

My 70's sounded pretty good when listening in stereo with both subs powered by an Onkyo 806, but I found they sounded even better when I plugged in the amp section from an old Pioneer receiver to power the front speakers, using the 806 as a pre-amp. In 2 channel mode without subs, they hit pretty low. With the subs engaged, they add more definition to the bass, the effect is very subtle and balanced.

The 60's are serving as surrounds - the price delta between the 70 and 60 series at the time of my purchase was 50 bucks. It was a no brainer; I went with the 70's. One of the things you might want to think about is where your ears are in relation to your speakers. I thought the 60's were a little too short. I attached some pics for your perusal. Good luck and happy listening.

Lietuvis91

Without an amp and that receiver you have I would do m60s with a nice sub, hands down...

mostlyharmless

I was using 50s as fronts and switched to the 70s recently *massive* difference, but I had to shelve the thought of running 7.1 until I buy an amp. ) Do yourself a favor, just buy the 70's now or you'll be in the position of purchasing them at some point down the line. They have a *much* more full sound (at least to my unpracticed ears) than the 50's did.

Upstatemax

You go for the Monitor 70's for the Cascade crossover, period.

I found the Cascade crossover gives a much better midrange and overall, much more fluid playback.

Of all the speakers I have heard, I still feel like the Monitor 70's was and still is one of the best bang for your buck speakers you can buy.

Lietuvis91

The m70 is a better speaker, if you can power it adequately. However, when underpowered it sounds worse than m60s, especially when it comes to clarity.Given that receiver and a nice sub, the advantages the m70 might have diminish further as you no longer need the low end so much from the speakers. With all ch driven, the big m70 will likely sound anemic with that receiver. In 2ch mode might be ok.

piker

Lietuvis91 wrote: »

The m70 is a better speaker, if you can power it adequately. However, when underpowered it sounds worse than m60s, especially when it comes to clarity.Given that receiver and a nice sub, the advantages the m70 might have diminish further as you no longer need the low end so much from the speakers. With all ch driven, the big m70 will likely sound anemic with that receiver. In 2ch mode might be ok.

Thank you Lietuvis.... this is the point I was trying to make about the M70's. I didn't mean to call anyone a liar directly. What I should have said is that it's untruthful to say the M60 and M70's are on equal ground for power.

I gave an example of how my M70's sounded worse than my M60's when running off the same receiver. Yet when I added the amp, the M70's woke up and the sound I was expecting to get out of them had finally arrived.

Some folks won't think anything is wrong with the M70's on a lower-end receiver because they don't have anything to compare it to. The fact is, however, that the more power you feed them, the better they are going to sound.

kazaam

you guys think it would be beneficial to remove my rear 2 speakers in a 7.1 system with a pretty crappy receiver to give a bit more juice to the M70s? Anyone know what a cheap amp that can do the job runs for?

Lietuvis91

kazaam wrote: »

you guys think it would be beneficial to remove my rear 2 speakers in a 7.1 system with a pretty crappy receiver to give a bit more juice to the M70s? Anyone know what a cheap amp that can do the job runs for?

Yes, that's what I did, it helped a lot on my onkyo sr608. I still prefered m60s over m70s in that 5.1 setup as they sounded much cleaner/clearer especially at louder volumes.

Lietuvis91

piker wrote: »

Thank you Lietuvis.... this is the point I was trying to make about the M70's. I didn't mean to call anyone a liar directly. What I should have said is that it's untruthful to say the M60 and M70's are on equal ground for power.

I gave an example of how my M70's sounded worse than my M60's when running off the same receiver. Yet when I added the amp, the M70's woke up and the sound I was expecting to get out of them had finally arrived.

Some folks won't think anything is wrong with the M70's on a lower-end receiver because they don't have anything to compare it to. The fact is, however, that the more power you feed them, the better they are going to sound.

No worries.

I know it is frustrating to read "GET THE M70s!" when you have gone down the same road and know first hand what the results are going to be. This m60s vs m70s topic comes up at least once a month, and you always get the same input from this group. Those with solid receivers, Pio elites and the like, rave about how much better m70s are. And they are right, in their specific application, because their receivers put out a true 140w/ch with all channels driven($1400 receiver mind you!). However, that is a far cry from the 30-40w/ch with all ch driven that this guy will get from his little $300 yammy. Yes m70s are better, no they are not appropriate in ALL applications, and certainly not when they will be driven by a receiver that is designed to barely handle a decent set of bookshelves.

Live and learn

vol007

Well I finally decided to go with the M60's over the M70's and paired them with the HSU VTF-1 with the extra cash saved. So far I'm happy with everything. The HSU's were being reviewed as musical subs and so far it hasn't disappointed. With the low end taken care of (and then some), the 60's and CS2 do plenty in handling the mids and high. I'm sure it can always sound better but with the money spent on everything and this being my first system, I am happy with the results and will be for awhile.

I appreciate the numerous opinions and input on both speakers. I know this a topic that gets brought up over and over and typically comes down to personal preference and what you want to spend, but I always appreciate getting feedback for my specific situation and it adds a piece of mind before making a purchase. Thanks all.

Lietuvis91

Oh cool, congrats! Glad you like it! I particularly liked my m60s + emotiva sub combo! I really felt this combo delivered awesome clarity and imaging throughout the entire range of requencies and at any volume off of my budget receiver. So rock out and enjoy!