I love my speakers!

eandrade

After seeing word of a sale at SonicCraft a couple of months ago, I had no excuse to delay further the crossover rebuild on my 2.3TLs. I've had this pair of speakers for about 6 months now, with the only work done being removal of the polyswitches and the RD0-198 tweeter upgrade.

From my months of lurking on the forums and reading post after post of the transformation that ensues, I've known that a replacement of all the capacitors was long overdue. Words cannot adequately describe what happens when you throw out 21 year old electrolytics and replace them with brand new matched pairs of modern film replacements. The only way to describe it is that they are literally "singing". I know there is a 200 hour burn-in, so I can't imagine what they would be like after another few months.


I heard SDAs (a pair of CRS+) for the very first time waaaay back in the late eighties. I was a pimply-faced nerdy kid back then, and those Polk bookshelfs just blew me away. Ever since then I had longed to own a separates system, reading countless Julian Hirsch reviews and memorizing spec sheets from Audio magazine's annual gear guides...for speakers I contemplated Magnepans, Martin Logans, Paradigms, B&Ws, but deep down inside I knew what I really wanted: a pair of the top line Polks.

Fast forward twenty years and various home theater setups, and I've finally gotten to the point where I can financially afford to dabble a bit on building a better stereo. I settled on a Nakamichi PA-5 and Adcom GFP-565 to feed these bad boys. Definitely entry-level stuff in the world of crazy outrageous audiophile gear, but for my tastes, at this phase of my life, they do just fine

Before doing the crossover mod, the speakers were missing that "punch" and presence that I remembered from when I first heard those CRSs. They didn't seem as efficient as I had hoped, requiring me to crank up the volume level louder than I thought was needed. I was worried that the 20 year old Nak was in need of repair. Or that my memory of the Polk SDA "sound" was somehow embellished after a couple of decades of sentiment...But no, the problem was old crossovers. The soundstage has opened up, the bottom end absolutely fell out and the high end has become much crisper and cleaner.


Sorry for the long post I know I'm fairly late to the game, and this story has been told a hundred times before, but I wanted to share my enthusiasm with other individuals that enjoy these awesome speakers.

And many thanks to all of you on here that laid the groundwork to make this possible. All it took was use of the search function, reading some key forum posts, a few hours of breathing soldering fumes, and I'm now able to live the decades long dream of a proper two channel rig.

maxilla

Just beautiful. I was thinking on doing the same to my old Polks and now after reading your post I feel more than encouraged to proceed. Thank you eandrade.

Joe08867

Here is the reason we suggest the crossover update/upgrade/mod. The results are there for anyone that wants them.

It great to hear a happy story, Thanks for sharing it.

evhudsons

Your post wasn't long at all, mine tend to be way too long but no one has ever said anything negative. You are obviously ahead of the game here. I fully share your excitement and enthusiasm at rediscovering the speakers you've already had.
Yes, mods are the way to go, and I still have a ways to go.

Nice thread!

drumminman

Congrats! If you like the way they sound now, you'll love how they sound as the new xovers "age".

When I did mine I heard improvement at around 110 hours, and then again around 190 hours.

A couple more mods that I highly recommend are build a new IC cable and replace the pin/blade socket with a quality binding post.

And replace the 16 mH inductors with lower DCR ones, if your amp can handle 3-4 ohm loads.

Together, these two improved the sound (to my ears) about as much as the xover rebuilds.

DON73

I need to do my Monitor 10s but don't want to take them out of my 2 channel system long enough to do the crossovers and seal the drivers.:biggrin::biggrin:

evhudsons

DON73 wrote: »

I need to do my Monitor 10s but don't want to take them out of my 2 channel system long enough to do the crossovers and seal the drivers.:biggrin::biggrin:

Amen, that's the hardest part, giving them up long enough to get the upgrades done. It was the hardest thing I've done in a long time. It would be much easier to give up beer during those days than my speakers. But don't let that deter you, gitter done!

DON73

evhudsons wrote: »

Amen, that's the hardest part, giving them up long enough to get the upgrades done. It was the hardest thing I've done in a long time. It would be much easier to give up beer during those days than my speakers. But don't let that deter you, gitter done!

I've had a sixpack in my fridge for about 3 months now. Maybe I should give up the music for 3 months and finish the beer Don't even have to upgrade or tweak the beer..........only one cap per bottle.....maybe put a drop or two of Bourbon in the glass......or pour the beer out and sip the Bourbon.

THEJERMON

Always nice to here good Polk Speaker stories. Glad you are digging those speakers. Jerry

eandrade

Thanks all for the kind words.
I've definitely started down that slippery slope of mods...lots of work left to do:

- installing proper spikes & feet (previous owner put 'em on caster wheels -- really convenient for moving around and finding that critical optimal position, but not needed once I find that spot)
- installing a set of rings from TOOLFANFORLIFE (got my fingers and toes crossed that he decides to make another fabrication run)
- redo the fabric covers
- redo the interconnect cable as drumminman suggested (I got the Cardas binding posts & jumpers done already)
- and the REALLY fun part: play around with different gear to see what difference it makes

drumminman: I'll have to chew on that inductor upgrade a bit more...from what I've read so far reviews have been mixed?


I'm curious...what have y'all done to get to the 200 hour mark? I'm impatient, but a bit hesistant to leave the thing running 24/7.

falconcry72

eandrade wrote: »

- installing a set of rings from TOOLFANFORLIFE (got my fingers and toes crossed that he decides to make another fabrication run)

Post in the wanted section. There may exist members who bought rings, never installed, and are willing to sell them to you.

...what have y'all done to get to the 200 hour mark? I'm impatient, but a bit hesistant to leave the thing running 24/7.

Unless you have some unusual gear, you shouldn't have any problems leaving everything running indefinitely.


edit:

oh and welcome to CP!:biggrin:

Enjoy your speakers!

Toolfan66

eandrade wrote: »

Thanks all for the kind words.
I've definitely started down that slippery slope of mods...lots of work left to do:

- installing proper spikes & feet (previous owner put 'em on caster wheels -- really convenient for moving around and finding that critical optimal position, but not needed once I find that spot)
- installing a set of rings from TOOLFANFORLIFE (got my fingers and toes crossed that he decides to make another fabrication run)
- redo the fabric covers
- redo the interconnect cable as drumminman suggested (I got the Cardas binding posts & jumpers done already)
- and the REALLY fun part: play around with different gear to see what difference it makes

drumminman: I'll have to chew on that inductor upgrade a bit more...from what I've read so far reviews have been mixed?


I'm curious...what have y'all done to get to the 200 hour mark? I'm impatient, but a bit hesistant to leave the thing running 24/7.

PM sent!!!

falconcry72

TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »

PM sent!!!

Never mind! Ask, and ye shall receive!

eandrade

Great group of guys on here... Thanks again!


So my other "little" project is to build up a rig for the office...got a set of NHT Super Ones anxiously awaiting an amp & pre (and a decent sub). Got my eyes set on a local Carver TFM-35x. Had always been curious about these things -- unfortunately had missed out on a nice m-1.5t that was snapped up in less than 2 days the other week.

DON73

DSkip wrote: »

If you like the M10's, find some RTA12's and get your ears on them. Very similar sound, but much more refined and less bloat. The crossovers will be a lot easier to get off too

In my 17X21 living room I have 2 Monitor 10s in operation and 2 AR11s stuck behind them. Along another wall I have B&W 801s with a 50" TV between them. Scattered around the same room I probably have 6 pairs of speakers awaiting some sort of repair:frown::frown: In my garage I have a pair of AR9s waiting for the six woofers to be refoamed and right now I can't pick up any of them. (torn rotator cuff). I don't know where I could put another pair of speakers except maybe Paradigm Atoms.
My 10s don't sound bloated.....they might if I get rid of all the other speakers in the room......if they do I'll have to move all the speakers back:mad:

falconcry72

paladinJ0 wrote: »

thanks for topic. great forums really i love it.

you're quite welcome, f*cker.

reported.

falconcry72

DSkip wrote: »

If you like the M10's, find some RTA12's and get your ears on them. Very similar sound, but much more refined and less bloat. The crossovers will be a lot easier to get off too

I agree completely. The 12's extend lower, but do it in a more nature, textural type of way. I also find the 10's to be slightly bloated, although they are a GREAT sounding speaker.:biggrin:

The 12's also image like crazy.

I have owned both. I still own the RTA-12's.:cool:

drumminman

+1 on the 12's.

When I first got my 2.3TL's I brought one of the 12's into the LR and hooked it up in place of the left 2.3.

I was astonished at how good it sounded - it held it's own in a large room and compared to a large a SDA.

These things respond very well to mods, too