Monitor 10's

rromeo923
rromeo923 Posts: 1,513
edited November 2011 in Vintage Speakers
I have a pair of beat up looking, gash in the top of one,tears in the grills, holes in the tweeters (sl2500's) Monitor 10's.

Since I am working on upgrading my SDA 1C's and they are not functional I have brought the 10's upstairs to the main 2 channel rig.

Well these ugly looking, beat up Monitor 10's sound great! Holy crap. I tell you that if I didnt know about SDA's I coulddefinitely live with these! What a difference from the cheesy Yamaha AVR I have downstairs and the tube amp upstairs.

Anyway a little love for the 10's!
I got static in my head
The reflected sound of everything
Post edited by rromeo923 on
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Comments

  • TennMan
    TennMan Posts: 1,266
    edited November 2011
    I have a pair of 10Bs with RDOs and I like them. I've never heard SDAs but if they are a lot better than the 10s I'm sure I would love them. I've held off on recapping my 10s in hopes of finding a pair of CRS+ or 2Bs but so far no luck. Maybe someday...
    • SDA 2BTL · Sonicaps · Mills resistors · RDO-198s · New gaskets · H-nuts · Erse inductors · BH5 · Dynamat
    • Crossover upgrades by westmassguy
    • Marantz 1504 AVR (front speaker pre-outs to Adcom 555)
    • Adcom GFA-555 amp · Upgrades & speaker protection added by OldmanSRS
    • Pioneer DV-610AV DVD/CD player
    • SDA CRS+ · Hidden away in the closet
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  • rromeo923
    rromeo923 Posts: 1,513
    edited November 2011
    I was just thinking of how would these sound with new tweeters. As I said one of the tweeters actually has holes in it. I think I could do the RDO 198's as I believe mine are 10C's. I actually stopped listening because I was getting fatigued. Hmmmm
    I got static in my head
    The reflected sound of everything
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  • Oldfatdogs
    Oldfatdogs Posts: 1,874
    edited November 2011
    I also use 10s as my main speakers they sound pretty good to me.
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  • OldmanSRS
    OldmanSRS Posts: 419
    edited November 2011
    I got a pair last weekend off CR and when run with the HSU sub crossed at 25 Hz, make a FINE sounding setup. I will be keeping them.
    '65 427 Shelby Cobra
    '72 Triumph TR-6
    __________________
    '88 Polk SDA SRS 1.2, with upgraded XO caps and Erse SDA inductors
    '86 Polk SDA CRS+
    '84 Polk Monitor 10A (Peerless tweeters)
    '05 HSU VTF-3 Sub (Original OEM)
    '20 HSU VTF-3 Sub (three more, 100% cloned)
    '93 Carver TFM-35
    '88 Carver M-1.0t
    '88 Adcom GFT-555
    '88 Adcom GFP-555
    '88 Adcom GFA-555 (upgraded/restored)
    '88 Adcom GFA-555 (a second one upgraded/restored)
    '05 Onkyo DV-555 media
    '89 Fosgate 360 Digital Space Matrix
    '89 Fosgate 360 Digital Space Matrix, internal surround amp bridged to drive only a center channel
    '91 Kenwood Basic M1D Amp
    '89 Pioneer Laser Disc media
    '89 Sony SuperBeta HiFi media
    One PGA2310 based custom built remote volume control
    Four Polk T-15's
    Four Polk TSi-200's
    Four Polk TSi-100's
    Two Polk CS-10's
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited November 2011
    Couldn't agree more! Monitor 10s are a very nice speaker. Don't know why they get that 'bloated' bass or muddied mid-range in comparison to the 7s commentary, because they really sound quite good!

    And in comparison to SDAs they are less particular about placement. I've heard them in the middle of a room and they were 'still' good. Just try putting SDAs anywhere but in the 'required' position and see what happens to that 'effect'! That's one thing I really don't like about SDAs--I just don't have a lot of good 'free' wall space to do those right. And when I do use the one wall I have, the room is only 10' wide--a bit narrow for SDA bass? I'm not saying that 10s can pound like a big set of SDAs, they can't. But if you're just into a decent pair of floorstanders that sound wonderful with almost any kind of music and can fill up your room with a good amp on them. This is a great choice!

    (On a side note...my 5As are really putting out some very sweet FM sounds this evening...the Peerless highs are oh so 'smoooothhhhhh' and the mids so clear, OMG!)

    Enjoy!

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited November 2011
    awful, junky speakers.

    ahem.
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  • TennMan
    TennMan Posts: 1,266
    edited November 2011
    OldmanSRS wrote: »
    I got a pair last weekend off CR and when run with the HSU sub crossed at 25 Hz, make a FINE sounding setup. I will be keeping them.
    Knowing the other speakers you have to compare with the 10s, you saying that makes me fell pretty good about my 10s.
    • SDA 2BTL · Sonicaps · Mills resistors · RDO-198s · New gaskets · H-nuts · Erse inductors · BH5 · Dynamat
    • Crossover upgrades by westmassguy
    • Marantz 1504 AVR (front speaker pre-outs to Adcom 555)
    • Adcom GFA-555 amp · Upgrades & speaker protection added by OldmanSRS
    • Pioneer DV-610AV DVD/CD player
    • SDA CRS+ · Hidden away in the closet
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited November 2011
    cnh wrote: »
    ...Don't know why they get that 'bloated' bass or muddied mid-range in comparison to the 7s commentary...

    Ever heard the 7's???

    Or even the RTA-12's, which have a similar driver configuration, but much better, more extended bass without the bloatedness...

    That said, the Monitor 10 is an awesome speaker, and one of the best bang for your buck speakers ever... when it was new, and now especially on the used market.
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited November 2011
    TennMan wrote: »
    ...I've held off on recapping my 10s in hopes of finding a pair of CRS+ or 2Bs but so far no luck. Maybe someday...

    I've got a spare pair of 2B's if you want'em. Where are you located?
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • Oldfatdogs
    Oldfatdogs Posts: 1,874
    edited November 2011
    I have my shop setup 5.1, 10s as mains 3 7bs surrounds I love it. Dan
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,243
    edited November 2011
    I miss my 10's and 7's, Bloated?? I don't see/hear it. Now the 15tl's and 11tl's I find bloated the most bloated sounding polk speakers I have had my hands and ears on..
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  • TennMan
    TennMan Posts: 1,266
    edited November 2011
    falconcry72 wrote: »
    I've got a spare pair of 2B's if you want'em. Where are you located?
    Just outside Knoxville, TN. I think you are about 500 miles away.
    • SDA 2BTL · Sonicaps · Mills resistors · RDO-198s · New gaskets · H-nuts · Erse inductors · BH5 · Dynamat
    • Crossover upgrades by westmassguy
    • Marantz 1504 AVR (front speaker pre-outs to Adcom 555)
    • Adcom GFA-555 amp · Upgrades & speaker protection added by OldmanSRS
    • Pioneer DV-610AV DVD/CD player
    • SDA CRS+ · Hidden away in the closet
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited November 2011
    The 10s are a little full or "phat" sounding against the 7s. That can work well with certain music, depending on ancillary hardware.
    There's also, at this late date, a tendency for some to complain about poor imaging of the 10s due to comb filtering/interference effects of the two horizontally arrayed midwoofers. I've never found that to be objectionable, myself... but then I am not obsessive-compulsive about imaging and "soundstage"... YMMV.

    Every Polk fanboy should have a pair of each, though. I do :-)

    earlypolkfamilyportrait.jpg
    Polkmonitor7Asn4900.jpg
    P1020559.jpg

    The 7As have been in continuous, regular use since 1978. I thought they were a superb value when I bought 'em (as demonstrators) and I still think they're very good - smooth, clean and easy to listen to.

    The original series 10s that I have get pulled out occasionally for a listen. EDIT for the keen-eyed, that a Quad ESL-57 cowering behind the Model 10 in the photo :-)
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited November 2011
    That's fair mhardy. Full or phat is a reasonable assessment of that sound and I too, do not find much objectionable there. For a lot of the music I play on them...they're near 'perfect', very clean with deep bass. I guess some people like a kind of bass I associate with an old face that's had too much skin pulled back and snipped away...in other words, there is such a thing, IMO, as bass that is 'too tight' (tighter than a 'drum', that is). lol

    That said, I'm sure I'd love 7s as well, since my 5s and 10s are permanent residents of the cnh household!

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited November 2011
    The reason I bought 7s in 1978?

    I couldn't afford a pair of 10s! :-P
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    edited November 2011
    When I had the 10's, I liked them a lot. Verry musical and to me, since you can usualy pick them up for 100-200$ depending on the shape and tweeters, they are the bargain of the century. I actually liked them a little more at normal volume vs my 1.2's that i had. Some stuff the 1.2's stock non modified sounded better than the 10's and some stuff the 10's sounded better. While i did like the sda's on some music, it seemed to muffle the vocals where the 10's were always clear and detailed.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • DracoAmericanus
    DracoAmericanus Posts: 112
    edited November 2011
    the orginal polk monitor 10 has a tweeter made by peerless and they are Supost to have the hole in the middle, i don't know why but that is a stock "feature" so dont go glueing the hole closed
    There is no cure....
    Luxman M117, SDA SRS 2.3, rear monitor 10, back rear bose 4.2, valodyne sub and 2 Onkyo m-504 amps Onkyo TX-NR709
    8mm, 7.62x39mm
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  • chandler9a
    chandler9a Posts: 878
    edited November 2011
    I am thinning out the heard and decided to get rid of some speakers, while I love my SDA 2A's, I am getting rid of them and keeping my 10's since I have other SDA's...These 10's are probably on the "I will never sell" list for me, along with the SDA 1C's

    Great speaker
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