Polkaudio Monitor4.6 -- please comment if you have experience with these...

Mystery

1st post here....
Happy new year to you all.

After great experience on Polk Monitor 5's, a pair of 4.6's showed up in local CL.
Expecting the same quality, bought them for under forty buckaaroos.
They are excellent condition with minor scratches and sound good but not quite good as the 5's or may be because now I have 5's and these seem not exceptional.
These have the same tweeter and mid driver as 5's but much shorter due to a port instead of 8" passive radiator.
Midrange 1 - 6-1/2" Diameter (16.51cm)
Tweeter 1 - 1" Diameter (2.54cm) Polk SL2500 dome tweeter
Reviews are also good: http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/s...ent/monitor46/

Bass is good for their size but I feel these lack brighter/clear highs as in 5's.
I'll try them with a different amp in the weekend.
Should I give them more time or just flip for the same amount hoping I'll get my money back?
Am I having buyer's remorse?
Please comment if you have experience with these.
Thanks in advance.

falconcry72

Welcome to the Club!:cheesygrin:

What 5's do you have? I didn't think Polk made the full-size 5 with an SL-2500, I thought they used either the Peerless in the older models or the SL-2000 in the newer models. The SL-2000 and SL-2500 sound different; the 2000 is brighter. You can replace either with the new RD0-194, which is an improvement.

Odds are the drivers are different too. You can pull'em and look on the back to see what the model is; it will be MW-something. The different drivers won't sound as different as the different tweeters would, though.

Those are great speaks for 40 bucks. Don't have remorse; they're awesome.

Mystery

falconcry72 wrote: »

Welcome to the Club!:cheesygrin:
What 5's do you have? I didn't think Polk made the full-size 5 with an SL-2500, I thought they used either the Peerless in the older models or the SL-2000 in the newer models.
You can replace either with the new RD0-194, which is an improvement.
Those are great speaks for 40 bucks. Don't have remorse; they're awesome.

I have the Monitor 5; no series or nothing on them after 5.


They are like these: http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/specs/recent/monitor5/
The product page mentions the 5's as well as 4.6 have SL2500 tweeter.
http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/specs/recent/monitor46/

I don't want to do much work on these as I am just starting out on vintage speakers and only need 2 or 3 pairs maximum.
I'm looking at a/d/s L620 and Boston Acoustics A120 as well to see which pair I want to keep and which ones to sell.

The monitor 5's have great imaging and bright highs compared to 4.6.
May be 4.6 needs recap or something...

Thanks for reply.

geoff727

I use 4.6's on my computer. I think they work decent for that, with the exception of some chuffing from the port at higher volumes. Of course, they're never going to sound very full-bodied up next to a Monitor 5, but in their own little spot in the world I enjoy mine. I also paid about 40 bucks for them, which I have no complaints about at all. One of these days I'll get up the motivation to update the cosmetics and electronics.

falconcry72

DSkip wrote: »

Both could probably use a recap, but what you're hearing is the difference in tweeters. Your 5's have the 2000, notorious for their brightness. I personally don't enjoy the SL2000's since they give me listeners fatigue rather quickly. The original monitor series ran through many different drivers in their life span, so don't expect them to match exactly what a website tells you, even Polk's website.

Yep, those are SL-2000's.

Mystery

DSkip wrote: »

Both could probably use a recap, but what you're hearing is the difference in tweeters. Your 5's have the 2000, notorious for their brightness. I personally don't enjoy the SL2000's since they give me listeners fatigue rather quickly. The original monitor series ran through many different drivers in their life span, so don't expect them to match exactly what a website tells you, even Polk's website.

Thanks for information.
I assumed I could trust Polk site for Polk products' information.

I'll give them few weeks and see how I like them along with others I'll be picking up soon.
I also noticed bass is not as tight as the 5's. Bass in 4.6 have longer throw than the 5's which is interesting but may also be boomier. Hmm...

falconcry72

Mystery wrote: »

I assumed I could trust Polk site for Polk products' information.

From the product page you linked to:

Featured in the Monitor 4.6, 5jr+, 5, 7, 10 and 12, the SL2500 tweeter makes a major contribution to the improved performance of the Monitor Series 2.

The Series 2's used the Sl-2500. Yours aren't Series 2's.

pdxfj

You'll want to do a re-cap. I claimed back my Monitor 5's and recapped them with Clarity Caps PX and Mills resistors. One tweeter was popped, so I upgraded to the RDO's. Also made sure they were sealing properly.

I like the sound of the 5's more for music than my stock RTi-A7's. The A7's won't be stock too much longer.. they will be receiving new caps and resistors soon.

Mystery

falconcry72 wrote: »

From the product page you linked to:

The Series 2's used the Sl-2500. Yours aren't Series 2's.

Hmmm... We may be understanding differently on the specs...
It mentions;
Featured in the Monitor 4.6, 5jr+, 5, 7, 10 and 12, the SL2500 tweeter makes a major contribution to the improved performance of the Monitor Series 2.

Doesn't that mean SL2500 was featured in 5 series and also counts for improvements in series 2?
From what I read series 4 had older version but 4.6 had SL2500.
So confusing...

I do notice that Monitor 5 has silver colored tweeter and the 4.6 has black colored.
It could be just the color or completely different model.

pdxfj,
I'm trying to avoid recapping because I don't have experience doing that and also don't want to spend more than what I paid for them.
If I get something that sounds good as it is, I'll be happy.

falconcry72

Mystery wrote: »

Hmmm... We may be understanding differently on the specs...
It mentions;
Featured in the I, the SL2500 tweeter makes a major contribution to the improved performance of the Monitor Series 2.

Doesn't that mean SL2500 was featured in 5 series and also counts for improvements in series 2?
From what I read series 4 had older version but 4.6 had SL2500.
So confusing...

lol, you're a little dense, aren'tcha?:twisted: Just bustin' chops...:cheesygrin:

It means that the SL-2500 was featured in the Series 2 versions of the Monitor 4.6, 5jr+, 5, 7, 10 and 12. Not the original, non-series 2 versions, like the ones you have. Make sense yet???

I do notice that Monitor 5 has silver colored tweeter and the 4.6 has black colored.
It could be just the color or completely different model.

lol. It's colored differently because it's a different tweeter. We can spot an SL-2000 anywhere... we're pros 'round here.:biggrin:

Unscrew it and look at the back if you don't believe me....

Joe08867

First you over thinking it. Second there are three generations of Polk Monitors besides the current generations.

The monitor 5 came with one of two tweeters, the Peerless or the SL2000 which you have.
The monitor 5 series 2 came with the SL2500.

Recapping monitor series speakers is pretty easy if you look at the crossovers. There isn't much to them.

Mystery

falconcry72 wrote: »

lol, you're a little dense, aren'tcha?:twisted: Just bustin' chops...:cheesygrin:
It means that the SL-2500 was featured in the Series 2 versions of the Monitor 4.6, 5jr+, 5, 7, 10 and 12. Not the original, non-series 2 versions, like the ones you have. Make sense yet???

lol. It's colored differently because it's a different tweeter. We can spot an SL-2000 anywhere... we're pros 'round here.:biggrin:
Unscrew it and look at the back if you don't believe me....

He he...:redface:
Okay, I believe you.
So if the silver ones in Monitor 5's are SL2000, what are the black ones in 4.6?
The 4.6's I have are also not series 2.
The pictures I attached here are from the CL ad so not high resolution.
I'll take better pictures tonight.
Don't want to pull them out fearing gaps if I don't put them back on properly.

Joe08867,
If I decide to keep them, will think about recapping.
Thanks

falconcry72

Mystery wrote: »

...So if the silver ones in Monitor 5's are SL2000, what are the black ones in 4.6?
The 4.6's I have are also not series 2.

Your 4.6's use the SL-2500. All 4.6's were a part of the Monitor Series 2 line; it just doesn't say Series 2 on it.

Don't want to pull them out fearing gaps if I don't put them back on properly.

You won't hurt'em.

jtgranby

falconcry72 wrote: »

Welcome to the Club!:cheesygrin:

You can replace either with the new RD0-194, which is an improvement.

QUOTE]

Just to clarify the SL-2500 replacement is the RDO-198

Jim

falconcry72

jtgranby wrote: »

falconcry72 wrote: »

Welcome to the Club!:cheesygrin:

You can replace either with the new RD0-194, which is an improvement.

QUOTE]

Just to clarify the SL-2500 replacement is the RDO-198

Jim

Ah. My mistake. Thanks Jim!:biggrin:

Mystery

Great info.
Hmm... those replacement tweeters are kinda expensive, in fact very expensive, more than what I paid for the speakers for one of them.
So, what about swapping the SL-2000 with SL-2500 between these two pairs if that's swappable?
That way, the 4.6 will have brighter SL-2000 and 5's will have better sounding.
That pair may sound better.

BTW, I did a quick ebay check for SL-2500 tweeters and saw they easily go for over $25 each.
Worst case if I don't like 4.6's is I can get my money back from the 4.6's by parting them out.
Thanks for all the valuable information.

Bobsama

Mystery wrote: »

Great info.
Hmm... those replacement tweeters are kinda expensive, in fact very expensive, more than what I paid for the speakers for one of them.
So, what about swapping the SL-2000 with SL-2500 between these two pairs if that's swappable?
That way, the 4.6 will have brighter SL-2000 and 5's will have better sounding.
That pair may sound better.

BTW, I did a quick ebay check for SL-2500 tweeters and saw they easily go for over $25 each.
Worst case if I don't like 4.6's is I can get my money back from the 4.6's by parting them out.
Thanks for all the valuable information.

It's not swappable: not easily, at least. You could modify the XO but the SL2000's and SL2500's have different electrical properties and different wire clips--you'd also have to reterminate the speaker's internal wiring. That's part of the reason RD0198's and RD0194's are recommended for upgrades. While a bit pricey, they're drop-in upgrades.

BTW: Just to argue semantics, there was also a version of Monitor 5's with the SL1000 tweeter. It went from Peerless to SL1000 to SL2000 to SL2500.

Mystery

Thanks Bobsama.
So no swapping.

BTW, how to check if the SL-2500 in 4.6 are working good?
Could it be that the tweeters are weak now and I don't hear them much?

falconcry72

Mystery wrote: »

BTW, how to check if the SL-2500 in 4.6 are working good?
Could it be that the tweeters are weak now and I don't hear them much?

Some Polks of that vintage had polyswitches in the crossovers that served as tweeter protection. If the switches are tripped, or have just gone bad, they end up making the tweeter's signal weak.

I don't know if your 4.6's have polyswitches or not. Someone else will chime in.

If they do have polyswitches, you can either replace them with a small resistor or just remove them and put a jumper there instead. It's super easy.

Mystery

falconcry72 wrote: »

Some Polks of that vintage had polyswitches in the crossovers that served as tweeter protection. If the switches are tripped, or have just gone bad, they end up making the tweeter's signal weak.

I don't know if your 4.6's have polyswitches or not. Someone else will chime in.

If they do have polyswitches, you can either replace them with a small resistor or just remove them and put a jumper there instead. It's super easy.

I see.

On a side note, how much are we talking to replace the caps?
I hear a lot of bass in these 4.6's.
May be just tweeter cap needs replacement.
Thanks

skrol

I believe Polk Audio did not use polyswitches in any of the Series 2 including the Monitor 4.6. The crossover looks very simple with just one cap and one resistor to replace. Capacitor prices are all over the map but you don't need to go nuts. Replace the electrolytic capacitor with a film type for about $10 each and the resistor for about $4.25 (Mills resistor at Parts Express).
Stan

Mystery

skrol wrote: »

I believe Polk Audio did not use polyswitches in any of the Series 2 including the Monitor 4.6. The crossover looks very simple with just one cap and one resistor to replace. Capacitor prices are all over the map but you don't need to go nuts. Replace the electrolytic capacitor with a film type for about $10 each and the resistor for about $4.25 (Mills resistor at Parts Express).
Stan

Thanks for info.
Even without going nuts, I'm looking at $30 + s/h basically same price as speakers.

I gave more listening to the speakers and found the 6.5" driver is very efficient producing a lot of boomy bass instead of punch.
I equalized and heard tweeters are fine/bright/clear when using high frequency but when equalizer is at 0 position, the 6.5" driver takes over the tweeter.
So it can be tamed with little equalization or may be the caps.
Thanks

skrol

This is likely true but think what you will have in the end and compare that to what you could buy new. That $60 won't buy you much and is a very good price for a nice pair of vintage Polk Monitor 4.6.

Another option is to sell the Monitor 4.6's as is and you would likely get more than what you paid. Take the money and find a nice pair of Monitor 5's.

I have never listened to the 4.6's but I know the 5's have clean, tight bass. The Monitor 7 is famed to be a sweet spot of balance in the vintage Polk Monitor series, while the 10's have powerful bass and really rock.
Stan

Mystery

skrol wrote: »

Another option is to sell the Monitor 4.6's as is and you would likely get more than what you paid. Take the money and find a nice pair of Monitor 5's.
I have never listened to the 4.6's but I know the 5's have clean, tight bass. The Monitor 7 is famed to be a sweet spot of balance in the vintage Polk Monitor series, while the 10's have powerful bass and really rock.
Stan

Yes, that's one idea.
I hooked both 5's and 4.6's to Pioneer SA-1050 and cranked them up.
5's sound brighter and tighter.
4.6's sound little boomy and longer on bass.
4.6's bring vocals very nicely, it feels like the singer is in the front and musicians are in the back.
For some songs, 4.6's are better. So does that mean they have spike in midrange more than 5's?

DSkip wrote: »

Figure out if the 4.6 is something you even want to throw more $ into. It sounds like you've already made your mind up, and if you leave them as-is that's fine. Realize that there is almost no modification you can do that won't come close to what you paid. If you want it to be an investment, part it out and make some dough off the drivers.

Yes, I'm considering that. I checked ebay and even the tweeters can bring $60.
So, I can make money from the tweets and driveres + crossovers.
Money is not tight but I have limited space in my townhouse so can't have too many pairs.
My wife already is giving stares.:frown: