My "new" experience with 7C's

smglbrth

Ok, this thread is for info only for persons who might want to take a look at purchasing a pair of these that have never heard them. As for everyone else I'm sure you'll find this quite boring.

First impressions - they sound pretty dang good and I can sure tell they have the SL2000's in them. Classic Polk sound, what a shock, right?

Comparing to my RTA-8T's -

Bass - obviously goes lower than the 8's. Extension is a tad better. Definition seems better as well. It still amazes me how Polk could get this right while utilizing a radiator. You can't push 'em however, with acoustic suspension designs I never could without damaging something, usually the MW's. I'm not as young as I used to be so I don't push speakers like I used to. When I was younger though, dang, I was hard on everything.

Midrange - without a doubt goes to the 8's. I'm sure much of this has to do with the 0194's I have in the 8's but I'll explain my reasoning in the next point. Comparing to the 8's these were just missing it, somehow. It's good, don't get me wrong, but won't replace the 8's midrange. Speaker design probably has more to do with it than anything. Vocals are definitely more natural on the 8's.

High End - for the speaker it is, it's just fine. I did swap the 0194's from the 8's to these and it was as if I put a blanket over the front of them. I have never heard that much of a difference in sound before. My 8's "needed" something to tone them down but these don't unless you push them, which isn't what I have in mind. With my listening volume at the levels I usually use now the 0194's made them "dull". Not much in the way of dynamics at all. I swapped them twice to make sure I wasn't off my rocker, I wasn't. Even my kids heard the difference and they don't have critical ears like me. The 0194's are broke in, I've had them in the 8's for years. Sure, the 7's are brighter than the 8's but they seem more balanced that way.

Imaging - goes to the 7's, but not by much. They are spacious in sound, no other way to put it. Like I said though, the 8's aren't behind by much. The separation just seems better with the 7's.

I pulled the drivers and they all state a date of 1985 on the back. Another thing, when I pulled the MW's out the positive side was soldered but the negative wasn't, weird. Polk also rolled the wire up inside the cabinet so there isn't hardly any room to move around as far as drivers are concerned. Next thing was the binding posts. I haven't seen a hole that small since, well, 1985. Needless to say my 12 gauge wire didn't fit. My wife was very impressed with these (good WAF), and she usually doesn't like speakers on stands. What impressed her the most wasn't the sound, although she commented on it, it was that they were so old and still worked!

Will these replace my 8's? Heck no, I've had the 8's seemingly forever, and that's for a reason. After I'm pushing up daisies one of my kids will have them probably. I think the 8t's were one of the most under-rated, un-respected speakers Polk ever made, but that's me. I also had the 11TL's at one time, kept the 8's.

As far as other older monitor speakers are concerned I've owned the 4 Jr. (just like the 4's but with the slighter bigger cabinet), the 5B's and listened to the 10B's a friend of mine had. IMO, these 7C's are better than any of them. Of course, the 4 Jr.'s aren't really in the same league but after the 7's I'd take those if I had a choice in the monitor line. I always thought the 5's had too much high end and that the 10's had too small a cabinet. I've never heard the 12's but I'm sure they would bury any of these from what I've read. I REALLY like them on the stands they came with, the Polk originals for these (and the 5's and 10's).

The equipment is the same as what I use with the 8's. B&K PT-3 pre, Reference 200.2 amp, NAD C542 CDP. This, in itself, is probably why the SL2000's don't sound as bad as I thought they would.

Oh ya, I'm keeping them. I would say if anyone is on the fence about purchasing these, jump on the other side and get them for crying out loud (for a decent price obviously). How do I know this besides telling you? I finally got off my arse and JB welded the drivers, not only in these but also in the 8's.

I'll post exact specs for the stands in another thread for those that want to know.

Thanks for reading my biased (based on my ears) and probably boring thread. Hopefully someone can learn a little more from what I've written about the 7C's.

thsmith

Not boring at well. Thank you for the review.

vstarkwell

Good review, I'm biased though as I too own a pair of 7C's.

smglbrth

Thanks for the kind words to the both of you.

I think the neatest thing about this whole ordeal was meeting another Polkie, half my age (literally), purchasing these speakers from him that are from "my" generation, and knowing that he cared more about decent sound/music than most his age. It was very refreshing to see that he wasn't into all the "latest and greatest" hoopla.

I have one son who is really getting into this 2-channel business. Although he is only 15 he really wants to learn/listen about good sound. Everytime I turn it on he asks if he can sit in with me. I admit I don't have the most expensive, greatest components/cables around but he appreciates it just the same, the way I do. That's good enough for me. (Now, his 17 year old brother is another story...)

TennMan

I enjoyed reading your review. Thanks for taking the time to write it. I felt the same way you did about the 194s when I first installed them in my monitor 10s. However, after I spent a few days with the 194s installed and then tried to go back to the sl2000 I realized that the 194s are a much better sounding tweeter. I find the 194 to be much less fatiguing for extended listening at moderate volume levels. If you will give yourself some time to get use to the 194s in the 7s I think you will come to the same conclusion.

cnh

Nice review, nice speakers. I have a set of 7Bs coming. Already own 5As and 10As. Can't completely identify with your take on the 10s though, but then again my Monitors are both Peerless so nothing bright up top. And I find the 10As to be quite a balanced speaker unlike many who complain about lobing and other problems "supposedly" associated with the side by side mids?

Don't hear that boys! I think that 10As are just "fabulous"!

Looking forward to getting my ears on the 7Bs, wonder what'll I'll think of my first non-peerless Monitor!

cnh

vstarkwell

cnh wrote: »

Looking forward to getting my ears on the 7Bs, wonder what'll I'll think of my first non-peerless Monitor!

cnh

Now all you need is a pair of 4's or 4.5's and you'll have the whole lineup.

Oldfatdogs

Nice review smglbrth,I hope you and cnh enjoy your new 7s I love mine.Dan

smglbrth

TennMan - I listened to them for hours straight, yesterday and today, no fatigue for me at moderate levels. Music was pretty much classical/jazz and easy listening stuff. Equipment probably has much to do with it though. B&K and NAD are not known to be bright, much the opposite. Detailed and dynamic, yes, but very neutral. When I first installed the 0194's on my 8's I didn't notice that much of a difference, like I did with the 7's. I might change my mind later on, who knows.

cnh - It's not that I didn't like the 10's or am trying to put them down. They just weren't for me, but, that was many moons ago. I don't think the driver arrangement had anything to do with it, at least to me. Enjoy your new to you 7B's!

wakkoyh

Nice review. I have the SL2000's and am on the fence on whether or not to go ahead and upgrade the tweeters. Is the difference that much different?

smglbrth

wakkoyh wrote: »

Nice review. I have the SL2000's and am on the fence on whether or not to go ahead and upgrade the tweeters. Is the difference that much different?

Pretty much the consensus is to replace them with the 0194's. IMO it depends on what speaker it is and your equipment. I am of the opinion that the new tweeter replacements would work better for future upgrades in equipment. They seem less picky than the 2000's. Different strokes for different folks!

soundfreak1

Have had rta 12b's & c's and love them. But recently aquired a pair of 5jr+, a pair of monitor 12,and 7's. I really like the way polk has been able to offer a signiture sound thoughout thier line. They all seem to fill a nitch very well. M12's were very good party speakers the 5jr+ are a great all around bookshelf. Amd the 7's are a pleasure to listen to they all respond nicely to good clean power (the more the better.) sold the 12's as i didmt need "party speakers". I am moding the 5jr+ and trying to fine place for tje 7's as just hate to sell th cause they have a particular soumd i like. This hobby can be rediculas sometimes
but what cha gona do?