Polk Monitor 5JR+

mbocobo

Hey all,

New here, just picked up a pair of 5jr+ and love them. Currently running them off an old SX303R from my high school days. I'd like to upgrade to a nicer integrated amp with a good phono stage, budget is $1000. Would appreciate any recommendations for a pairing. Thanks!

Mystery

Welcome to the forum.
While 5JR's are nice speakers, I can get a lot better speakers and power for $1000 rather than powering 5JR's with expensive amp.
But that's what I think.

westmassguy

Mystery wrote: »

Welcome to the forum.
While 5JR's are nice speakers, I can get a lot better speakers and power for $1000 rather than powering 5JR's with expensive amp.
But that's what I think.

Nice way to rain on his parade...

To the OP, welcome, and enjoy your new babies

soundfreak1

+1 on the xover mod. I did mine with clairity SA caps and they went from very nice bookies to amazing BOOKSHELFS. Cost me about 150.00 for everthing parts and labor ( and well worth it.) i have run them on a Parasound HCA 8800ll, HCA 1200 and a marantz 2265B and they are incredable on all. Do yourself a favor and do the mod. You wont regret it!!!! Havent done the tweets yet but will do when i get to it.

StantonZ

I've had good luck with Yamaha's over the years. I've tried other amps (Denon, Pioneer, etc.), but have found that Yamaha's handle Polk's much better due to their (depending on model) ability to better handle low impedance loads.

Big Dawg

anonymouse wrote: »

If you have $1000 to spend, first upgrade the speakers with RDO tweeters, and the crossovers with Sonicaps and mills. Those 5JRs will go to a different level. Then get yourself a Peachtree Nova or Decco and you will be in heaven. You should be able to do all this in under $1000 if you buy the Peachtree used.

Welcome to the forum.

This is excellent advice. Moding the crossover (you can even mod to allow the rdo198 tweeters), and lots of great amplification options.

If you need a phono input, a Cambridge Audio 640p or similar unit can be had used for $1-200.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?145998-Peachtree-NOVA-Integrated-Amp.-with-DAC-(Sabre)&highlight=Integrated

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/tube-onix-sp-3-mk-ii-tube-integrated-2013-03-26-integrateds-34203-braden-river-fl

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/tube-jolida-fx10-remote-el84-tube-int-amp-2013-03-25-integrateds-20701

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-marantz-pm5004-integrated-amplifier-w-phono-inputs-2013-03-31-integrateds-33446--2

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-music-hall-a25-2-integrated-amp-2013-03-20-integrateds-85326

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-rega-mira-3-integrated-amplifier-w-box-remote-2013-03-30-integrateds-60622-chicago-il

http://www.audioasylumtrader.com/ca/listing/Integrated-Amplifier-Tube/Unison-Research/Unico/Hybrid-Valve-Mosfet-Integrated-Power-Amp/82039

And many more

westmassguy

Big Dawg wrote: »

This is excellent advice. Moding the crossover (you can even mod to allow the rdo198 tweeters), and lots of great amplification options.

Depending on which 5Jr+ you have, the crossover may already be able to accept the RDO-198. If you have SL2000 Silver Coil Tweeters, the correct replacement is the RDO-194. As Big Dawg says, the crossover can be modified to accept the better RDO-198. If your Tweeters are SL2500s, the RDO-198s will drop in with no modifications required, but upgrades to the capacitors and resistors is highly recommended in either case.

Mystery

westmassguy wrote: »

Nice way to rain on his parade...
To the OP, welcome, and enjoy your new babies

That was not my intention but was/still is my honest opinion and I did say 5JR's are nice speakers.

You and others here have given enough information for OP to decide on amp and 5JR upgrade so he should have enough to go through.
But looks like he has abandoned the thread. :frown:

mbocobo

Excellent, appreciate everyones replies, very sound advice!!! Will def look into the xover and RDO mod's.

I do realize I can get better speakers + power for my budget, and will indeed do this along the way. However, I may as well get a good solid amp now and upgrade to better speakers at a later point in time. For $40 I just couldn’t pass up these 5jr’s and will use them in the meantime to their fullest extent. I’m already loving the heck out of them, although my neighbors arent.....condo life:rolleyes:

mbocobo

Big Dawg wrote: »

This is excellent advice. Moding the crossover (you can even mod to allow the rdo198 tweeters), and lots of great amplification options.

If you need a phono input, a Cambridge Audio 640p or similar unit can be had used for $1-200.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?145998-Peachtree-NOVA-Integrated-Amp.-with-DAC-(Sabre)&highlight=Integrated

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/tube-onix-sp-3-mk-ii-tube-integrated-2013-03-26-integrateds-34203-braden-river-fl

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/tube-jolida-fx10-remote-el84-tube-int-amp-2013-03-25-integrateds-20701

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-marantz-pm5004-integrated-amplifier-w-phono-inputs-2013-03-31-integrateds-33446--2

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-music-hall-a25-2-integrated-amp-2013-03-20-integrateds-85326

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-rega-mira-3-integrated-amplifier-w-box-remote-2013-03-30-integrateds-60622-chicago-il

http://www.audioasylumtrader.com/ca/listing/Integrated-Amplifier-Tube/Unison-Research/Unico/Hybrid-Valve-Mosfet-Integrated-Power-Amp/82039

And many more

Big Dawg, thanks for the amp info!!! Solid!

11tsteve

my 5Jrs with a sub sound solid and put out an amazing soundstage for their size. and it is a cheap PSW10. so, I'm just saying watch for deals and add a reasonable sub, and you can have a pretty decent well rounded sound.

mbocobo

11tsteve wrote: »

my 5Jrs with a sub sound solid and put out an amazing soundstage for their size. and it is a cheap PSW10. so, I'm just saying watch for deals and add a reasonable sub, and you can have a pretty decent well rounded sound.

Thanks for the tip Steve. Unfortunately, living in a condo with a super sensitive downstairs neighbor isn't going to allow me to shop for a sub at the moment. In fact, the bass coming from the the 5jr's is already a bit much for my small condo. I'll take everyone's advice and pursue the tweeter upgrade and xo mod first and take it from there.

satguy08

I run a 7.1 set up with 11T's up front 5B’s in the back all with RDO-194’s, with an infinity PS-410 sub driven by an Onkyo TX-SR 705 and couldn’t be happier.

canadianicon25

5jr's don't require much power. i can't really give a recommendation but if i were in your shoes try to find a small 2 channel amp and run with a pre-amp if you are looking for high quality gear; maybe parasound? a small tube amp would also be great, but they cost a lot.

boston1450

CORRECT--i have 2 sets of 5jr's i got recently and they sound fantastic. Even with my little 35 wpc Yamaha cr620

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i also would love to upgrade

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enjoy your 5jr's MBOCOBO and welcome to POLK----randy

SDA1C

Mystery wrote: »

Welcome to the forum.
While 5JR's are nice speakers, I can get a lot better speakers and power for $1000 rather than powering 5JR's with expensive amp.
But that's what I think.

I would solicit the view of Brock. He has some whacked out 5jr+ if I remember right and has the office rig of choice. A few mods and those little puppies will sing. Did I just say that out loud?